Cutting a Hole for a Vent Fan for our Conversion Van
#vanlife #vanbuild roof vent
The fact that Eliza did not come with a vent prohibited us from trying a roughing-it, stealth overnight as we made our journey from van purchase in Florida to California. A couple of nights were cool enough, but we didn't feel safe (from scary people or gigantic bugs) to leave the windows open for a necessary breeze.
So, getting a vent fan was priority just in case we wanted to do a bucket-and-a-blanket trip before the build was complete.
We were a bit nervous to cut a hole in the van so we decided to look for assistance from someone who is handy with a jig saw. After much searching, calling around and asking for recommendations on Facebook, we came up empty-handed. Even the local community college's metal shop was closed due to covid.
So we decided to do it ourselves. We watched CheapRVLiving's video on Cutting a Hole in a Van for a vent, created a shopping list, ordered supplies and... chickend out. Or, played it safe... however you want to call it.
I eventually found a handyman who was spectacular at building a rock wall for my play therapy office, but was admittedly unsure about engaging in van building behaviors. Without the knowledgeable assistant's helping hands and mind, it seemed too risky to do it alone.
We hired an auto body guy to cut and install the fan, along with windows. The up-front cost for professional assistance will hopefully pay off in the long run by avoiding a vent fan dangling from the roof... or lying broken on the floor ... or leaking.
He made custom mounting rings (see the pictures, above) for the vent fan, which we're guessing was the piece that we knew was missing, but didn't know what it was or how to find it. You know, that "thing" that kept us, ok me (Mel, yeah, I'm the anxious one) thinking the vent is going to bend the roof or crash to the floor?! That thing that made me think we had to do framing before the vent install? Yeah, that thing. So, I feel better now.
That being said, we do highly recommend (again) CheapRVLiving's video on Cutting a Hole in a Van if you are one of those rugged, brave souls who will truly, truly be DIY.
However, if you are like us and value that extra security over completing the task yourself, you will probably have to shop around a bit before you find a shop that will take on your project. We're not sure why, but this job wasn't for every auto body shop in town. We eventually stumbled upon a referral while calling window installation companies after we thought we had exhausted the auto body list.
The dude who took our job is an auto racer and knows people who live out of vans and trailers. He has also spent a great deal of his time living out of them himself as he travels for races. He apparently gets his referrals via word-of-mouth and doesn't have to do a lot marketing. Or have a website. Hence, the links to his oft-forgotten Facebook page.
Anyway, the materials we purchased to install the vent fan are below (although we didn't use them because our guy provided them.)
Materials:
Safety goggles
Safety Gloves
Dust Mask
Rafter Square
25 ft. Measuring Tape
Sharpie
Painter's Tape
Hand Held Shop Vac
- or standard Shop Vac with extension hose
- or magnetic parts tray and shop rag for easy clean up of shavings
Extra long heavy duty extension cord (if you don't have cordless tools)
Automatic Center Punch
Electric drill with drill bit
Jig saw
3-in-1 lube
Rust Protection
You can find our full list of van conversion purchases, along with the costs here.
Back to DIY Van Conversion Checklist
Go to Selecting a Vent
Go to Vent Placement Tips
So, getting a vent fan was priority just in case we wanted to do a bucket-and-a-blanket trip before the build was complete.
We were a bit nervous to cut a hole in the van so we decided to look for assistance from someone who is handy with a jig saw. After much searching, calling around and asking for recommendations on Facebook, we came up empty-handed. Even the local community college's metal shop was closed due to covid.
So we decided to do it ourselves. We watched CheapRVLiving's video on Cutting a Hole in a Van for a vent, created a shopping list, ordered supplies and... chickend out. Or, played it safe... however you want to call it.
I eventually found a handyman who was spectacular at building a rock wall for my play therapy office, but was admittedly unsure about engaging in van building behaviors. Without the knowledgeable assistant's helping hands and mind, it seemed too risky to do it alone.
We hired an auto body guy to cut and install the fan, along with windows. The up-front cost for professional assistance will hopefully pay off in the long run by avoiding a vent fan dangling from the roof... or lying broken on the floor ... or leaking.
He made custom mounting rings (see the pictures, above) for the vent fan, which we're guessing was the piece that we knew was missing, but didn't know what it was or how to find it. You know, that "thing" that kept us, ok me (Mel, yeah, I'm the anxious one) thinking the vent is going to bend the roof or crash to the floor?! That thing that made me think we had to do framing before the vent install? Yeah, that thing. So, I feel better now.
That being said, we do highly recommend (again) CheapRVLiving's video on Cutting a Hole in a Van if you are one of those rugged, brave souls who will truly, truly be DIY.
However, if you are like us and value that extra security over completing the task yourself, you will probably have to shop around a bit before you find a shop that will take on your project. We're not sure why, but this job wasn't for every auto body shop in town. We eventually stumbled upon a referral while calling window installation companies after we thought we had exhausted the auto body list.
The dude who took our job is an auto racer and knows people who live out of vans and trailers. He has also spent a great deal of his time living out of them himself as he travels for races. He apparently gets his referrals via word-of-mouth and doesn't have to do a lot marketing. Or have a website. Hence, the links to his oft-forgotten Facebook page.
Anyway, the materials we purchased to install the vent fan are below (although we didn't use them because our guy provided them.)
Materials:
Safety goggles
Safety Gloves
Dust Mask
Rafter Square
25 ft. Measuring Tape
Sharpie
Painter's Tape
Hand Held Shop Vac
- or standard Shop Vac with extension hose
- or magnetic parts tray and shop rag for easy clean up of shavings
Extra long heavy duty extension cord (if you don't have cordless tools)
Automatic Center Punch
Electric drill with drill bit
Jig saw
3-in-1 lube
Rust Protection
You can find our full list of van conversion purchases, along with the costs here.
Back to DIY Van Conversion Checklist
Go to Selecting a Vent
Go to Vent Placement Tips
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