We moved from a family-of-fix to a converted double-decker bus

A couple converted a double-decker bus into a holiday home on wheels, but loved it so much they moved into it full-time with their family of six and are now saving £12,000 a year.

Conrad Kirk, 31, and his partner, Nicole McCarthy, 31, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, bought the 1978 Rod-Bodied Daimler Fleetline double-decker bus in September 2021 for £2,000.

The couple planned to convert the vehicle into a luxury mobile home so they wouldn’t have to pay for two £140-a-night hotel rooms on family holidays.

Upon completion of the renovations, they decided to move out of their three-bedroom rental and board the bus full-time with their four daughters – Luna, four, Poppy, seven, Summer, seven, and Phoebe, eight.

The idea of ​​leaving their £1,300 a month rental home and getting on the bus initially started out as ‘a joke’.

But it became a reality when the couple realized they could save around £1,000 a month.

The bus is in Rotherham, South Yorkshire – where the children go to school – but always runs nearby.

After the conversion – which cost them around £8,000 – the fully refurbished bus now has a bathroom, living room, separate kitchen, small garage and an open-plan bedroom with a double bed and two bunk beds.

Conrad, a media company owner, said: ‘There was tremendous help from family and friends who offered to support us with advice and knowledge.

“We kind of worked around what was disposable for us to keep costs down, like using recycled parts and reusing some items.

‘Companies wanted an extra £6,000 to £7,000 for our solar panels, but by watching videos and with the help of our electrician we managed to do it for less than £800.’

The couple’s little girls were a big part of the conversion as they helped their parents with chores like cutting wood and measuring.

Conrad added, “They’ve learned skills that normal kids wouldn’t be able to learn in school.”

The couple planned to convert the vehicle into a luxury mobile home so they wouldn’t have to pay for two £140-a-night hotel rooms on family holidays

After the rebuild – which cost them around £8,000 – the fully refurbished bus now has a double bed and two bunk beds (pictured)

The couple purchased the 1978 Rod-Bodied Daimler Fleetline double-decker bus for £2,000 in September 2021

Upon completion of the renovations, they decided to leave their three-bedroom rental home and board the bus full-time with their four daughters – Luna, four, Poppy, seven, Summer, seven, and Phoebe, eight

The family now has over 200,000 followers on TikTok – where they share their daily adventures and details about their lives.

They are often asked how they can fit six people on a bus, but the children are at school during the day and they prefer to be outside in their spare time.

Conrad considers the bus a basic unit for their outdoor lifestyle.

He said: ‘We’re not hanging out in front of the TV – we’re out doing things with the kids.

“This weekend we went paddle boarding and rock climbing.”

He added that the children experienced many outdoor activities for the first time while living on the bus.

They’ve also met a lot of new people through their lifestyle and have become more social, he says.

The bus also has a bathroom, (pictured) a living room, a separate kitchen, a small garage and an open bedroom

The family has even installed a TV in the open living room that hangs on the wall to save space

“We have the freedom to go and experience things as a family that we couldn’t do before,” Conrad said.

“It’s been great for us because we’ve been very anti-social before.”

Conrad’s plan for the future is to save up to £10,000 over the next three to four years to buy land and build himself a house.

He said, “We have the freedom to start experiencing things as a family that we couldn’t do before.

“Trying new things and spending time away from home have now become a big part of our lifestyle.”