A couple from Bristol spent £35,000 on converting an American school bus into a new home and managed to complete the 800-hour project just in time to welcome their baby boy into the world.
Sam and Rachel Dix had the massive 37ft vehicle shipped from New York to Southampton and then transported to a farm in the Somerset countryside, where Sam, a carpenter, got to work stripping it out and fitting it with a homely interior.
And just days after this labour of love was completed, heavily pregnant Rachel went into her own labour, giving birth to a baby boy - their second child - right there in their new home.
Rachel, 32, designed the layout, while self-employed carpenter Sam built the entire thing in his spare time, travelling from their Bristol home to the farm near Congresbury, where the bus was taking shape.
Just as Rachel was preparing to give birth, Sam finished off the project by putting up a big light on the roof so that the midwives attending the birth could identify the bus in the dark, reported Bristol Live.
Once upon a time, the bus would have taken up to 72 children to school, but it has now become the first thing ever seen by the couple's newborn child, Bodhi.
“It may seem a bit crazy to buy an American bus, but we knew it had potential to be an incredible home on wheels for our expanding family,” Sam explained to BristolLive.
“It looks like an ordinary bus from the outside, but inside it is a comfortable, fully functional living space. We’ve turned heads when we’ve driven around in it and people have been surprised when they’ve come inside.”
Rachel went into labour and the midwives were called. They arrived around 8pm and Rachel gave birth in the living room area of the bus three hours later.
Sam said: “Midwives visited us on board the bus in advance. They said they’d been to a range of home births, including on a barge, but that this was a first for them.
"They were impressed by how comfortable and spacious it is inside. It had been a mad rush to get the bus ready and on the farm in time for the baby’s arrival, but it worked out well and it’s brought us lots of happiness."
Rachel added: “Birthing Bodhi in the home we poured our hearts and souls into was incredible. After working so hard to create a beautiful and loving home, welcoming our son into our arms on the floor of the bus was a moment forever engrained into my soul. It was magical and I hope it inspires other women to explore home birthing.”
Sam’s impressive renovation was inspired by Matt Sims, who runs the Motorhome Holiday Company in Hewish, near Weston. Matt does a podcast about living in mobile homes, and Sam and he became friends as the project developed.
“Matt has great ideas for making a passive income from your vehicle and guiding first-time buyers on the right vehicle for their needs,” Sam explained.
Matt, who has 30 years of business experience, said: “There are many ways to make money from a motorhome – from impressive renovation work like Sam and Rachel carried out, to using a third party to do the hard work for you.
“It depends on your skillset, time and inclination, but a motorhome can be a good investment for pretty much anyone if they do their research.”
The family now plans to renovate a third vehicle to go travelling in, and have put the bus up for sale with a new layout and refurbished interior.
“This has been a project of love and we’ve enjoyed our time on the bus,” Sam said. “I think it would suit an individual or couple, possibly with young children, looking to set off on an adventure.
“Or it could work as a business venture, if they have land, to rent it out. It is an interesting and comfy space for anyone wanting to experience a luxury, skoolie stay."
