Couple buys delivery truck for $4,600 and turns it into dream home

Iona Stewart and Martin Hill, a couple from Nottingham, UK, are avid snowboarders and first met in the winter season while working in the French Alps.
The two don't just love the snow but also share a passion for travel and the outdoors. In fact, they were already living a nomadic lifestyle out of a RV when they came up with a plan to build out a more permanent abode.
Advertisement
Iona Stewart
After a few beers, the two decided to buy a big American truck and turn it a brand new home. Fortunately, they were able to find one (pictured below) on eBay for £3,600 or roughly $4,600.
Iona Stewart
The truck, measuring 28 feet long and 7 feet wide, was originally used for delivering bread. The condition of the interior, pictured below, wasn't exactly living-friendly. The renovation was no easy feat.
Iona Stewart
Luckily, Stewart enjoys design while Hill is knowledgeable on plumbing and electrics. The duo work well together. Stewart tells Smaller Living, "Martin has always been good at building stuff. He learns mostly from YouTube to be honest. He used to own a bar in which he did all the refurb himself."
They were able to complete the full renovation in 4 months while working on it each day. The couple was fortunate enough not having to work during that time.
Stewart's advice to others interested in pursuing a similar renovation? "The trick for the build is to plan, plan, plan. Make sure it works before you start building. That everything fits and will work."
Let's take a tour!
Iona Stewart
The exterior of the truck was painted in a stylish gray. Solar panels were added to the roof.
Stewart comments, "We have five house solar panels on the roof, so we can run our fridge from the sun in the summer and on gas in the winter or when we are lacking sun."
Iona Stewart
The living room features a gray sectional sofa that also pulls out to a bed in the event family and friends come over. Cabinets above the sofa provide extra storage.
Iona Stewart
The home features a full kitchen, complete with a stove, oven, sink, and fridge. The only missing items are a microwave and toaster as they are too costly in terms of power. The impressive part? All the kitchen units and doors were made by hand.
Iona Stewart
Stewart adds, "The kitchen and bedroom floor is Karndean. It’s a very hard-wearing vinyl and is indestructible."
Iona Stewart
Living in a tiny home means being smart with storage. Wooden holders near the kitchen sink double as a spice rack and mug holder.
Iona Stewart
The butcher block countertop adds warmth to the kitchen space, contrasting against the white subway tile backsplash.
Iona Stewart
Stewart says, "The fridge is a Thetford 3 way. Very handy in campers." Vertical space is also cleverly utilized as additional storage, as seen by the space next to the fridge.
Iona Stewart
A pellet stove also serves as a source of heating. Stewart tells Smaller Living, "It’s cheap to run, environmentally friendly, and has a thermostat so you can set it to whatever temperature you want. It sits the room at that perfect temperature unlike the problem people can have with log burners giving off fat too much heat in such a small space."
Iona Stewart
The bedroom lies on a separate level from the living area.
Iona Stewart
The bedroom features a double bed and ample storage space.
Iona Stewart
In fact, the bed itself lifts up, and there's additional storage underneath.
Iona Stewart
Stewart says they don't run into storage issues and have gotten used to a minimalist lifestyle. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits to living off the grid is the money savings. Stewart says the couple's only living expense is the $51 a month for gas and fuel. Being mortgage-free is the tiny home dream.
Iona Stewart
The bathroom is small but features a corner sink, storage, and toilet. The entire space is also the shower.
Iona Stewart
One needs to place water into the toilet before using it, but it functions just like a normal one connected to plumbing.
Iona Stewart
"We spend a lot of time in it up in the mountains skiing and park up for months at a time. As you can see, the truck is rather big for moving loads."
Iona Stewart
"We have our baby camper which we use to go traveling in." Below is the interior of the cute baby camper.
Iona Stewart
Advertisement
Where are Stewart and Hill now? Since their renovation two years ago, they are expecting their first child. "Baby number one is on the way also so that will spice up our traveling life even more."
Resources