designing floor plans

[coachcrazy]

i am wondering what programs you gentelmen use to do the designing of your floorplans. any shareware/free programs would be a plus

[Ross]

Go old skool....Use graph paper.

Seriously though, that's what I did, and I have some high end CAD/CAM software.  Sometimes it's just easier to sketch it on paper.   In the end, only laying it out on the bus floor with tape will give you a true idea of how it will work.

[FloridaCliff]

Before I had the Bus I played around with Visio and drew up all kinds of plans

Once it was here it was tape on the floor.

You really need to know the relationship of the bays to the upper floor and where all the main support ribs fall.

In order to plan where everything will go.

Have Fun,

Cliff

[Ace]

I would have to agree with Ross on this one! We used graph paper as well and to this day we have changed from the original layout very little! We still dig it out and look at it from time to time just to see what we have or haven't changed. Yes it's takes a little longer but who's counting days when the conversion never seems to get completely done anyway!

Ace

[coachcrazy]

thanks for the input guys, i figured that would be the simplest and easiest  way to go.   

[FloridaCliff]

One more thing.

It is well worth the time to take a look at as many completed conversions as you can.

Every conversion I have looked at has given me ideas or confirmed why I didn't want to do something.

If theres a rally near you, make it a day trip and bring your camera.

Bus people love to show off there work.

Oh yes, I also used graph paper , before I transfered the measurements to the tape on the floor.

Good luck,

Cliff

[coachcrazy]

One more thing.

It is well worth the time to take a look at as many completed conversions as you can.

Every conversion I have looked at has given me ideas or confirmed why I didn't want to do something.

If theres a rally near you, make it a day trip and bring your camera.

Bus people love to show off there work.

Oh yes, I also used graph paper , before I transfered the measurements to the tape on the floor.

Good luck,

Cliff

Well its kinda hard right now given my location and that the bus/rv lifestyle isnt that popular here.  Iam going to get to the Delaware event and im going to try and get to event in SC in Oct but i may be in KY that weekend, so thats in the air atm.  I just found these 2 coaches sitting in a closed auto dealership in the back fenced in lot behind the building .They dont look like they are being cared for, so i am thinking i may be finding a possible gem sitting in my own town.  One is i think a neoplan cityliner but its kinda hidden behind the other coach witch is either a gmc or a eagle but i think its a gmc.  Im trying to find out who owns the lot and or the buses to get a better look at them.      think you guys can identify them if i get a pic from the fence?

[TomC]

I have made dozens of floor plans (I started in junior high as a hobby).  Done every size and many layouts.  You can get a general idea of what you want in the length of bus you want.  Then when you get the bus you'll have to modify the floor plan to fit the bus and its' structure.  After I made my graph paper drawing from the measurements of my bus, I then made a vellum master at 1" per foot and had several copies of the three view (floor, left and right wall) copy and had a 4ft x 3ft blue print.  On separate copies I made the A/C wiring, D/C wiring, plumbing, drainage, and general cabinetry requirements.  Even with all that, I STILL had to wing it while building as different problems arose-but that's half the fun of it.  How boring it would be if everything went exactly to plan!  Good Luck, TomC

[Christyhicks]

I did mine on graph paper, showing the basic perimeter, steps, windows, etc.,  and then used tracing paper sheets. . one for bays and frame components, and another to lay on top showing projected cabinets and components.  This allowed me to see where rails went, how the bays really lined up, where the windows were in relation to the projected floor plan. . .that really worked well. . .following the KISS principle . 

Now, this will crack everyone up , but I then took large sheets of cardboard and "built" a bed and some basic cabinets to see if the walkways and open space was adequate for our needs, and to get a bit of a visual on how closed in it may look.  I'm hoping to only convert one bus once, and keep it FOREVER.   Christy Hicks

[Oly]

My project is still "Way" underway but I found proping up sheets of plywood with like sized objects to give a feel for just how cramped you can stand. Oh yeah, and tape on the floor.

[TomC]

Christy- that isn't so out of line.  When I was on the road, in between loads, I used the inside of my moving van to do the exact thing with spare moving boxes.  Making sure passage ways were wide enough, enough room to do your paperwork in the bathroom, enough counter top space in the kitchen, etc.  And since I'm a big boy (6'3" and 295lb) my bus is basically a 32ft design stretched to 40ft.  So it feels spacious.  To many times have I been in other conversions that they just tried to cram in as much as they could and created a twisting, ducking, dancing around corner cave.  Leaving a little less is more relaxing.  Good Luck, TomC

[coachcrazy]

Now, this will crack everyone up , but I then took large sheets of cardboard and "built" a bed and some basic cabinets to see if the walkways and open space was adequate for our needs, and to get a bit of a visual on how closed in it may look.  I'm hoping to only convert one bus once, and keep it FOREVER.   Christy Hicks

actually that seems like a really good idea and one i will probably incorparate.  We always get cardboard at work in big pieces, we are always throwing it away now i can start taking pieces home with me and will have an abundance to use when the time comes

[Danny]

I believe in the simple ways too.  However, I used a version of Corel Draw that allowed me to work in levels so I could overlay the electrical, plumbing, floor plan, etc.  I could look at these in isolation or together.  But, I just like playing with the computer and had a long winter  :-)  I admit - that was over kill...

Danny

[BJ]

Well. This is my third conversion, the first around 30 years ago so I looked at all the taped floors, cardboard appliances and computer designs and said xzwosnfhf... I sat and looked at everything, planned it all out in my mind and built one part at a time. When finished with that part then I would sit down and think about the next part. I have a beautiful bus, very unique and comfortable for myself. what can I say? I plan to have pictures for the center fold in a few months.

[Geoff]

It is really hard to make a floor plan when you don't know the exact size of the furniture and components you are going to use.  The location of the toilet is very important so you can put it above the holding tank.  For the most part I just bought what I wanted and made it all fit, I had tape on the floor after I had an idea of how everything was going to go together and it all sort of worked out. Now I have a very unique semi-side aisle layout which is very user friendly and comfortable.  One important tip is that you should try to keep  24" of clearance in the walking/aisle area.

---Geoff