We’re mortgage and rent-free after buying a £2,500 double decker London bus and turning it into a stylish home

We’re mortgage and rent-free after buying a £2,500 double decker London bus and turning it into a stylish home

02/17/2021

FOR most people, paying off your mortgage feels like some sort of pipe dream – you know it'll (hopefully) happen one day but it might take you decades to get there.

Well rather than spending years paying for a conventional property, Charlie MacVicar, 26, and her boyfriend Luke Walker, 27, decided to pursue the next best thing.

In 2017, the savvy couple purchased an old double decker London bus for £2,500 and spent a year turning into their dream home.

Charlie told the Metro: "We knew renting or having a mortgage would tie us down and we wouldn’t have as much flexibility so after watching George Clarke’s ‘amazing spaces’ we went through different options such as; shipping containers, caravans etc and eventually chose a double decker bus.

“The process was challenging at times but we were very lucky to have the likes of our families to help."

Despite not being your "typical creative types", Charlie and Luke did plenty of the work themselves but relied on professionals for the plumbing, electricity and carpentry.





After ripping out all the old chairs and handrails, the couple converted the back of their second floor into a bedroom – which boasts stunning views of the surrounding Essex countryside.

Upstairs, Charlie and Luke also installed a stunning bathroom – complete with a trendy free-standing tub – and a walk-in wardrobe.

During the festive season, Charlie gave the bedroom a cosy feel by hanging fairylights in the three windows on every wall in the room.

Meanwhile, the downstairs has a narrow kitchen running along one wall and a compact office space on the other.




What's more, the couple – who have been documenting their unique home on Instagram – also have a wood-burner in their living room and turned the back seat of the bus into a shelf for their vinyl collection.

Charlie added: "We absolutely love living on our double decker bus and honestly wouldn’t change it for the world.

"Of course sometimes there are some downsides to living here such as maintaining heat and losing heat in the winter it can sometimes get really cold and the other side is in the summer it can be like a greenhouse!"

However, Charlie and Luke have made the most of the surrounding greenery in lockdown and even had a Instagram-worthy patio with plush pink cushions and fairylights too.

In total, they've spent £15,00 transforming the bus and pay Charlie's dad to park their home on his land in Essex.

You can follow Charlie and Luke's Instagram account here.

For more amazing home transformations, this savvy DIY fan revamped her drab kitchen counter with £6 B&M marble vinyl & it looks amazing.

And this woman made a chic DIY hanging closet wall with gold racks from Amazon.

Plus Stacey Solomon revamped her fur-covered wardrobe with Amazon tiles and bargain paint.

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