Best Van Conversion Companies in Southern California

Building your van conversion takes a lot of dedication, time, and money. There are two main options for those who want to experience van life but do not want to go through the pain and hassle of converting their van.

1. Buy a Van Conversion
2. Have a custom Van Built

Both options are perfectly acceptable. A manufactured van by a reputable company provides all the capabilities you will need to experience van life. There are also plenty of used van conversions on the market.

Why a Van Conversion Company

A van conversion company will allow you the flexibility to design your van the way you want. You will determine if you want to shower, a compost toilet, a particular size layout, or a bed size. The options are endless in a custom build.

The reality is all dependent on your pocketbook. They can build you an excellent bare-bones van that can achieve all the van life goals or an overly expensive comfort van.  The options are endless.

There is an absolute sense of pride when you know that your van has been built to what you wanted. It becomes a lot more personal project for you than just one that you buy off an RV lot.

Figuring out the Best Van Conversion Company for You

If you live in Southern California and want a custom-made van, researching the best van conversion company is critical. To help you out, I have and will continue to conduct primary research on the prominent van conversion companies in Southern California.

This hopefully saves you time and energy in your search for the perfect van conversion company.

Review Methodology

The following is a list of sources I use in developing a list of quality van conversion companies in Southern California.

• Website Information
• Better Business Bureau
• Google Reviews
• Submitted Questionnaire
• Phone Calls
• Visits
• Actual Customer Interviews

Determine Your Requirements

Before you start the process of determining which van conversion company is best for you, I think it is essential that you understand what you want and what you need in your van.

Finding the best van conversion company to meet your needs always starts with you understanding your needs.

Understanding the difference between what you want and need is key to a successful van build.  What you need are the things you cannot live without. This could be a shower, restroom, heated floors, or anything else you determine.

What you want is entirely different. You would like to have these items in your van but can live without if you did not. You can negotiate these items depending on your budget. These items could be anything from a towel warmer, a microwave, extra windows, or anything else.

It would be best to have a clear understanding of what you need and what you want before you contact a van conversion company. This will save you time and money.

I believe the best way to accomplish this is to spend time in a van. There are multiple websites where you can rent a van for a few days or weeks. Going out and experiencing van life on your own over a few weeks is a perfect way to determine what you need and what you want.

This is important because you do not want to spend time customizing a van only to find out what you need is not really what you wanted. You might install a shower and realize that you do not need one.

You might have left out a small barbecue because you determined what you needed, but you eventually found out that you needed a small barbeque.

So, it is a bright idea to go out there in a van for a few days or weeks to determine your actual needs and wants. This will save you a lot of time, money, and hassle in the future.

Once you determine those needs and wants, you can start contacting van conversion companies to see which one is best for you.

Van Conversion Companies

Below is a list of van conversion companies I have reviewed based on the methodology stated above. Hopefully, this provides you with an excellent place to start in your search for a good company.

Camplife Customs

Camplife customs Is located in San Diego and offers conversions for every type of van.  The majority of their reviews have focus on their great customer service. I like that on their website, they lay out the steps for ordering a customized van.

• Address: 3486 Kurtz St. #102 San Diego, CA 92110
• Phone: (619)709-5842
• Website: Camplife Customs

Campovans

Campovans is a family own business located in Santa Barbara. According to their website its run by Byron & Robyn who have been traveling in a variety of vans since 1981.

They also offer a variety of products for sale on their website, from sunshades and an entire kitchen cabinet to coffee mugs.

They also have a few diagrams and a guide for free download.

• Address: 220W Gutierrez St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
• Phone: (805) 825-6760
• Website: Campovans

El Kapitan

El Kapitan customizes beautiful sprinter van conversions. They offer a full spectrum of builds. The majority of all their reviews are positive except for a few complaints about returning phone calls.

The price range for their builds are approximately $150k to $190k.

• Address: 5831 Research Dr, Huntington Beach, CA 92649
• Phone: 714.896.8267
• Website: El Kapitan

Exclusive Outfitters

Exclusive Outfitters customizes sprinter van conversions. They offer a full spectrum of builds as part of a Mercedes dealership.

• Address:1961 E Miraloma Ave Suite A Placentia, CA 92870
• Phone: 714.524-2224
• Website: Exclusive Outfitters

Outpost Vans

Outpost vans customize a variety of vans. They also rent vans so this might be a good option to test their vans before getting a customer one. All their reviews are 5-Star positive.

• Address: 105 Copperwood Way Suite D, Oceanside, CA 92058
• Phone: 760-643-7896
• Website: Outpost Vans

So-Cal Van Conversion

SoCal Van is a small van conversion company compared to the other. They focus on converting a variety of van types; work, recreational, and luxury. They offer pre-packaged upgraded based. They might be the best option for budget-conscious people.

• Address: 136 10th Street, Suite A, Ramona, CA 92065
• Phone: (760) 703-9025
• Website: So-Cal Van Conversion

Vanspeed Shop

Vanspeed offers some beautiful conversions. They also offer van conversion upgrade parts. 

• Address: 15192 Goldenwest Circle  Westminster CA, 92683
• Phone: (949) 432-5033
• Website: Vanspeed Shop