I’m Steve. I’m 53, I’ve been in Facilities Maintenance for over 30 years, and I’ve built four campervans. I’m also tired of being on-call at 2am to fix broken boilers.
This site exists because after three decades of fixing other people’s problems, I’ve finally decided to fix my own: the fact that I’m spending my best years chasing emergencies instead of actually living.
Embracing a life on the road embodies the essence of the feral way, allowing us to reclaim our freedom and adventure.
The Real Story
I’ve worked in facilities and maintenance since my early twenties. Heating systems, electrical faults, plumbing disasters, equipment breakdowns — if it’s broken at 3am on a Sunday, I’m the one getting the call. It’s steady work. Decent money. Absolutely soul-destroying after 30 years.
My wife (who’s a few years older than me, and definitely wiser) has reached the point where she wants to retire early. Can’t blame her. We’ve spent enough weekends “planning to go away” and then having me called back for some crisis that could’ve waited until Monday. This need for change aligns perfectly with our desire to explore life the feral way.
So we’ve made a decision: we’re giving ourselves three years to transition out of conventional work and into a life that’s actually ours. Not retirement in the traditional sense — we’re not sitting in a villa in Spain playing golf. We’re building a life on the road, working remotely, and spending our time doing things we actually want to do.
Why I’m Qualified to Write About This
I’m not some Instagram influencer who bought a van last month and thinks fairy lights make it a home. I’ve built four campervans from bare metal. Not conversions where I stuck some vinyl planks down and called it done — proper builds with electrical systems, plumbing, insulation, furniture, the works.
I’ve also helped mates with their conversions, troubleshot disasters (including one memorably awful gas installation that nearly ended badly), and learned what actually works versus what just looks good in photos.
Thirty years as a maintenance manager means I know how things break, how to fix them, and — more importantly — how to build them so they don’t break in the first place. I’ve wired control panels, plumbed heating systems, diagnosed electrical faults, and fixed equipment that “definitely can’t be fixed” more times than I can count.
This experience translates directly to van building. A 12V electrical system isn’t complicated when you’ve spent decades reading schematics. Plumbing is plumbing whether it’s in a building or a Transit. And knowing how to properly secure things so they don’t rattle apart after 1,000 miles? That’s just engineering common sense.
I’ve also spent the last 10 years actually using campervans — not just building them. We’ve travelled extensively across the UK and Europe. Scotland, Wales, Norway, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany. Wild camping, campsites, city stealth parking, the lot. I know what works in practice, not just in theory.
What The Feral Way Actually Means
The name isn’t about going full caveman and eating berries in the woods (though if that’s your thing, fair enough). It’s about stepping outside the system that says you work until you’re 68, then maybe have a few years left to enjoy yourself if your health holds out.
Going feral, to me, means:
- Living on your own terms, not someone else’s schedule
- Choosing freedom over comfort (within reason — I still want a warm van)
- Building things yourself instead of paying someone else
- Learning skills that matter instead of climbing corporate ladders
- Saying no to the 2am callouts
It’s not about perfection. It’s about authenticity. My vans have scratches, dings, and things that aren’t quite straight. But they work. They’re built properly. And I can fix anything that breaks because I built it.
What You’ll Find Here
Van conversion guides — Detailed, honest, practical advice based on actually building vans. What works, what doesn’t, what’s worth the money, and what’s overpriced marketing rubbish.
Gear reviews — I test things properly. If something breaks, I’ll tell you. If it’s brilliant, I’ll tell you that too. I don’t sugarcoat because someone gave me a free product.
UK travel experiences — Real locations, practical tips, legal parking advice, and where to find water/waste facilities. Not Instagram-perfect sunsets with no useful information.
The business of going nomadic — How we’re actually funding this transition. What we’re doing to build remote income. The financial reality of switching from steady employment to location-independent work.
Honest updates on our journey — The good, the frustrating, and the expensive mistakes. Building a life on the road while still working full-time isn’t easy. I’ll share what’s actually happening, not the highlight reel.
The Three-Year Plan
We’re not quitting tomorrow and hoping for the best. We’re being strategic:
Year 1 (Current): Build this site, establish remote income streams, finish current van build, reduce expenses, save aggressively.
Year 2: My wife transitions to part-time or early retirement. Test extended trips (2-4 weeks). Refine the setup. Identify what works and what doesn’t.
Year 3: I transition out of full-time maintenance management. We go nomadic properly — spending 6-9 months a year on the road, returning to the UK when needed.
This might adjust. Plans change. But the direction is set.
Why Trust This Site?
Because I’m not selling you a dream. I’m documenting a reality.
I’ve made every mistake you can make with van conversions. I’ve bought the wrong batteries, installed insulation incorrectly, underestimated costs, and built furniture that looked great but was completely impractical. I’ve learned from all of it.
I also know that vanlife Instagram is mostly bollocks. Beautiful vans that can’t be lived in. Unrealistic budgets. People who make it look easy because they’re not showing you the three weeks it took to fix a leak.
My goal isn’t to convince you to buy a van. It’s to help you make informed decisions if you’re already convinced. To share what actually works based on experience, not theory. And to build a resource that I wish existed when I started.
Join Me On This Journey
If you’re dreaming of escaping the 9-to-5 grind (or in my case, the 24/7 on-call grind), if you want practical advice from someone who’s actually built and lived in vans, or if you’re just tired of the Instagram-perfect version of vanlife, then you’re in the right place.
I don’t have all the answers. I’m still figuring out how to make this work financially. I’m still learning new skills. And I’ll definitely make more mistakes along the way.
But I’ll share everything honestly — the wins, the cock-ups, the costs, and the reality of transitioning from conventional work to life on the road.
Subscribe to the newsletter for updates, practical guides, and honest stories from someone who’s doing this in real-time, not retrospectively after it all worked out perfectly.
Let’s figure this out together.
Got questions? I actually respond to emails: steve@theferalway.com
