- [Steven] Hi, we're Stephen and Jess.
And this our baby, Hunter.
- [Jess] A goal of ours for 2021.
Is to see more of our beautiful home country of Australia.
So, we decided to pursue this dream.
And buy a van to convert it,
into a tiny home on wheels.
- [Stephen] We just bought a van.
- Welcome to our new home.
- [Stephen] So, after a couple of hiccups.
And a slow start to the build.
Our empty cargo van needed a couple of windows.
One might be in the wrong spot.
(Stephen sighs)
We then placed our flooring down.
Got a chair put in for our newest adventurer.
Before stopping work, for a couple of Christmas festivities.
- [Jessica] It's now the first week of 2021.
And the van build, is officially going full steam ahead.
With insulation and electricals going in this week.
No more distractions.
(phone ringing)
You guys need to say it again.
What are you guys doing?
- [Mum] As I was watching that vlog.
Couldn't be away from Hunter anymore.
Dad's on the phone.
He's booking tickets to come over.
We'll be there in two days.
- Two days.
And you've already booked the flights,
before you even told me.
- [Mum] Flights are booked.
Dogs are with Eliza.
- Hunter, do you want to see Meemaw and Grand-Daddo?
So this morning, I got a call from my parents.
Asking us, you know.
How we're going and stuff.
And then they just liked to mention,
right at the end of the call.
Oh by the way, we've booked flights.
And we're coming to your house, in two days.
To stay for 10 days.
Um, didn't even warn us.
They've already booked the flights.
So now, we're trying to wrap our head around
how we're gonna fit all of these people in our house.
Because currently, my brother also lives with us.
(doorbell ringing)
- [Stephen] Hello, Dobbie.
- [Jessica] We're here to steal your bed.
- Is it bed time?
- [Jessica] It is bed time.
(Stephen laughing)
Stealing the bed.
See that mattress, right there?
That's Jake's new home.
This feels very strange,
because if I told myself, two days ago.
That I'd be right here, right now.
Two days later.
Waiting for my parents, to come from the airport.
I wouldn't believe them.
Like, this is like, the best way to start 2021.
Is a surprise visit, from Meemaw and Grand-Daddo.
So, we've been turning this house
upside down to fit them all in.
(upbeat electronic music)
- [Jessica And Stephen] Awoo!
(Hunter laughing)
Awoo!
(Stephen making airplane noises)
- Was that fun?
Yes?
And...
Bite.
(Stephen laughing)
Oh my God.
(Stephen laughing)
Oh no, it smashed the front thing.
- [Jessica] No.
Finally, our guest room is being used lately.
So, we've kicked Jake out.
Meemaw and Grand-Daddo are gonna be staying in here.
And we've set them up, like, a little basket.
Of all their favorite things for them, when they arrive.
And then we've kicked Jake, into Hunter's room.
So, we've chucked a mattress in here.
And Hunter, she is currently taking a nap.
But we're gonna be having a slumber party,
with Hunter, for the next week.
- [Stephen] Hello, welcome to Perth!
- [Jessica] Hello!
- [Mum] Hi, hello.
- Hunter! - Hello Hunter.
- Who's here?
Come in.
Hello!
- Oh, my goodness! - Back in Perth.
Who's this Crocodile Dundee here, Hunter?
- No, it's Dora the Explorer's grandfather.
- Ah, Dora the Explorer's grandfather?
- [Stephen] Remember at the 41 second mark,
when Jess said, "No more distractions".
And then we got a little bit distracted.
But, now we are heading in to do the van build.
- [Jessica] Well, this feels very weird right now.
Today, we are working back on the van.
And we've left baby hunter,
with her Meemaw and Grand-Daddo.
And to be honest, I think Meemaw is pretty happy
to get one-on-one time with Hunter.
And I am so excited,
because this is my first time that I get to dig my hands.
Get them dirty.
And start building this van.
There's Cooper.
How are you? - Well.
- [Stephen] Happy new year's mate, 2021.
- Yeah, isn't it.
- [Jessica] My parents are in town,
so they're looking after the baby.
So I was like, I'll come down today.
- [Stephen] What's happening Andy, how you doing?
- [Jessica] How are you?
- Ah yeah, another year.
- [Stephen] Yeah, did ya have a good Christmas?
- It wasn't too bad.
Not long enough, but you know.
- [Stephen] Yeah, never long enough.
- They never are.
- Alrighty, it's 2021.
It's a brand new year.
- The van build, is in full swing.
Today, we're working on insulation.
And electricals.
- So, a lot's going to get done.
- All right, one of probably many trips to Bunnings.
Today's insulation day,
so we need to go and get a couple of bags of insulation.
(footsteps tapping)
I think this is what we need.
I'm gonna have to break it open, to be able to reach it.
Short people problems, right here.
- All right, that's one.
- [Jessica] So, see?
I did say I wanted to get my hands dirty.
Oh my gosh.
Tearing down Bunnings.
(Jessica laughing)
- [Stephen] Do you reckon we need gloves?
- Do you reckon?
So, I'm starting to think that I should have probably worn
long pants, or long sleeves.
Because I'm about to jump right into insulation.
Let's mask it up.
Goggle it up.
And, glove it up.
(mellow guitar music)
Ah yeah, it cuts through easy.
♪ Driving in the fast lane ♪
♪ Can't slow down ♪
♪ Won't slow down ♪
All right, first piece.
Let's do this
♪ You're bringing around ♪
♪ Won't slow down ♪
♪ I ain't even mad about it ♪
♪ Can't slow down ♪
♪ Won't slow down ♪
♪ I ain't even mad about it ♪
♪ Can't slow down ♪
♪ Won't slow down ♪
♪ Falling into pieces ♪
♪ Staring at this golden water ♪
♪ Running out of reasons ♪
♪ Why you shouldn't be my lover ♪
♪ Just give me a nickel ♪
- [Stephen] So when we went to Bunnings,
there was a couple of different options.
There was roof.
There was floor.
And we've gone for the wool, R-2.7.
Australia gets really hot in the summer, so.
Gonna make sure we pack this in tight,
so we can be wa...
Cool in the summer, and warm...
When it actually cools down a bit.
The wool's great, cause it's so malleable.
Cause, there are so many different shapes here.
We got a triangle, here.
We got, sort a square over here.
With bits of metal, coming in.
So, being able to just kind of shove it.
Cause we want it as compact as possible,
so that it actually works.
You don't want any, like, holes.
So that warmth and cool, can leak through.
It's the middle of summer, here in Perth.
It is hot, in here.
- Underneath this mask, and goggles.
Is a swimming pool.
Is it, like, 35 degrees today?
- [Stephen] Phew! - Phew!
- [Stephen] How have you been working on this for like,
not even half an hour.
And you've done so much?
- I know, look at you.
I think I did some of that, as well.
- [Stephen] I should get to work!
- [Cooper] Yeah, and we we do those ones.
We'll put...
When we put the seats on, we'll put 'em on.
So, it'll really fill that gap.
- Okay, cause it was hard to get them in.
So, I was just doing that for the moment.
Is that okay?
- [Cooper] Well pretty much, we'll put the seats on there.
And we might stick it on, and then put the-
- Put them on, okay cool.
That's awesome. - [Cooper] Yeah that's cool.
So we'll poke it out, that's fine.
- Okay, cool. - [Cooper] Awesome.
You're almost through a bag?
- Yeah, almost through a bag.
So, glad we got two. - Yeah.
- [Stephen] We'll use, like, one and a half, I reckon.
- I reckon we could use that up.
Cause there's all these little bottles of...
(mellow guitar music)
- [Stephen] Alrighty, a bunch of goodies
that we've ordered, has come in.
We've got power outlets.
Ah, a converter!
More fans, to try and keep us as cool as possible.
L.E.D lamps.
Fresh water pump.
And, this big boy...
Is our lithium battery.
That is heavy!
Ah!
- [Jessica] Oh, so you can lock it off too.
Ah look, it even comes with a little hot and cold water tap.
That's awesome!
- Then you pretty much...
hang it on there. - Oh, then you can hang it on.
So, you can stand underneath the shower.
- Yeah. (laughs)
- That's awesome!
I didn't know what that was going to look like.
- [Stephen] Me neither.
- I'm sure, you might be able to get...
Like, another holder. - [Jessica] Okay.
- Cause that'll be right there.
Depending on where it's gonna go.
- [Jessica] Yeah, true. - You might have to have one-
- [Jessica] We'll be ducking underneath.
- Up higher. - [Jessica and Stephen] Yeah.
- But you can actually probably get one
that has a suction cup, or something.
And you can suction cup one higher up, and pop it in.
- Yep.
- [Stephen] Nice!
- [Jessica] So cool.
- [Stephen] I like how it's got the little-
- [Jessica] I like how you can lock it off, too.
So he can't go in there.
Oh, it actually says shower on it.
(Jessica laughing)
That's so cool!
All right, already one bag down.
Another one in.
What a job.
- [Stephen] Crazy thing, it's like, such a small hole.
But you're shoving so much in there!
- I know.
All righty.
I feel like we've done as much insulation as we can, today.
And yes, I'm currently very itchy.
We've...
Well, we've done most of it.
It's just these bits are so thin,
that I feel like we're gonna put them on,
and then quickly put the walls on.
And same as the roof.
But now, seeing as insulation is kind of done.
We are doing electrical.
So, we just had a big meeting.
And told them where we, kinda, wanna do our lights.
Our power sockets, and everything.
And then I'm guessing, some above the bed.
And then the air-con will be there,
so it will have to be more back.
- Yeah, yeah.
And we've still got that one.
- Yeah, that's true.
And now we're gonna start...
I guess learning today, how electrical systems work.
We're gonna be starting to run wires.
And I just feel like the van build is in full swing, now.
- It's crazy, when you actually come and see it.
On a, kinda, commercial, kind of, massive sale.
Cause we just have these insane wires.
Alrighty, so first up with electrical.
We're gonna be doing our six down lights.
So, we've got two at the front.
Two in the middle.
And two right above the beds, where I'm standing.
Now, because we have little Hunter.
We want to be able to control the lights separately.
So, just say, she's sleeping.
We wanna make it dark.
But we wanna either do work.
Or we wanna, you know.
Cook a meal, down towards the front area of the van.
We want them to be running separately,
so we can switch off lights individually.
So, that's what we're doing right now.
So when we pop in the lights, they're ready to go!
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Now, let's head back to the van build.
(mellow blues music)
Alrighty everybody, it's the next day.
You've just got me.
Jess is currently hanging out with her parents.
Just while they're still here, for the next few days.
Think they sent me a video,
that they were just chilling on the beach.
- [Jessica] Such a nice day here, without Stephen.
It's lovely.
Gone down to Malalu beach.
Daddy's free!
- This morning, Andy's gone through.
And he's pretty much placed
all of the wires, through the van.
So yesterday, when we planned out where we want power.
He's gone through, and actually just placed the wires.
And then they've all, kind of, just lent through.
He's found little places he can,
kind of, put them into.
And it's going to go down to the fuse box.
I think the thing I'm most excited about this van build,
is actually learning all of these things.
I'm 30, and I know nothing...
When it comes to electrical, water.
Any of this stuff.
So, it's kinda cool.
I didn't realize, you just unwind the cable.
Just snip what you need.
Make sure there's more than enough slack on there.
See, power light one runs all the way through there.
And then, you chase it down there.
Power light one!
♪ Well I was walking down the road ♪
♪ Just the other day ♪
♪ I met a young boy ♪
♪ Passing my way ♪
- [Stephen] I remember Andy saying,
day one, when I came in here.
He said, building a van is just simply problem solving.
So, we don't have our water heater in, just yet.
So instead, he's looked up the dimensions online.
Just made a little make shift box.
Gonna move it around, see where it's placed.
And then, run the electrical to it.
Also, real quick.
This is when you realize,
oh you have heaps of space in a van.
But when boxes like this start coming in,
you're like, wow.
This space is gonna get filled up, so quickly.
It's really cool, just starting to walk through here.
And even though you feel like a little bit of kid,
with the cardboard boxes.
It really helps you visualize the space.
Just by spending, you know, five, 10 minutes.
Just to pop it in,
to see whether you need a bigger, or smaller size.
This fridge is about 670, by almost 1,200 mil.
So, it's definitely a bigger fridge.
This is a really cool idea.
Make a couple of cardboard boxes up.
So, you can really just see what you're working with.
I think before we go onto the next spot.
It's pretty warm in here.
I think we need to cool down.
♪ Don't look like another ♪
♪ Happy day ♪
♪ Without a ♪
♪ Oowee ♪
(Stephen Screaming)
(water splashing)
♪ Don't look like another ♪
♪ Happy day ♪
♪ I said, lookie here Black brother ♪
♪ Don't you feel so bad ♪
- [Jessica] My parents have come, to check it out.
Wow, look at all this mum.
- [Stephen] Welcome to our new home.
- Ah, it's gorgeous!
- [Stephen] It's looking a bit, uh...
Under construction, at the moment.
(Mum laughing)
But, at least you guys can see it.
So, when we drive to Cairns...
- That's it. - [Stephen] You can see the...
- [Dad] Well, you can see where all the wiring is.
- [Stephen] Yeah, and then you'll know
when we switch on that light.
(mum gasping)
- That's the very light.
(upbeat soul music)
(saw whirring)
- Alrighty, last day to work on the van for the week.
What we've actually done now, is.
I dunno if you guys can actually see, but.
The paneling just here, where you can kind of,
get windows cut out of.
As you can see, there's a bit of a lip.
So you almost want to have these ribs,
that Andy's measured up.
Cut up, and put on there, so it's a bit more stable.
So, when we do put our wall on.
It's not gonna wobble, in the middle there.
So that was a really good idea, with spaces here.
Just towards the back here.
And then also, with all the electrical are.
As you can see, this one here at the back.
Has way more stability on here.
Because there's going to be a bunk bed there, for Hunter.
When she gets a bit older.
So this one definitely, more stability.
Cause we would hate for the bunk bed
to fall on us, at night.
Seriously, today's episode is about learning so much stuff.
So, I didn't realize.
So this is the 240 volt.
As you can see, it's way thicker.
Now, the 240 volt we can run like, laptops, fridges.
Everything that's way more powerful.
12 volt is what you'd expect, like, phones to charge on.
But, because this can either get hot.
There's also metal here, you wouldn't want it to be,
you know, rubbing up against it.
So genius idea, got some...
We call it like, concrete, I think it's called?
I'll up the name, I've got it wrong.
And then, he kind of just got a wire, to just...
Sift it through there, so that it's in extra protection.
Cause it already has this one, over the cables.
And then, double protection as well.
And then he's just gone,
and just put it straight through to the other side.
(drill whirring)
But that kind of brings us to the end of this episode.
I hope you guys enjoyed it.
It was really awesome to finally get started on the van.
Get our hands dirty.
We're pretty much going straight forward,
till this van is done.
Make sure you check out our Instagram, cooperthevan.
To see little snippets, updates, as it goes.
But, thanks so much for watching guys.
And, being part of this dream journey of ours.
Building this little van, into a tiny home.
We really appreciate it, all the support.
Thank you guys, so much.
We will see you next time.
Bye!