Financing a Home Build?

[dave_in_delaware]

I was wondering how some of you financed your DIY projects?

I mean, I could probably get a loan from my Credit Union for a used Ford E350 van, or get financed through the local used car dealer (2 of which always carry cargo vans, all under $10k). Granted, I have to either pay off my minivan loan that I still owe on, or sell my minivan, but it's doable to get a base van relatively easily....

But what about upgrades to the base van, the RV conversion (cabinets, bed, etc), the equipment that goes into/onto the van (solar, batteries, water heater, fresh/gray water tanks, etc), and everything else? The total price tag on these items would easily be more than the base van.

Did you get a loan for a certain amount of these "extras" so you could buy what you needed up front? Or did you buy one piece at a time only when you could pay in cash? Or was your credit card maxed out? Or were you able to get a combination loan (personal/signature loan) for the base van price AND all the extras you needed to finish your build? Or did you win the lottery? LOL.

In this economy, and with my finances at the moment, I know I could get the base van, but I doubt I could get approved for a signature loan for both the van and other stuff for the build.

So, how'd you do it? Or how are you doing it (if you're currently building it now)? How are you affording your dream to come true?

I know finances are a private issue for some, so feel free to PM me instead of posting it here.

I'm just curious if I'm missing some key method to financing a project like this.

Thank you in advance!

[WVvan]

Everyone's finances are different. Excluding cat food my daily living expenses are low enough that every payday got me another piece of the puzzle. Something big like the solar panels might take a few paydays. At the moment I probably have all the main parts squirreled away somewhere in the house waiting for their turn to be installed. Of course I've been at this over a year.
It also helps if your idea of recreation is to spend a three day weekend in a National Forest. This past weekend with the van just parked in the woods there were no campground fees and total expenses came to a quarter tank of gas and $30 in food. And whatever wear and tear I put on my hiking boots.
The owl that hooted away in the distance as I fell asleep on Saturday night was also free.

[dave_in_delaware]

I'd love to be able to put aside part of every paycheck for my van project. But when you only see half of your paycheck (thanks to child support), and the rest goes to rent, car payment, car insurance, gas, utilities, and hopefully food... well, you get the idea. And forget about a savings account. I haven't seen one of those since 1997.

I plan on weekend and week-long excursions in my van once it's finished. Even before it's finished would be fine, too. My goal is to use it as a "base camp" to enjoy the great outdoors on my mountain bike, hiking, and doing some photography. My wife is excited about it, too, and will be joining me on these excursions.

I just want to be able to enjoy an RV while I'm my age now, not wait until I have to retire to enjoy it. Maybe I'm asking too much. Maybe my dream is just unreachable right now. I've been thinking about and dreaming about and researching and designing my RV for over 2 years so far. Maybe I'm impatient? I don't know.