# For Camper Van Owners: What Actually Goes Wrong

> Van conversions fail at the penetrations. Roof fans, solar mounts, windows and the sliding door track are where water enters, and because a van has no separate frame, corrosion that would be cosmetic on a coach is structural here. Most van work in this shop is correcting a previous build.

**URL:** https://ocrv.art/for/camper-van-owners
**Entity:** OCRV Center, 23281 La Palma Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92887
**Serves:** Whittier, Los Angeles County, California. The facility is in Yorba Linda, not in Whittier.
**Phone:** (949) 799-3387

## The build is usually the problem

A meaningful share of camper van work here is fixing a conversion rather than repairing an accident. Roof penetrations sealed with the wrong product, windows cut without reinforcement, and electrical specified below the load it actually carries.

None of that is a criticism of owner builders. It is what happens when a build is done once by someone doing it for the first time, and it is entirely fixable.

## Corrosion is structural on a van

The painted steel skin, the ribs behind it and the rocker are the structure. There is no separate frame carrying a box.

Once corrosion has perforated a rocker or a rib, the section gets cut and replaced. Filler over a perforated panel is not a repair and this shop will not quote it as one.

## What to have done while the wall is open

Insulation and sound deadening, wiring runs and window reinforcement all cost a fraction of their standalone price when the liner is already out.

If a repair is opening a wall, that is the moment to fix everything behind it rather than the moment to close it back up.

## Questions

### Can OCRV Center finish a conversion I started myself?

Yes, and it is common. The evaluation states plainly what has to come back out before anything new goes in, which on a partly finished build is usually the roof penetrations and any wiring that will not carry its specified load.

### Does a camper van conversion void collision coverage?

That is a policy question for your carrier rather than a shop question. What is true is that a build adds real removal and reinstallation labor to any collision repair, and your declared value should reflect the build.

### How much does a full camper van buildout cost?

Between $5,000 and $80,000 across 40 to 400 hours. That is the widest band on the rate card and it is honest: a bed platform and a window is a different project from a four season build with lithium, solar and hydronic heat.

## Related

- [Sprinter and camper van program](https://ocrv.art/sprinter-van-repair)
- [Van price bands](https://ocrv.art/pricing/van-price-ranges)
- [Insulation and sound deadening](https://ocrv.art/rv-remodel/insulation-and-sound-deadening)