If your dream has been to live in a van by the river, you now can do it in style.
For some retirees, the plan is to sell the house, buy an RV and travel the country discovering America.
Today, that vagabond lifestyle is open to all ages.
YouTube is full of influencers and remote workers traveling on- and off-road in conversion vans that are a home on wheels for a couple of people and usually a dog or two.
Many of these units are home-engineered and half the fun is watching to see if the vans hold up over the miles.
Breakdowns may make good videos, but not a comfortable lifestyle.
Two Jacksonville business owners understand.
Chad Perce and Grant Wilson created FreedomVanGo.
It customizes vans with hot water, electrical outlets, kitchens, outdoor showers and even toilet facilities.
They will customize a van from scratch or do specific interior modifications.
A big part of their business is installing rugged suspension systems that will handle off-road tires.
Those vehicles are at home on the interstate as well as on mountainous, rutted logging trails.
For Perce, the company started when he needed to find a solution to a problem.
A friend’s wife has Crohn’s disease, which requires that she have frequent access to restroom facilities.
That meant being away from the house always was a dicey situation.
Perce designed and built a van with a restroom inside. Realizing he had a product, Freedom Conversions was born.
Meanwhile in St. Augustine, Wilson was experimenting with van conversions and formed VanGoOutdoors.
His plan was to make one of his own, although friends would see the work and talk him into selling them the van.
That happened often enough that he started the business.
Mutual friends introduced Perce and Wilson, who realized they were in the same business and that forming a partnership would suit their needs.
In 2019, they merged to form FreedomVanGo
Perce brings business acumen.
He owns iMethod, an IT recruitment service. Wilson is a jet engine mechanic with design skills that allowed the company to expand its range of services.
“Adventure vans is where the market was taking us and most of the companies that do this are from the mountains going west as opposed to being in the East,” Perce said.
The FreedomVanGo business plan works on several levels, Perce said.
The company will build-out, install component parts and sell wholesale parts to other van conversion companies.
They branched into adding a small retail store in their shop at 3653 Regent Blvd. in the East Park Business Park.
Maintenance also is part of the business model.
“There is always maintenance involved with your van. If you take it off-road it’s like you’re in an earthquake every 10 seconds,” he said.
Installing parts, upgrading suspensions and performing full interior build-outs comprise most of the business.
The company is growing quickly.
Perce estimated that the company’s 2020 earnings were $2 million, grew to $5 million the next year and 2022 projections have FreedomVanGo on a 20% growth curve.
He says that is a conservative estimate. “We are on a pace to do very well.”
Here is how it works. Customers buy a van – the most popular models are the Mercedes Sprinter and the Ford Transit. They have high ceilings where 6-footers can live comfortably.
With the customer, FreedomVanGo will map out how the van will look and the customization is scheduled.
Depending on the job, it can take about three or four months for a full exterior and interior build-out at a cost of $80,000 to $85,000.
Perce said some customizations have cost more than $100,000.
With such an expense, Perce encourages customers to start by renting a conversion van to see what features they prefer.
There is a two-week moratorium on change orders before the project’s start date.
FreedomVanGo customizes vehicles within its parameters. It uses prefabricated units that pop into the flooring.
They do some fabrication in the shop, but try to limit that to exterior and suspension jobs.
Perce knows what they can do and doesn’t want to make promises on a new concept.
“We stick to the products that we have used. I’m not going to experiment on your van,” he said.
“Full custom is very challenging. I’d say we do semi-custom work.”
To do a custom job from scratch would move the process from three months to nine months or longer.
FreedomVanGo has expanded to 20 employees, including a marketing team.
It quickly outgrew its original 4,000-square-foot space in the Arlington area and is doing the same at its current location.
It recently leased an additional 2,000 square feet of storage space near its shop to store the e-commerce items.
Perce brings his iMethod experience to staffing FreedomVanGo.
There are few mechanics experienced in van conversions locally, but the training fits with his philosophy.
“I’ve always had a people-centric approach to hiring. I’ll take character over competence,” he said.
“You can’t teach integrity, ownership and passion.”
