If you've been deep in skoolie YouTube at 2 a.m., sketching floor plans on graph paper and pricing out used Thomas buses on Facebook Marketplace, you already know: a school bus conversion is equal parts construction project, engineering puzzle, and life decision. At Texoma Classics in Sherman, TX, we build skoolies alongside the people who'll live in them -- whether that means handling your entire bus to RV conversion from bare shell to move-in ready, or stepping in for the phases where you need a professional skoolie builder on your side.
We're a custom vehicle shop, not a factory. Every bus that rolls into our bay on Industrial Drive gets a conversion plan built around how you want to live and travel.
Why a Shop That Gets Skoolie Culture Matters
The skoolie community runs on shared knowledge, honest build budgets, and a healthy distrust of anyone who talks like a brochure. We respect that. We're builders -- the same crew that does frame-off classic car restorations and custom fabrication work -- and we talk about bus conversions the same way: what the job actually involves, what it costs, and where the hard parts are.
A school bus conversion shop needs to be fluent in structural steel, electrical systems, plumbing, cabinetry, insulation science, and road-legal vehicle regulations all at once. That cross-discipline capability is exactly what a full-service fabrication and restoration facility brings to the table. We're not learning on your bus.
Full Conversion or Phase-Specific Help -- Your Call
Turn-Key Skoolie Builds
Not everyone wants to spend eighteen months with a grinder in their hand. If you want a professional, turn-key bus conversion -- from demolition and rust remediation through final trim and systems commissioning -- we handle the whole scope. You get a custom bus conversion built to your specifications without the horror stories: no mold behind walls from bad vapor barriers, no electrical work that keeps you up at night, no structural compromises hidden under plywood.
A turn-key skoolie build Texas customers trust means we handle:
- Demolition and prep -- seat removal, floor cleaning, rust treatment, subfloor leveling
- Structural work and roof raises -- a skoolie roof raise is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make, and one of the most dangerous to DIY. We cut, raise, and weld with proper structural reinforcement so you get the headroom without compromising the bus frame
- Insulation -- bus conversion insulation is its own discipline. Texas summers will punish a bad insulation job. We work with closed-cell spray foam, rigid board, and radiant barriers depending on your climate plans and budget
- Electrical and solar -- skoolie solar power systems sized to your actual usage, shore power hookups, battery banks, inverters, and a distribution panel that won't make an electrician wince
- Plumbing -- fresh water, gray water, black water (if you want it), on-demand water heaters, and shower builds
- Custom floor plans -- custom skoolie floor plans designed around your life. Fixed bed or convertible? Dedicated office nook for remote work? Full kitchen or camp-style? We design it in collaboration with you, because your input is what makes a skoolie feel like yours
- Interior finish -- cabinetry, countertops, flooring, wall finish, lighting, and all the details that turn a steel box into a home
Phase-Specific Professional Support
Already mid-build? That's half our skoolie customers. You've done the demo, maybe laid your subfloor, and now you're staring at a phase that requires welding certifications, electrical licensing, or equipment you don't own. Common jobs we take on for DIY builders:
- Roof raises -- the single most-requested professional intervention. A skoolie roof raise requires precision cutting, heavy steel fabrication, and certified welding. We do the structural work; you keep building the interior.
- Electrical systems -- shore power integration, solar panel mounting and wiring, battery system configuration, and full distribution. If your bus conversion electrical plan lives on a napkin sketch, we can turn it into a real system.
- Welding and structural fabrication -- frame reinforcement, custom bumpers, ladder mounts, exterior storage boxes, roof racks
- Mechanical and drivetrain -- these are old vehicles. Engine work, transmission service, brake overhauls, and suspension upgrades for the added weight of a conversion
We hand it back to you when we're done, and you keep building.
Short Bus Conversions
Short bus conversions deserve their own mention because they're a different animal. A short bus (Type A, typically 20-25 feet) trades living space for driveability, parking flexibility, and stealth. As a short bus conversion builder, we adapt floor plans to maximize every square foot -- think Murphy beds, fold-down desks, and multi-function furniture. If your plan is weekend adventure rig rather than full-time living, a shorty might be exactly right.
What Does a Skoolie Conversion Cost?
You've watched the budget breakdowns on YouTube. You know the range is enormous -- from $10K bare-bones DIY to $150K+ turn-key professional builds. Here's how we think about it:
- Phase-specific work (roof raise, electrical, welding): typically $2,000-$15,000 depending on scope
- Partial conversions (structural + systems, you finish interior): $15,000-$50,000
- Full turn-key conversions: $50,000-$150,000+ depending on length, finishes, and systems
These are ballpark ranges, not quotes. Every bus is different -- a 40-foot flat nose with a roof raise and lithium solar system is a fundamentally different project than a short bus with a basic electrical setup. We give you a real estimate after we see your bus and talk through your plans. No bait-and-switch pricing.
The Texoma Advantage
Our shop sits right off Highway 56 in Sherman, Texas -- easy access from US-75 for anyone in the North Texas or Texoma region. We've had customers trailer buses in from across Texas and neighboring states. Sherman is far enough from Dallas to keep overhead reasonable (which keeps your build costs reasonable), close enough that you can check on your build without making it an expedition.
For skoolie owners planning to travel, the Texoma area puts you within a day's drive of the Ozarks, Big Bend, the Gulf Coast, and points west. Not a bad place to start a road life.
Your Build Starts with a Conversation
Whether you've already bought the bus or you're still in the planning phase, the first step is the same: a design consultation where we walk through your vision, your budget, and your timeline. We'll look at your bus (or help you figure out what to buy), talk through custom skoolie floor plans that match how you want to live, and give you an honest scope of work.
That collaboration is the foundation of every build we do. Your ideas, our fabrication and systems expertise, and a shared goal of getting you on the road in something you're proud of.
Tell us about your project below -- where you are in the process, what you need help with, and what you're imagining. We'll get back to you with real answers, not a sales pitch.