Property developer spends £11,000 turning double-decker bus into his new home after being priced out of housing market

Daniel Bond spent four grueling months turning the neglected vehicle into a two bedroom home

The couple were unable to afford a deposit and found it almost impossible to get a mortgage because he is a self employed electrician

It is kitted out with a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, kitchen, TV lounge, bar, toilet and bathroom

The kitchen even has a hob, cooker, fridge and sink with running water

Daniel hopes to have his bus driver’s licence so that he and Stacey can take a trip to Cornwall where he grew up

A cash strapped property hunter has turned his back on the housing market by making his family home out of a double-decker BUS.

Daniel Bond, 28, spent four gruelling months and £11,000 turning the neglected vehicle into a luxury two bedroom home.

The self employed auto-electrician was desperate to move in with girlfriend, Stacey Drinkwater, 20, but the young couple were left stumped by 'ridiculous' house prices.

Big bus: Daniel Bond, 28, spent four gruelling months and £11,000 turning the neglected vehicle into a luxury two bedroom home with girlfriend, Stacey Drinkwater, 20

The couple were unable to afford a deposit and found it almost impossible to get a mortgage from the bank as Daniel is self employed.

So the ingenious electrician decided to buy the double-decker bus last October despite his mum telling him it was 'barmy idea'.

Amazingly the bus, which was used on routes in Dublin and East Sussex is kitted out with a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, kitchen, TV lounge, bar, toilet and bathroom.

Road to happiness: Daniel hopes to have his bus driver¿s licence by August so that he and Stacey, who works at Whitstable bowling alley, can take a trip to Cornwall where he grew up

Homely: The kitchen even has a hob, cooker, fridge and sink with running water

It has full plumbing running throughout, a 220 litre water tank, and can be connected to mains electricity to power lights and appliances.

The kitchen even has a hob, cooker, fridge and sink with running water.

Daniel and Stacey now live in the converted 1991 Leyland Olympia and the couple say they 'could not be happier', with their solution to the plight facing first time buyers.

All mod cons: Amazingly the bus, which was used on routes in Dublin and East Sussex is kitted out with a double bedroom, a twin bedroom, kitchen, TV lounge, bar, toilet and bathroom

Revamp: He completely stripped the innards of the vehicle and fitted the insulation, damp-proofed it and put up partition walls to create the different rooms

Cosy: The bed in the back of the bus where the couple sleep

Daniel said: 'We were desperate to move in together but house prices were just way too high and we did not want to waste our money renting someone else’s property.

'It is really difficult for first time buyers so this seemed like the best solution.

'I am so glad we did it people thought it was a barmy idea at first but people have really come round to the idea.

Cheap choice: For a decent two-bedroomed house, the first-time buyer would have been forced to pay close to £200,000

Living room: believes the vehicle is now worth more than £20,000 and is more spacious than most people¿s houses

'When you are on the bus it feels like an ordinary house, you completely forget that it is real a bus.

'It has taken me the last four months to do. I’m the sort of person who really gets stuck into things and go for them big time.

'But the whole point of this bus was to make things affordable for us.'

Daniel, from Canterbury, Kent, bought the bus from e-bay for just £3,000 and spent a further 8,000 kitting it out.

He completely stripped the innards of the vehicle and fitted the insulation, damp-proofed it and put up partition walls to create the different rooms.

The heating of the vehicle runs on diesel while the rest of the bus is powered by battery or by connecting to a mains plug.

Daniel believes the vehicle is now worth more than £20,000 and is more spacious than most people’s houses.

The properties he was looking to buy started at £100,000, but were all just pokey flats.

Haven: Daniel hopes to buy his own plot of land and plans to turn a single storey bus into a bar as his next project

For a decent two-bedroomed house, the first-time buyer would have been forced to pay close to £200,000.

Daniel hopes to have his bus driver’s licence by August so that he and Stacey, who works at Whitstable bowling alley, can take a trip to Cornwall where he grew up.

The vehicle is currently based on a plot of land, which the couple rent on the outskirts of Canterbury.

Stacey said: 'I love it.

'My friends love it everyone thinks it is just a brilliant idea.

'Our mates who also struggle with high house prices even want to come and build their own house bus and live next to us.

'I am only 4ft 10 so i have more than enough room plus the bus is pretty spacious. If it wasn’t for the bus we would not be able to be living together.

'We do not have any kids on the way at the moment but if we ever do maybe Daniel can convert a school bus for them to live in.'

Daniel hopes to buy his own plot of land and plans to turn a single storey bus into a bar as his next project.