Married couple turns old school bus into surprisingly beautiful and affordable tiny home: 'Everything you typically find in a conventional house'

After decades of hard work as a firefighter, one retiree and his wife opted to enter their next phase of life in a converted school bus.

AutoEvolution shared a detailed photo tour of the renovated home on wheels. At 40 feet long, it has plenty of space to "include almost everything you typically find in a conventional house," the outlet said.

After buying the 2006 school bus for only $10,000, the couple did all the renovations themselves over the course of 14 months.

The bus may appear fairly standard from the outside — aside from its fresh coat of white paint — but inside, couches, a wood-burning stove, a full shower and toilet, a TV, an oven and stovetop, and a queen-size bed transform it into a complete, cozy home.

The bus was also designed to be self-sufficient, able to store 100 gallons of fresh water and 220 pounds of fuel. With an on-demand water heater and other off-grid functions, the bus can take the couple wherever they want to go without needing to stop in towns too frequently.

In total, the conversion cost $40,000, roughly the same as the down payment for an average home. Considering the low monthly utility usage, particularly with mostly off-grid systems, the bus conversion presents a compelling case for the affordability of tiny-home living and seminomadic retirement.

Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?

Many people may not feel prepared to renovate and live in a converted bus or van, but the tiny-home movement is gaining momentum as more people see the appeal of reducing their footprint. One YouTube channel, Tiny Home Tours (@TinyHomeTours), has garnered over 1.5 million subscribers for its tours of various stylish, tiny abodes around the world.

In addition to offering comfortable living for significantly less than traditional homes, tiny homes appeal to many people for their ability to reduce pollution. Our homes are among the biggest drivers of planet-warming emissions because they require a tremendous amount of energy. According to research from the University of Michigan, heating and cooling are responsible for approximately 44% of the energy used in residential buildings in the U.S. each year.

Even if you don't end up relocating to a tiny home, seeking more affordable and sustainable energy sources, such as solar panels and heat pumps, is a great way to incorporate the cost-saving approach of tiny-home living wherever you are.

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