A Portland man bought a 70-year-old double-decker bus and turned it into a tiny home that he rents out on Airbnb. Take a look at how he did it.

Amanda GohOct 17, 2022, 07:04 IST

The converted bus is now an Airbnb in Scott's backyard.Whit Scott

A Portland man bought a double-decker bus and spent 10 months turning it into a tiny home.
Whit Scott, the owner, estimates that he spent about $25,000 on the conversion.

The first time Whit Scott laid eyes on a worn-down, double-decker bus, he knew he had to have it.

Whit Scott with the double-decker bus before he renovated it.Whit Scott

It was not an easy task: The bus had been sitting in an outdoor parking lot for eight years. It was dusty and grimy, with broken windows and missing panels.

The bus was in a poor condition when Scott bought it.Whit Scott

In the 1950s, the double-decker bus had been a commuter bus in Manchester, UK. It was over 70 years old by the time Scott bought it.

The bus was in service in Manchester, UK, in the 50s.Whit Scott

The bus sat in the yard in Washington for years until Matt Breslow, the owner of a popular Portland food truck called The Grilled Cheese Grill, bought it and turned it into a dining space.

The bus used to be a popular food truck in Portland called The Grilled Cheese Grill.Whit Scott

The bus sat in the yard in Washington for years until Matt Breslow, the owner of a popular Portland food truck called The Grilled Cheese Grill, bought it and turned it into a dining space.

The first thing Scott did was to get rid of the old interiors and install framings for the cabinetry work. He also sealed the roof with a new protective coat to prevent any leaks.

The bus after Scott gutted the original interiors and added the framings.Whit Scott

The first thing Scott did was to get rid of the old interiors and install framings for the cabinetry work. He also sealed the roof with a new protective coat to prevent any leaks.

The bus is about 28 feet long by 18 feet wide. The second floor is 19 feet long due to the cut-outs, Scott said.

Progress photo of the conversion. Some of the cabinets are in the process of being installed.Whit Scott

Scott repurposed scrap cedar wood from a friend's property to create paneled ceilings and walls.

Progress photo of the renovation. The wood ceilings are being installed on the upper floor.Whit Scott

Friends and family chipped in whenever they could. Scott's dad regularly drove up from Los Angeles to help with carpentry work.

Scott's father drove up from Los Angeles multiple times to help him with the bus conversion.Whit Scott

Scott started working on the bus in October 2021 and spent every other week working on it. He finished it in early August.

The converted bus is now an Airbnb in Scott's backyard.Whit Scott

Upon entering the completed bus, a hallway opens up to a kitchen on the left and a reading nook on the right.

The kitchen and reading nook are on the first floor of the converted bus.Whit Scott

Further down, the hallway leads to the living and dining area. The wooden door at the end leads to the bathroom.

The living and dining area of the renovated bus.Whit Scott

The bathroom has a shower and a composting toilet. The bus is hooked up to Scott's house for water supply and electricity.

The converted bus has a bathroom with a toilet and a shower.Whit Scott

There's a mural on the bus' interior that was put in by the owner of The Grilled Cheese Grill, Scott said.

Scott preserved the painting in the bus that came from its Grilled Cheese Grill days.Whit Scott

The sleeping area on the second floor of the converted bus features a queen-sized bed.

The sleeping area on the second floor of the converted bus.Whit Scott

Scott said his favorite part of the bus conversion process is being able to test himself against new challenges.

The view of the renovated bus's interiors from the staircase.Whit Scott

Scott said that bouncing from project to project over the past five years has kept him on his toes and that he's getting more confident about his work.

Scott working on the electrical wiring on the bus.Whit Scott

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A Portland man bought a 70-year-old double-decker bus and turned it into a tiny home that he rents out on Airbnb. Take a look at how he did it.

The first time Whit Scott laid eyes on a worn-down, double-decker bus, he knew he had to have it.

It was not an easy task: The bus had been sitting in an outdoor parking lot for eight years. It was dusty and grimy, with broken windows and missing panels.

In the 1950s, the double-decker bus had been a commuter bus in Manchester, UK. It was over 70 years old by the time Scott bought it.

The bus sat in the yard in Washington for years until Matt Breslow, the owner of a popular Portland food truck called The Grilled Cheese Grill, bought it and turned it into a dining space.

The first thing Scott did was to get rid of the old interiors and install framings for the cabinetry work. He also sealed the roof with a new protective coat to prevent any leaks.

The bus is about 28 feet long by 18 feet wide. The second floor is 19 feet long due to the cut-outs, Scott said.

Scott repurposed scrap cedar wood from a friend's property to create paneled ceilings and walls.

Friends and family chipped in whenever they could. Scott's dad regularly drove up from Los Angeles to help with carpentry work.

Scott started working on the bus in October 2021 and spent every other week working on it. He finished it in early August.

Upon entering the completed bus, a hallway opens up to a kitchen on the left and a reading nook on the right.

Further down, the hallway leads to the living and dining area. The wooden door at the end leads to the bathroom.

The bathroom has a shower and a composting toilet. The bus is hooked up to Scott's house for water supply and electricity.

There's a mural on the bus' interior that was put in by the owner of The Grilled Cheese Grill, Scott said.

The sleeping area on the second floor of the converted bus features a queen-sized bed.

Scott said his favorite part of the bus conversion process is being able to test himself against new challenges.

Scott said that bouncing from project to project over the past five years has kept him on his toes and that he's getting more confident about his work.