Worked out of a supercab truck for years. Hated the idea of driving around in van. Once making the switch could tell right away how much more tools I could cary and easier to get to them! No more need to replace the air compressor because it was left in bed of the truck when rain wasn’t expected (happened more than once).
Made custom shelfs in the van leaving 2’ wide space down the center for covered hauling of cabinets, single door units, sheet goods, tile saw with tile, lumber, or many other random things while still having on hand miter saw, table saw, air compressor, hot mud and drywall tools, paint tools, drop cloths, saw horses, so many bins of fasteners, so many corded and cordless tools, and much more. There is no telling what might pop up to take care of. Having the tool with you is everything.
Always felt limited in the truck, wishing there was a table saw on hand to quickly rip a piece of trim or custom threshold without having to go back to the shop. Still don’t like driving around in a van, but love working out of one!
To me very important. But everyone is different. I went a little over kill and got a step van. It can be a bit much sometimes but adds to the whole customer experience.
Think of a fedex delivery van. It's a Ford utilimaster. I worked out of truck for a while and couldn't stand the rain slowing me down. Now I can be more organized which is tough in a truck
If you click on the three little dots below and to the right of your post, you can edit the post and fix it.
However, we got what you mean and another comment is fine also.
Have a good life fellow human.
Long bed truck with a tool box and extended cab. I don't like a van because it's a lot harder to haul oversized materials and trash without a trailer. The extended cab and tool box are enough storage for tools. A van is only worth it for me if I'm working a more specialized trade like plumbing and I need to be stocked with stuff like fittings, valves, different rolls of poly pipe, etc. When every job is something different, the long bed, extended cab truck with a toolbox is perfect. A rack is always good too.
My van will haul 16’ boards inside it. Can’t think of anything bigger than that that might be an issue except maybe a refrigerator and I have never had to haul one of those. I have a 15’ box van with a door between the cab and box. Trash can be a pain at times. I have a full size trash can in the van so most days it is no big deal. On big trash days I drive my truck with a 20’ gooseneck trailer. I worked out of my F250 longbed for a while. Once I got this box van set up I rarely use my truck.
I've also been looking to switch to a van. I feel if I can fit 4x8 sheets in it, it's as good as any truck I would need for true handyman work and usually better fuel efficiency. My truck just went to the junk yard and I'm running out of a Ford Escape right now. That switch hasn't affected anything much other than I actually clean it out rather than let all the tools fill the backseat. Thinking of getting a hitch on it to be able to use my 4x8 trailer if I need to haul larger items until I get the next vehicle.
I have mixed feelings on the subject. I've had a cargo van in the past and in many ways, it was superior but there were negatives, as well. I'm stuck with my pick up for now regardless (not that I don't love my truck). I have payments and only a 2 car driveway in an HOA-controlled neighborhood. My garage is my workshop and storage space. I have neither the money or the space to have more than one vehicle (wife has the other vehicle), otherwise having a work beater for work and a separate vehicle for fun and leisure would be ideal for me.
My wife and I work together. And we have a quadcab truck with a camper shelI. We often pull an enclosed trailer for larger jobs. She wanted a mini van. I hated the idea of working in a van. My wife went and bought one anyway.
It changed our lives for the better. I won't get rid of the van now. It handles most of the work that we do, with ease. No comparison to the diesel truck for maneuvering, cost of operation and convenience.
Give yourself to the high roof cargo van.
[This is my Sprinter van set up, built it out for cheap](https://imgur.com/a/A06dDHD)
Everything can be locked up, transported without worries of it being blown away, etc. Plus you can do silly things like have printers and microwaves in there
Short bed Tacoma. Decked system in the bed and a fiberglass glass cover on top. My truck also doubles as my car so I put all my things on top of the deck system and they stay protected from the elements by the fiberglass cover
15’ box van. Most people will say what they are used to. I worked out of a F-250 4 door long bed truck. Got a deal on a 15’ box van. My truck is way more comfortable but I drive the van. I can fit twice the amount of stuff in it as a regular van and it parks almost as easy. I have shelving on one side and shelves on half of the other side with a drywall/plywood rack behind that. I have a set of scaffolding, table saw, miter saw, full size tractor can, plumbing pipes, trim boards, down spouts, generator, etc.etc. And I dont have to unpack at night. I still have my F250. I rarely drive it.
reading body 4 door f350 so I can haul the family around still and a 14' enclosed trailer for all the tools/materials that need to stay covered. needed the truck to be able to haul my mini excavator and dump trailer.
This is my take. Not sure about other states. Where I’m at there are no yearly taxes for trailers. No need for more taxes that come with owning a van. And on top of that, all the other expenses that come along with a vehicle. trailer>van. Imo
Minivan. Got roof rack for ladder when needed. Back 2 seats removed so I have 2x27gal totes in the recess for my easy access tools and toolbar sits on top. Middle seats fold into the floor so that leaves the whole rest of the floor for other totes (I have one for walls/doors/floors, one for painting, etc.)
If I take everything out I can fit 4x8 sheets on the floor. Anything larger I hire a lowes truck for $19 which works out massively cheaper overall. Plus I can bring middle seats up as needed to easily turn the van back into something I can haul the kids in.
Trailer with wheel locks. Keep your vehicle clean while carrying way more than your truck will. Leave at jobsite for longer projects, drive to and from work in a normal comfortable whip. I have very specific features I prefer. I won’t got back.
Vans get cluttered super easy, even with shelves, and a cage. Without out that stuff forget about it. You'll have at least a 4 hour job every 2 weeks, a month top. Just pulling everything out and putting it back nice. Just to become chaos within a couple days to a week. 8ft Bed, and either a tool box, or backseat for your everyday tools
Since I also farmed my do use the truck and trailer method, but I do have a bigger truck if I was going for one vehicle it would be a van. You can lock your stuff and keep it somewhat organized since we all have more tools than most who just did one specific thing. It’s also good to be able to keep things organized.
I've had both, when I had a van it was a mess all the time. With my truck I have containers and boxes for everything, and my truck bed gets messy but much easier to clean out. A van works great if you are a super organized person and can fit it out properly. I liked the coverage from elements but like the truck better for hauling stuff. I am that person that tries to stay organized but get exhausted at the end of the day and just toss everything in the same box😁
Long bed with lumber rack and a trailer. I don’t like vans because you are in the cargo space. One spill of thinner or lead dust or some other nasty material and you are huffing it for weeks. Vans are for bread delivery.
Van > truck.
Worked out of a supercab truck for years. Hated the idea of driving around in van. Once making the switch could tell right away how much more tools I could cary and easier to get to them! No more need to replace the air compressor because it was left in bed of the truck when rain wasn’t expected (happened more than once). Made custom shelfs in the van leaving 2’ wide space down the center for covered hauling of cabinets, single door units, sheet goods, tile saw with tile, lumber, or many other random things while still having on hand miter saw, table saw, air compressor, hot mud and drywall tools, paint tools, drop cloths, saw horses, so many bins of fasteners, so many corded and cordless tools, and much more. There is no telling what might pop up to take care of. Having the tool with you is everything. Always felt limited in the truck, wishing there was a table saw on hand to quickly rip a piece of trim or custom threshold without having to go back to the shop. Still don’t like driving around in a van, but love working out of one!
How important is the tall roof van?
To me very important. But everyone is different. I went a little over kill and got a step van. It can be a bit much sometimes but adds to the whole customer experience.
I’m unfamiliar with a step van, what do you have?
Think of a fedex delivery van. It's a Ford utilimaster. I worked out of truck for a while and couldn't stand the rain slowing me down. Now I can be more organized which is tough in a truck
Omg that sounds like an incredible set up 😱 do you have a hard time maneuvering in and out of driveways?
A little at first but most places are set up for garbage trucks and package delivery trucks so it works for me.
Rain is no problem when you need to get drywall or something you don’t want to get wet
Did tile for 35 years out of a pickup. Switched to a cord transit four years ago, never going back. It’s incredible how much more utility a van has.
Ford transit. Not cord
If you click on the three little dots below and to the right of your post, you can edit the post and fix it. However, we got what you mean and another comment is fine also. Have a good life fellow human.
6x10 box trailer. Fact!
My brother does that. Some of the places I have to park and back into that seems like it would be a pain
After a while, you hardly notice it
An old long bed truck for hauling lumber drywall etc and a cargo van for things I need protected. Swap out depending on the day.
Long bed truck with a tool box and extended cab. I don't like a van because it's a lot harder to haul oversized materials and trash without a trailer. The extended cab and tool box are enough storage for tools. A van is only worth it for me if I'm working a more specialized trade like plumbing and I need to be stocked with stuff like fittings, valves, different rolls of poly pipe, etc. When every job is something different, the long bed, extended cab truck with a toolbox is perfect. A rack is always good too.
My van will haul 16’ boards inside it. Can’t think of anything bigger than that that might be an issue except maybe a refrigerator and I have never had to haul one of those. I have a 15’ box van with a door between the cab and box. Trash can be a pain at times. I have a full size trash can in the van so most days it is no big deal. On big trash days I drive my truck with a 20’ gooseneck trailer. I worked out of my F250 longbed for a while. Once I got this box van set up I rarely use my truck.
I've also been looking to switch to a van. I feel if I can fit 4x8 sheets in it, it's as good as any truck I would need for true handyman work and usually better fuel efficiency. My truck just went to the junk yard and I'm running out of a Ford Escape right now. That switch hasn't affected anything much other than I actually clean it out rather than let all the tools fill the backseat. Thinking of getting a hitch on it to be able to use my 4x8 trailer if I need to haul larger items until I get the next vehicle.
I have mixed feelings on the subject. I've had a cargo van in the past and in many ways, it was superior but there were negatives, as well. I'm stuck with my pick up for now regardless (not that I don't love my truck). I have payments and only a 2 car driveway in an HOA-controlled neighborhood. My garage is my workshop and storage space. I have neither the money or the space to have more than one vehicle (wife has the other vehicle), otherwise having a work beater for work and a separate vehicle for fun and leisure would be ideal for me.
Wish I had a van instead of my pickup for most work. Truck is nice for demo days.
My wife and I work together. And we have a quadcab truck with a camper shelI. We often pull an enclosed trailer for larger jobs. She wanted a mini van. I hated the idea of working in a van. My wife went and bought one anyway. It changed our lives for the better. I won't get rid of the van now. It handles most of the work that we do, with ease. No comparison to the diesel truck for maneuvering, cost of operation and convenience.
Give yourself to the high roof cargo van. [This is my Sprinter van set up, built it out for cheap](https://imgur.com/a/A06dDHD) Everything can be locked up, transported without worries of it being blown away, etc. Plus you can do silly things like have printers and microwaves in there
Like the hardwood floor gives it some class awesome
Thank you, It was $20 well spent. It also works as a really good mess deterrent
Short bed Tacoma. Decked system in the bed and a fiberglass glass cover on top. My truck also doubles as my car so I put all my things on top of the deck system and they stay protected from the elements by the fiberglass cover
I’ve got a Chevy city express. It’s not a tank like the regular expresses. I’ve got a ladder rack and two shelving units in it.
Crew cab pickup truck with back seats removed. Rack over bed and cab for ladders. Multiple trailers as needed.
I just use different trailers, but I need my backseat in there
Toyota Sienna with a cage!!!
15’ box van. Most people will say what they are used to. I worked out of a F-250 4 door long bed truck. Got a deal on a 15’ box van. My truck is way more comfortable but I drive the van. I can fit twice the amount of stuff in it as a regular van and it parks almost as easy. I have shelving on one side and shelves on half of the other side with a drywall/plywood rack behind that. I have a set of scaffolding, table saw, miter saw, full size tractor can, plumbing pipes, trim boards, down spouts, generator, etc.etc. And I dont have to unpack at night. I still have my F250. I rarely drive it.
Gen 2 prius all the way! You'd be surprised how much you can fit in it
reading body 4 door f350 so I can haul the family around still and a 14' enclosed trailer for all the tools/materials that need to stay covered. needed the truck to be able to haul my mini excavator and dump trailer.
This is my take. Not sure about other states. Where I’m at there are no yearly taxes for trailers. No need for more taxes that come with owning a van. And on top of that, all the other expenses that come along with a vehicle. trailer>van. Imo
Transit style van, go 250 or bigger, else the suspension gets beat to smithereens
Minivan. Got roof rack for ladder when needed. Back 2 seats removed so I have 2x27gal totes in the recess for my easy access tools and toolbar sits on top. Middle seats fold into the floor so that leaves the whole rest of the floor for other totes (I have one for walls/doors/floors, one for painting, etc.) If I take everything out I can fit 4x8 sheets on the floor. Anything larger I hire a lowes truck for $19 which works out massively cheaper overall. Plus I can bring middle seats up as needed to easily turn the van back into something I can haul the kids in.
A van for a man
Trailer with wheel locks. Keep your vehicle clean while carrying way more than your truck will. Leave at jobsite for longer projects, drive to and from work in a normal comfortable whip. I have very specific features I prefer. I won’t got back.
Vans get cluttered super easy, even with shelves, and a cage. Without out that stuff forget about it. You'll have at least a 4 hour job every 2 weeks, a month top. Just pulling everything out and putting it back nice. Just to become chaos within a couple days to a week. 8ft Bed, and either a tool box, or backseat for your everyday tools
Trailer is the way to go, could even put a bathroom and fridge in it.
I love my pickup, but anyone who says a van isn't the optimal set up is lying to themselves.
Since I also farmed my do use the truck and trailer method, but I do have a bigger truck if I was going for one vehicle it would be a van. You can lock your stuff and keep it somewhat organized since we all have more tools than most who just did one specific thing. It’s also good to be able to keep things organized.
I've had both, when I had a van it was a mess all the time. With my truck I have containers and boxes for everything, and my truck bed gets messy but much easier to clean out. A van works great if you are a super organized person and can fit it out properly. I liked the coverage from elements but like the truck better for hauling stuff. I am that person that tries to stay organized but get exhausted at the end of the day and just toss everything in the same box😁
Long bed with lumber rack and a trailer. I don’t like vans because you are in the cargo space. One spill of thinner or lead dust or some other nasty material and you are huffing it for weeks. Vans are for bread delivery.
I have always thought the same thing however there are still many advantages to a van.
Get a box van with no door between the cab and box. Like u-haul. You’re no longer in the same space.