Get your numbers

For first-time Sprinter, Transit and ProMaster builds

We do the homework. You build the van.

Tell us your van and how you travel. Vansembly researches the parts, helps you lay it out to fit, explains each choice and puts the build in order.

Start with your van See a full example plan

Get your van's numbers in about a minute. No account needed. Full plans are $19 a month or $79 founding price, was $99 once.

Example: Sprinter 170, high roof, 2 adults

Is my van too heavy?

Vansembly

No. About 950 lb of payload left.

2,870 of 3,814 lb payload used

Heaviest

Build materials
1,650 lb
People (2 × 150 lb)
300 lb
Gear and supplies (2 × 150 lb)
300 lb
Fresh water, full (21 gal)
176 lb

Could be 422 to 1,362 lb left. Planning estimates.

Every van build starts with "it depends." We work out on what.

Same van. Left is how most first builds start. Right is what you get instead.

Before

Your browser, week three

  • how big a battery do i need for a van
  • sprinter 170 payload after build??
  • best van fridge 2026 reddit
  • roof fan before or after insulation
  • 200ah vs 400ah lithium which one
  • how much water tank 2 people van
  • van insulation which is best
  • queen bed fit sprinter 170??
  • "It depends."
  • "Depends what you want to run."
  • "Depends on your build, man."
  • "It depends. Search the forum."

47 tabs. Hundreds of answers. Same reply every time.

After

Your build plan

Same questions, answered for the example van.

  1. roof fan before or after insulation

    It depends on what else goes through the roof.

    Before. In this plan the fan and the solar mounts are the first jobs, so metal shavings stay out of the insulation.

  2. how much water tank 2 people van

    It depends on people, gallons a day and days between refills.

    2 people × 4 gal a day × 2 days = 16 gal. The plan's 30 gal tank covers it.

  3. queen bed fit sprinter 170??

    It depends on the inside width once the walls are finished.

    The 61 in wide platform has under 1 in to spare, inside the measuring error. Measure before you build it.

One plan. Built around your van.

Start with your van

About a minute. No account needed.

From the FAQ

How is Vansembly different from van layout or calculator tools?

Most van tools are calculators or layout apps for people who already know what they want to build. Vansembly starts from how you travel, then researches the parts, explains each choice, checks the layout and puts the build in order.

See it in action

What “it depends” really depends on

Most van questions have no single right answer until your trips, power use and weight are on the table. See how Vansembly works from those starting facts to choices you can check.

Want to try it on your van? Get your first numbers

Plays muted. The numbers on screen come from an example build, not your van.

Inside the example build

See what the plan gives you

Explore a real example's floor plan, electrical plan, weight distribution and budget. Open checks stay visible. See every feature, including the 3D layout planner and step-by-step build order.

Open the full plan
Dimensional top-down van layoutCab / cargo boundary: Orientation landmark at the sourced cargo-floor origin. It is context, not an invented cab intrusion.1710 mm display span. sourced geometry. Context only.Passenger sliding door clear opening: Protected factory opening. The fit engine keeps this exact profile geometry clear.450 mm display span. sourced geometry. Included in fit rules.Rear doors clear opening: Protected factory opening. The fit engine keeps this exact profile geometry clear.1549 mm display span. sourced geometry. Included in fit rules.Driver rear wheelhouse: Modeled wheel-well volume. Placed bodies and operating clearances are checked against it.450 mm display span. estimated geometry. Included in fit rules.Passenger rear wheelhouse: Modeled wheel-well volume. Placed bodies and operating clearances are checked against it.450 mm display span. estimated geometry. Included in fit rules.CAB / FRONTREAR DOORS
Planning overview

Make the space work together

The example plan places 8 pieces in the same vehicle profile. Dimensions, service access and actual fit still need verification.

In this layout

  • Driver-side galley
  • Wet bath
  • Side bench
  • Fixed queen platform
  • 400Ah battery bank
  • Dometic CFX5 55IM
  • Fresh-water tank
  • Rear gear garage
Open the detailed plan and checks

Rendered from the example build by the product's planning tools. Verify measurements, specifications and critical work against manufacturer documentation and a qualified professional before you build.

The reasoning stays with the plan

Know why a choice fits your build

Two people, four seasons, no propane. Follow the example build's heater choice from the starting requirements to the tradeoffs and checks still ahead.

  1. Your needs. What matters for this trip and this van.
  2. The consequences. What a choice means for space, power and budget.
  3. The open checks. What still needs research, a measurement or professional review.
Follow one decision, start to finish

Decision · Heating

Chosen

Diesel air heater

Because the build is four-season and propane-free, and electric heat would empty the battery bank.

Heating estimate
11,137 BTU/hr
Whole-build energy
1,862 Wh/day
Picked
Espar Airtronic M3 D4L
Sourced price
$2,399
Still open

The heating figure is a volume rule. The final heater size waits on the insulation choice.

Planning estimates. Confirm current price and specifications with the manufacturer or seller.

A place to start. A way to keep going.

Build the plan one step at a time

  1. 01

    Start with your life

    Your van, your budget, how you travel. Start with what you know and keep the rest open.

  2. 02

    Work through the choices

    Explore layouts and components with the tradeoffs, sources and unanswered questions in view.

  3. 03

    Carry the plan forward

    Keep your choices connected to the parts, checks and order of work that follow.

Some planned steps are still on the way. Planned does not mean available today.

How it works

Pricing

One price. The whole plan, worked out for your van.

Full plan

$19 a month or $79 founding price, was $99 once

Founding price for the first 25 customers.

Parts, layout, build order and the reasons behind them, for your van.

Also: the co-builder, readiness checks, procurement tracking, sharing and a print-ready plan. Covers every build on your account. 14-day money-back on your first purchase.

See pricing
Parts, with sources
Victron MultiPlus 12/3000/120: 2,400 W continuousvictronenergy.com datasheet
Layout fit check
8 items placed against the van's real dimensions, 6 to confirm
Build order
20 tasks in 4 phases, about 91 DIY hours
Why heated batteries
The heated version can take a charge below freezing, which matters on winter trips.

From the example plan.

Tell us about your van

One conversation turns what you know into a starting brief and shows you your plan before you pay for anything.

Start your build

Owned, ordered or still shopping, and anywhere from “still deciding” to “floor is in”.