1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

A one-day hands-on foundation course — the starting point for every campervan student at BlackPaw. In a single Saturday you’ll walk through the whole conversion process, cover the planning and legislation that sits behind it, and spend the afternoon hands-on with 12V electrics at the bench.

This course suits anyone starting out — whether you’re committed to a conversion and want to build proper foundations, still deciding whether DIY is the right path, or giving a course as a gift voucher. If you want more after Day 1, you can come back for the 2-day or 3-day course later.

Day 1 is the foundation for every campervan course we run. It’s a prerequisite for the 2-day and 3-day courses — so if you book a longer course, you’re booking Day 1 plus the extra day(s). You can do Day 1 now and come back for the others later if that suits your build.

The course runs at our indoor workshop in Evercreech, Somerset — between Shepton Mallet and Castle Cary, 20 minutes from Wells and Glastonbury, about 45 minutes from Bath.

What this course covers

A full day of walkthrough in the morning and hands-on electrics in the afternoon.

Morning — Fundamentals and planning

A complete walkthrough of the conversion process — what’s involved, in what order, and why
Van layout planning
Legislation: weights, van registration
Crash-safe design — building your van so it doesn’t kill you in a crash
Insulation — why it matters, material choices, where it belongs in your build
Diesel heater overview

Afternoon — Hands-on 12V electrics

On the bench, you’ll build a working 12V system:

Understanding your power requirements
Choosing cable sizes, fuses and batteries
Connecting wires and making switches work
USB ports and water pumps
Lighting

You won’t just see a diagram — you’ll wire it up, flip the switch, and watch it work.

Is this the right course for you?

If you’re…	Then we’d suggest…
Starting out and want the fundamentals	This 1-day foundation course
Ready for fundamentals plus cutting and 240V mains skills	The 2-day course
Ready for everything plus a tailored woodwork day shaped around your build	The 3-day course

See all three compared →

Your Teacher

Scott McMillan

Scott — Creative Upcycler, Hands-On Maker & Inspiring Workshop Leader

Scott is a teacher and community worker with over 30 years’ experience, driven by a lifelong love of upcycling and turning the unwanted into the unforgettable. What started 8 years ago with friends urging him to share his creations has grown into Scott running lively, weekly workshops that are packed with ideas, energy, and real practical skill.

He teaches a wide range of creative and DIY subjects, including:
• Metalwork & reclaimed-timber projects
• Woodwork & resin techniques
• Shabby chic furniture
• Clock making
• Van-conversion skills.

Scott’s innovative use of recycled materials has caught wider attention too. He’s been featured in craft magazines, radio, and newspapers both for the courses he runs and for designing/ building community classrooms and peaceful “soul spaces” built almost entirely from reclaimed materials.

Full of enthusiasm, know-how, and encouragement, Scott helps people discover just how much they can create with their own hands — and he makes the journey exciting every step of the way.

FAQs

What's included

Unless specified we provide all the materials, tools, and guidance you’ll need—just bring your lunch, plenty of enthusiasm, and a willingness to try something new!

All necessary PPE is supplied, but we recommend wearing old clothes suitable for the activities you’ll be doing and appropriate foot wear

Free Tea, coffee, and water are available throughout the day, and there’s a fridge where you can store your packed lunch.

Course times and attendance info

Our full day workshop days opens at 9.15am and courses start at 9:30am and usually finish between 4:00pm and 4:30pm.

short sessions are as described in the specific course description

We’ll have short breaks in the morning and afternoon, with lunch happening sometime between 12:30pm and 2:00pm, depending on the natural pause point in whatever we’re working on.

🚨 Important: Please arrive on time. If you arrive late and have missed the safety briefing, or if arriving would cause a disruption to the session already in progress, we may have to turn you away.

Course Safety

Black Paw takes safety very seriously and we provide all necessary PPE, including gloves, dust masks, and eye protection. On some of our courses, PPE is compulsory; on others, it may be optional depending on the activity. While we do everything we can to create a safe environment, you are ultimately responsible for your own actions and any issues that may arise from them. You are expected to follow all safety instructions throughout the course. We reserve the right to ask anyone to leave if they do not follow the safety rules.

Before the course starts, you’ll be asked to sign a consent form confirming that you understand the safety guidelines and that you’re physically fit to take part.

If you have any medical or physical conditions that may affect your ability to take part in the workshop, it is your responsibility to inform us at time of booking your course. This gives us time to discuss any small adjustments and put suitable arrangements in place. Please note that if you only tell us on the day, we may not be able to provide the support or adaptations you need.

Under 18s

..Under 18s can take part if accompanied by a parent or guardian also on the course (one adult with each child), but only with prior agreement.

Photos and images

You’re welcome to take photos during the course, but please check with other students before including them in your pictures. Photos can be a great way to record techniques, ideas, and options—we encourage you to take them so you have a helpful reference when working at home later.

From time to time, Black Paw may also take photos during sessions to share on pages. If you prefer not to be photographed, just let us know at the start of the session and we’ll make sure your wishes are respected.

Cancellation Policy

Black Paw Course Booking Terms & Conditions

We want you to enjoy your course with us, so we’ve kept our booking terms simple and fair.

Booking

Your place on a course is confirmed once full payment has been received and space availability.

Cancellations by You

More than 4 weeks before your course: You will receive a full refund.
Less than 4 weeks before your course: Unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund as your place has been reserved and course materials may already have been purchased.

Changing Your Course Date

If you can’t attend, we’ll always do our best to help.

Up to 2 weeks before your course, we may be able to transfer your booking to another date at our discretion, provided we are able to fill your original place.
Requests made less than 2 weeks before the course will normally be treated as a cancellation and are not refundable or transferable.

Exceptional Circumstances

We understand that unexpected situations can arise. In genuine exceptional circumstances, Black Paw reserves the right to offer an alternative course date at our discretion, even if the above conditions cannot be met. This is not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If We Need to Cancel

Very occasionally we may need to cancel or rearrange a course due to illness, low booking numbers or circumstances beyond our control. If this happens, you can choose either:

A full refund, or
A transfer to another available course date.

Gift Vouchers Black Paw gift vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase and must be redeemed before their expiry date. Courses booked using a valid voucher may take place after the expiry date, provided the booking was made before the voucher expires.

Contact Us If you need to cancel or change your booking, please let us know as soon as possible. The earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help.

Reviews

This course genuinely changed my life! Scott was kind and patient, and such an amazing teacher. I learned about 6 months of knowledge in 3 days. (Plus his dog is super cute and sue makes amazing cakes!) the other students on the course were a joy to be around and we are still staying connected post the course to help each other through the process. Could not recommend this course enough! Worth every pence.

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

Scott provides a great overview of all the processes and problems encountered in undertaking your own van conversion. He is obviously very skilled and experienced in the area and has a great knowledge which he is able to pass on to others with both patience and humour. It is well worth attending and will make the whole process seem less daunting for the inexperienced.

- Peter

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

A great course for any aspiring van to camper converter! I have watched hours of u tube videos but Scott was skill-fully able to cover an enormous amount of ground on the topic over a 2 day period. He helpfully added the crucial helpful detail to what I had already learned but also with excellent customer focus by adapting the content to my personal circumstances. Scott was also a good educator breaking down and simplifying the more complex and often conflicting advice aspects such as electrics and insulation. He also helped allay our fears by concentrating on specific areas we had raised as confusing or concerning such as cutting holes in our vans – which we got hands on experience of practising – not quite so scary after all! A truly great experience. Scott, Sue, the dogs, chickens and bees all made us very welcome. Hoping to go back for more crafty experiences in the very near future.

- Kate

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

A great two days with Scott and some other enthusiasts. Scott is full of knowledge and delivers his teaching in a very accessible way. He’s always open to questioning and give the best advice based on his extensive knowledge. Which is more than good enough for me. The course answered many questions I had and it’s certainly started me on the course of looking at vans and collecting the things I need to start. Many, many thanks Scott. Oh, and by the way, thanks to his wife for the cakes. I’m already looking forward to the van woodwork course. !”

- Barry

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

The course gave me the skills that I needed to complete my Campervan conversion project. Thanks very much Scott. It was amazing..!

- Andrew

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

Excellent course. Very comprehensive guidance and some practical tuition. I now feel that I am in a much better position to plan and carry out my van conversion. Scott gives you the information to do it right first time and also how to save money while doing it.

- Marcel

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

Amazing day spent with Scott. My husband and I learnt so much, gained insightful advice and even had the most delicious cake from Sue. I have never understood electric circuits but we both got to set up a loom and I now get it! We now have the confidence to wire our own van. Scot was so helpful, patient and a great teacher. Definitely do this course if you are starting out on your van conversion journey.

- Vicci

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

Very recommendable if you are interested in starting your own camper van conversion. Scott is lovely and full of knowledge. Goes into every step in depth and creates a great environment. I loved it!

- Olga

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

Absolutely incredible! It was worth every penny. Such an enjoyable and informative course. Not only was the entire family warm, welcoming and armed with delicious homemade cake, but Scott patiently answered all our questions and guided us through a series of interactive sessions. Can’t wait to start building my campervan 🙂

- Sophie

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

I really enjoyed my time learning key skills to building my own campervan. Scott is very knowledgeable and a welcoming host. I finished with some well needed knowledge and ideas on what to get for my first build. Hands on skills to confidently buy the right and install electrical, water and fuel equipment. I definitely recommend the 2 day course if you are planning to build any size home on wheels 👍 thank you Scott Kindest regards

- Rich

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

1-Day Campervan Conversion Foundation Course

What this course covers

Morning — Fundamentals and planning

Afternoon — Hands-on 12V electrics

Is this the right course for you?

Your Teacher

Scott McMillan

FAQs

Cancellation Policy

Black Paw Course Booking Terms & Conditions

We want you to enjoy your course with us, so we’ve kept our booking terms simple and fair.

Booking

Your place on a course is confirmed once full payment has been received and space availability.

Cancellations by You

More than 4 weeks before your course: You will receive a full refund.

Less than 4 weeks before your course: Unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund as your place has been reserved and course materials may already have been purchased.

Changing Your Course Date

If you can’t attend, we’ll always do our best to help.

Up to 2 weeks before your course, we may be able to transfer your booking to another date at our discretion, provided we are able to fill your original place.

Requests made less than 2 weeks before the course will normally be treated as a cancellation and are not refundable or transferable.

Exceptional Circumstances

We understand that unexpected situations can arise. In genuine exceptional circumstances, Black Paw reserves the right to offer an alternative course date at our discretion, even if the above conditions cannot be met. This is not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If We Need to Cancel

Very occasionally we may need to cancel or rearrange a course due to illness, low booking numbers or circumstances beyond our control. If this happens, you can choose either:

A full refund, or

A transfer to another available course date.

Gift Vouchers Black Paw gift vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase and must be redeemed before their expiry date. Courses booked using a valid voucher may take place after the expiry date, provided the booking was made before the voucher expires.

Contact Us If you need to cancel or change your booking, please let us know as soon as possible. The earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help.

Reviews