Introduction: What Systems Are We Talking About?
When you think about plumbing in a van, it’s not just about sinks and taps. It includes everything to do with water and waste (fresh and waste tanks, pumps, showers, drains, and toilets). But if you zoom out a little, gas and heating are closely linked. Gas is often used to power boilers or cookers, and heating systems (diesel, electric, or wood burners) sometimes tie into your hot water supply. That’s why it makes sense to plan plumbing, gas, and heating as one big phase of your build rather than treating them as separate jobs. Toilets also come under this stage, and depending on the type you go for, you might need to tie them into your plumbing or keep them as a standalone unit.
When Do You Actually Do This Phase?
This is one of the most common questions, and it makes sense because these systems sit right in the middle of your build. The truth is, you’ll start planning them much earlier than you might expect. Some of the pipework runs behind insulation and cladding. Forget about this and you’ll find yourself pulling cladding back off just to route a bit of pipe. Furthermore, if you’re fitting underslung tanks, those need attention before the floor goes in. They often bolt through the chassis, and sometimes you’ll need access from above to tighten fixings or run pipework. The same goes for waste outlets and filler points, where drilling through your brand-new flooring or finished furniture is a headache you can easily avoid by planning ahead.
Gas and heating need the same forward thinking. Gas lockers take up space and need safe venting, so their location has to be decided before you start building furniture. Heaters need a flue through the floor or wall, and it’s much easier to cut those holes early rather than after you’ve laid down your flooring.
If you’re planning a cassette or plumbed toilet, you’ll also want to decide on placement early. They often need an external hatch or waste outlet, and it’s much easier to cut that in before you’ve finished the floor and furniture.
So while you might not fully install every part of these systems right at the beginning, you absolutely need to plan them from day one. Think of it like the electrics: you don’t wire in every light fitting during the insulation stage, but you do run the cables to the right places. Plumbing, gas, and heating follow the same rule.
1. Start with Your Needs (and Power Budget)
The first step is deciding what you actually want out of these systems. Some people are happy with just a sink, a portable stove, and a small heater. Others want the whole lot like indoor shower, hot water boiler, full gas hob, and a heater for cold nights.
Here are a few things to think about early:
- Heating: diesel heater, electric heater, or a wood burner. Each one has different space, fuel, and installation needs.
Read our blog on heating – COMING SOON.
- Shower: inside for privacy, outside for space-saving. Both have their pros and cons.
Read our blog on shower set-ups here – COMING SOON.
- Boiler: gas, electric, or even a solar tube that uses the sun to heat water.
Read our blog on boilers here – COMING SOON.
- Gas cooking: will you want a gas hob or oven, or stick with electric?
Read our blog on cookers here – COMING SOON
- Toilet: Toilets are another big choice. Cassette, composting, or portable. Some need plumbing, others don’t, but deciding early will save a lot of headaches later.
Read our blog on toilets here.
All these choices affect tank sizes, battery capacity, and even your budget. Hot water setups, for example, drain tanks fast and use a lot of power. So think hard about what’s essential and what’s a luxury before you commit.
Each of these will be discussed in detail in future blogs.
2. Think About Tank and Appliance Placement
Fresh and waste water tanks are bulky, so deciding whether to keep them inside or underslung makes a big difference. But the same goes for gas bottles and heaters. A gas locker needs to be safely sealed and vented, which means you’ll want to plan its location early, usually near a door or wall for easy access and venting. Heaters also need room to breathe, with flues exiting through the floor or side of the van. These are big decisions because they affect your floor plan, weight distribution, and how much living space you’re left with.
Read our blog on internal and external tanks here.
3. Choose the Right Pumps and Fuel Systems
For water, you’ve got options: a foot pump for simplicity, a submersible pump for light use, or a diaphragm pump with an accumulator if you want steady pressure for taps and showers. On the gas side, the choice is between refillable bottles (like Gaslow or LPG tanks) or exchangeable canisters. Refillable systems are more convenient long term, but they’re pricier up front. And when it comes to heating, it’s not just about the type (diesel, gas, electric, or wood), it’s about whether you’ve got the right power and fuel supply to keep it running consistently.
4. Keep Runs Short and Safe
Shorter pipe runs aren’t just for water. Gas pipework should also be kept as direct as possible, with minimal joints, both for safety and efficiency. For heating, shorter ducting runs help distribute warm air more effectively and reduce energy loss. The general rule is the same across all three systems: the fewer bends, the better the performance.
5. Plan for Year-Round Use
Cold weather doesn’t just affect your water pipes, gas and heating need winter planning too. Regulators and bottles can freeze or become sluggish in low temperatures, so think about where you store them. Diesel heaters need clean, treated fuel to run properly in winter, and electric heaters put more strain on your battery bank when solar isn’t as productive. Planning for the seasons means thinking about insulation, frost protection, and how much energy you’ll really have to spare in the colder months.
6. Don’t Forget Venting
With water, venting your waste tank stops smells creeping back into the van. With gas and heating, venting is about safety. Gas lockers need a drop vent to the outside so any leaks can escape safely. Heaters need properly sealed flues so fumes are expelled, not recycled into your living space. Every system needs to “breathe” in one way or another, so don’t skip this step.
7. Build for Maintenance
Things will need servicing eventually, whether it’s a water pump, a gas regulator, or a diesel heater filter. Make sure you’ve left enough access to get at them. Gas bottles should be easy to remove and refill, heaters should have clear access to their air intake, and pumps should be easy to swap without tearing apart your cabinets. Furthermore, whichever toilet you choose, think about access. Cassette toilets need room to slide out, composting toilets need a way to empty safely, and even a simple porta-loo is a pain if you have to move half the van just to reach it. Designing with maintenance in mind saves headaches later on and makes life on the road far smoother.
Our Phased Bundle System
Plumbing, gas, and heating can feel like three separate projects, each with its own shopping list and set of headaches. That’s why we created our phased bundle system to make the process easier and more joined up.
By the time you reach Phase 4, you’ll be pulling these systems together in one go. The plumbing bundle takes care of your toilet, tanks, pipes, pumps, and fittings. Alongside that, we also include the core gas and heating components most vanlifers need, like regulators, vents, and heaters that are matched to the scale of your build. Instead of piecing everything together from scratch, you get a complete kit that’s been thought through to work as a system.
Our budget bundle (in 4 different sizes)
The budget bundle is for anyone who wants a reliable setup without going overboard. It keeps things simple with a straightforward toilet, water system, basic pump, and a smaller gas setup that still covers cooking and essentials. It’s perfect if you’re just getting into vanlife, or if you don’t need all the extras and would rather spend your money on the travel itself. Think weekend trips, short getaways, or builds where keeping costs down is more important than having every home comfort on the road.
Our luxury bundle (in 4 different sizes)
The luxury bundle is aimed at people who want their van to feel as close to a tiny home as possible. It includes a better toilet system, larger tanks, stronger pumps, and heating or hot water options that make longer trips a lot more comfortable. This bundle costs a bit more, but it’s designed for those who want the convenience of hot showers, reliable heating, and a more complete off-grid experience. If you’re planning on extended travel, or even living in your van full-time, this is the bundle that makes the difference between “camping” and actually feeling at home.
This blog should help you determine which bundle suits you.
The biggest advantage is peace of mind. You’re not hunting for obscure fittings, wondering if your pump will match your tank outlet, or worrying whether your heater has the right flue. The bundles give you what you need, sized appropriately for your van and power setup, so you can move through this phase with confidence. It means fewer mistakes, less stress, and a smoother build overall.
Conclusion
Designing the plumbing, gas, and heating for your van can feel overwhelming at first, but it really comes down to making choices that fit your lifestyle, your budget, and the space you’ve got to play with. The bundles we’ve put together are there to take the edge off the tricky bits. Everything from tanks and pumps to gas fittings and heater setups is thought through so you don’t have to second-guess yourself.
We’ve only scratched the surface here. Toilets, boilers, refillable gas systems, diesel heaters, and solar hot water all deserve a deeper dive, and we’ll be breaking those topics down in future posts. For now, the most important thing is to plan early, think about how you’ll actually use your van, and remember that comfort, cost, and practicality all need to work together. Get those in balance, and you’ll build a system that just works with no fuss, no constant tinkering, just reliable living on the road.
