At Promohire, we’re often asked if we can transform our vehicles to suit the needs of each campaign. And of course, we can! In fact, our vehicle design and build services are all carried out in-house to ensure consistent quality, and to keep the whole project within budget.
This guide dives into our vehicle build services. We'll explain our process, so you can understand how we take a promotional vehicle and turn it into a bespoke, branded asset.
Above: A ball pit in a double-decker bus for the popular fashion brand, SHEIN.
How much does a bespoke vehicle build cost?
When you hire a vehicle from us, the exterior branding (full wrap) and standard logistics are included. However, vehicle fit outs are a separate service, as they take time and materials to complete. Don’t worry; we pride ourselves on making your budget stretch as far as possible!
The team knows every vehicle well, so they can often upcycle fixtures from previous projects, suggest budget-saving materials, and use architectural films to give your fixtures a premium style at a reduced cost.
Smaller vehicle fit outs start at around £3,000, while larger builds (like for an Airstream) start at £10,000. Double-decker bus fit outs can cost anywhere from £15,000 to £50,000. Just tell us your budget and we’ll see what we can do!
Above: Fitting out a classic Routemaster bus for Brutal Fruit.
Every project is different, but smaller builds usually take around 4 weeks to finish, while larger vehicles can take between 8 and 12 weeks.
We have one of the largest promotional hire fleets in the UK, so when you get in touch with us, we may have a vehicle that’s already fitted out in a way you’d like. This can reduce building times and save you money, especially if the changes are minor.
It’s best to speak with us as early as possible, so there’s enough time for us to build your vehicle for your campaign.
Our creative team brings your ideas to life. From 2D build drawings to advanced CAD and 3D modelling, they can produce:
Build-Ready Designs: Accurate drawings ensure every element is crafted with precision.
Immersive Previews: Optional 3D renderings help visualise your vehicle before production.
This meticulous planning prevents costly mistakes and ensures your project aligns perfectly with your vision.
Skilled fabricators handle all structural modifications, from rooftop signs to serving hatches. Their work ensures the vehicle’s form is both functional and visually striking.
Key tasks include:
Our electricians ensure your vehicle’s functionality matches its visual appeal. Their expertise covers:
LED Lighting: For both interior ambiance and exterior impact.
Power Systems: Including consumer units, lithium battery packs and solar panels.
Interactive Features: Wiring for elements like digital screens, gaming setups and sampling stations.
Above: The interior of the 'Biobus', in production and finalised.
Carpentry is vital for creating bespoke interiors. From sampling counters to immersive photo-op spaces, our carpenters:
Overseeing every stage of the process, our coordinators ensure:
Above: A Render provided to us by Netflix.
It all begins with a conversation. We’ll discuss the vehicle you want and how it can help you achieve your campaign goals. If you have an image, concept render, mood board or brief to give us, we’ll take those from you and begin exploring ideas.
This collaborative stage gives you the chance to discuss your expectations and ask about lead times. It also gives us a clear idea of the work that needs to be done, so we can get planning.
Next, we refine the ideas from the previous stage to give you a representation of the final vehicle. You’ll get to preview the decorative wrap and the internal fittings, and you’ll be able to tweak the design until you’re happy.
Every vehicle fit out comes with 2D build drawings, featuring accurate dimensions. Once given your approval, these will be sent to our production team, so that your project can really get moving. We always sense-check measurements and sizing for peace of mind.
But why not go a step further? With our in-house CAD and 3D modelling team, we can scan any vehicle and share the results with you. Many brands ask for this extra service to get a better feel for their investment.
Our production team gets to work, beginning with the structural modifications. While fabricators handle core changes, electricians and carpenters build out interactive elements and interior spaces.
This phase also incorporates branding and decorative details, with architectural films used to create stunning finishes. Before delivery, we conduct rigorous quality checks to ensure every detail matches your brief.
We can fit out and customise all of the vehicles in our fleet. These range from multi-storey projects complete with ball pits, photo-ops and other engagement areas, to modular builds and educational walkthroughs.
A great example of a modular build is the BiOrbic bus, which was designed to look like a typical home, built from sustainable materials.
While bigger vehicles like Airstreams, double-decker buses and exhibition vans offer the most flexibility, smaller vehicles can also be creatively fitted out with unique results.
For example, taxis can be decorated to evoke a cosy garden setting (see our Ted Baker case study), and even a tuk-tuk can be fitted with a video screen at the rear.
Just talk to us about your preferred vehicle, budget and campaign plans, and we’ll be able to provide suggestions.
Above: An Airstream fit out for NARS, the popular cosmetics brand.
We recommend you visit us to see the vehicle in person before we start building, as this can give a sense of scale and help you work out if a vehicle’s right for you. We suggest visiting after certain milestones to check progress, plus once the key fit-out is done to ensure it’s everything you wanted.
We’ll then invite you to see the finished vehicle, at which point you may have some last-minute decorations or dressings to add.
We can also help arrange a ‘dry run’ or content day before your promotion starts in earnest, which can be held in a live studio environment – perfect for making social media content!
Whether you have a detailed brief or just an initial idea, our team is here to help. Explore our promotional hire fleet and get in touch to discuss your campaign goals. Together, we’ll create a branded vehicle that's both inspirational and engaging.