Best Work Van Accessories

Bought a new work van or looking to upgrade your old vehicle with some new kit? The right accessories can turn an ordinary van into a complete mobile workshop. Check out our list of best work van accessories below.

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• 1. Storage solutions
• 2. Lighting
• 3. Van wraps
• 4. GPS tracking
• 5. Power inverters
• 6. Cameras
• 7. Tablet/laptop mounts
• 8. Charging stations
• 9. Safety solutions
• 10. Tradify job management software

1. Storage solutions

Sick of hunting through your van for the right tools? Storage is the first thing you should consider when kitting out your work van. It needs to be organised, easy to access, and stay secure while on the move. Requirements will differ between trades, so think about the tools and equipment you need in your van, and how best to store it.

Note: Often you can find custom kits for your exact make/model of van. These will likely be the best solution, but perhaps not the most cost-effective.

Shelving

Interior shelving is usually the minimum requirement for a work van. Make sure to consider the following:

• Weight - The weight of the shelves themselves will affect your fuel consumption and braking distances. Then you have to add the weight of the tools & equipment you plan on storing on them. Make sure your choice of shelving is optimal for your needs and provides the right level of strength and weight distribution to safely bear your cargo.
• Material - Steel, aluminium, wood, plastic, or composite. You'll have to balance affordability, durability, customisability, and weight.
• Efficiency - You'll need to measure out your work van to figure out what the best measurements will be for your shelving. Your tools & equipment will all need to fit comfortably, but you'll also need space to access them easily.

Racking

As with work van shelving, any racking you require will depend on your professional needs. If you work with long ladders, you'll probably want an external racking solution. The considerations for racking are much the same as shelving, but perhaps more permanent. It'll be worth talking to a van racking specialist who can recommend the best solution for you.

Bins

Storage bins are found in every work van, across all trades. When deciding on the best bin for your van, the main consideration will be size. They need to be small enough to fit the space you've built for them, but large enough to contain the tools you plan to store in them.

Other considerations for work van bins:

• Stackability - Do you need bins that will stack on top of each other and remain secure?
• Durability of material - Do you need metal bins or will plastic do? Metal will be heavier and more expensive, but plastic bins can break or crack easily. 
• Access - Do you want transparent bins, hinged lids, or drawers? Will you need to remove bins from the van often?

Drawers

Much like your other storage solutions, you'll need to pick the right size and style of drawers to fit your tools & equipment needs. Check their compatibility with other elements of your van's layout, and make sure you're choosing the right material, weight, and usability.

Cabinets & lockers

Cabinets can be a great storage solution for taller items, and lockers provide an extra layer of security for high-value tools. A code lock will likely be more convenient than a key lock — easier to share and less likely to get lost.

2. Lighting

The dome light in the middle of your cargo area might not cut it in every situation. A proper lighting setup will make it easier to find tools or complete work in low-light environments. LED is usually the way to go, offering optimal brightness and low energy cost.

Other lighting considerations:

• Permanent vs removable - It might be handy to have a magnetic light that you can remove and bring with you onsite.
• Power source - Wired in, replaceable batteries, or rechargeable?
• Placement - Pick the right spot for your light. Will it need to shine outside the van at all? Make sure the switches are placed conveniently as well.

3. Van wraps

Wrapping your work van has multiple benefits. You'll look more professional, build trust with customers, and advertise your services wherever you drive. Your wrap of choice will depend on the amount of information you want to display as well as your budget. 

Here are the best options for wrapping vans:

• Full wrap - This would cover the entire surface of the van, including your windows. A great option if you have a lot of information you need to showcase, as it gives you a huge blank canvas for the design. 
• Half wrap -  Covering around 50% of the vehicle, a half wrap makes a big impact without costing too much. You'll have enough space to showcase your logo, information and a few key services. 
• Door logo - A door logo is a low-cost way to get your branding out there, perfect if you just want your customers and other tradespeople to recognise who you are and that you’re in a work vehicle. 

Here are some trade directories you could use to find a local wrapping specialist:

• 🇺🇸 United States
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
• 🇦🇺 Australia
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand 

4. GPS tracking

At a base level, GPS tracking will help you monitor your van's location. That can be helpful for a variety of reasons, for example, if it gets stolen — or if you forget where you parked. At a higher level though, a GPS can help with finding efficient routes to job sites, avoiding traffic, or tracking a whole fleet of work vans.

GPS considerations:

• Purpose - Is Google Maps going to be sufficient? Or do you need full field service management?
• Compatibility - Will your GPS connect easily to your other devices and systems?
• Scalability - If you're planning on growing your business, pick a system that can grow with you — but without exorbitant costs.

5. Power inverters

A power inverter can convert your van's battery power into a more usable domestic-style outlet. Without getting into the specifics of voltage, amperage, and wattage, they're usually powerful enough for small devices but maybe not enough for your power tools. One common use is to power a small refrigerator to keep your lunch or drinks cool in the van.

Note: If you're looking to power your tools on the go, it's probably a better idea to invest in a portable generator.

Power inverter considerations:

• Power requirements - Figure out exactly what appliances you intend to run off the power inverter, and then calculate what size you'll need.
• Pure sine wave vs modified sine wave - Pure sine wave inverters provide more stable power, which is more suitable for sensitive electronics.
• Safety features - Look for things like overload protection, short-circuit protection, cooling fans, secure mounting options, and remote on/off.

6. Cameras

Cameras can be a great accessory for your work van. Whether it's a backup camera to help avoid collisions, or security cameras to prevent theft, the peace of mind is often worth the investment. Hardwired cameras with large-capacity storage are best.

7. Tablet/laptop mounts

Every good tradesperson will be using a mobile device to manage their business admin. So a dedicated place in the van to mount these devices can be very useful. Keep your devices close at hand so you can take photos of jobs, write quotes on the go,  or capture customers' signatures once the work is done.

8. Charging stations

Even the best power tools only work when they're charged. A simple charging station setup in your work van keeps all your batteries in one place and charging when they're not in use. Paired with a power inverter, you can stay fully charged all day long.

9. Safety solutions

There are a bunch of safety accessories that you can add to your work van to help minimise risk. While you don't need to turn your van into an ambulance, you'll be glad to have any of these items if you need them.

• First aid kit - the bare minimum when it comes to safety accessories for your work van. Most new vehicles will come with a basic first aid kit, so there's really no excuse for not having one on hand.
• Fire extinguisher - a great next step when it comes to safety. You don't want to see black smoke coming out of your engine bay without a fire extinguisher in the back.
• Adequate ventilation - especially important if working with chemicals and gasses, you want to make sure your work van has decent airflow to keep you breathing freely.
• Reflective markings - Increase your visibility with reflective markings on the exterior of your van.
• Weather protection/awnings/canopies - Protect yourself and your crew from the elements by installing a vehicle awning or canopy on the roof of your van. 

10. Tradify job management software

The best work van accessory by far, is the one you can use to run your whole business. With Tradify’s all-in-one job management tool, you can handle everything from quoting, estimating, scheduling, invoicing, and job tracking on the go with one easy-to-use app. Available on every device, you can access Tradify from the phone in your pocket, or from your tablet in the van.

Sign up for a 14-day free trial of Tradify or pop over to one of our live demo webinars to see the trade business management app in action.