Who We Are
Dicot Designs is a small, boutique van building company specializing in high-end, fully custom van builds. While other van building companies have a volume-based production model to churn out a ton of vans each year, we are wholeheartedly focused on being a shop that produces highly capable, rugged adventure vehicles that are perfectly tailored to each individual client.
We handle all aspects of the van building process from suspension upgrades to electrical systems, but many of our clients specifically come to us for our unique design and fine woodworking skills that create truly special, one-of-a-kind vans.
We are people-first. Vans are big investments, so finding a partner to build you the van you’ve dreamed of is an incredibly important process. That’s why our clients aren’t clients - they’re family.
Team
Chris McGurrin (he/him)
Founder | CEO
Chris got his start in building when he took on the challenge of building his first van, Gypsum. To his surprise, not only did the build go well, but he learned that his passion for building was much deeper than he ever could have anticipated. As soon as his year of “vanlife” came to a close and he moved into an apartment, he purchased a plethora of tools so that he could continue to develop his skills by building custom furniture. The name “Dicot Designs” preceded the company’s founding date by an entire year, as Chris knew he would want to dive into this full time when the chance presented itself.
So what’s Chris doing when he isn’t building? Well, lot’s of stuff! Chris is a pretty social guy, and loves hanging with friends and going out on adventures with his partner. His free time is filled with soccer, mountain biking, skiing, trail running, cooking, listening to music, ya know - stuff that’s good for the soul.
Sasha Weil (she/her)
Design Build Specialist
Sasha moved from Saratoga Springs, NY to Boulder to study Environmental Science at CU. She found design her sophomore year of college after sneaking into Environmental Design lectures with her roommate, and quickly learned it was the passion she wanted to pursue. As a fresh graduate from the ENVD program with a major in Product Design, Sasha is expanding her interest in products and furniture. At Dicot Designs, Sasha supports every aspect of our custom van builds, with a specialty in design and fabrication that bring our builds to the next level.
While work is great, what else does Sasha do? When she’s not in the shop she loves crafting, camping, hiking, music/concerts, and traveling! She is also a fan of a nap! Anything to keep her busy and boredom free.
Frida/Freddy/Lil Chicken (she/her)
CCO (Chief Chicken Officer)
If we are being completely honest, Frida isn’t the most helpful member of the team, considering she doesn’t like the loud noises of the shop and her favorite place to lay down is underneath the slider door step of the van, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love her to the moon and back..
Frida is, unequivocally, the sweetest girl in the world. Come into the shop and she will give you all the tail wags and kisses you could ever want, and will cuddle right up by your side.
We build vans to help people gain better access to the outdoors. With climate change and social injustice making this access increasingly difficult, we see it as our duty to preserve the natural world and make it accessible to all people of all backgrounds.
We see our annual donation as the cost of doing business on this planet.
We write it into our bottom line because we don’t see philanthropy as a “nice to have”.
It is a need. Since our founding in 2021, we have partnered with two incredible environmental nonprofits, splitting our donation evenly between the two.
We donate 1% of all sales to environmental nonprofits every year.
Our Partners
Brave Trails is a national non-profit organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth leadership. Brave Trails offers accredited summer camps, backpacking trips, family camps, mental health services, meet-up groups, and year-round leadership programming. All of their programs focus on helping LGBTQ+ youth find what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion. Nothing makes Brave Trails more proud than seeing their youth take the skills they gain in their programs and use them to create meaningful change in their communities.
Brave Trails
Eden Reforestation Projects works with local communities to restore forests on a massive scale, thereby creating jobs, protecting ecosystems, and helping mitigate climate change. At the center of Eden is their relationships with local communities. They work alongside them in extremely remote settings to produce, plant, and protect tens of millions of trees every month, thereby creating jobs to support them in restoring their local environment and economy long-term while managing a range of challenges, from extreme weather and landslides, to poachers, bandits, and wild animals.