BuddyPress.org

@ScotM – Although converting a WordPress theme to a BuddyPress child theme is a bit more challenging than converting an HTML template to a WordPress theme is, the basic concepts are the same – knowing at the very least, HTML and CSS plus basic PHP and JS, and adapting it to the required environment.

The level of difficulty and required skills for conversion of a WordPress theme to a BuddyPress theme depends on what aspects of that WordPress theme you want incorporated into your BuddyPress theme.

– If it’s the styling or layout, then level of difficulty and required skills = Medium.

– If it’s incorporating/combining functionality and design of a WordPress theme framework like what @designodyssey and @Windhamdavid are discussing above, then level of difficulty and required skills = High.

– If it’s incorporating/combining functionality of truly advanced layout designs and functions like what you would see in say, Headway theme or ithemes’ Builder Theme, then the level of difficulty and required skills = Superduper.

So to better address your question, my question is what WordPress theme were you thinking of porting over as a BuddyPress child theme?