So, You Want to Live in a Yurt? (9 page)

I WISH I HAD KNOWN:

- to ask the plumber about drain preferences

- that we needed quite a bit more cash (or to get a construction loan)!! :)

- that our original move in date was ridiculously ambitious (aka crazy) and to add a few more months on there….would have helped everyones sanity

- wish I had put the appliances on a store credit card to open up more cash flow and slowly pay off appliances over time

- that we didn’t plan enough storage into the layout

- that the bathroom really would be nicer with a window

- that you can build a yurt on just a platform, no deck (wow, would that have cut costs!)…but according to our contractor, adding it later would have cost double, and I do
LOVE
our deck

- spend more money on the gas stove, even if it meant using a dorm fridge for a bit or found a quality used stove…anything than getting the lower range stove we picked…we
HATE
it

- that on most things, letting contractors do what they think best works out, but sometimes it leaves you with annoying things that you wish you could go back and change (like an outlet in the middle of the bathroom wall)

- that supplying my own windows and door was way, way, way more trouble than it’s worth, especially since Lowes nor Home Depot carried the right dimensions. We ended up buying from the same company as the yurt company would have…and it was a neverending headache.

- if you’re installing a propane cook stove, or propane heater…think about other propane appliances -- like a tankless propane water heater (we went with electric, whoops!)

….that living in a yurt would be totally worth it
.

THINGS WE DID KNOW, THAT REALLY WERE IMPORTANT:

- making friends with the inspector and inviting him out to your property along the way is key to success (and lesser amounts of stress)

- stay flexible (like our original yurt color ended up being unavailable after we put in our order, but we now LOVE our second choice, a deep blue)

- pick a really good contractor if you don’t know what you’re doing, he/she will be invaluable

- choose a yurt company that is flexible along with you, and that treats you like family

- involve friends and family, it’s way more fun that way (even open it up to the community if you’re comfortable with that…you could make some new friends!)

YURT LIKES & DISLIKES

yurtFAQs.com

WOW…it’s really big in here!!!

LIKES:

- Tinted dome -
SO
glad we went with the upgrade

- Overall placement of windows

- Enclosed bathroom with washer/dryer and chest freezer

- Open layout (15 people fit perfectly in our 30 ft yurt…with plenty of room to mingle!)

- General feel of living in a yurt

- Toasty warmth of wood stove

- Big french doors to leave open on a nice day

- Love the quality of our deck

- The sturdiness of our yurt - we feel safe and comfortable inside

- The sound of rain (or snow) on the yurt

- Being able to hear happy chickens clucking outside

DISLIKES:

- Wish the windows were taller to let in more of a view

- Wish there was a window in the bathroom for better air flow

- Non-insulated floor

- Occasional smoke from wood stove (urg, air pollution!!!)

- Inconvenience of wood stove (i.e. wish we had a backup heat system)

- The noise on a really, really windy day (we’re talking 50+ mph winds)

- If we lived closer to our neighbors, I might have an issue with privacy since you can hear everything that goes on inside and outside the yurt

- Wish the deck was bigger, but couldn’t have afforded that anyway!

- Wish we hadn’t gotten the door awning since it allows rain between the yurt and awning, defeats the purpose! Might reconsider it in summer when it’s really sunny and it offers shade

YURTS - NOT JUST FOR FULL TIME LIVING

yurtFAQs.com

WOW. It’s really big in here!!!

Perhaps you aren’t considering a full time residence in a yurt… I know our friends and family were very confused when we announced we were moving into our yurt. Somehow, they had assumed we would stay in our rental home, and use the yurt for something else.

And these were people who avidly followed the progression of the yurt process. It was quite entertaining watching their responses when
THAT
little nugget sunk in.

But yurts are great for a wide variety of uses, not just full time living. Here are a few that I just thought of, if you put any time into it, I’m sure you can think of
many
more.

VACATION HOME:
Many people in our area use their yurts as weekend getaways. This gives you more flexibility to play with the solar array, composting toilet, outdoor shower, wood burning kitchen, etc ideas that you might not want to employ full time.

GUEST HOME:
Have some extra room on your property? Not sure you want to expand on your current home? Put up a smaller yurt with a bathroom and kitchen, and you’ll probably have to beat guests away!

TEMPORARY LIVING #1:
The first yurt in our county was used as a temporary home while the owners built their permanent dream home. Many, many people do this. But I will warn you, I hear this often, once they were installed in their “dream home” they sorely missed living in the yurt!!

TEMPORARY LIVING #2:
Perhaps you’re considering leasing land like we did, and the thought of a little cabin or travel trailer isn’t nearly as appealing as a yurt. We know how you feel, that’s how we got where we are. But! If you plan on installing electric and plumbing, and/or you want your yurt on a deck, it quickly becomes quite a bit more permanent. Keep your needs simple, just use a yurt platform and apply some creativity, and this would be the perfect temporary solution. Not that I envy you the joy that will be taking your yurt apart again!
(heavy
sarcasm there, in case you didn’t pick it up)

LUXURY BATH HOUSE:
Always wanted a sauna or decadent bathroom? Put a smaller yurt in your backyard, attach it to the house with a beautiful walkway (covered or not) and make it your getaway from reality.

MASAGE/YOGA SPACE:
Provide more privacy and an additional marketing hook with a spa or yoga studio in a yurt. Go small or go big, either way, a yurt is the perfect space for either of those businesses.

OFFICE SPACE:
I love working in our yurt, and you would be amazed how many clients are practically obsessed with hearing about our yurt (and our chickens, but that’s another e-book!). Again, connect with your home using a walkway or similar, and you have the perfect commute!

RESTAURANT:
In Colorado, there are some backwoods ski resorts taking advantage of the yurt appeal, and are selling out every night. Imagine: an open kitchen, and depending on your yurt size, plenty of space for 2 and 4 tops OR, as is so very popular right now, communal eating tables. How fun!

RETAIL SPACE:
Perfect for outdoor rec retail businesses, but could also sell a variety of other products.

ANIMAL RELATED BUSINESSES:
Vets, doggy day cares, grooming…they could all benefit from the quick to raise yurt. Buy some property, put up a yurt and enjoy standing out from the crowd in your marketing materials.

FESTIVAL BOOTHS:
One of the big events in our area, Floyd Fest, uses rustic yurts for some of the booth housing…see above for massage/yoga/retail.

CAMPING:
This isn’t a new idea, but one that is gaining in popularity. Instead of rustic cabins, put up a rustic yurt. People are looking for more opportunities to stay in a yurt, they hear about them and want to experience it for themselves!

LUXURY B&B:
Same deal as the camping, not a new idea, but very popular. And so easy to fit into a smaller space (aka glamping).

HUNTING LODGES:
See above on camping/luxury B&B

The list goes on and on…. if you need a structure with a roof, then a yurt very well might be your answer. It’s attractive to people (since we’ve moved in, we’ve had at least one visitor a day stop by just to see), it’s less expensive than stick built, quicker to build and has less impact on the land.

FINAL THOUGHTS

yurtFAQs.com

We LOVE our yurt, as does pretty much everyone who has been inside!

If your budget looks tight, plan to cut things or pad your budget with emergency funds. Our emergency fund was drained far before the project was finished. Always plan for more than you think you’ll need. Much,
much
easier said than done.