YURTS... Affordable Home Solution? Or Too Good to be True? Expert Explains PROS and CONS

[@jasonlassen7599]

My wife and I live in a yurt in North Carolina. It's a 30 ft yurt with ten ft high walls. We have normal double pane windows, normal house doors, actually very beautiful doors. The insides are much like a normal house. And that's where things get expensive. A modern kitchen, bathroom septic, etc. In a yurt isn't any cheaper to build than a normal house. Yes, the outside of the structure is less expensive but everything else is the same. In the end I think we have about as much money in our yurt as we could have spent on a smaller double wide. Yurts are way cooler, to be sure, but I suppose that's a matter of opinion.

[@Homesteadyshow]

Yeah, you for sure can sink a lot of money into them if you want to 😆

[@OneMoreAnimalAndItsAZoo]

What is the humidity and temperature like in the summer? My tiny house stays at 62*F.

[@jasonlassen7599]

@@OneMoreAnimalAndItsAZoo Hi Debbie. We heat and cool out yurt with a heat pump and two pretty good size mini splits. We don't have any issues with humidity, the heat pump works great for that. I will say that yurts are easier to heat than cool but we keep it at about 68 in the summer. In retrospect I'd heat with some kind of radiant heat and cool with the heat pump. We may be adding radiators to the heat mix because radiant heat works so much better than convection in a yurt. One tip on cooling, lots of modern yurts have a plastic dome on the top that opens for ventilation. Make sure that dome is tinted, not clear. Even with a tint, it's almost like a magnifying glass up there in the summer.

[@1337farm]

@@OneMoreAnimalAndItsAZoo 62 F should be a crime against your electric bill and the planet

[@OneMoreAnimalAndItsAZoo]

@@1337farm I have a 73 SQ ft tiny house that I love with a mini split. My electric bill is $50/month

[@eco35758]

I’ve lived in my 24’ diameter yurt since 2014, I’m 70 yrs old now. I live 20 miles south of Tennessee state line in northern Alabama, we have four full seasons here. I rented space on friends land while looking for my on land to purchase. I hooked on to her electricity as an “out building”. I also used her water source, running a water line in trench with electrical line. I have a composting toilet. We dug a 6x6x2’ deep pond to use as grey water wetland for the sink, shower and washing machine. For heat I used propane. In three years I was ready to move to my new permanent home. Having a solid level platform is critical. This is my sixth year living here since the move. We have big thunderstorms here and my yurt always feels secure. We used mobile home tie-downs which attaches yurt to platform/footers. My propane heater keeps it warm, we even had 2*F low temps this winter and nothing inside, or under my yurt froze. I use an energy-star window air conditioner for a 700sf space, I have 750 cubic feet with my tall ceiling. It stays very comfortable year round and I do use a dehumidifier when using propane heat. I would highly recommend yurt living, it serves me very well.

[@Homesteadyshow]

So nice to read this firsthand knowledge! Thanks for sharing!

[@talesfromtheleashexpatdogl1426]

What was your final cost? What company manufactured your yurt?

[@pattycakesxo1758]

Dehumidifier for propane heat...I'm missing something here. Why use propane heat.

[@FortniteOG420]

I've been trying to find a fellow Alabamian who lived in something like this, glad to know its not a sauna in the summer with a small AC

[@pouncepounce7417]

@@pattycakesxo1758 An propane can heat during night when you are not up feeding an wood stove. If you are more permanent you can build an stove with enough mass to heat overnight, if you want to stay semi mobile or have the structure only a few month/years propane is a solution. Then you should plan for illness, you really do not want to get up every other hour feeding an stove while sick, always have some solution that allows you to suffer in dignity for a few days.

[@timmjackson]

I lived in a 30' yurt with a second 12' yurt (bathroom) connected by a covered breezeway in Northern California for around 8 years. The first two years without electricity before I installed a micro hydro system and had power. Loved it, although in 2006 it rained for 28 days out of 31 in January and what was normally fun (listening to the rain on the roof) became so oppressively loud, I nearly lost my mind! They've probably tightened up the law since, but at the time, in the late 90s, I contacted the county building department and asked if I needed a permit to build a free-standing deck in the woods on my property. I was told no, not if it isn't attached to a home. I called them about a week later and asked if I needed a permit to erect a tent on a free-standing deck and the answer was again no!

[@teeheeteeheeish]

Wow you have much more courtesy towards petty tyrants than I do 😂

[@tibo5828]

We have been manipulated into thinking that we have to accept the superstition of government permission.

[@timmjackson]

@@tibo5828 To both you and Nathan, the penalties for not accepting are pretty stiff. They've even granted themselves the authority to condemn and make people deconstruct what has been constructed.

[@tibo5828]

@@timmjackson I hear what your saying... I've had similar threats (from government) held over my head. I still did what I wanted to do and I'm still here! One finds a way and needs to be willing to push back. Choose your battles, choose where you will take a stand. If you don't, they will choose for you!

[@NehemiahHughes]

@@tibo5828 What City do you live in?

[@ChadWilson]

Over time, you can end up with a colony of yurts! A yurt for your office, a yurt for your mother-in-law, a yurt for that ultimate gaming setup!

[@lowowl]

I’d skip the mother in law, but that’s a personal preference.

[@Skinny_Pimp]

That mother in law home would be close to a stream. Right by the bear path.

[@martymcfly8535]

But that would be a waste of a perfectly good Yurt.

[@Space_Pilgrim]

Finally a good use case for the hot tent stove collection.

[@steringp1434]

@@martymcfly8535 Actually putting the mother-in-law in a yurt near a bear trail might be the very best use of a yurt!

[@jonphillips2123]

My wife and I have lived in a 20ft yurt for 3 years now. We built the whole thing ourselves. With the platform, the yurt itself, and the marine canvass wrap that my wife sewed we moved on to our land for less than 5k. I understand why people buy kits but the only hard part of a yurt is the "crown" or center top piece. You can find those online at reasonable prices and DIY the rest for much cheaper than a kit.

[@KrustyKlown]

What about heating/cooling with what appears to be something with little or no insulation???

[@justaspivoriunas9416]

@@KrustyKlown You can put as much insulation as you want or as much as you can afford. Nomads in Central Asia actually put more layers of felt in winter and less during the summer. Heating traditionally iron stove and cooling used only by rich who shouldn't live in a yurt anyway.

[@jonphillips2123]

@@KrustyKlown I've got a mini split ac and a propane heater that both work well.

[@Space_Pilgrim]

I was looking into the materials to sew my own yurt. I ended up finding something called duck canvas. Would you specify what you used exactly, what weight or thickness it was? Thanks.

[@jonphillips2123]

@@Space_Pilgrim We used poly coated marine vinyl. I don't remember the exact thickness but we also put a coat of flex seal on the roof.

[@DesiRush1]

You just need to understand that a yurt is not the be-all-end-all solution to all of life's problems, so don't expect it to magically fix everything about your life, wherever you go, there you are.

[@heidiwilde5574]

I built my own 18 foot yurt from scratch out of mostly sawmill discards and 2x4s. The crown was quite a challenge and all of it took almost a year to build in my little spare time. Each piece of wood needed to be cut, planed, sanded, drilled and the wall slats steam bent. I used Nylon rope to tie hundreds of knots for all the connections and sewed all the covers and used felt for insulation. I've live in it for 3 years now and love it. If I was to do it over again, I would probably make it 20 to 24 feet diameter to fit a kitchen and bathroom into it. Both of those are outside now and that gets a little uncomfortable when it's freezing out. This yurt has withstood some pretty heavy winds and snow loads. After living in tents for several years, this is like a palace and it gets super cozy inside with a wood stove. I don't think I'd want to ever buy a kit, I really enjoyed the process of creating this and my yurt makes a wondeful home that can move with me.

[@jeffreyallen1290]

Go with the 24 footer, I did the 16 foot size for a year and it's way to small. I would like to do the yurt thing again but finding a location is always the most difficult part.

[@francisfischer7620]

We lived in a Pacific Yurt for 14 years, in rural Minnesota. Honestly, I can't say I'd do it again. But we certainly weren't any the worse for it! And living in a yurt all that time allowed us to save enough to buy a 100 year old farm house! I love having solid walls in a storm. It's all good!!

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

how did permits go for you in Minnesota? What county? Or where you already on land that had permits - thus could just be an accessory structure? thanks

[@flowergarden1426]

@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885 I live in Minnesota, I talked to the county and township and they will allow yurts in the country 500 square ft min as long as you hookup to utilities and have kitchen bathroom. That is Goodhue county. I decided against it after watching bears easily rip through tents. We did not have bears in Southern Mn. They have now been spotted and are migrated South. After watching bear attack videos, forget it, was even looking at property up north, not even with a stick built will I live around them.

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

@@flowergarden1426 good point! I hear of people living in yurts in Cook cty and my friends have recommended a yurt to me - no one has pointed out the bear safety issue! Black bears are not considered aggressive unless you provoke them but I completely agree with you here - no point in taking any chances. I built a primitive hut from local on-land materials - wattle and daub (willow and clay and hay) - it seems solid enough to deter a bear. I always call out for bears when I go onto the land even though I've never seen any sign of bear. No point in taking any chances. I had a friend get taken by a mother bear - a grizzly out West - he was off the ground in her jaws, wishing he was dead. Amazingly he survived. But he had to be helicoptered out, major surgery, etc. I stumbled upon his testimony online - and I never talked to him about it. When I lived in Alaska my boss trained us to ALWAYS call out "Hey bear!" when you go into the woods - we had bear tracks everywhere up there. hahahah. We lived in the woods. Off grid - but cabins for sure. Not tents. thanks for reminding me. I think if a black bear is not trained to depend on human food then if you have some good deterrence they probably won't take the effort to break in. But obviously a tent is not good deterrence. The thing is that I'm in an off grid situation - so yeah it would have to be a primitive dwelling year round. They do allow that in Cook County with even a year-round composting toilet. I agree that it's hard to believe people live in yurts with bears around. I don't even eat back in my hut and obviously not in the tent - I eat on the edge of the property by the road. thanks

[@flowergarden1426]

Stay safe out there, you are living the dream of mine to be off grid. My daughter had a bear on her porch in Mora mn. Wolves surrounded her dogs and not to mention cougars are in the woods. After watching these bear attack videos, I sent them to her. She said, I didn’t realized black bears were that dangerous I thought they were more afraid of us. I said they probably are but they can be unpredictable. She now is going to be more vigilant. My other daughter just got back from her honeymoon in Yellowstone they went off hiking with only bear spray, I seriously cringe thinking about it. The thing is we are so ignorant of these things living in suburban areas until we educate ourselves. Sorry for your friend but glad he survived. BTW, look up unprovoked black bear attacks, they say black bears are more aggressive than grizzlies. I found some unprovoked attacks in Michigan and another a woman from up north Minnesota. Stay safe!@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885

[@sheenamac2382]

I am in a 26’ Yurt with family of 6 since September. I would probably go with two smaller Yurts instead of one big one. A sleeping and a cooking. Mostly because I need to reach out for help to move it which is why I like the Yurt. It was put up in 2 days we had the foundation for the platform ready when it arrived. We are at my parents hooked into their power at the moment and planning to move to our land once we have an out building for electricity and water hookup. We got our Yurt just before Hurricane hit and often have 100km/h wine gusts. It definitely is doing very well. It is really loud with all the kids so having other space for those needing quiet is also why I have smaller second Yurt in mind. I love hearing the wind and trees and wildlife and rain. You really know what’s going on just outside. So far definitely loving the Yurt life .

[@slee7991]

How is your set up inside? Is there any recommendations you have to cut costs? We're trying to figure out how to get electric and plumbing without it costing and arm and a leg but I guess if you don't want to live off grid these expenses are unavoidable

[@sheenamac2382]

@@slee7991 we don’t have running water currently so I have a plastic laundry sink with a Blue Water jug propped on it and a waste bucket under for dishes. For Electricity we have an electrical box wired up to 4 plugs that then feeds out to a Rv Plug in to the main house. We don’t have high electricity needs mostly the fridge. We have a wood cook stove and an Instantpot for cooking that serve most needs. I plan to get an RV switchable box unit that can power off batter or direct line in the future which is more costly but it will give me a chance to use solar. Set up is a bench with hooks inside the main door and then a corner cabinet that is sectioned off as a water closet for a pee bucket and washing/changing. Just washing with cloths and bowls. The flush washroom in the main house is where regular showers/#2 happens. Then there is two bunk beds with a shelf for clothes between them and angled towards the center to make a bedroom for the kids. A partition and then a pull out bed couch for adults and then a catch space for things then dining room table and shelving for kitchen area sink and fridge. The Woodstove is in the center.

[@shirleygreen2397]

If you want an honest opinion. Check out the fit farmer. They have lived in a yurt for many years They have also put mini splits in their home. They are getting ready to put up a 2nd yurt, and they are going to join them. They also heat with wood. Shirley

[@teeheeteeheeish]

Lived in a canvas wall tent comfortably for almost a month. Everyone has their limits to how “rough” they can hack it, but usually your limit is way more rugged than you thought

[@maxinedurling3425]

I've seen a yurt set up with a main yurt and having smaller yurts coming off of it as bedrooms which I think if you have a large family is a good idea

[@RB01138]

The main issue I see with Yurts is the materials they use to make them. The reason traditional ones are made of soft materials is because they are meant to be torn down and moved by an extended family group. Having them as a stationary, permanent structure while made of soft materials just means 90% of the cost of a traditional structure with a fraction of the lifespan. They were really popular a few years back here in the Yukon, and any of the ones more than a decade old look ratty and gross.

[@whyillustrated5610]

Most modern yurt companies use a thick polymer infused with silicone much like a whitewater raft and last about 8 years before they need replacement for between 1-2k

[@ClareAndAlec]

I dream of living in a yurt. For me, it's that connection to nature that I crave. I've spent a lot of time sleeping in tents, and while sleeping on the ground isn't my favorite, I love hearing the birds in the morning so loud that they wake you up and the pitter patter of rain on the roof. Ntm, circles are pleasant.

[@kimk2635]

You could have the same connection in a log cabin

[@jarperhones5364]

I loooove circles!

[@amandab9252]

A yurt has been my dream for years now! I’m loving this video so far!

[@lindaward3156]

I lived in a rustic yurt 50 years ago in Nethers VA, a place still very rural today. it's still some of my fondest memories, even w/o plumbing. it was magical.

[@mikegamba580]

A few years ago I was helping a friend build a yurt but sadly addiction ended my friends dream. We had the whole foundation down but that was it. I haven't seen my friend in a few years I pray he's staying clean

[@tinahammond4438]

Wow, so much to look forward to...many prayers sent!!!.

[@newbornassassin7291]

You sound like a good friend . Hope he is doing ok

[@ttrestle]

I built a yurt for a friend over a weekend while I was in college. It was wild! The most expensive part was the window part center top.

[@Oldfarmlady]

Have y'all considered a cordwood home? We built one. They're pretty cheap to build. Way cheaper than straw bale. Our walls are a ft thick and solid wood with mortar. Now ours is only 750 Sq ft 2bdrm 1 bath. Total cost was 12k. That includes appliances, electrical, plumbing. Everything. One of the cheapest, sturdier homes you can build. We love our little cabin. It's been through tropical storms, hurricanes and it's held up great.

[@JimYeats]

So is it 1ft pieces of cordwood with mortar filling the chinks and securing the wood? Is the exterior just expose butt ends of wood? What did you do to finish the inside? Exposed wood or some sort of interior sheathing/plaster/drywall.

[@Oldfarmlady]

@jim yeats ours is 1ft long split loblolly pine. You put down a row of mortar on the inside & outside with a mixture of sawdust and Lyme in between them. Stack a row of split wood. The wood can't touch eachother. You want gaps between them or you'll get rot. Repeat with mortar and sawdust. We did our cabin with a post & beam frame, then used cordwood for the infill. Electrical we ran through the post & beam frame. Everything is exposed wood. Like a log cabin. Look them up on Google. They're pretty cool. Everyone thinks ours is a stone house. It looks like stone from a distance. Interior walls we framed out the standard way then used wood from pallets. I hate drywall. To expensive and it's useless to hang anything on.

[@Oldfarmlady]

@jim yeats You can look up cordwood construction on KZbin to. It's been around for hundreds of yrs. If I remember right there's a cordwood barn somewhere over in the UK still standing and it's 300yrs old.

[@Oldfarmlady]

@@JimYeats kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpbQgKOpeaZsoLc

[@MrBottlecapBill]

@@Oldfarmlady There was one around here too, it didn't last 100. The wood rots away eventually.

[@derekp6636]

stayed in one this winter in colorado! had a blast, the wind noise was a bit much and the creaking....but we got used to it very quickly. Heating wise it was very efficient and warm even in the middle of a snow storm

[@mattharvey8712]

Bravo.......I was in one .....Mendocino.......80 mile winds.......the whole thing was shaking...... no problem ......anchor the floor to ground.....big footings ......cheers

[@shawnlinnehan7349]

We put a24’ up on land we have in north Florida. Since it’s Florida, we got extra support against hurricanes so it took longer as everything is screwed together which you don’t normally do. The platform did take awhile as I am not a carpenter and it didn’t come with it, we had to just build it. We just have a temporary trailer permit for the land and aren’t allowed a permanent structure so we are getting around it with a yurt. We have a travel trailer also there with water and electricity. We just run extension cords to the yurt for now and there’s no running water, compost toilet.

[@doughendricks9912]

What’s the wind rating on it? I’m in Tampa Bay Area near coast.

[@judge831]

I like the shape, but I'd definitely add insulation, heater vents/wood furnace smoke pipes around the base, and a vent & powerful fan for the top hole. I'd also want to reinforce the walls and roof with more wood.

[@francisfischer7620]

Excellent plan!!

[@AgnesMariaL]

We had briefly - VERY briefly - considered a yurt when we purchased raw land. But for the cost, it is FAR cheaper to buy a house on wheels that is already fully equipped and plug-and-play for power/water/septic! We wound up buying a 42' park model RV (2 bedroom, full bath - as in, it has a proper tub!) for only $1900 and were able to move into it right away! The master bedroom and its slide were rotted out, but we resealed the roof, replaced the framing, removed the slide and added an 8x10 addition off that opening which has our woodstove, water supply and solar power supply.

[@IPlead5]

I am trying to imagine what that looks like. Yurts aren't the cheapest livable space, but they are dang cool.

[@RyanBarnes]

Sounds like you bought the Walter White edition RV.

[@marysegura5157]

@@RyanBarneslmfao 😅

[@gabrielbennett5162]

I rented a yurt once on the Oregon coast. It was surprisingly comfortable and spacious.

[@GMgrow44]

I would live in a yurt! Easy to build and portable, sign me up!

[@abbycole7485]

I understand the history and structure of a yurt, but these were quite frankly temporary style. I’ve seen permanent structured yurts, really really big. I wish you guys could have touched on that. I assume because a traditional yurt is indeed a movable structure.

[@goshu7009]

Yurts are supposed to be temrorary.... its for Nomads to move with their cattle.

[@AnhH88]

We’ve stayed at a wooden yurt structure in WV and it was definitely an experience. Most are made of moveable material but you can do it with wood too.

[@steringp1434]

The person speaking is a salesman for a particular company. He is only going to promote yurt kits that his company sells. This video wasn't a public service announcement.

[@Mico-Xiyeas]

​@@AnhH88HEY MAN!!! Can i please get some advice on this??? im in wv right now, wheeling. Did you erect your yurt in ohio county? what was your experience, favorite parts and cons of the yurt? any advice or solutions to your cons?

[@alicetebo4426]

We have been thinking about building a 2 story wooden yurt because of where we are and the weather. What companies would you suggest?

[@kathleensanderson3082]

Electric fence -- a hot one -- is a really good bear deterrent. That's what a lot of beekeepers put around their bee yards. I've always wanted to live in a yurt. Someone down in the comments said, Just get an RV. But travel trailers and motor homes are long, skinny rectangles, and they feel cramped, even the ones with slide-outs. They can also be very expensive, especially the larger ones or the better quality ones. If I had a choice between living in a yurt or an RV, I'd take the yurt (and I've lived in both tents and RV's, so I'm not just talking through my hat).

[@sheenamac2382]

Debated an RV before we got our Yurt but realized I can fix everything that could go wrong with the Yurt fairly easily vs. technical know how required for RV maintenance.

[@kathleensanderson3082]

@@sheenamac2382 That's a very good point, too!

[@eibbor171]

also have to put fuel in that bitch car is enough id hate to go the pumps with that it would be such a financial ooooooof

[@salemthorup9536]

I LOOOVE when you do videos like this!!! I mean, you really nail the content pretty much ALL the time. I always know I can watch your videos and pay attention and enjoy them, which is a huge deal. You're a rare channel. But this video in particular was just so well done. I really am enjoying it. You have me sold on a yurt so far!

[@Homesteadyshow]

Thanks Salem!

[@DuderScooter]

I hope I can learn more about yurts than I think I need to ☺️ hopefully Mrs Scooter and I can agree on one if it’s right for us 🙏

[@anniecochrane3359]

I have wanted to live in a yurt for a very long time. Problems with council diverted my yurt journey. But i'm back with it and trying to find suitable land where I live. We dont have bears in Aotearoa/New Zealand, the most dangerous creatures here are two legged :)

[@Homesteadyshow]

They are always the most dangerous creatures!

[@tomasr64]

I've lived in a traditional Mongolian Ger, yurt for 5 years now full time. No running water inside. Sand floor. Wood stove. Mobile solar power unit. Four season well insulated I chose. Its great but takes discipline to keep things tidy. And Its not a rental. I show and tell on my channel.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

This doesn't just apply to Yurts. Sidewall tents can be done like this too. 18x23 sidewall tent, but instead of a normal opening on the front you put in a framed door and windows. Same as at the back. Often a simple plywood frame on the sides as well. So the sides up to 6' have wood backing, the front up to the roof has wood, then the same goes for the back with the stove passing through the front or back. wood or steel framing (i prefer steel) providing MASSIVE snow loading. With the inside then being able to be configured however you want. 414 square feet gives you more then enough space for a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom. Kitchen... hot water on demand shower, propane appliances. nice cast iron wood stove, double walled, canvas outer, and insulting inner. Can be built and set up in a weekend (or a day if you have enough people)

[@CrisjoseCruz]

A Yurt salesman prolly not the best person to ask for a Pro and Con list

[@KyJack13]

I have a general rule. Never trust anyone that has to sell you something to pay their mortgage

[@fluxfaze]

The bear factor convinced me to never construct a yurt in wilderness. The criminal human factor convinced me to never construct a yurt anywhere.

[@RyanBarnes]

That's part of why 2A is so important.

[@NoWayIsWay86]

As a student of building science, I would say to use a dehumidifier and tighten the yurt up.

[@donkeyballs3307]

Wood stove ,grasshopper

[@100musicplaylists3]

A steel or aluminium trailer with sides that fold down to form a circular yurt platform is a cool idea. Ive seen a video of someone who has already made a 5m circular trailer yurt platform.

[@lileelisamc.4722]

I'm sorry, I'm imagining you in a little red super Mario hat, blue cover alls, and white gloves.. The yurt info was great too

[@dragonflyfarm9154]

We have purchased our yurt and plan to pick it up early May! Very excited. Our 30’ yurt will be simple outside and simple inside, the goal is to live a self reliant minimalist life. Yes we will have framed construction windows and doors, but we will bypass all the modern normal society modern features. I love the fact that we can be much closer to nature, so why would we modernize the interior to take away from nature and simplicity?

[@CassieDavis613]

Now I want a yurt. Every month, I want something different: a tiny house, manufactured home, modular home, shed conversion, RV conversion, etc.

[@nikkion2140]

Yep, I can relate to this feeling! I just dont have land for them all or even a single one.

[@linhaton4957]

This guy is all over the place.

[@donwalton2314]

I have lived in a yurt for 5-6 years now. (Pacific Yurts - 24' dia) - Oregon - willamette valley - it is really great. ALTHOUGH - there are some cons - summer heat abatement - and cold in winter. Wood stove and a mini-split has helped. Along with adding trees for shade in the summer. - more venting (opening windows and screen door along with dome vent). I would not want to go back to living in a normal stick built house.

[@BootsOfLeather]

hey Don, I'm in the same area. Benton county. Have you experienced any issues due to the rain?

[@donwalton2314]

@@BootsOfLeather no issues with the rain / besides that rain can get loud lol - real loud. But not from being too damp or leaking. Only drops we get inside is when we forget to close the dome vent when a windy rainstorm comes through.

[@laurenjenkins5181]

We’re looking for land and considering a yurt for a few years while we build. We’re looking at southern clackamas co or Marion.. any pearls of wisdom about where we should be looking to be able to do this? We’ll be calling the counties, but I’d love some knowledge from someone with experience.

[@donwalton2314]

@@laurenjenkins5181 well I would start with - good luck finding reasonable property prices in Clackamas county - but maybe better chances in Marion - but I am not sure. Definitely, away from metro areas - and you may get lucky. We built the yurt on an acre which was owned by my father-in-law to help take care of him. He didn't want anyone living with him in his home - so we built the yurt as an alternative. After he passed - we inherited the place and decided we liked the yurt and still wanted to live in it. But - we are riding a fine line as far as the authorities go. We built a 24' dia. yurt because the deck is under 500 sq. feet - and avoids a building permit process. Also, Oregon uses international building code - and the yurt itself is classified as a "car-port" under code (soft side - membrane structure). So no need to be permitted to build it at the time. Lastly, we put in a composting toilet - which avoided a whole can of worms with permitting as well. You can get around this by building an external stick build structure as a bathroom / wash house. You would still need to hook into existing drainage - or get that part permitted (sans yurt). If you have children whom are under 18 living with you... in a yurt - it could be an issue. For us - our kids are grown and not living with us - so one less thing for the state to be concerned about. Take this with a grain of salt - we built the yurt many years ago - so things may have changed depending on the county. If you have not checked out Pacific Yurts in Cottage Grove (south of Eugene) I advise checking them out - they have demo yurts on site as well. They didn't advise on permitting though.

[@RickysFarmAndHatchery]

Yurt in LA means you came up on good material for your homeless tent. Pallet jacks old chicken wire and homedepot blue 5x10 covers. Still good idea.

[@CeasiusC]

Saw the thumbnail. Still wasn't prepared for that mustashe. I appreciate it.

[@justindie7543]

My grandparents have used 2 large yurts on their lakefront property in montana for 20ish years now. They solved the insulation issue by simply travelling to visit family during the winter, they just have to remember to empty the pipes before they leave. Funny enough, my cousin and I got trapped with a black bear that was trying to get into the place, we were both around 5, but the dog scared him off. Granparents are getting up there in age now and want to stay year round more often so my grampa built a well insulated small cabin which they move to during the winter. They still pay almost nothing in property taxes on the improved value, and recently got offered 2 million for the property. I hope they don't sell until I can afford to buy it off them myself!

[@kenkiekens7746]

I stayed in a Yurt, a real one, where everyone lives in Yurts, and it was great.

[@brendafulmernickel1218]

I would love to have a Yurt!! The cost and efficiency are progressive aspects in New Earth! The Wave of The New !!

[@egyptwns89_26]

I’d rather stick with a regular cabin. I don’t like how light yurts are (despite durability). At least with cabins, you can make them a couple of feet thick with four inch thick doors and withstand any storm or whatever.

[@SpencerFarris]

We are in the west desert of Utah and just bought 2 30' yurts. We are very excited to get them set up for our current home!

[@betawolfhd]

I fell in love the yurt idea after seeing it in a game "Cradle".

[@NadesikoRose]

I fell in love with yurts ages ago as it was something that didn’t cost a fortune to build nor did you have to fork out money for land, you could just get permission from family who own large amounts of land to see if you could ‘rent’ an acre or two from them for you to settle down on until you decide to move on. I am going to get my yurts from Groovey Yurts, based here in Ontario…Canada. They also have several set up that prospective clients can rent for a few days to see if they will actually enjoy living in a yurt. Something I plan on doing once I have enough money saved up…

[@joycemaurer3588]

Wow, well that was very informative.

[@noah786]

I would imagine it would be a good candidate for a mini split to heat and cool.

[@morganplisken7271]

Imagine a permanent yurt with Earth Bag fortified walls. Tornado and bear proof? Also the R-value with earth bags making up exterior walls would be top shelf and helps stop bullets too

[@gailboudreau6624]

Fit farmer has a yurt they love it

[@lindapearson2376]

And live in it with 3, soon to be 4, children.

[@AKDragonFish3D]

My brother and I both have significant sized families. We've been looking at yurts for the fams on a big piece of land for awhile now. One big platform or multiple platforms, yurts on top, rudimentary plumbing and wiring, and let our kids grow up in nature instead of the city. Can't seem to get our wives on board though, even after showing them the costs and this vid.

[@RobertSpitzer]

I never thought I would find an video on Yurts fascinating. Glad I was wrong.

[@PriestessAusetRaAmen]

This was a download, I received from the Mother Source, in the future yurts will, be the homes people will live in. She also said pack light, consumerism is dead, and we are going to move back, to a more natural holistic style of living.

[@steverose3318]

But Jesus is planning on stopping by (during his vacation) first.

[@Atownforevilones]

I really feel like a properly built house is going to have less maintenance than a yurt. I do general construction so I'm pretty familiar with traditional construction. Most steel roofing/siding has a 30-50 year warranty, I don't see the cover of a yurt lasting nearly that long. The vinyl/poly windows also aren't going to last nearly as long as glass ones. While I'm know it varies depending where you are, you can post and truss style buildings really economically. Probably fairly competitively with yurts of a similar size. I think trying to sell a yurt or really anything on features that don't really fit is a poor way to go. Especially when there are plenty of genuinely good perks to it. Stuff like being portable, being able to do it yourself, just the coolness of it,. I think a lot of people that have yurts really like the "yurtness" of them. I mean convertible cars are cool because you can take the top off, not necessarily because they're better or cheaper than hard tops. I'd also bet there are a lot of situations where permitting would be easier due to them not being permanent too.

[@jelliottlein]

I have a lot of experience in conventional construction as well, and I'm working on building my own yurt now. I'm planning to go with a treated canvas cover (~10 year lifespan) and framed glass windows. A vinyl cover is usually rated around 25-30 years. My thinking is, it's cheap and easy to replace the cover in the future. No regular painting or sanding of the siding, a fraction of the hard work, danger, and waste of ripping off old shingles. Current budget for all materials (excluding interiors): under $5k for three yurts (a 24' and two 16'). And I can build most of the parts in my garage over the winter and transport them on a small trailer to the property when ready.

[@betawolfhd]

I enjoyed the idea of a yurt after seeing it inside an atmospheric puzzle game

[@greenbankreptiles]

A friend made 2 yurts a 18 foot and a 36 foot..beautiful life style..

[@omeraktas4821]

as a turk this was very interesting to watch, i had no idea that yurts were used in northern america

[@diannt9583]

I checked out their website and did the "Build your own" thing they have on their website. I can see making a greenhouse outbuilding here -if I keep it under 200 square feet and don't live in it, I can do it without permitting here. (If I tried to build a structure for living here, it would be an Epic Fail, permit-wise.) Strongly considering it, with the greenhouse model at 14-foot diameter. Taking some time to consider, before I order. And the sense from reading comments is that this particular brand stands well up against wind is a major plus. I am near the top of a hillside. Many regular greenhouses seem to collapse readily with wind and/or snow load. Great video!!

[@makaylaforbes6719]

I could easily be comfortable in one of these, so long as it holds un under heavy wind and heavier snow. As long as I can have a real kitchen, a place where I don't need to dig holes every 6 months to do my business, have a couple chairs and a comfortable place to sleep, I'm good

[@tonyderrow5241]

been thinking about buying a yurt for a few years now, this video was useful thanks for the content

[@judyferguson3185]

Please keep showing some videos as you or your buyer builds. I think they are wonderful and would like to see how different people arrange their living spaces and can you build lofts, how many? They just look wonderful❤️

[@elizabethb3270]

I like a yurt as a "Bedroom in the woods" option.

[@LadysFarm]

I’ve been thinking about getting a Yurt for a off grid homestead on our property for a Little getaway for a ABNB

[@Homesteadyshow]

Nice!

[@mayhewfisher62]

a pro not mentioned is how much the family hound seems to enjoy the process of the yurt going up! haha. Great and informative video.

[@allisonshaw9341]

The only negative I see is that in lacking gutters, it's much harder to collect rainwater. Otherwise, it's a plus all the way around. I'm planning on retiring soon and have considered putting a yurt up the holler for an off-grid home.

[@jeffreyallen1290]

Many of the yurt kit builders offer gutters for rain water collection as an option. Check some of them out online.

[@wouterke9871]

I live on a GRP boat for 15 years now. A friend of me dreams of living in a Yurt. Close to nature. Boat or Yurt; picture yourself in a tent with regards to sound insulation. Think of privacy, neighbours, road traffic on a quiet night, airplanes, workshops or industry in the surrounding (especially low frequency noise), waterbirds competing late at night and early in the morning, cats, dogs, chickens. Bears and pumas and what do you have over the pond... For ventilation; a Yurt or boat is just a small volume, so any activity immediately effects the relative humidity. It peaks very quickly and often. Continous attention to ventilation but at the same time trying to not waste energy for heating. Personally thinking of buying a house, because I need more room to store my tools and am tired of the long cold moist winters and the discomfort of bad sound insulation.

[@iamtmckendry]

The bones and basic furnishings are super affordable. They are even liveable in a cold, wet climate. I got a somewhat broken used yurt, a platform, and basic insulation/furnishings(+ stove/pipe, fridge/freezer ect.) Fixed it all up and installed for $15,000. It was roughly that amount in labor costs(mostly my labor). To build a 900sq ft of a stick-home would be roughly 5-10x the cost. Now, and as its been mentioned already, the lifestyle is different than a standard stick frame house. It requires more care to keep the yurt and living conditions comfortable. If you are looking to have nice furnishings, super high insulation and such... that's where the huge monies comes in. Nice floors/walls($3k+), semi-finished kitchen/bathroom($5k+) and other finishings.. will cost almost the same amount as the entire structure+basic furnishings.

[@CHUNKYNUGGET666]

So far it sounds like a sales pitch from the owner of the company..

[@heatherfarthing5661]

You didn't mention the worst con which is that yurts can not be sealed up. So they become full of bugs, roaches, rodents and small animals. No matter how clean you are or pack foods in storage containers.

[@kevinjohnson1139]

What about building a mini-yurt full of food scraps lure those critters away?

[@heatherfarthing5661]

@@kevinjohnson1139 That's funny. I would be worried about attracting bears but I suppose it depends where you live.

[@householdgooding9174]

So does my standard walled house. 😂

[@hirokomlm131]

So the one benefit of paying an extra 200k to build a regular house is that you get to keep pests out. Seems like there's got to be a cheaper way to keep pests out of a Yurt. Native Americans lived in tents, I'm sure they figured this out.

[@murray7851]

Cats are the ticket... you feed them breakfast and nothing more for the rest of the day. Most rodents are nocturnal so they start coming out when the cats are getting very hungry. Once they start living off mice they will be total predators. They learn from each other too. So it's only a question of numbers. Do you have two or four.

[@pattycakesxo1758]

So happy to watch this!!

[@walouinsanityshed]

Nice ad bro

[@thomasoreilly6140]

This was really informative. Thank you!

[@kpbarbee]

Love that 'stache! AND the video is great, wonderful content!

[@null2470]

I lived in a yurt in northern CA for about a year. It's somewhere between a hole in the ground and a hunting cabin with three times the maintenance of either, would never do it again.

[@killianoffgrid1623]

I've been considering a yurt. After exploring all my options it seems to be the most bang for my buck. However, I've never wondered about bears lol

[@Jentalks380]

Fantastic video. Id love to see more footage of inside designs.

[@Hypnotically_Caucasian]

“What if we kissed in the yurt?” * Mongolian throat singing heard in the distance *

[@joerock1736]

Bears,no problem have a 30/6 180 grain bullet for them. We have been looking at them for awhile.

[@F350-k8r]

Buy a Sirroco 20 Blaze King wood stove, fill it once a day will heat in -40. Was too hot for 800 sq ft cabin.

[@fraukeschmidt8364]

Bears is one thing I wouldn't have to worry about, given that I live in a bear free country.

[@katiesioux7757]

My dad's friends lived in one for years in south Dakota

[@expeditionrc7500]

did i just hear him value that tent at 50k?

[@CK-solutions]

I'm still wondering if you two have decided on whether you will go with a yurt? I don't think long term, but you could for the initial stages of building a permanent structure on your new property. The only thing that would prevent that strategy, is if it would take you over budget. Maybe you could rationalise it by challenging the two eldest kids, whoever raises the money to buy their own space out of the house, first, wins. Maybe not the full resale value (family rates 😉) but it would offset some of the cost at least. Starting by doing legit jobs for the grandparents.

[@CK-solutions]

Update! Recalling an interview with another homesteader recently, I could see you buying a yurt to live in for the construction phase of your permanent structure. Locating it on the property where you will still have some privacy from the main home. Then rent it out during the summer, for people who want to visit a rural location, to recoup your costs but also add another stream of income to the homestead security.

[@Homesteadyshow]

This is a great way to make the yurt work! Use it to get a home up quickly, get to your site, and then slowly build your permanent home. Finally reuse the yurt in some profitable way. We haven’t decided yet but it’s on the radar.

[@CK-solutions]

@@Homesteadyshow I'm sure what you end up deciding will work for your family.

[@AnhH88]

I agree on the the cost part bc people can blow their entire budget on the interior kitchen-however, getting things second hand or building your own furniture is the way to go, if possible.

[@enteranon3342]

Being close to nature no longer felt as strong after my 20cm insulation. In my old house, I heard the rain more and was less well insulated

[@colleenanderson223]

No info on adding water and electric?

[@tylorban]

Perfect timing

[@PRDreams]

Thanks for making a Podcast that is short, interesting and informational. I wholeheartedly dislike 45 min long or more podcasts.

[@joyevefarmandforge]

Me too!

[@Homesteadyshow]

Yay! So glad you like it shorter! Lots of work to get it shorter!

[@pedrothewise2584]

i just got well lucky, a 4m yurt with felt lining , new inner, round pole trlliss and rafters, oak wheel 500e yep 500e. must have been my lucky day.

[@petermcgrath2638]

Moisture and mold is the only problem. But a great idea .

[@micwell2247]

Rodents' is the biggest issue(s) any one would have..They will start entering in after just 4 days...Varmets of all kinds start moving in. I prefer my center pole Marque. On the forth morning I'm in take down mode LOL, and, moving to the next primitive camp site. I'm self contained meaning, I take care of my own waste, leave nothing behind. However, I am a 4 season camper so, have heater will travel. I will stay then in winter up to a week or more...specially during the fall and winter hunting seasons...It's such an enjoyable time for me. I getting lazy already and planning a summer session in a few days

[@smokycovestudios]

Won't stop a mother bear and her cubs from making it their new home. Trust me.

[@PeeWeeHenson]

BEEN COVERTLY WORKING TO PERSUADE MY WIFE TO MAKE A YURT INTO OUR HOME WHEN OUR FULLTIME RV'ING DAYS ARE DONE.

[@steverose3318]

Yurts were a nomad's mobile home. Buy a used grain silo and go from there. Or build a metal pole barn and finish the interior. 30x50 is less than 30k finished.

[@jaredkyle5987]

It’s basically a big, sturdy ⛺️ tent….

[@Rhythm911]

OK, although I would only recommend yurts as best suited for country/forest life due to regulatory hassles, and where wood heating fuel is freely available. But there is a young couple that I have followed for almost the entirety of their homesteading situation, for inspiration, etc., who began living in their first Yurt on their northwest Canadian, coastal rainforest, property 3 years ago. For the first 2 years they lived in it year round, (all 4- 6 seasons 😁). The bears, cougars and wolves have stayed away, even when they are not there. And they leave their 2 cats alone there to keep the small pests at bay. Last winter, near the end, they went to the tropics to start their 2nd homestead property and birth their son, in a warmer climate to be safe. They now commute between the 2 properties. And when they build their permanent house in Canada, they will use the yurt as one of their guest houses. They have never had any cons with this yurt in an extremely fluctuating climate. And you just have to research the nomadic tribes that use yurts exclusively in Mongolia and the polar bear rich, northern Siberia !!! Yurts are one of the oldest, best and structurally sound, forms of "mobile" home on the planet, without a doubt. Even some African tribes use a form of 1 and a half story, yurt that is built from all organic plant material, (sticks and grasses). Here are the links for "Jake and Nlcole (and Fox) and their 'in-depth' look at the ultimate type of yurt, in size and modern off-grid comfort ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2bSoqatd7CVfrs ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOldoaCqcx8b6c ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppOldoaCqcx8b6c And further where I live in south central BC. One of the largest privately owned campgrounds in the region, called the "Barefoot Beach Resort" has a large number of yurts as one of their main options. The yurts, in season, are for short-term tourist "Glamping", and in the off season are rented long term. Again no cons as even the winter use is highly sought out by locals and winter visitors. I know, as I tried to reserve one, no luck, due to the lack of permanent affordable housing rentals in this area !!! But once I lease some forest crown land I plan to live in one. Better than a tent and easier than a cabin since I am alone and leasing the land. And when done very little disturbance/trace left behind !

[@sliipknoot]

You could maybe build a log frame around the yurt to make it harder for bears to get through.