Anyone own/use a YURT?

[DirtyLittleSecret]

For about a year I've been planning to construct a small mountain cabin up on Mt Hood Oregon (about 3k ft), but went and invetigated the idea of a yurt. Visited some local yurt manufacturers (http://www.yurts.com/, and http://www.rainieryurts.com/). I have no connection with them, but was pretty darn impressed with what was available for reasonable prices. Has anyone had any experiences with yurts good/bad? I spent some time in actual Ghers (Karakorum yurts), but havent the foggiest about some of these newer designs.
Just trying to keep an open mind of some different options...
Thanks!

[glenn kangiser]

Welcome to the forum DLS.

Harry51 is planning on building an Oregon Yurtworks Yurt.  Not a tent type yurt but a house type yurt.

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Thanks for the tip.  Already ruled them out since the amount of craftsmanship required for some of thier designs is FAR beyond what I could achieve.  Talked to one owner here in Oregon who got into it, and wound up way overbudget due to having to hire out most of the work.  I've done concrete, excavation, and some carpentry, but Im not that good!
I've actually lurked on this forum for quite awhile, and was surprised that this was actually my first post (coulda swore that I'd posted up on here numerous times)...
Anyone here have experience with these shelters (good/bad)?  Worked the property all Summer (well/utility building, defueling, etc), and burned through alot of time and $!  Seems like an excellent cabin alternative for while saving up to build a "final" cabin/second home (hopefully in 5-10 years).

[glenn kangiser]

I  remember seeing you sign up - your papers checked out OK.

...and I didn't delete any of your postings because you weren't bad - so I guess this is it.  You probably got so involved you thought you were actually there.

I have seen some of the info on Harry's place as he is my neighbor -- and a very good one.  Looks like it will be quite nice.  We horse trade a bit so when he is ready I will go there with my crane if need be and help him to cut costs some.

[tanya]

I lived in a dome/yurt from www.shelter-systems.com for a summer here inthe WA mountains and it was either really really hot or really really cold.  I put up tapestries on the insides to provide some heat retention/sun block and a big tarp over the outside for shade.  We stayed nice and dry and I finally got a fan and it was bearable.  My yurt/dome was set up in the full sun and we get extreme temps here much like you will experience on Mt.Hood.  These dome/yurts wont hold a snow laod either and I think that might be one area you should really check out with a yurt.  It seems like the roof jsut doesn't have the pitch required for taat kind of heavy snow load that you see around Mt. Hood.  Other than that they make a great Spring, summer, fall, cabin and since I bought the green house model now that I live in a house I have a nice big green house.  If you lived in one throught he spring summer and fall you might save enough money in rent to build a solid cabin in time for winter.  

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Glen-With all the awesome beta available in this community I would'nt be surprised if I did just get "wrapped up" in it all!
Seriously, this stuff's addictive.
Tanya-Thanks for sharing your experience!  The snow load rating of the ones I'm looking at is around 225-260 lb/ft.  According to the permitting dept I need 150.  I have noted a HUGE discrepancy in the different designs out there though.  BTW: did your yurt have insulation on the walls & roof?  Also, what material was the roof made out of?  I know some use a canvas while some use a poly-vinyl (much slicker).  Oh, and where in WA were you (wet or dry territories)?
Any others with ideas, comments, concerns, digressions?

[glenn kangiser]

Good place for a meeting of the minds -- I was just mentioning to my helper the other day about using things I have learned here that I would never have known otherwise.

[Dustin]

I don't recommend a yurt. For the same price you can build a nice little cabin yourself. Or buy a trailer or used mobile home if you don't want to build. If you feel that you need a bit more help with building you could look into FirstDay cottages.
I have stayed in a yurt a couple of times in Northern AZ. They tended to get really hot during the day and cold at night. Not enough insulation or thermal mass.
Nicer than staying in a regular tent though.

[tanya]

My yurt/dome was a vinyl material and even though it is slick even a little bit of snow wet snow particularly about 1/4 to 1/2 inch was wnough to make the plastic pooch and look not to good.  We pushed the poochs with a broom and they slid off but I am sure if we were not home it would have been a bad scene.  I talked to a family that lived in theirs all winter we have heavy snows here and when it rains it rains hard and when it is hot it is very hot anyway this famil y who lived in thiers all witner with their children too they jsut made sure that the fire was always burning and someone was always home.  So it can be done it I ever had to do it though I would line the thng with straw bales as high as I could get them nothing gets wet they are good for htat but cold and hot are miserable.  We lined the thing with tapestries and covered with a tarp.  The site does sell liners and tarps specifically for this purpose but hey when it is cold it is cold and when it is hot it is hot here either way if I ever have to live inthat dome/yurt again I am lining it with strawbales they would make a nice shelf up high and I wouldn't be killed if the snow did collapse the thing, I think I would add some internal supports too in snow country.  Just to be safe.  If you decide to go this route and many have try to keep a fire going so that you don't get snow build up and use the best roof supports you can get your hands on and extras too if possible.  I loved living inthe dome/yrut by the way the first thing inthe morning I heard the beautiful birds songs and last thing at night frogs sang us to sleep.  But I didn't like the snake that came slithering through event hough ti was harmless and the newt was not to bad but a little freaky.  The bugs tend to stay high up or between the tapestry and walls so they were not an issue even though we didn't use any screens.  

[bmwbill]

Hi; I have been looking at yurts - not sure where the yurts commented on came from but yurts can hold up to 285 lbs per sq foot in a 16 foot yurt
they have been used up in the colo mts for ski huts.
no thermal mass. need fire or something -stoke that fire .
thermax insulation is offered -won't pick up so much heat in summer or will reflect heat in winter
-by the way turn off the heat in your stick built house in a northern Wi winter and come back in a few days ,check the temp. It will be as cold !!
in the summer -  open the dome! heat rises
small straw bale or earth bermed would be better,but yurts don't have as many problems as stated here.
have built 1 stick home and 1 log home - not sure if i would like to spent a winter in a yurt - but am looking at a small 200 -300 sq ft something ,just not sure what yet.
just my 2 cents
bill

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Thanks for contributing Bill.  I've found HUGE discrepancies in yurt designs and thier materials.  
Right now Im still looking at Rainier Yurts (highest snow load), and Pacific Yurts.  Both of these manufacturers are using the higher quality materials, and the Rainier yurts have the highest snow load ratings (meet or exceed building codes).  I've talked to literally dozens of owners over the last two weeks, and have become more impressed with these designs.
Now Im down to figuring out what it is I want on the property.  Seriously, its becoming more difficult to make this decision the more I look into both paths!  I guess its a good thing since both are amazing things!

[Preston]

I was in a pacific yurt over the summer that had been up for 3 years in the Kansas City area.  There was slight sagging on the roof but not nearly as much as I had assumed would be.  It would be unique for sure, but seems to me like a 10-15 year shelter, not a permanent one.

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Absolutely!  10-15 years is all one can look to expect (even though the materials are warrantied for 15 years).  I'm thinking that in about 5-10 years I might actually want a larger cabin than what I have plans (& $) for currently.  A difficult decision.