What yurt is right for me?

[fowlboss]

Hello there!

I've been saving up and planning to buy my own residence within about 3 years, originally looking at small houses and whatnot since I've always loved them. I recently came across yurts (I don't know how I have never heard of them before) and I fell in love something terrible. I definitely want to purchase a yurt as my permanent residence. Since I live alone, I'm aiming for something that's about 400-500 square feet. I'm going to be living in Houston, TX or in the surrounding area in the future.

However, my question is this: how do I find out what kind is best for me- fabric yurt or a panel yurt? Which would be better in the long run when it comes to stability?

Fabric yurts seem fairly inexpensive when it comes to maintenance or needing replacements compared to panel yurts, or is getting a panel yurt better in the end? I've been eyeing those Solargon Structures homes, but if a fabric yurt can be just as dependable and strong as a panel one, is it worth it dropping the extra cash other than for cosmetic purposes?

I'd love to hear personal experiences and advice anyone would have. I'm very much new to yurts and am still learning about them, so give me all those infos! Thank you!

[Jafo]

Well, leaving out taste, IMO the fabric one would be fine in a place like Texas. You don't have to worry about snow loads, nor is traditional

insulation

a big deal. The normal foil

insulation

would work just fine. I would recommend at least one traditional window though, so you can install an AC unit. The more traditional windows you can get, the better if you ask me.

[Bob Rowlands]

Round wall and a conic roof makes a traditional frame and fabric yurt phenomenally strong in high wind, but they need to be solidly anchored to the ground like any structure. Mine has resisted wind up to probably 60 mph with no problem. In fact I had a whirlwind/dust devil go straight over my yurt and it only sustained a few broken laths. I now have it solidly anchored to a low wood deck and it is truly bombproof.

As for fabric, my yurt is covered with HD 17oz sunforger treated cotton canvas. I live in semi arid Colorado where humidity isn't a problem. It very well might be in Houston which I understand is very humid. A synthetic cover might be better there. I know zilch about synthetic covers.

As for panelized yurts, I can only guess that they would be very strong, due to being somewhat similar in shape to a trad yurt. A painted/shingled panelized yurt would withstand degradation from sun and weather just like a conventional house.
Good luck.

[Bob Rowlands]

That's a good point about operable windows, and leads to another comment. You need to get the humid air from bathing and cooking out of the yurt, regardless of cover material. Installing operable windows in Houston would be a necessity. Adding operable window to a conventional stick framed wall of a panelized building would be a piece of cake.

Since this will be your primary residence, be sure to install an operable vent in the roof ring. A yurt with an opening at the roof will readily vent water vapor, especially with cross windows letting in air. I don't know anything about air conditioners. Maybe they dray the interior air?

Good luck.

[Bob Rowlands]

Make that, "..dry the air?"