Yurt Living in Massachusetts?

[Amy]

This is an old post but wondering if any updates? I am looking to buy land soon and do this in ma... Any help is appreciated

[woodberye]

I am also thinking about this and am looking for any information I can get. Have you found anything particularly useful? I'm just beginning exploring this idea.

[Freedom Yurt Cabins]

@woodberye have you looked into getting site-specific plans for your Yurt? A lot of county permitting offices will work with you if you walk in with site-specific plans that are wet-stamped by an engineer.

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[woodberye]

@Freedom Yurt Cabins


Thanks so much for the quick reply. I hadn't thought about getting site-specific plans. But that is something I will continue. I suppose I would have to work with an architect/engineer's office. Do you know off-hand whether this is expensive?


Thanks!

[Surely Yurts - Steve]

We have an architect and structural engineer on staff.

Give me a call and we can get you an estimate, it's not as expensive as you might think.

Pretty much any yurt build these days in populated areas is going to require stamped plans and a permit from your local codes enforcement office.

[Freedom Yurt Cabins]

@woodberye it usually costs anywhere from $600-$1000 to get site specific plans. Which can sound like a decent amount at first, but can save you a lot of time and money with all the hoops your permitting office might make you jump through if you don't have them...just to tell you in the end that you have to get them anyways. So if you're seriously pursuing this, I would say it's worth the time and money!

I know a good engineer I can connect you with if you're interested. And if you're interested at all in a Freedom Yurt Cabin (www.freedomyurtcabins.com) they have the plans ready to go so it's pretty quick and easy!

But long story short, site-specific plans will most likely save you a lot of time in your permitting process, and also open a lot of doors in the permitting office. Definitely worth looking into!

[Bob Rowlands]

Somewhat off topic. FWIW, any housing plan going through our local regional building dept. needs an engineers stamp on the plans, and the name of the engineering company prominently displayed. Also, a surveyed, detailed site map with measurements, location of the structure clearly marked on the site. In addition the name of the survey company. Considering the money spent on housing nowadays, and the fact most residences are initially funded with loans, AND threat of lawsuits, this all makes perfectly good sense. The legal boilerplate at the front and through the plans is scanned or NO actual work reviewing the plans will be done. They will hand them right back at the desk. I know this from experience.

[Bob Rowlands]

More off topic. In addition, the plans need a soils core sample and a perk test from within the footprint of the building. Also, a perk test from within confines of proposed leech field, and the engineering on it whether in ground or elevated. Also location of adjacent properties well and septic. And of course, the name of the outfit doing the work, plus their signature and/or a stamp. You need to have your copy of the legal description of your property and the fact it actually IS yours at hand on site too btw. Plus plans as well.

I know from experience all this costs MANY THOUSANDS of dollars upfront before spade ever touches ground, and this is in the country with well and septic. Tap fees to existing water and sewage are over 10K here and that gets you 'NO' work at all it is just a tap fee.

Simple fact of life is, these gov't orgs in a big city like ours DO NOT screw around with regs. You abide and that is that.

[Bob Rowlands]

county* not country

[Bob Rowlands]

I can't speak to anywhere else but here, and I have only built one house. I would imagine there are plenty of rural areas where it is a WHOLE lot easier to get going with less hassle and for less money. But big city= LOTS of gov't.