Wooden Yurt Plans for permit

[Skiergirl]

Hi all- new here! We are in the process of beginning to build a 30’ wooden yurt and need help finding a plan that is available for purchase without having to buy the pre-fab kit that goes with it and that has the structural engineer stamp for our building permit. My husband was designing it on CAD himself but ran into issues and doesn’t have the time while at work. We enlisted the help of an architect “friend” who was going to charge us $15,000 to finish it and estimated the building cost to be between $300,000-$500,000- for a 30’ Yurt!!!! Yikes! It wasn’t even gold plaited. Any assistance, advice or wisdom would be greatly appreciated- thanks!

[Jafo]

I would look at Bill Coperthwaite's

yurt plans

:

Yurt plans

He is the one who kind of got this yurt craze in America going.

[Bob Rowlands]

IMO you really need to seriously consider what you are spending big money on. There are VERY few solid wood yurts. I mean VERY VERY few. Buy a conventional Americanized yurt. Try that out for size. I bet as you age the 'cool' factor completely disappears and a conventional small rancher on a slab or over a basement is gonna look like gold. It would be the rare bank that considered loaning conventional mortgage sized money on a wood yurt out of town. If you are in town, I'd certainly invest in a conventional home. But do what you want. That's just my conservative opinion.

[Skiergirl]

At Bob Rowland- can you tell me why you feel this way? We aren’t using a bank loan so that’s not an issue and we are WAY our of town. It seems odd to be giving this advice on a yurt forum especially without explaining yourself...

[Skiergirl]

Originally Posted by Bob Rowlands

IMO you really need to seriously consider what you are spending big money on. There are VERY few solid wood yurts. I mean VERY VERY few. Buy a conventional Americanized yurt. Try that out for size. I bet as you age the 'cool' factor completely disappears and a conventional small rancher on a slab or over a basement is gonna look like gold. It would be the rare bank that considered loaning conventional mortgage sized money on a wood yurt out of town. If you are in town, I'd certainly invest in a conventional home. But do what you want. That's just my conservative opinion.

And by very few solid wood yurts- do you mean solid as in structurally sound? Or do you mean solid as in made entirely of wood? And if you mean structurally sound- how so? Smiling wood yurts and mandala homes have excellent safety ratings- and are capable of large wind and snow loads and round homes are typically the last ones standing after hurricanes.

[Surely Yurts - Steve]

You can do this.

A yurt is round and a ranch is rectangle, big difference.

Some, (myself included) prefer round living and I encourage that!

If you send your CAD design and sketches to me at info@surelyyurts.com

I will pass them along to my architect and she can get you a price quote on finishing them. You will have a fee from the structural engineer as well in order to get that stamp.

What state are you in?

[Skiergirl]

Thanks Steve! I will do that-
We are building in Lebanon Maine.
Appreciate your help...

[Bob Rowlands]

By solid I mean wood exterior over stud walls. And yes I know yurts shed wind quite well.

As to your framed, round, yurt shaped house, if you have the cash, and a real motivation to build one because a standard Americanized yurt won't do, and a standard framed house in the same size range won't do either, then- go for it. Id still ask your parents what they think, you are talkng ALOT of money.

If I were you I would make >sure< your plans have either: 1) been built before, with photos no 'architectual renderings' and: 2) have a certified engineers stamp on them.

Have fun on your project, and enjoy your work.

[Bob Rowlands]

btw I have scratch built three lightweight nomadic camping type yurts. 12'6" 14' and 16'. Plus been a professional carpenter since 1973.

[Bob Rowlands]

If you are interested, there are a few youtube videos of yurt shaped house being constructed with panelized framed walls and heavy duty roof framing, and a more conventional interior finish. In no way are they portable or nomadic like a 'standard' yurt. They are round homes. Good luck.