Spirit mountain yurt scam/plea

[CMH]

I posted a couple years ago about our horrible ordeal with

Spirit Mountain Yurts

. Our yurt has been in storage since 2008 because Nalina refuses to reply to our e-mails and phone messages. After 1 1/2 years of MANY problems with the yurt we purchased a micro burst collapsed a wall in 2008. We have repeatedly asked her to provide us with the lattice measurements or cost to replace the area that was ruined to which she has never replied. We got the "Fortress" design so the lattice is all special sizing. I filed a complaint with the New MX BBB in 2011 to which she never replied. I see her company has an F rating I hope people pay attention to that because her You Tube video's are very misleading. I beg anyone who is remotely considering buying from Spirit Mountain to go the other way, find a "reputable" yurt company. We spent our savings on our dream yurt. Something that should've been joyus became a heart wrenching experience. I have sent a "final" e-mail to Nalina today asking her to provide us with the information we need. Aug 2013 will be 7 years since we made the horrible decision to purchase from

Spirit Mountain Yurts

. For us this was truly a "labor" of love - it was a nightmare from the start yet we didn't want to give up. We are at the point we can't continue paying for storage for the yurt. We have taken a such a huge loss (monetary as well as emotional) it seems seems stupid to continue holding out hope. What we have left of our current yurt may go to the dump or possibly we can sell off some parts of it. We can not afford to buy another yurt and honestly with the horrible design and structural issues we aren't sure if replacing the ruined lattice would be worth the effort and heartache. I wish there was a way to take Nalina and her company down! If anyone is considering a Spirt Mountain Yurt RUN AWAY! Chris
On a side note we did research before buying in 2006, checked refs, talked to others that were happy with their SMY.

[Jafo]

Hmm, there is another member here who bought a used SMY and is also having issues. Maybe they can salvage some of your parts to make their parts work?

You can see his SMY experience here:

http://www.yurtforum.com/forums/yurt...e-roof-25.html

and

http://www.yurtforum.com/forums/yurt...world-219.html

You might want to private message him?

[Dan R-M]

Hey Chris,
I'm right there with you, though not out nearly as much cash. We bought our SM (sado-masochistic?) Yurt second hand from owners who had three that collapsed.
After quite a bit of time, energy, and hopefulness in rebuilding the broken lattice and manufacturing the pieces that the first owners hadn't told us were missing, it collapsed for us, too. Heartbreak isn't too strong a word.
I have no idea how they keep going. Seriously. How can you keep a company like that going? With all the great yurt companies, both big and small, that are out there? It's probably that ridiculous youtube video.
I take heart, though, in seeing that upon searching "Spirit Mountain Yurts" in google, the third link is to their BBB page and the fourth is the Yurt Forum discussion.

[Marshall Eppley]

how thick are the slats on your lattice? Maybe you can do like I did measure the distance between the bolts or what ever they joined the lattice at. then get 2x6 lumber. take a drill press and drill it down through the side of the board and then slice it into lattice. when I build mine I mark the first hole 3 inches from the top and then 12 inches for the rest stopping 9 inches from the bottom of an 8 foot board. this makes a wall about 6 foot tall. hope this helps.

[HawaiiYurts]

Have you put in a complaint with the Attorney General in her area? If not, DO. And also with the BBB. That's the only way I've seen other scamming yurt companies be brought to justice and made to fold or raise the bar.

[Jake]

I didnt know she was still in business. Hers is the only company I have ever heard of like this.

Replacing lattice shouldnt be too big a problem if the yurt isnot standing. I have made some of mine, a project when I am not carving bow staves. I keep working on the pile .

This site and the info here on building a yurt and securing them against snow damage can and will save a lot of people serious money if they are in the building process.

I feel for those who have been scammed by her, and scammed is the only really operable word for her and her operation. Grab the money and run.

For those of you who are buying or building read closely the section here on building and what Jafo and Bob have input there, especially on preventing twisting. Good stuff !

[CMH]

Sorry I haven't been on in a while. We have the "Fortress Design" from the scammers Spirit Mountain Yurts (now operating as Fortress Yurts) the lattice has been hard to repair due to not being able to get them to send us actual measurements for the regular windows and wood interior. Honestly we have about given up hope of repair.

[Jake Levi]

I can only suggest removing one lathe and measuring it, mine are 1" by 1.5", heavier, but worth it. Mostly of ash. It wont collapse. I made a few of .74" but just increased that to 1". It will make a heavier wall, but, will also last longer.

[Dan R-M]

I second Jake's words. I replaced a whole section of lathe wall on my SMY, only to have it collapse for me just as it had for the previous owner. If you're going to rebuild, I would definitely go for bigger lathe than the original. Not that that will prevent other structural issues that might exist, but it can't hurt.

[Bob Rowlands]

Individual sticks of wall lattice are actually very easy to make. You need a tablesaw, or a friend that will make the rips for you on their saw.

Measure the width and depth, and a rough length. Buy a clear 2X of appropriate length. Rip to dimension. Remove a good lath and simply use it as a template atop the new stick to mark the hole centers. Alternately, measure the centers, but be aware they need to be exact. Drill the holes. Finish the lath, and install. It doesn't get any easier.

That way you can get on with repairs instead of rely on those that drop the dang ball. :/