Have you ever imagined escaping the hustle and bustle of your life? Have you ever daydreamed about leaving it all behind and living off the grid? Have you ever yearned for an existence interconnected with the beauty of nature?
If any of these thoughts have crossed your mind, you may be surprised to find out that these desires are not far-flung fantasies, but accessible, attainable realities that are available with much less cost and stress than you may have thought.
The solution can be found in an unexpected, round package that breaks free from the mundane constraints of city life, but still provides the modern amenities to live comfortably: a yurt.
The Yurt Dream
Want to make your yurt dream a reality? The team at Off Grid Dwellings has worked endlessly to remove the confusion and stress from the process of purchasing and setting up a yurt, so it is truly possible! Let’s look into a few key steps that you’ll need to take in order to turn your yurt dreams into yurt realities.
Most of the steps in this process are things you can do either by yourself or with a small team of friends!
However, we do recommend seeking help for a few key steps that will ensure the stability, safety, and longevity of your yurt.
Because yurts are a much more affordable option than a house, hiring a contractor to take over a couple steps will still cost much less than conventional types of housing.
Unless you have ample experience with construction, we believe it is worth the investment. You might be surprised, though, at just how much you can do all by yourself!
Purchasing a Yurt
We now live in a world in which you can purchase and ship your home from the comfort of your desk. That world exists because of places like Off Grid Dwellings.
Our yurt living experts have designed a painless purchasing process during which all your questions and concerns can be answered and solved. It truly has never been a simpler process than it is at Off Grid Dwellings.
Price
Yurts do not come with the immense financial burden of a mortgage, yet a well-constructed yurt like those for purchase at Off Grid Dwellings can still be a considerable investment.
The price of a yurt depends on both the size of the yurt and the added features and amenities. Our smallest home yurt, the Glacier, is 9.84 feet in diameter and priced at $8,537.
This is an attractive option for people living alone or with a partner who want to live as minimally as possible. However, if children are in the equation, sizing up is recommended.
Our largest yurt house, the Banff, is much bigger at 49.2 feet in diameter and priced at $52,460.
This yurt is large enough to fit four bedrooms and two bathrooms! A brick and mortar house of this size could easily cost more than 5 times that amount!
There are several other yurts in between these two sizes and prices. Purchasing one of these yurts can be nearly as easy as any online purchase!
Setting Up Your Yurt
Shipping and Receiving
You might be surprised to know that your future home can be easily picked up and sent to you on a 4×4 truck!
Yurts were designed for nomadic people, so transporting them to your desired location is not at all difficult.
No matter how off the grid you want to go, your yurt can almost always make it happen.
Something to keep in mind is that shipping costs do increase as the size of the yurt increases. And, if you want to depart civilization entirely, acquiring supplies and resources will have an impact on your costs.
Foundation
In order to build a strong and sturdy foundation for your yurt, you may want to consider hiring an expert.
Receiving assistance from a professional contractor will ensure that your yurt is as durable as possible through heavy rain or snow storms—and it all starts with a proper foundation.
Foundations can be raised or ground level. They can be made of wood, concrete, or a mixture of the two.
Each option has advantages and disadvantages. We highly recommend at least consulting with a professional in order to make the most optimal choices for your yurt at your location!
Yurt Assembly
The assembly of the yurt is much simpler than most people think. Your yurt will come equipped with a step by step instruction guide that includes photos and a thorough breakdown of how to assemble your yurt.
For smaller yurts, you and a couple of friends will be able to assemble the yurt in one or two days!
For larger yurts, you may want to get together a group of friends. It could take anywhere from one day to one week or more.
No special equipment is needed. However, certain things like power tools and a large ladder will make the assembly process much easier and faster.
Utilities And Amenities
You may be wondering how to outfit your yurt with utilities and amenities. Setting up water, electricity, and plumbing is very doable! We’ll briefly go over the different options for all three so that you can choose which will work the best for your living situation.
Water
There are three options when setting up your water connection for your yurt: water collection, water delivery, and constructing a well.
Water collection means setting up a gutter system to catch water from a natural source (usually rainwater). This water is then stored in a cistern and can be purified using a few different methods.
Water delivery is an option available in some parts of the country. A company will regularly come out to your yurt and fill your cistern with clean water.
Constructing a well is perhaps the most popular option because it enables self-reliance and reliability. For this option, we recommend hiring a licensed company to come out to your yurt and dig a water well and install a pump.
Each of these options have their own advantages and disadvantages. But they all make living in a yurt a completely viable living solution!
Electricity
When setting up your new yurt home, you will need electricity! The two most popular options for electricity in a yurt are solar panels and wind turbines.
Each of these options depend on weather in order to create a sustainable, feasible electricity solution. Solar panels need lots of sunlight and wind turbines need lots of wind.
Both of these options also require a battery in order to store extra electricity for hours in which the necessary weather is not available.
A popular solution is to use a combination of solar panels and wind turbines, in order to mitigate for both non-windy and cloudy days.
Plumbing
A big question on your mind might be this: where can I use the bathroom in a yurt?
Luckily, solutions exist that do not necessitate a squatting-in-the-woods situation. The three most common options are: septic tanks, incinerating toilets, and composting toilets.
Septic tanks are popular options for many yurts as well as residential homes. These tanks are large underground tanks that collect waste.
Most of the liquid waste is filtered through natural processes. However, the solid waste and oils must be regularly pumped out by a professional service.
An incinerating toilet burns your waste into ash, which must then be disposed of. This option requires electricity and natural gas, propane, or diesel. So it is not an option for everybody.
Lastly, a composting toilet is a very popular solution for yurt living. It turns your waste into nutrient rich soil by promoting the growth of helpful bacteria that breaks down any viruses and pathogens.
Of course, each one of these options has pros and cons. Talking to one of our yurt experts can help you sort through and make the best decision for your particular needs!
The Bottom Line
Many people desire a life unconstrained by conventional standards of living, but the stress and confusion surrounding a lifestyle change such as living in a yurt can prevent them from taking that leap. Off Grid Dwelling and their yurt kits can make your dreams come true! Purchasing, setting up, and living in a yurt has never ever been easier. Make your dreams yurt realities!
