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Some terrible, hyper-critical comments so far. A 3d-printed concrete cube with a fridge full of Soylent would be vastly more efficient for productive techies. Can't we just admit that this is an incredibly creative hybrid of old & new. The end result is breathtaking.
But the problem is this is not DIY, it's professional work, the word is being abused for some purpose.
> He has a do it yurtself website w/ all the fancy content, presumably he's planning on selling that.
Not surprised
I think people are turned off by the near professional quality of the photos for some reason. The one of the guy using the router in slo mo could be out of a Craftsman commercial.
This lacks statistics on temperatures throughout the day or estimates on the loadbearing capacity of the roof.
In essence, this house has not been benchmarked.
I'm more curious about the state of that yurt in 5, 10, 15 years. Heating, humidity, insulation, energy bill, insects, hygiene, maintaining the toilet and the hygiene issues that come with it.
Building codes don't exist without good reasons. Health and comfort don't happen by snapping finger at good ideas. I would really be interesting if construction engineers seriously studied yurts.
I have to say this looks pretty nice and it's pretty cheap, but humans did not start building with hard materials without good reasons. Even without fossil energy, humans still started to use stone, cement, etc.
I guess brick has a very long lifespan, it's worth the time spent, but I don't know if it's cheap.
Absolutely, I have done no research on this but on his website [1] he claims:
> Strength: The fundamental principles of a yurt’s design creates a structure that is surprisingly strong. The compression and tension of the walls and roof can hold thousands of pounds of weight from the snow. The round shape allows high winds to be diverted gracefully around the structure. Unlike a normal house, a yurt doesn’t rely on rigidity to be stable. Because of its flexible nature, a yurt can better withstand natural disasters like earthquakes.
So maybe it's true and they are actually sturdier than it seems?
[1] https://doityurtself.com/is-it-for-you/ (scroll down to "The positives of yurts")
Possibly a construction engineer designed this kit.
These kits have been around a long time, I’ve been in one that has been standing for some time, I didn’t notice mildew issues (I’m guessing there is some type of ridge vent at the peak) temperatures were ok. It was in the Bay Area and plenty of apartments there aren’t insulated, so the yurt wasn’t much different.
This is an expensive build, Idk if wiring the yurt for electricity is worth it. If you keep it as all one room, a single lamp and spot to charge a laptop or phone pretty much covers it. Propane to heat water for a short hot outdoor shower, and cooking outside.
One thing to consider is if you are the type of person to make it really remote, maybe you’ll find that as cool as a mile hike in is to your yurt, you will occasionally want to hang out there without the hike.
"I'm more curious about the state of that yurt in 5, 10, 15 years."
It's a good question and I've always wanted to see postmortems on alternative building methods generally. I suppose that we could always take on the Japanese philosophy of building homes anew every few decades.
'Round these parts, I'm afraid that a yurt would be crushed by the first real snowfall, but the build isn't in these parts so no harm, no foul.
Personally, I'd think twice about building over an old blackberry patch. There's a reason that the plants like that place and the word 'swamp' comes to mind. It's already hard enough to deal with moisture in a dwelling as it is.
In any case, it sure looks cool and I like the builder's spirit.
Humans used whatever material was plenty available for a long time. The Siam and Burmese empires used wood. When the wood started to rot they razed it and built new houses.
Most homes in the US are simple wood frames, with wood cladding. No one worries about the lifespan of those houses.
vinyl tarp: i have some car tents from costco (aprox $300) that appear to use a similar vinyl exterior and they hold up great (5+ years so far). I made one into a perm shed, but with that I added another layer of thick tarp on top (that also seems to hold up well, just make sure you use UV stabalized)
insulation: looks pretty awful to me. this thing is going to be cold in winter unless you keep the fire going 24/7
plants: good luck keeping these with enough light+water. watering these seems like a total nightmare given how any drips are going to ruin your structure/drywall.
foundation: anyone doing this, rent a (or buy a cheap) concrete mixer! I bought one used for $100 on craigslist. can sell it right back when you are done with the project.
flooring: "luxury vinyl planks" are awesome. I use the "lifeproof" brand (bought at home-depot) and they are great. completely waterproof, durable, and look like wood.
Wow, imgur has really ramped up the ads and user hostile UX, I wonder if they are going broke.
Looks a bit more optimized for Instagram aesthetics than being practical [1]. It seems like it would get pretty warm in there especially with the bed being at the highest point of the whole yurt.
How does the construction industry work in the US? Do many people DIY? Do many people get hands-on with building homes while still hiring experts where needed? Is it common for city people to own farms/land nearby?
It seems it isn’t really that costly to build a nice 1000 sq. ft. place complete with appliances and modern amenities.
The construction industry in India is shitty - carpenters, painters, plumbers, masons, general contractors have little to no professional training and eff up projects often, the tools aren’t modern and renovation work is infrequent because of the poor quality of construction services (and non-existent DIY culture and ecosystem). Also, it’s probably looked down upon in the Indian society if a house owner goes DIY with any construction work (gardening is an exception).
If you want to read about the drawbacks, they're explained here:
Looks great! For anyone who wondered like me whether the top hole can be closed, it is a closed clear dome[1].
This looks really incredible! While I see a lot of cynicism in the comments I think this is a really neat project and would love to live in something like this. I love how remote work and self employment let arrangements like this be a viable way to live.
They had one of these (Sukup Safe-T-Home)[1] at my hometown county fair this year and it seemed like a very interesting take on the yurt. It's basically a grain bin that they've modified slightly to work as a shelter.
Definitely spent a few minutes fantasizing about having one of these as a cabin in the woods someplace.
Hey, this is the same guy who did that camper van conversion a couple of years ago!
Is this Portland Oregon or Portland Maine? I thought it was Portland Oregon, but then they mentioned the footings were 12 inches below the frost line, and there basically is no front line in Portland Oregon since the winters are too warm and rainy. But I assume there is a frost line in Portland Maine.
This is Zach. The guy that built the yurt and the website. Just found out this was posted here! Thanks for checking it out. I’ll try to add my two cents and answer some of the questions. Im away from my computer so I might be a little slow!
This reminded me of a more traditional (but focussed on efficiency) 100% self-build (and design) that I've been following for a while, but since the last infrequent update I seem to have lost it.
I don't suppose that's familiar to anyone else? I expect I saw it on HN in the first place, the URL was something focussed on the efficiency/climate aspect, though most of the content (and to be honest what I was interested in!) was just generally applicable how-to/DIY for each step.
Edit: Ah! I found it: https://www.savingsustainably.com (I wasn't quite right above, I suppose perhaps the efficiency goal is a product of 'FIRE' rather than climate concern). And some more update since I last caught up with it, excellent.
Holy...128 80lb bags. I poured a single footing in my backyard with a 4-5 of the light 20lb bags and said, never again.
How do you stay warm in the winter? The drafts must be intense.
I wonder if, since this roof shape can bear a heavy load, the insulation problem could be solved with rooftop plants? In some countries the government subsidizes you putting flowers on your roof, to make the cities greener. (In some parts of the city, bees have to travel way too far to find a flower, and run out of energy.) Now this yurt is way out of town, but they do seem to really like plants!
What are the advantages of a yurt over a pole barn or mobile/manufactured home?
Curious as to why Pacific Yurts didn't make the yurt companies page.
https://doityurtself.com/choosing-a-yurt-company/
if you've ever stayed in an Oregon State Parks Yurt they were built by https://www.yurts.com/
Yurts can be insulated and have wood walls, windows, rafters, and metal roofing:
https://www.smilingwoodsyurts.com
From their FAQ:
"Homes built with our products are permanent and comfortable for full-time all-season living in nearly every climate. They are built with durable building materials to stand for generations; a fabric yurt is basically a really nice tent. A SWY will meet and exceed the most current international Residential Building codes and can be insulated to industry standards for energy-efficiency using proven R-value products, a fabric yurt will not. We have insulated glass windows whereas fabric yurts have vinyl windows that open from the outside. SWY homes can be secured, fully-insured, and generally qualify for conventional financing under most circumstances through a third-party. Please note: Smiling Woods Yurts does not offer any financing on our products."
Some yurts are tents, some are more substantial.
I got lost somewhere there. How much all this cost him?
The 'Living Big In A Tiny House' youtube channel put up a video of this yurt today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f05NYU3kmFs.
Is it just me, or are yurts currently popular just because they have a funny sounding name?
Having lived in a van for the past year, building a yurt is my next plan. Probably once I’m back in Australia.
I’ve looked into earthships, bagged houses, abodo, containers, small houses and other DIY methods.
These yurts seems like the right balance between cost, DIY capability and results.
Particularly this loft design, which I’ve seen on some NZ YouTube videos.
My plan, a yurt on land approximately 2 - 3 hours from Melbourne, plus a sprinter van or troopy. And I’ll buy a private parking space in Melbourne, for when I want to weekend / overnight in town.
Zero mortgage. Fuck your house prices, keep em.
This is pretty cool and looks great. It has a lot of themselves in it which I think will make it a cherished place.
If anybody wants to see how a traditional Yurt/Ger is put up, you should watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLO-z-XJ7_U
It's quite different in some respects and the main difference is that the load is shared between the lattice walls and an interior post structure as well as the heating being centralized under the oculus.
The Photo of the bedroom strikes me the most. You filled in your sleeping Room with plants that Will release CO2 at night as any other plant would do.
I'm always intrigued by the way Americans build the foundation. I've seen it before, seems to be rather standard. Concrete pillars, OK, but then it's raised on wood and the whole house is placed on it? I can see some benefits but it doesn't seem good for the long term.
Around here we pour the whole thing on the ground, with rocks and concrete, the whole ground is covered, then the house is built on that.
That's pretty neat, I was hoping for a Mongolian style Yurt. But this is a nice take on a modern Yurt.
I love DIY homes but, in the negatives it lists...
> Poor temperature control, noise level, and not so temporary
I'm wondering why you would build a yurt instead of one of the numerous more traditional wood frame green pre-fabs, which would essentially eliminate all of these negatives?
Beautiful build! I haven't seen a yurt with a raised bedroom like that before, very clever.
I may have missed but it seems nothing discussed for the amount o plants in the comments.
Is having that many plants around your bed safe? Can they release enough CO2 to effect your sleep quality or is it a myth I remember from my childhood?
Inspiring. Love the thoughtful design touches. My only immediate practical issue would be climbing that ladder in the middle of the night to wee! Regardless, the builder and family should be incredibly proud. Enjoy.
I have some concerns. Doesn't seem too resistant to winds. The plants inside the house, specially on the bedroom part, not a good idea. I wonder how good is that house to keep warm on winter and fresh on summer.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f05NYU3kmFs
I'm such a fan of these tiny homes!
What is up with the composting toilet? All these off grid houses you see on YouTube are using composting toilets. It’s like these people have never heard of a septic tank before.
There is reference to the posters taking a week of peace to help out. How much leave is the statutory minimum? Is just one week common?
I don’t get the fascination with Yurts. It’s a tent. People stopped living in tents as soon as they could, because they don’t stay cool, don’t stay warm, and don’t stay dry. They only work well in gentle, temperate climates.
The one advantage to tents is mobility, but Yurts are pretty much permanent tents. They’re the worst tent.
If you’re a nomadic group in the plains with not much wood around and a herd of animals it makes sense. Build tents with skins, burn the poo for fire.
The spiders...
I'd be interested to know where this is when they say "20 minutes from downtown".
Is it safe to have plants in the bedroom, don't they use up oxygen at night?