yurt companies (foreclosure, insurance, countertops)

[StillHope]

Hi,everyone!
Thanks for all your help,I was able to make the right choice.I have a lot in Kalapana Sea View Estates,in front of subdivision.I am planning to put a yurt house there.There is one permitted yurt in KSVE.I still have a loan to pay off,but I want to buy a yurt as soon as I can.I am afraid that with the "gentrification" of KSVE(see the castle built in front) yurts no longer will be permitted.
So I checked 2 companies:Pacific Yurts(Oregon) and Yurts of Hawaii.It looks like Pacific Yurts is the leader in the industry.I just e-mailed them and waiting for the details.I had a chance to speak with Hawaiian yurt company on the phone.They are a little bit cheaper,but they well compensate it with the price on the help of permitting a yurt.They seem to be a small business of hard working people.But some of the info I got raised a "red flag":
1)- cash only;
2)65% cash deposit NON REFUNDABLE!!!
3)to put the floor costs 40000 dollars.
Did anyone have any experience with any of above mentioned yurt companies?If the money wouldn't be an issue...But I want the best I can afford.
How much is to have a 700-800 sqf yurt with all hook ups(washer,stove) and the kitchen and bathroom?
I would appreciate any help.
StillHope

[BISIGNS]

Dear stillhope,
im not sure if the last inquiry you posted was recent, but here goes. My husband and I put $30,000 investment into building 2 pacific yurts and getting it permitted here on the south tip of the island. After almost a year, we were never issued a permit. Sitting on 2 yurts, we took our losses, sold the yurts and built a home. Just a heads up, pacific yurts are nice, and we were told they would be permitted no problem, but the hilo bldg dept did not agree. So, just a word of advice...really do your research if you are desiring a permit...happy building

[StillHope]

Originally Posted by BISIGNS

Dear stillhope,
im not sure if the last inquiry you posted was recent, but here goes. My husband and I put $30,000 investment into building 2 pacific yurts and getting it permitted here on the south tip of the island. After almost a year, we were never issued a permit. Sitting on 2 yurts, we took our losses, sold the yurts and built a home. Just a heads up, pacific yurts are nice, and we were told they would be permitted no problem, but the hilo bldg dept did not agree. So, just a word of advice...really do your research if you are desiring a permit...happy building

Aloha,BISIGNS!
I am extremely grateful for your post.It has been awhile,but the yurt situation is still an issue for me.Only the unexpected financial delay prevented me to start the business with The Yurts of Hawaii.I was told that they are a reputable business and Melissa Fletcher,the owner,assured me that 30' yurt (not smaller) will be permitted as residential.
It could have cost me about $30000,including about $3000 for the draft and permit.
As you imagine,I have a lot of questions.Could you,(PLEASE!!!),give me more details what went wrong?
You can DM me or email me at: sdnadezhda @ yahoo.com (no spaces before and after the @ symbol)
I promise not to overwhelm you,just the basics.
Thank you for your time.

[Yurt Girl]

I must clear up some *major* misinformation in this post...
-Yurts of Hawaii accepts cash, check or money order.
-50% deposit is required and is non-refundable, which is quite logical since each yurt is custom made. All manufacturer's of yurts that I have any knowledge of require a non-refundable deposit, and rightly so.
-To put a floor in costs no where near $40,000. Depending on your decided floor plan (i.e., lanai? Height? Interior walls?), costs typically range from $5,000 - $10,000, though people have built yurts that ran over $100,000, though that is rare and it is not necessary to invest that much.
-You can get a complete yurt set up - 30' yurt, drafted, permitted, set up with electric and plumbing for about $30,000, though if you choose to upgrade with the recommendations for this climate it is closer to $35,000.

I'm glad I found this...

Originally Posted by StillHope

Hi,everyone!
Thanks for all your help,I was able to make the right choice.I have a lot in Kalapana Sea View Estates,in front of subdivision.I am planning to put a yurt house there.There is one permitted yurt in KSVE.I still have a loan to pay off,but I want to buy a yurt as soon as I can.I am afraid that with the "gentrification" of KSVE(see the castle built in front) yurts no longer will be permitted.
So I checked 2 companies:Pacific Yurts(Oregon) and Yurts of Hawaii.It looks like Pacific Yurts is the leader in the industry.I just e-mailed them and waiting for the details.I had a chance to speak with Hawaiian yurt company on the phone.They are a little bit cheaper,but they well compensate it with the price on the help of permitting a yurt.They seem to be a small business of hard working people.But some of the info I got raised a "red flag":
1)- cash only;
2)65% cash deposit NON REFUNDABLE!!!
3)to put the floor costs 40000 dollars.
Did anyone have any experience with any of above mentioned yurt companies?If the money wouldn't be an issue...But I want the best I can afford.
How much is to have a 700-800 sqf yurt with all hook ups(washer,stove) and the kitchen and bathroom?
I would appreciate any help.
StillHope

[StillHope]

Aloha,everyone!
I would recommend to anyone considering a yurt do your own research and math.
A yurt is a good idea if you want a small dwelling,have friends to set it up and don't care about selling or permitting.
Permitting is possible,just don't do it yourself.From what I heard,The Yurts of Hawaii can help you with it.
About selling - you have to find someone with cash,since most lenders will not finance.
I am speaking from my own experience.There was a wonderful yurt in Sea View with mahogany walls,granite countertops -"cute as a button".Nice area,nice garden with fruit trees...(mls #172003).The price was almost as the assessed value-took the owner almost 2 years to sell.And,by the way,was permitted as"other"(not residential)
I couldn't find a lender.I heard,it is possible..Again,don't take anyone's word for it.Talk to the professionals.
Find the insurance company,willing to insure a yurt and figure if you can afford premiums.
A while ago,one of the members(Reverend Connie,if I am not mistaken) wrote that she couldn't find any insurance company.
Again,forum is not a guide to action.Though I found an amazing forum where builders met.I got a lot of priceless advice.The moderator,buy the way,runs Castleblock package homes. The name of the forum is "Punaweb" .There is a lot of feedback on yurts .
Anyway,if you like yurts,go for it.Consult professionals and figure out if it is worth for you.
Good luck!

[kupukupu57]

We just got our 30 foot diameter yurt from PACIFIC YURTS. We did not realize it will cost that much to build a platform. Is this with labor included or just materials? We are also looking for land to build our yurt. It seems this may be a touchy subject for those involved with conventional home building. But it's about time we catch a break in affordable housing, although I'm beginning to think we might have been better off to buy a regular house, because of the costs involved, but at least not near as much as a house though.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by kupukupu57

We just got our 30 foot diameter yurt from PACIFIC YURTS. We did not realize it will cost that much to build a platform. Is this with labor included or just materials? We are also looking for land to build our yurt. It seems this may be a touchy subject for those involved with conventional home building. But it's about time we catch a break in affordable housing, although I'm beginning to think we might have been better off to buy a regular house, because of the costs involved, but at least not near as much as a house though.

With the current cost of buying a foreclosure dropping like a rock off a cliff....

[kupukupu57]

ah, yes... the question of insurance, never even thought about that... what companies will insure a yurt home?

[KoaKine]

What companyʻs insure tents? I donʻt meant to be negative but its a canvas dwelling isnʻt it?

[YurtGirl]

There are various ways to insure a yurt. If it is a secondary structure then it's very easy. If it's your primary structure, then we have to get a bit more creative. Did you know that just about ALL round houses have a problem getting insured?? Circular houses are fundamentally stronger than box houses, so WHY do we see this trend?? Because it's not the norm and so they don't have anything to compare it to in most areas. Most of the major people in the yurt industry have finally started pulling together to clear these hurdles. There are a few companies these days that offer yurt insurance. Permitting yurts for business structures has been easy to do for many years now. It's the residential insurance that has been problematic. It gets technical, but it's basically because there's lack of a comparative market value in most areas. Yurt people tend to be pretty spread out. Here's a great and informative site by Becky Kemery: Yurt Info
Lots of wonderful information there, Becky's been such a blessing for yurt lovers everywhere.


KoaKine, at least you've come far enough in your yurt knowledge to call it a dwelling! (I'm typing that with a good natured smile, not mean-ly). There are various materials that yurts are made of. The most durable and strong is a Poly-vinyl blend called Pro-Tech. There's also the treated canvas or the poly-cotton blends. This is another area that many people in the yurt industry are beginning to join together on; to find sustainable and eco-friendly materials that are still very eco-friendly. It's inspiring to see the yurt still evolving, as it has been for over a thousand years, yet the core concept is so simple and remains the same.