Yurts in Hawaii (Hilo, Volcano, Kurtistown: renting, houses, neighborhoods)

[deegeemaree]

Does anyone know anything about Yurts of Hawaii? I have a couple of friends living in yurts in Alaska and they really are nice (too cold for me, though!). A yurt in Hawaii might not be a bad idea - as long as it's legal and all. I like alternative building/living ideas but have no need to "buck the system".

[OpenD]

I've met and talked to the Yurt Lady, ran into her once at the J. Hara store in Kurtistown. I think she's solid. She does fully permitted dwellings, seems to know the permit process very well. She has a model unit on the Belt Highway near Volcano.

I have neighbors who live in a fully permitted yurt, been there many years. They have a woodstove for heat, as more than 1/3 of the homes in Volcano do. Amazing what space-age materials can do with an ancient concept.

[CyberCity]

I've been inside of a Yurt in South Kona. It was very nice inside, very livable. They had built a separate small building (using regular lumber) for their water pumps, washer, and storage. I'm not so sure I'd want to be in a Yurt in a strong wind though.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

I've been inside of a Yurt in South Kona. It was very nice inside, very livable. They had built a separate small building (using regular lumber) for their water pumps, washer, and storage. I'm not so sure I'd want to be in a Yurt in a strong wind though.

The design is actually quite strong. Pacific Yurts certify they can handle 100 mph winds.

Pacific Yurts-Nothing Compares to a Pacific Yurt

[deegeemaree]

Pacific Yurts is in Oregon - Yurts of Hawaii in Hilo....Yurts of Hawaii also seems to be a subsidiary of Colorado Yurts which is a company who seems to have an excellent reputation. My Alaskan friends live in Colorado Yurts and they have withstood gale force winds (70 + mph) and heavy snow loads. That got my vote! I look forward to checking out the Hawaiian yurts.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by deegeemaree

Pacific Yurts is in Oregon - Yurts of Hawaii in Hilo....Yurts of Hawaii also seems to be a subsidiary of Colorado Yurts which is a company who seems to have an excellent reputation. My Alaskan friends live in Colorado Yurts and they have withstood gale force winds (70 + mph) and heavy snow loads. That got my vote! I look forward to checking out the Hawaiian yurts.

I could be wrong, but I believe Yurts of Hawai'i is independent, and works with several companies. She sponsored a Yurt Builders Conference in Puna a couple of years ago that was attended by companies from all over the world who talked about all kinds of yurty things. I went for a couple of hours to collect business cards and brochures for a project I was considering at that time. There was an interesting speaker from the UK who has a business there of renting yurts for "caravanning" holidays. What an interesting concept!

Anyway, I mentioned Pacific Yurts because I'm most familiar with them and I knew they had the snow and wind load info readily available. Years ago I stayed in a Nesting Bird yurt (company was later absorbed into Pacific Yurts) in the Seattle area for three weeks while the owner was traveling. It was beautiful, and I felt very serene being there.

I experienced a high wind storm while there. Because the frame of the yurt has some flexibility built into it, there's a little flexing and shifting that goes on under load, but with multiple load paths there's surprisingly little stress to the structure, and i never felt concern. Keep in mind that yurts were developed over centuries for living in flat valleys in the high mountains where strong winds blow, and then the concept was upgraded with American engineering and space-age materials to adapt to every kind of climate.

It's not a concept that would work for everyone, for sure, but if the shoe fits, I think Yurts of Hawai'i would be a good way to go since she's already successfully gotten several through the entire permitting process.

[nullgeo]

Yurts. They originated where? Um, Mongolia and the steppes of Asia. Nomadic dwellings that move around with the seasons and herds -- set up in short order -- and yet can withstand the extraordinary howling winds of those open plains. Uh, cold climates? Heh.

That all said, Hawaii ain't a cold climate calling for a fire inside a dwelling (except in a few higher altitude neighborhoods) that keep the yurts dried out. They are conceived, designed, built to be quite tight.

Do you think you will want a "tight" dwelling in Hawaii? Or an open design?
Yes, you can "open" a yurt.

Or you could follow intuitions of native designs developed over all time for hot, humid, tropical climates.
Which suits Hawaii best? Closed, tight? Or open, airy?

Whatever floats your boat ...

Aloha

[hotzcatz]

Thanks, Nullgeo, I'm glad someone else also noticed yurts were designed for a totally different climate than Hawaii. They also don't have a lot of catchment surface if you are doing water catchment.

Frequently, folks want a yurt because they believe them to be a lot less expensive than conventional construction or because they are more eco friendly or something. Hawaii houses are already built differently than their mainland counterparts.

[CyberCity]

And a lot depends on what you want for the future of your investment. Do you want something that will still be standing strong in 20 years? Do you want something that will be sellable? Do you want something that if you should want to sell, will a bank finance on it (or would you have to provide financing)? These are the sort of things to consider.

Or, are you just looking for an inexpensive house for a few years? If that, then what is the price of a Yurt? Is it even to be considered "inexpensive"? Maybe it is "cheaper than a house", but is it "inexpensive"? (And I'm not sure it is cheaper than a very basic kit home.)

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Thanks, Nullgeo, I'm glad someone else also noticed yurts were designed for a totally different climate than Hawaii.

BUT, I've spent time in them, and I can tell you that they are quite adaptable. With the typical zip-out or roll-up panels, plus the vent at the top, they can go from tightly buttoned up to semi-lanai in minutes.

They also don't have a lot of catchment surface if you are doing water catchment.

Well, they have as much catchment as any other structure... the footprint of their roof... but they're definitely small.

Frequently, folks want a yurt because they believe them to be a lot less expensive than conventional construction or because they are more eco friendly or something.

Yeah, that's because they are. Both.

Here's one frame of reference I have... I helped friends put up a 24 footer behind his house (452 sq ft) as an ohana for his mother-in-law, and it was really slick. We put in the concrete footings for the deck one afternoon, let them cure, then built the deck in a day, then the truck arrived with the 1700# yurt kit, and we erected it to weathertight status in a day. As I recall it was about $8K for the basic yurt, and with a lot of deluxe upgrades and shipping it was maybe $15K, plus the deck, which was all made of recycled wood from a teardown, plus enough beer and food to keep the construction crew of friends happy.

It wouldn't fit most people's needs, but for my friend it was perfect, and his MIL loved it! You cannot beat the speed of construction, and the price per sq ft is hard to match.