Making it Happen!

[purledbanjo]

Hi everyone. I am new here. I've been contemplating yurt living for about 4 years now. I've gone through the dream stage, the fear stage, and now I'm in the realistic stage.

All of the things in my life that I'm trying to align lead me toward a yurt life. Being in touch with nature, and in tune with the seasons, leaving a lower impact on the earth during my stay, being closer to my children and creating memories and bonds that aren't related to buying "things" and watching TV, and of course not being a debt slave.

I was raised in a rural small town, and moved to the big city at 22, and have been here for over ten years. I'm ready to go now. The city has brought opportunities, but those opportunities have led to anxiety, depression, claustrophobia, and debt. The life I've led in the city has been a dark and desperate feeling one. I need to see the earth without a cement coating on it. I need to breathe air that doesn't smell like car exhaust and deep fryers. I want to hear birds, and see the sun go down behind mountains and trees, now power lines and jutting rectangles.

I'm in my mid 30's, and life has taken some sudden turns the last few years. I now realize that waiting around for things to happen means they never will.

Now, for the details and questions-

I have access to property that already has a permanent residence on it. I would need to tap into the well/septic/electric. Only one person lives on this land and it will stay that way, so the burden of the system will increase to a maximum of maybe 4-5 people total, my knowledge of the current systems in place are that it can handle this because it did in the past before it came to be owned by my mom.

I have been looking at the 30ft yurt from

Pacific Yurts

, they are local to me and I have admired their products for a while now. I'm interested in the tall wall version, and would like to put in a loft/bathroom/kitchen. I am ok with doing that slowly over time or preparing ahead of time to do it straight off from day one of the build.

There are two hurdles to my planning right now- codes and how to go about even being allowed to do this, and the financial estimations.

Pacific Yurts

has a great cost calculator for the actual yurt structure, and a great list of platform ingredients, but the electric, and plumbing stuff I am clueless about. I have access to the main house for those things if necessary, but would like a true cost because I want to do this without debt. I do have very close friends with carpentry/electric/plumbing experience who will help me.

The property is located in Okanogan County WA and is not in the city limits.

I need information on how to add up the various costs, and also if there is any information on bending the truth as far as calling it a dwelling, or just a studio on the property. Obviously doing everything legally is ideal, but if I can't.....I will find another way.

[Jafo]

Pacific Yurts has stamped engineering plans that you can show your city/town. We also have a few tips here:

http://www.yurtforum.com/forums/buil...a-yurt-67.html

It has been my experience that most areas are OK with the structure itself. The most common issue is usually

insulation

, so you might want to find out what those requirements are first.

[purledbanjo]

Thanks, that helps. I think just knowing other people are doing it also fortifies my plans.

[ineffableone]

Any updates on your plans for a yurt in the Okanogan? That is the area I am looking to move to and set up a yurt eventually. Okanogan or Ferry county. The area I am looking at mostly is between Tonasket and Republic.

I have visited the area plenty when I lived in Bellingham Wa, and would go to the Tonasket Barter faire pretty regularly. As well as some of the others like Northport Barter Faire.

I am looking at possibly getting serious with my land hunt near the end of this year into the beginning of next year.