Why Yurts Are Perfect for Rural Properties and Eco-Conscious Living
Owning rural land requires a different mindset about how you want to live. It’s the space. The quiet. It’s being away from the humdrum of suburban existence with no one telling you where your property lines are. But when it comes to building, most people get stuck in a rut pretty quickly. Who has the time and money to dedicate to thousands of dollars in construction? How many people actually need a five bedroom brick home for their needs?
Enter the yurt. And no, I’m not talking about some glorified camping tent. A yurt is a solid structure that works in ideal circumstances for rural properties, especially if you’re mindful of sustainable, low-impact, building efforts.
Why People Choose Yurts for Rural Land
For starters, many pieces of rural land are so beautiful because they’ve not been overly developed yet. They have beautiful tree lines, interesting topography, creeks and rivers running through them. Why bulldoze half the block to make room for a home?
Yurts are low impact builds and require little work when it comes to site prep. There’s no need for massive concrete foundation pours, bulldozers, or flat land (although these are helpful). Most yurts are placed atop platforms and pier foundations so that they are friendly to the existing environment. This means less costs and even more important, a property that looks like why someone bought it in the first place.
Moreover, the speed of building a yurt is less than that of constructing a more permanent situation. A well-prepared home can take six months to a year (especially with setbacks); a yurt can be constructed in weeks. For those wanting to establish themselves on their rural block – be it a weekend getaway, temporary dwelling, or outbuilding for guests – this means immediate access.
Eco-Friendly Living That Makes Sense
Sustainably-conscious living is an idea that gets thrown around but with a yurt, it makes sense as part of an overall construction plan. For example, the circular design isn’t just aesthetically pleasing; it’s energy efficient and allows for less surface area for heat loss in winter or volume to cool in summer. Right off the bat, you’re using less energy just by its structure alone.
Quality yurt manufacturers like Beyond Yurt provide durable, longer lasting materials (think wood, insulation) than cheaper builds that require replacement every few years (canvas tents). This makes the eco-friendly aspect more than marketing – actual longevity equals reduced waste.
The small footprint means that you’re required to be more conscious about what you own, therefore live. There’s no room for extra space or stuff, but with this inevitability comes a freedom often misplaced within consumerism. Less waste occurs when there’s no room for waste to occur.
Off-Grid Opportunities
For many rural landowners, off-grid living is not just a fanciful option; it’s a necessary reality. There’s no point connecting mains power to another town far away – it’s expensive, thousands of dollars of expense. The same goes for water and sewage.
But with yurts, they’re perfectly suited for off-grid living opportunities. Solar panels can handle wattage for insulated yurts without needing bulky battery banks. The round roofing offers an ideal situation for rainwater collection and composting toilets and greywater collection systems all work seamlessly because it’s on a more manageable scale.
This doesn’t mean living poorly with limited access to modern conveniences; quite the opposite! You can have all the necessities – heating, cooking options, hot water – with systems that don’t require connection to municipal standards. For those with really remote properties, this makes the difference between having usable living space versus an expensive paddock.
Flexibility and Mult-Use Options
One of the best benefits of having a yurt on the property is versatile living. Maybe you’ll start with a yurt as your primary dwelling until you save up for something better. Maybe it’ll stay as a studio or workshop or home office after you’ve established your residence. Some use their yurts as guest dwellings or even rent them out for agritourism and glamping opportunities.
Because they’re not necessarily permanent structures (though you should check with local guidelines), you may have more versatility with council restrictions – a temporary space can test out where you actually want to build something more permanent down the line.
Even mobility is an option; if you decide a yurt would be better suited in another spot (or you end up selling your property and taking it with you), that’s possible. You don’t have this option with brick.
Climate Considerations
Some places are prone to some severe weather patterns which rural communities face more than others – bushfire danger, storms, high temperatures – it’s all on the table. But modern yurts are made with this reality in mind.
For one, insulation is critically important and they boast wool batts, reflective layers and quality canvas or PVC covers that keep even 40 degree days comfortable from within a yurt. In winter, great wood heaters or hydronic systems (even composting options!) can keep costs low while making the space cozy.
Ventilation is key to beating these extremes and where traditional designs come into play, the central crown (or skylight) allows hot air to escape while lower vents draw cool air in for natural passive climate control that’s been successfully used for centuries.
The Cost Reality
Of course, we cannot forget money – the greatest question of all. A quality yurt build – from materials to basic fit out – runs between $30-80k including platform support; this depends on size and specifications. Even the most modest builds come in at thousands more when brick is part of the conversation.
Less maintenance costs alone make this choice worthwhile. Gutters don’t need cleaning (well, any visible ones), no massive roofs need replacement and even if something goes wrong with yurt construction it’s usually simplistic enough to DIY or hire without spending an arm and leg.
For those who want their rural property without extending their budget all to hell, it’s a mathematical no-brainer.
More Space for Less Living
There’s a reason why yurts have been around for thousands of years – they work! They work with their surroundings and don’t force anyone to change their immediate environment just to maintain shelter.
For those sitting on acres wondering how best to build without wasting what’s there anyway, yurts provide a real solution that are sustainable and surprisingly comfortable. Instead of spending time worrying about what’s next forevermore, they allow owners to live comfortably in the moment – which is likely why they sought rural land in the first place!