What we've done so far:
We've chosen the site on our land; we chose a spot back against the forest because of its proximity to water and electricity and because of its relative level-ness. It gets morning sun and afternoon shade, which is good. There will be a large-ish area in front of the yurt for a "front yard." It feels very secluded except in the winter when the leaves are gone and we can see a neighbor down the hill. Ah, well, that's what bamboo was made for.
We've had the area brush-hogged. What a difference that made!
We've moved all 26 of the 50 lb. concrete piers from the front of the property to the site and placed them.
What's next?
Levelling the piers, and building the platform, of course! Though Greg and I have perused deck-building books and yurt-platform building plans and web posts, we still don't feel confident enough to proceed on our own, so we are hiring a bit of professional help. I've been calling home renovators, deck builders, and general handymen on Craigslist today.
Once the platform goes up, we put up the yurt. It's actually the easy part. Should take a weekend or two with plenty of helpers. We took it down back in Indiana, and that was the best lesson in knowing how it goes up. Funny, we took down the deck, too, but that seems much harder. I think we were too exhausted by the time we got to the deck to pay much attention.
After we get the yurt up, we then put in the systems, such as electricity, graywater lines, water, wood stove, etc. We still haven't decided if we want to use our composting toilet that was a part of the yurt package or if we want to hook up to the septic tank. The good thing about all these systems is that they can happen slowly. We're close enough to our electric pole that we can simply string some extension cords for a while--and we also have some solar panels that provide a bit of power. We have the camper hooked up to water, electric, and sewer, so that can also be our back-up until we get all systems going. The most important thing, I think, is the wood stove. Of course, we can use space heaters--in a small space like a yurt, it would be feasible, but we don't want the expense or waste of that for long.
Once the systems are all working, we begin the fun part--building the loft and interior walls and decorating the place! I can't wait to put in the kitchen and create the bathroom! I've seen clawfoot tubs at the Habitat for Humanity Restore, and there are always plenty of countertops either there or at IKEA that are affordable. And we have some lovely furniture to put in the yurt--I have pieces in storage from Great Aunt Lena and Grandma that I can't wait to bring out.
Everyone wants to know 2 things: Has this been hard and is the yurt up yet?
Answers:
1. Yes, it has been hard, but it's been fun, too. Money has been tight. We're still paying off the yurt, of course, and the girls are in a private school this year. That was important, because Maddie really needed a place to transition from homeschooling to public high school. Also, Beatrice isn't old enough for kindergarten. Next year, Bee will be in kindergarten and we'll have the yurt paid off around next summer. That will free up a good bit of money.
Managing simple things like showers, meals, and morning rush has been the other hard thing. We have to wait for forever for the propane heater to heat the shower water after one person uses it. The kitchen is a camper kitchen. I am not a camper kitchen kind of cook. I CANNOT wait for my yurt kitchen!
The fun has been the closeness, the land, the feeling of freedom, and the joy of ownership.
2. No, the yurt isn't up yet (said with a crazed smile for the millionth time) BUT IT SOON WILL BE!!!!!!!!!
Here are a couple pics of yurt platforms to give you an idea:
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