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Original poster

Yurt living. How awful is this going to be?

158 replies

Lairymary · 17/02/2022 20:12

I'm hoping someone can convince me that this won't be as awful as I think it's going to be...
Here goes... My OH and I have just purchased a property that needs a lot of work, we're talking complete renovation and needs plumbing and electricity installing. We have found a property to rent while we do it up, (6 months) but that is a 40 minute drive away (literally no other options closer to the property). DH has seriously suggested that we just buy a yurt and live in that on site to save the money on rent and petrol. In theory, yes it's a good money saving idea (will probably save at least 12 grand in total) but in the pit of my stomach I'm a bit horrified at the thought of potentially 6 long months of camping. Hopefully the house will be habitable before then. I just have this awful feeling that it's going to make me miserable, also to add there is a three year old in this scenario too!!
Does anyone have experience of yurt living for longer than a "glamping" holiday. Is it going to be awful?
Just to add, we plan to get the bathroom and a washing machine sorted as a priority, fingers crossed, so hygiene won't be an issue.

OP posts:
mummykel16 · 17/02/2022 20:40

@Lairymary

I'm hoping someone can convince me that this won't be as awful as I think it's going to be... Here goes... My OH and I have just purchased a property that needs a lot of work, we're talking complete renovation and needs plumbing and electricity installing. We have found a property to rent while we do it up, (6 months) but that is a 40 minute drive away (literally no other options closer to the property). DH has seriously suggested that we just buy a yurt and live in that on site to save the money on rent and petrol. In theory, yes it's a good money saving idea (will probably save at least 12 grand in total) but in the pit of my stomach I'm a bit horrified at the thought of potentially 6 long months of camping. Hopefully the house will be habitable before then. I just have this awful feeling that it's going to make me miserable, also to add there is a three year old in this scenario too!! Does anyone have experience of yurt living for longer than a "glamping" holiday. Is it going to be awful? Just to add, we plan to get the bathroom and a washing machine sorted as a priority, fingers crossed, so hygiene won't be an issue.
Just buy a static for a few hundred and be done
Original poster
Lairymary · 17/02/2022 20:42

Confused oh good lord, he's convinced he can get one for a couple of grand. Hmm, I would insist on an air bnb or similar until there was plumbing and electricity. I agree the three year old would probably love it and yes we would have proper beds and furniture in there. Good points about the safety aspect of the stove/heater.
I did mention a caravan, I can't remember why that idea was rejected, probably because it would cost more that a yurt.
I'm going to have to do my own price research aren't I, rather than leaving it to him Smile

OP posts:
Leonberger · 17/02/2022 20:45

Friends of ours had a cheap static while they renovated but it ended up running into years. They were fine though and saved a fortune, it had a nice big awning and an outside heater to give the kids more space.

I would think an old static would be cheaper than a yurt!

PermanentTemporary · 17/02/2022 20:49

I would look at RV hire. No idea how much this would be.

We had a whole bunch of friends lend us one house after another during a rebuild. Incredible kindness but my God it was hard work being away from home for 7 months with a 3 year old. I would definitely go for a vehicle on site but not a yurt, not for months.

mummykel16 · 17/02/2022 20:52

A large static for less than a thousand can be found with minimal effort, some will even deliver free if not to far, eBay gumtree etc

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/02/2022 20:52

Get a caravan, ideally a static.

It may cost more but you can sell it on. A yurt will be pretty wrecked after a season.

RB68 · 17/02/2022 20:53

yurts are fine if set up properly - don't have to be on the ground. I would have a woodburner that can be used to cook as well (Where you get the idea too much work from not sure) but could also have a camping kitchen no problem. loo have outside the yurt but go compostible. Maybe have an overnight bucket for wees only.

Its all about what you are used to - I think of yurts as more comfy than a caravan to be honest.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 17/02/2022 20:54

Have you not watched Grand Designs?

You'll be project managing the entire thing, pissed into a bucket for 18 months, had to find another two hundred and fifty grand down the back of a sofa and have knocked out another kid by the time this is finished if you agree to either a caravan or a fucking yurt.

Theirishwan · 17/02/2022 20:57

@Lairymary We did this 20 years ago but bought a mobile home with double glazed windows. We had 2 children 2 and 5. It took us 4 years to get the house liveable but we were very comfortable in the mobile home and saved 24k on rent. Being on-site meant always available to do work on the house. We had washing machine plumbed in and stored outside of the mobile home. First thing we did was sort a play area for the children

Don’t regret a minute of is as have a lovely house with a very small mortgage

HeyItsPickleRick · 17/02/2022 20:57

Buy a caravan and sell it after? Friends of ours built their house and lived in two caravans sort of stuck together Human centipede style with a loaf of insulation wrapped around the outside. Looked horrendous but got them through.

Theirishwan · 17/02/2022 20:59

Forgot to add - we sold the mobile home on for a very good price afterwards

Original poster
Lairymary · 17/02/2022 20:59

Just to clarify, I have just asked him, he does have a realistic idea of how much a yurt costs, not a couple of grand Hmm. I'm off to google caravans! While he dreams of camping!!

OP posts:
Hoghedge10 · 17/02/2022 20:59

A caravan, yes I could do that (and have done in circumstances that sound identical to yours)

A yurt, no.

T00Ts · 17/02/2022 21:00

Buy or rent a caravan or static caravan and live in that onsite. I did it for six months while we did ours. Was good fun.

The yurt will not be good fun.

stimpyyouidiot · 17/02/2022 21:00

Would totally go for caravan over yurt!

throwa · 17/02/2022 21:03

Get a static caravan instead. We were supposed to be in for 6m, we ended up being in for 18m, and that was through one winter and with two children (6 and 10). We spent £4k on the static by the time we sold it on afterwards, would have cost us best part of £30k in rent (SE).

Don't get a yurt. You will be living on top of each other anyway, you need to have separate rooms for everyone if only to keep people from being underfoot whilst someone cooks.

Get one with double glazing and central heating else you will be miserable, especially if this project has any chance of still going on as you go into the winter. Prioritise plumbing in your washing machine and finding somewhere for the tumble dryer asap, you do not want to be traipsing all over looking for laundrettes.

And as a pp has said, do make sure you've got a spare £100k down the back of the sofa for when it all goes wrong, or when you start doing something and then find out you need to knock the whole thing down. Grand Designs can be much closer to real life than you might like, especially if you're talking complete renovation here (and not just wiring and plumbing).

ByHook0rByCrook · 17/02/2022 21:03

After having just recently endured a mere kitchen refurb this thread is making me reach for the smelling salts. I am clearly not made of atern enough stuff to cope with large scale home improvement projects.

LubaLuca · 17/02/2022 21:04

Has he never watched Grand Designs? A static caravan is as basic as it gets for the developers. You'd all crack up living in a tent.

Acheyknees · 17/02/2022 21:04

After a long day working and you put your toddler to bed, you'll be in the same room.
What will you do? You'll have to be quiet, would the toddler keep getting up? Do you need WiFi? How would you source that? What about electricity, you'd have to have hook up?

HesterShaw1 · 17/02/2022 21:05

I lived in a tent for five months. But it was summer and I was 23! As long as you are very organised and tidy, it's quite enjoyable.

With a small child, not a chance

Original poster
Lairymary · 17/02/2022 21:05

[quote Theirishwan]@Lairymary We did this 20 years ago but bought a mobile home with double glazed windows. We had 2 children 2 and 5. It took us 4 years to get the house liveable but we were very comfortable in the mobile home and saved 24k on rent. Being on-site meant always available to do work on the house. We had washing machine plumbed in and stored outside of the mobile home. First thing we did was sort a play area for the children

Don’t regret a minute of is as have a lovely house with a very small mortgage[/quote]
Yes! Exactly, it will be good to be on site so more work will get done, without the hassle of 40 mins there, 40 mins back. The house is actually very small so the plan is to sort out the existing house so shouldn't exceed 6 months and then next year we will extend so there's no building works being done in the winter months.

OP posts:
NettleTea · 17/02/2022 21:06

I rent out yurts in a glamping site. Im not sure I could hack it for a long period to be honest. There is an allowance of permitted development I believe to allow a mobile home on a site that has work going on if the house in not habitable - so maybe look into that - at least you could have water and power.

yurts can be very damp. You are going to need one thats made for UK climate. and you are going to need to build a platform, because pitching it on the ground, given the recent weather we have had, is asking for trouble, even with a good groundsheet.

katepilar · 17/02/2022 21:07

If it sounds awful to you, dont do it. I think that with that mindset its better to avoid it.

Georgeskitchen · 17/02/2022 21:07

Definitely a cheap caravan. Probably warmer for you

Suzanne999 · 17/02/2022 21:07

I’d go for a caravan or static over a yurt.