Want a Cozy, Affordable Home? Build A Yurt

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The year of the yurt: with a bit of help, Craig Boyer was able to build a yurt in under 365 days.
The year of the yurt: with a bit of help, Craig Boyer was able to build a yurt in under 365 days.
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Craig toasts the successful completion of his yurt in upstate New York.
Craig toasts the successful completion of his yurt in upstate New York.
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The foundation of the deck/yurt base takes shape next to the shed Craig used as a temporary home.
The foundation of the deck/yurt base takes shape next to the shed Craig used as a temporary home.
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Winter weather temporarily puts the project on hold, but tarps protect the wood from the elements. 
Winter weather temporarily puts the project on hold, but tarps protect the wood from the elements. 
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The yurt base, accordion frame and the roof joists, which rest in slots in the center ring on top.
The yurt base, accordion frame and the roof joists, which rest in slots in the center ring on top.
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A woodstove inside the yurt helps keep the home warm through the winter.
A woodstove inside the yurt helps keep the home warm through the winter.
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With a little planning — and insulation — a yurt can be a cozy home year-round.
With a little planning — and insulation — a yurt can be a cozy home year-round.

In 1996, I bought 10 acres in Saranac Lake, N.Y. At the time, I was living in Pennsylvania, but I had visited small town New York several years before while visiting Paul Smith Forestry College, and I had always wanted to return. Following the death of my father and getting divorced, it seemed a good time to start on my dream.

Until I was able to move to Saranac Lake permanently, I worked many hours at a utility company and spent my vacations camping on the land with my two kids. Over the course of those vacations, I cut, stacked, and hauled trees, and put up a shed to store my tools. I also had plenty of time to decide what to build on the land when the time came. At first I wanted to build a cabin or timber frame house, but as I thought about my age, the costs, and maintaining the property as I got older, I decided to look at alternative building options. The idea to build a yurt came from an ad in MOTHER EARTH NEWS. I could purchase a tall-wall yurt package with three standard windows, an insulation package for the roof and walls, and French doors for the front and another door in back. I did my homework, wrote to yurt companies, and decided this would be a great way to accomplish my goal.

Getting Started

In 2009, when the company I was working for scaled down, I accepted a good severance package and decided to cash out and move to my land. I packed what I needed, put the rest into storage, and headed to upstate New York. I made a cabin out of the shed, closing off one end for sleeping quarters and making a temporary kitchen and bathroom at the other end. I put up tarps outside to collect rainwater and bought two rain barrels to store it in. I bought a second generator to use with the one I brought with me. My temporary living arrangement was ready.

I laid out plans for the deck and base for my yurt. I built it 4 feet off the ground to make room underneath for utilities, such as the water tank for collecting rainwater and storing water from a stream on the property, as well as an instant hot water propane heater. Early on, I installed all propane appliances, including a propane refrigerator to store perishable food.

  • Published on Jan 18, 2021
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