A yurt is a round dwelling, held together at the eaves by a tension band. It has a cone shaped roof with a central compression ring skylight at the roof's center. Sturdy, durable, earthquake resistant, yurts provide excellent shelter against the bitter winds and freezing temperatures of the steppes, Rocky Mountains or any other harsh climate. Today's modern yurt is typically a portable, recreational living structure with a circular wooden lattice wall, wood rafters that extend up to a laminated center ring, and a solid locking wood door. Covering the wood frame are architectural fabrics. A dome skylight allows light and ventilation at the peak. Many custom options are available including additional windows, insulation, awnings, extra doors, ceiling fans, and more. The easy to install yurt can be transported in the back of a pickup truck or trailer and is non-destructive to delicate ecosystems and adaptable to a variety of conventional and alternative energy and water/waste technologies.

Because yurts are low in cost, portable, versatile, and adaptable to individual needs and tastes, people buy yurts for a wide variety of uses. Easy to set up, built to handle snow, rain, wind, and sun, yurts are ideal for both year-round and temporary use. The efficient design uses high quality materials to create a structure that is comfortable, strong, durable and weather tight. Popular as vacation homes in the wilderness, a yurt can be raised by consumers with a few carpentry skills. It is usually attached to a wooden deck which is constructed on site by the consumer or a contractor hired by the consumer. A contractor could also install options to make it permanent such as a loft, internal walls, electricity and plumbing for use as a guest house, for example. Once in place a yurt can be plumbed, wired, heated by wood, electricity, or gas, and easily ventilated and cooled so they are also popular as guest houses, vacation homes, studios and offices, a yurt could be the affordable solution for a family or business.

In addition to fabric-covered yurts, some manufacturers are using the design with panel walls to create permanent buildings and homes built to standard building codes similar to other kit homes.

-- Tips courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com