DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Due to some medical issues, my 93 year old MIL may be moving into our home. We want to make her as comfortable as possible and since we've already given up the master bedroom to the longarm, it seems that the best answer is to move the studio and let her have the master. Our house has only the master bedroom and what used to be the studio that is now the "master." So we're considering a 30' yurt. You can see pictures of yurts at www.pacificyurts.com Although it would mean no longer having the studio in our house, it would allow for more room. Currently, my DH and I are both in there and it is a bit tight. A yurt would mean room for a design wall and a larger cutting table, etc. So...are any of you currently using a yurt or do you know of anyone that is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I was asking Linzi about this last week. I think it could be quite good but she was a little sceptical. If you do go for it I will be very interested to hear how it works out. Another option is a log cabin. There are a lot offered as offices over here and they look idea as a studio. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I think Linzi from Scotland, here on the forum; has a yurt. She even made curtains for it and they were beautiful! There are pics on her blog at www.flickr.com/photos/sewlinzi/ Looks very cool!! :cool::cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhend Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I would love one for a studio. It would help keep customers out of my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I have turned a shed into a studio. The cost was around 5,000 but cheaper then the 99,000 that the contractors wanted to add unto my house. I don't think a YURT would work in hurricane land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Dory, you might be able to find a pre-fabricated building (shed/or someting like a Quonset hut) at a reasonable price and erect it on your lot near your house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appr216 Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Dory, I put a metal building in back of my home for work and play. I checked out several ways to go and this was the cheapest way. I put in CH/CA in about 500 square feet, textured walls with a drop ceiling, great lighting, and sealed the concrete for flooring. The other part of the building is for storage/workshop/garage. Total size is 1000 sq feet but the metal building place would do any size and configuration I wanted. I just shopped around to get the best price. Outside is maintenance free. Good luck and have fun planning. Judi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Dory, I wanted to add one more thing: keep the reciepts for the building costs as a write-off on business taxes. DH and I did that and we got a good chunk of change on the tax return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeAnn Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 OK, I had no idea what a yurt was until I went to Dory's link. thought it might even be an animal. What things you learn from this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Thanks, guys, for all the info. We stopped at the Yurt showroom in Oregon on our way home one time, thinking we'd put one in WA on our property there. They are so much nicer than what they used to be. Attached is an interior that ours would resemble. We'll have more windows and the skylight on the top. The 30' gives us about 700 sq ft. to play with (20 for me and 10 for DH;)). I think the metal building idea might work too, but my DH is very picky about the bldgs on the prop and he really doesn't like metal ones...so much so, that our "metal" barn is all wood except the roof! Thanks for the tax tip Shana...I'll definitely keep that in mind. Tax time this year was a real treat--we're getting a nice chunk of $$ back, which will ultimatley mean a hydraulic lift for me!!!! If we do this, I'll post pictures...maybe even on my blog if I can figure out how that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Here it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Here I am! A yurt is a great space but it depends on your climate. It is ideal in Mongolia where it gets cold but stays very dry and they are not bothered about light inside so they insulate them with a thick layer of felt. I notice you are in California so I guess that it is pretty dry there. In the UK I have a wood burning stove because the canvas would rot quite quickly in our damp climate. I don't keep any books in there because the pages do curl up a bit after a day or two without the stove. I daresay I could have heat from electricity but I would have to do serious insulation and that would cut down all of the natural light that shines through the canvas. That is why I think a log cabin as a studio would work better over here. It also moves a bit in high winds and has to be carefully checked and eased back into shape after a storm. Pricewise over here I reckon a yurt and a log cabin cost about the same. You just can't move a log cabin so easily if you move house. I do have another friend who runs an upholstery business with a yurt but it is not used much in our Scottish winter as it takes a fair while to get the stove going and then it has to be kept well stoked. Again, that is fine in Mongolia where they don't have much else to do in the depths of winter! I'd rather just keep mine for drinking gin.:cool: A 30ft yurt is twice the diameter of mine so would be a super space but it is not maintenance free. However, it is easier to put it up in the first place. Yurts of this size usually get a wooden floor or sit on a deck. Mine is on a bit of a slope so the Milli would be extremely lopsided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamarack Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I think a yurt would make a unique quilt studio. We have a few at our local campground and everyone loves them. My studio is separate from the house, it is a 12'by16' shed that we converted into my Tamarack Shack! I like it being separate from the house, that way i can quilt late at night and not disturb the kids or DH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Beautiful room! Just curious: Do you get a lot of snow in Quincy, CA? I am not sure if that roof on the yurt is rated for weight of snow, if any snow (wet heavy stuff) falls on that roof. Something to consider with options. PS: Metal buildings can have vinyl siding installed. Even siding that looks like wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Forgot to mention snow... it has to be brushed off or the roof struts could get damaged. The big yurts do have some extra supports but again the original Mongolian yurt dwellers don't get much precipitation of any kind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 The Yurt looks awesome...but should you think about moisture and things like that? Humidity is a huge concern here in the mid-west and though they look cool...I don't think I would park my machine in one. I know you probably don't have humidity, but what about rain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Dory with the rather dry air there in Quincy...it might work, but the heating would kill you as they don't have a second wall do they...its just one layer of canvas and then mother nature. I'm with Shana...you can get a metal building and then cover the skin with anything...even split log, and finish off the inside as well, so that DH won't get upset with the totally wierd building amount the landscape...I would love a Yurt for whatever living, spare space or a studio, but I think you would find it a maintance headache after awhile... Your cost per foot use to run cheaper with a metal building than wood...although the price of steel has gone up so that might be something you need to keep in mind as well. Good luck on your new space whatever it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Oh, yes...we get snow, and lots of it. We have to build with an 80 lb snow load (Shana, you probably have to have a 2000 lb snow load up there!!!), so that would be an issue. Our buildings now all have metal roofs for just that reason. Apparently, they can be built to meet our building requirements. Linzi, we are in CA, but we're way up north in the Sierra Mountains. Our plan for heat is a Monitor (propane) stove that would be on at all times to maintain a constant temp. We would do some major insulation, but I still have to have windows. We walked the property this weekend looking for a place to put whatever we come up with and unfortunately, I won't have tons of sunshine nor a view of my ponies, but thinking about having a space like that makes me very excited. While I do think a separate abode for gin drinking is warranted, I much prefer tequila on our covered porch! But...now you have me thinking about a little open floor-plan log cabin. And maybe the metal building with the siding... I may be at work, but I think I'm going to be doing a little internet research anyway! My main goal is that whatever we get not need a bunch of finish work. Otherwise it will be like the house we've been in for almost five years that still has no baseboards, no window trim, unfinished doors, etc., etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Expressed some of your concerns to my DH at lunch today...now he's thinking small log cabin. I really think the yurt is cute, but we live in the forest so a log cabin with a cute porch....how awesome would that be for my studio?:) I know, I'm saying "my studio," even though I have to share with him, but that way, in the back of his mind, he'll be thinking that its mine too. That way, decorating and placing equipment will be all up to me!!!!! I know, evil; but its his fault he spoiled me:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Okay how small is small....The unibomber lived in a small cabin...it was only about 8 foot square....so when we are talking small..... Just how small is small. Out here my hubby's boss's father has a small cabin in the woods...its over 7000 square foot so I just thought I would ask before you broke ground how small is small..... Plus they have a huge barn and a huge guest house (in my book)...which they call small as well. SO....there ya have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Wow! You are blessed to be able to do whatever you want for a studio!! AAAAHHHH....dreaming of what I would have!!! Of course, mine would have to be a log cabin!! (see the name of my business) w/ a fire place, little kitchen...big windows....a little loft to go up and read in..... it doesn't cost anything to dream!! Have a great time planning and we all want to see the dream come true!!! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted April 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I may be counting my chickens before they're hatched, Linda. We'll see. My MIL isn't thrilled with moving out to the "sticks" with us, but I just don't see how she'll be able to be on her own in town (a 20 minute drive from us door-to-door). I am so dreaming, but it just might come true. I do like the log cabin idea better, and no, Bonnie, it wont be unibomber small, but it won't be over about 700 sq. feet. I was in a 4000K sq foot house once, that was HUGE...can't imagine 7000K!!! My wants/needs include lots of windows, but wall space too for a design wall, to hang quilts, etc., a monitor or propane heater so the temp can always be regulated, a bathroom w/shower and a very compact kitchen area, room to be able to walk all the way around my longarm without doing gymnastics:D, a really large cutting table that I can set quilts out on...and the list just keeps going on and on and on...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 I may be being obtuse, but why the shower? The rest all sound like a very good idea though. I can never get over the space differences. We are looking to move from a bit under a 1000 square foot house to maybe as much as 1500 square foot.(more likely 1300), hence the looking at log cabins I've been doing. They certainly seem to be very good value and there are a lot of options. Here the Swedish ones seem to be the best engineered, but I guess there you will have more people familiar with snow (UK builders really don't get it or insulation in general). Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Actually, I think if you are going to build something, install plumbing in the walls (at least) that way the building is more attractive to potential buyers if you ever decide to sell that house and the so-called "MIL apartment" or "guest house" Seriously!! Think resale value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Originally posted by DoryJM I was in a 4000K sq foot house once, that was HUGE...can't imagine 7000K!!! If I get a chance I will take a picture of this house from the road...the fireplace inside I can stand in.....I'm 5'5" and I can reach side to side in the fireplace. Gene and Robert made a fire and they didn't use regular wood they rolled a log (literally a log) into it.....the thing was still burning the next morning.... The dining room table was custom made from one of the trees that they removed from the place when they built the house...the table sits 25 people... they have a huge Italian family and they have holidays there...we were invited for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. The kitchen is larger than my livingroom, kitchen, main bath and one bedroom.... And decked out like a showroom cataloge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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