Frequently Asked Questions
Can electricity be installed in my yurt?
What is the best way to cool my yurt?
Yurt Interiors
Can interior partition walls be added?
Platforms
What is the floor of the Yurt?
Can I hire someone from Rainier to put up my yurt?
Shipping and Pickup
How much does the shipping cost?
How do I arrange for shipping my yurt?
How should I prepare to receive my shipment?
How do I unload my yurt(s) from the truck?
What do I need to know if I pick up my yurt from your facility?
If you would like more details or have a question not answered here please contact us by phone (866-839-8787)
or through e-mail: sales@RainierYurts.com
The installation of all utilities and heating systems must meet the manufacturer's standards and any applicable building code requirements. They must also be installed by licensed contractors.
Can electricity be installed in my yurt?
Typically, electrical wiring in a yurt is fed through the deck platform (floor) by a licensed electrician. Outlets can be flush mounted in the floor of the yurt or on support posts around the perimeter of the wall. If interior partition walls are added to the yurt electrical wiring can easily be run into these walls, where outlets and switches can be mounted. If electrical service is not available at your site, consider photovoltaic (solar) systems or propane systems (lights, refrigeration, heating, cook stoves, etc.). Explore Home Power magazine for more ideas.
Plumbing can easily be brought up through the floor of the yurt, or you may install plumbing in interior walls after it is brought through the floor. If your site has plumbing and septic hookups you can use standard fixtures. In remote areas, people often use composting toilets and alternative gray water systems. Consult with a licensed local plumber for more information.
Virtually any type of lighting can be used in a yurt. Customers have installed track lighting on the rafters, overhead lights to the center ring, floor or table lamps and propane lights, among other things. Many prefer the safety of low voltage lighting in their yurts. Please contact local lighting professionals or Rainier for ideas.
Most conventional methods of heating will work in a Rainier yurt. Customers have used wood, pellet and propane stoves, central heating, electric heaters and even radiant floor heating. If you use central heating or a heat pump, ductwork can be professionally installed under the floor of the yurt. When using a stove, it should be vented through the sidewall of the yurt, not through the roof. There are many benefits to venting through the wall, which include easy access to the chimney for regular cleaning, having the chimney away from the yurt's roof (to minimize the soot that falls onto the roof) and keeping an open floor plan. Note that if you put the stove pipe through the roof you will void the roof warranty. When venting through the side wall, proper wall penetration must be followed to prevent heat damage -- contact Rainier for additional information. If you plan to use your yurt in a colder climate we recommend that you insulate both the roof and walls of your yurt, as well as the platform. In really cold climates, many users double the insulation in the walls and use a SIP deck for the platform.
What is the best way to cool my yurt?
In hot, sunny climates you will want to choose the full insulation package (which does a great job of keeping the heat out), the tinted dome option (which reduces the solar gain significantly) and install fans or an air conditioner. All our yurts come standard with an opening skylight and screened opening windows for excellent ventilation. Some of our customers have used swamp coolers and even heat pumps to cool their yurts. If you do not have power there are some great solar fans available.
Yurt Interiors
Many people with larger yurts choose to build a bathroom inside their yurt. This could be done (after the yurt is installed) in much the same manner as in a conventional site-built structure and is typically done by a local licensed contractor. The plumbing would be brought up through the floor of the yurt into the bathroom. Venting from the bathroom can be accomplished with downdraft vents through the floor or through the wall of the yurt using a flashing kit. Proper ventilation will reduce moisture inside the yurt and prevent condensation. Many customers choose to build a separate bathhouse for their shower, toilet, tub and laundry and add a covered walkway, breezeway or enclosed hallway between the yurt and the bathhouse.
Kitchens have been added to yurts in a variety of fashions, usually with standard cabinets and counters. If you wish to have a custom curved counter along the wall of the yurt, you can usually utilize smaller standard cabinets set at slight angles. Customers who have framed a bathroom into the yurt will often put the kitchen against one of these interior walls so the plumbing can be installed into the partition wall and shared between the kitchen and bathroom.
You can use off-the-shelf cabinets, sinks, refrigerators and stoves. If you would like to vent your cook stove we recommend a Jenn-Air style stove that vents through the floor. Many people choose to cook on a propane stove. Keep in mind that a by-product of burning propane is water vapor and remember to open windows and the skylight in your yurt to minimize any build-up of moist air. If you are off the grid there are excellent on-demand hot water heaters, propane refrigerators, propane stoves and more.
Can interior partition walls be added?
Interior partition walls are often added to provide separate bathrooms, bedrooms or kitchen areas. You can easily build these walls into the yurt after it has been erected. The partition walls should be freestanding or attach to the floor; you cannot attach anything that is load-bearing to the rafters or the lattice wall.
Lofts are a great way to maximize space inside larger yurts. Because Rainier yurts have tall walls, they can accommodate a loft. Over the years we have had customers build lofts of all different shapes, sizes and heights in their yurts. Lofts should be freestanding structures built into the yurt after it is erected and not attached to the roof rafters of the yurt. They can create private space below for a bathroom or bedroom or simply be left open.
Many customers buy two and more yurts and connect them with a covered walkway, breezeway or enclosed hallway. Some also connect their yurt to a bathhouse. Rainier can assist in designing these connections.
Platforms
What is the floor of the Yurt?
Yurts are typically installed on a platform elevated at least 18"-24" which will provide a crawl space for accessing plumbing, wiring or storage. Since every site is different, and the circular platform is basic deck construction, we recommend buying local materials and building the platform per our plans, according to your local site conditions and code requirements. When you place your yurt order, we'll send you complete plans and a materials list for a yurt platform. Rainier can provide site specific deck plans for your yurt to meet the new International Building Code, which requires your deck be engineered for your specific location. Rainier has partnered with an engineer and we are able to provide site specific deck plans for $700.00 on level sites. Sloped sites will cost more. Note that the engineering on your Rainier yurt is only valid if the yurt is properly installed to a deck that has been engineered . Rainier provides plans to build two styles of platforms:
1. Standard Wooden Platform: poured concrete footings, posts, beams and joists.
2. Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) Platform: 6" pre-insulated R-24 foam-core decking can span a full eight feet. It comes pre-cut to the exact diameter of your yurt. Use of Structural Insulated Panels for your platform help you build your platform faster, with fewer parts. SIPs are available directly from Rainier.
Any exterior decking should be at least 5" below the interior floor of the yurt to avoid floor leaks. This allows the side cover of the yurts to hang below floor level and secure to the platform. This attachment firmly secures the side cover to the platform and provides a weather-tight seal.
Rainier yurts are often installed by their owners, but some prefer to hire a contractor for the installation. We provide a step-by-step set-up manual and a toll free number (within the United States) so we can answer any installation questions. The time spent to install your yurt will vary depending on your site, weather conditions, the number of people you have to help and which options your yurt has. Assuming the deck is in place, a smaller yurt can set up in a day, while a large yurt may take a couple days. It is best not to set a time limit for yourself and just follow the set-up instructions provided.
Can I hire someone from Rainier Yurts to put up my yurt?
We are happy to provide a technical person to oversee your yurt raising and help you put your yurt up for $500.00 per day, plus expenses. You will still need to provide the crew, tools and scaffolding.
We recommend that you rent scaffolding to support the ring as you install the rafters. It makes the job both faster and safer. The instruction manual shows the sizes we recommend, relative to the size of your yurt.
Yurt Shipping and Pickup Information [download PDF]
Thanks for your interest in Rainier Yurts! It is our goal to make your buying experience as easy and pleasant as possible. Please fee free to call us if you have any further questions: (866) 839-8787.
How much does the shipping cost?
Shipping costs will vary depending on the destination, size and which options your yurt has. Rainier can obtain shipping estimates to a particular location, but you should know what size yurt and which options you are considering in order to get an accurate estimate.
How do I arrange for shipping my yurt?
Rainier uses a freight broker who searches for the lowest-cost freight prices, thus offering substantial discounts to our customers. Once our craftsmen have completed your yurt, our freight broker will take over, contacting you to arrange for the delivery. At this time, you will be asked to provide the freight broker with details about this delivery and to set up payment options. From this point onward, all shipping, delivery and payments will be between you and the freight broker. If you would like to arrange for your own shipping entirely, please contact us for crate dimensions.
Freight companies often charge more to deliver to a residence; there may also be additional costs if your local roads are inaccessible to standard tractor-trailer trucks. Charges vary depending on the delivery area. The freight broker can discuss ways to reduce your charges by helping you avoid requesting services you do not need.
When speaking to your freight broker, be prepared to discuss any special circumstances at your site such as access to the unloading area or other issues that could have an impact on your delivery.
Most freight carriers do not guarantee delivery dates and times. If you have very specific requirements for delivery, ask the broker to give you a quote based on a "premium" or "guaranteed service." This may cost more in freight, but save crew and labor stress and costs if you have complicated "yurt-raising" plans. The freight broker can help you decide what solution will work best for the cost and practical considerations.
How should I prepare to receive my shipment?
If you need to have the shipment delivered on a specific day, it is a good idea to be in contact with the freight broker to learn when they expect to deliver your yurt. When making a residential delivery the freight company needs to make an appointment. This may take an extra day, as they will need to connect with you. In some areas carriers only deliver once or twice a week. If your site is not accessible to standard tractor-trailer trucks, you have several choices: you can (1) arrange to pick up your yurt at the local terminal; (2) offer to meet the freight carrier at a different location; or (3) ask the freight broker for a quote that includes special services in non-standard equipment.
How do I unload my yurt(s) from the truck?
If you do not have a forklift available at the time of delivery, you will need help unloading your yurt — a minimum of two to three people for the smaller sizes and three to four people for the larger sizes. Your shipment includes a large crate that is too heavy to lift off the truck by hand, but if you have a crowbar or something similar you can disassemble the crate and carry the contents off. If you are unable to gather the desired number of people to help you unload the truck, you can check with the freight broker to see if they have a truck available with a lift gate. While the lift gate will help you get the product from the truck to the ground, it will not help you move the product around in the truck or on the site. For this you may need a pallet jack, a forklift, or friends with strong arms.
What do I need to know if I pick up my yurt at your facility?
The hours for pick up are 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Depending on what size yurt was ordered, you will need to bring an 8' to 16' box truck or a truck/trailer combination. The truck or trailer must have tie down hooks to secure your load properly. We will assist with loading your truck, but you have ultimate responsibility for properly securing your load.
