Yurt vs tiny house vs RV

Hey all,
New kid here, hoping I'm posting this in the right place.
I'm planning to buy some property in the next few months with the goal of ultimately going off grid and creating a small homestead. I've gone back and forth on the type of structure/housing I want to create, and whether it makes more sense to build a temporary structure while I work on something permanent, or just jump into building the permanent structure and tent on the land.
My budget for housing is about $25,000. I see pros and cons to all of my options and I'm wondering what others would do in this scenario. Buy a small RV and modify it for off grid living? Stay in a small RV while working on a bigger project? Tent while I work on a converted shed-type house? Yurt? It's just me so I can be pretty flexible.

So, what would you do?

 

What would I do?

Build a pole barn and live in it until the house is built...

 

I'd go the RV or camper van route. If a bad storm approaches, you can UA the AO quickly and easily.
Of course, my considerations are those of someone being a lifelong resident in Hurricane Alley.

 

I have friends that went a similar route - they built the shop/garage first complete with bathroom, then lived in it while they built the house. It worked out great because they had dry storage for supplies and easy access.

 

I'd opt for the small RV. Getting it setup, sewage, water, electric of whatever type will be quicker and allow you to get to work on your more permanent structure. Then if you want to bail out for whatever reason, just hookup and drive away. The small RV will also serve you post construction, or could be sold.

 

$25K will buy a good size pole barn kit, if building it yourself.

Parker Buildings - Pricing on a Wide Variety of Gable End Buildings

 

Bookmarked - will need a shop next year when I relocate.

 

I did the pole barn while building the house. It was best for us to ensure the house would be well insulated and all the other issues we have in our A.O. an R.V. would have also worked for us for a short time, and the mobility could be a good benefit.
It all comes down to the weather conditions in your A.O. And and how long it's likely to take building!
Also, depending on where in the world you are, you can pick up used moble homes practically for free, and even some times people will pay you to take them! I sort of wish I had known about that before we built!

 

I love yurts! But i still say the pole barn idea is a great one.

 

As ghrit says, utilities are essential. You could get away without a septic if you put in a dry well and use a composting toilet. But you must have a reliable source of water, and if it's deep, a source of power to pump it. Without reliable water source (don't think you'd want to truck it in, that sucks) you're at square one.

 

The RV is going to provide a complete living space you can move around on the property to see what works .
If you get snow you want a good southern exposure the sun will help melt away the snow and of course power the solar panels.
trees are a big issue as well if you plan on wind mills . I would.
Also logistics for property drainage and the softness /hardness of the ground matter too.
How and where you lay out your septic and or well or pond ,
Being able to move the RV around for the first year or so can provide some real perspective .

 

Personally id opt for the Yurt .
as a permanent solution that is. . A well made one will still be relativly cost effective (and you can even make yourself) and made properly they are comfortable, warm (people use them in -40 or colder in some areas, with the right woodburner quit cozily) if just yourself then even a smaller one of 18-20' could be quit livable. Plus you can add a second or more & link them together later to extend your living space if needed. Maintenance is reasonably low (need to be taken down to air out once a year and checked over, a smaller one can be done by 1-2 people in a few hours to take down and/or erect. and you can relocate if you get bored of the scenery. (assuming you build a wooden deck base and not a concrete pad. )

If you order one, its just a matter of building the base deck and once you get it, setting it up. Get a couple (competent) people to help & you could be moving in the same day.

No advice if the people you get arn't competent though

 

A buddy of mine and his wife took a little weekend vacation about a year ago up in the mountains of NC, and rented a Yurt for 2 days in a secluded area. He said during the night, he heard footsteps, limbs snapping , and he was scared as hell, clutching a 9 mm pistol. He swears it was a Sasquatch , although he never saw it, he said he found a footprint twice the size of his foot the next morning.
The moral of the story here is, that Yurt does not have enough skin between me and the outside world for my comfort. If that's all I had , I would rather sleep in the open, at least I could have a view of what's around me.

 

I'll second... Or fifth whatever, the RV idea. It just makes sense. The pluses are as everyone stated. You can keep it for mobile ops, sell it for most what ya paid if you get in it right, and your left with dry storage.

 

I say go with the mobile option.