--- title: "How to Choose a Yurt Company: 12 Questions to Ask" url: https://secretcreek.com/how-to-choose-a-yurt-company description: "How to choose a yurt company or yurt builder: 12 questions on materials, snow and wind ratings, fabric warranty, kit contents, lead times and support." lang: en --- Lock in current yurt pricing for spring delivery! Plus save 7% on tent orders of 5+ or enjoy a free fabric upgrade. Call (970) 240-2111 today. 970.240.2111 Contact Us: https://secretcreek.com/contact-us Login: https://secretcreek.com/admin Back to Blog (https://secretcreek.com/blog)Buying Guide # How to Choose a Yurt Company: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Image: How to Choose a Yurt Company: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Buy (https://rvckecqqubyoynomdjga.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/gallery/yurt/1777494858647-72.JPG) **Quick answer:** To choose a yurt company, compare builders on the things that decide how long a yurt lasts and how smoothly the project goes: who actually builds it and where, what the frame and fabric are made of, the fabric warranty, documented snow and wind ratings, what the kit includes, real lead times, setup support and after-sale service. Ask every company the same 12 questions below, get written answers and compare quotes for the same size and options. A good builder will answer each one clearly, with specifications and documents rather than adjectives. A yurt is an engineered structure, not a big tent. The lattice wall, rafters, compression ring and fabric covers are designed to work as one system, so the company behind it matters as much as the floor plan. This buyer's guide gives you a neutral checklist you can use with any yurt builder, plus the red flags that should make you slow down. Image: Tan-roofed yurt with a clear dome skylight and wood door standing in open sagebrush beside a lake, with mountains behind (https://rvckecqqubyoynomdjga.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/gallery/yurt/1777494858647-72.JPG) ## What does a yurt company do? **Definition: a yurt company** designs, builds and sells modern yurts, usually as a kit made of a lattice wall, roof rafters, a center compression ring, a door and fabric roof and wall covers. Some companies manufacture everything in their own workshop. Others resell structures built elsewhere or only sell used units. When people search for "yurt companies" or "yurt builders," they are usually trying to answer one question: who can I trust with a structure I'll use for decades? The answer depends less on marketing and more on materials, engineering, documentation and support. Those are all things you can verify. ## What should you look for in a yurt company? Use this short checklist to sort builders before you request detailed quotes: | What to check | What to ask for | A strong answer looks like | | --- | --- | --- | | Manufacturing | Where and by whom the yurt is built | An in-house workshop you can visit or tour | | Track record | Years in business, number of structures in use | Decades of building and real customer projects | | Frame | Wood species, joinery, ring design | Solid wood lattice and rafters with clear specifications | | Fabric | Fabric type and cover warranty in writing | UV-stabilized, mold- and mildew-resistant covers with a multi-year warranty | | Engineering | Snow and wind ratings by size and package | Published ratings plus engineered drawings for permits | | Kit contents | A line-by-line list of what ships | Clear inclusions for each diameter | | Support | Setup guide, deck plans, phone help | Printed manual, platform plans and a real person to call | | Service | Warranty and repair process | A documented request process and replacement covers available later | ## What are the 12 questions to ask a yurt manufacturer? Send the same questions to every company you're considering, and ask for answers in writing. Here is what each one tells you, and how Secret Creek answers it so you have a reference point. ### 1. Who builds the yurt, and can I see where? A manufacturer that builds in its own shop controls quality from raw lumber to final sewing. A reseller may not be able to answer detailed construction questions. Ask whether you can tour the workshop. Secret Creek designs and handcrafts every yurt, tipi and tent in its own American workshop, and offers facility tours (https://secretcreek.com/secret-creek-facility). ### 2. How long have you been building yurts, and how many are in use? Longevity matters because a yurt's real test is year ten and year twenty, not delivery day. Ask how many structures the company has delivered and whether you can see projects similar to yours. Secret Creek has built yurts, tipis and tents since 1976 and has delivered more than 14,000 structures to all 50 states and 39 countries. ### 3. What is the frame made of? The frame carries every load the yurt sees. Ask about the wood used for the lattice and rafters, how the lattice is joined and how the compression ring is built. Secret Creek frames use kiln-dried solid wood, with mortise-and-tenon lattice walls and rafters. For a component-by-component breakdown, see what yurts are made of (https://secretcreek.com/what-are-yurts-made-of). ### 4. What fabric do you use, and what is the cover warranty? Fabric covers are the part of a yurt that wears first, so the cover warranty is one of the most useful numbers to compare. Ask for the fabric type, its UV and mildew resistance, and the warranty term in writing. Secret Creek uses heavy architectural, marine-grade fabric that is UV-stabilized and mold- and mildew-resistant, with up to a 15-year fabric warranty. ### 5. What snow and wind loads is the yurt rated for, and can you document it? Ratings should be specific to the size and load package, and backed by documents your building department will accept. Vague answers like "built tough" are not enough. Depending on size and package, Secret Creek yurts can be rated for snow loads up to 115 PSF and winds of 115+ MPH (varies per model), and the company provides engineered drawings and load documentation for permitting. Image: Red-walled yurt with a tan roof and deck railing covered in fresh snow among snowy evergreens (https://rvckecqqubyoynomdjga.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/gallery/yurt/1777494838003-59.jpg) ### 6. What exactly is included in the kit? Two quotes for the "same" yurt can include very different parts. Ask for a line-by-line list. Every Secret Creek complete yurt kit includes lattice wall sections, roof rafters and top ring, canvas roof and wall covers, and a door frame and door. The 20' kit adds a dome skylight, and the 24', 27' and 30' kits add a dome skylight plus a snow and wind kit. Yurt Kits Explained (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-kits-explained) walks through each item. ### 7. What sizes do you build, and what is the floor area of each? Diameter alone can be misleading, because floor area grows quickly with each size. Ask for square footage, not just feet across. Secret Creek builds six single-level sizes: | Diameter | Floor area | | --- | --- | | 12' | 113 sq ft | | 16' | 201 sq ft | | 20' | 314 sq ft | | 24' | 452 sq ft | | 27' | 573 sq ft | | 30' | 706 sq ft | Not sure which one fits? Our yurt sizes guide (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-sizes-guide) shows what fits inside each diameter. ### 8. Can I customize it, and see the price as I go? A good builder lets you match the yurt to your site and use: colors, doors, windows, insulation and load package. Transparent pricing is a strong sign of a trustworthy company. Secret Creek's online Yurt Builder (https://secretcreek.com/build-your-yurt) shows real-time pricing as you choose options, and complete kits start at $7,200 for a 12' yurt and $21,620 for a 30' yurt. ### 9. What insulation options do you offer for my climate? A yurt for summer weekends and a yurt for year-round living need different packages. Ask what insulation is available for the roof, walls and floor, and how it installs. Secret Creek offers insulation packages for four-season comfort; our yurt insulation guide (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-insulation) explains the options. ### 10. What is the lead time, and do you have in-stock yurts? Ask for a current build-and-ship estimate, not a best-case number, and plan your platform construction around it. Secret Creek yurts are typically ready to ship 6 to 10 weeks after an order, depending on season and options, and in-stock yurts (https://secretcreek.com/in-stock-yurts) are available for faster delivery. ### 11. Who pitches the yurt, and what support will I get? Find out whether the yurt is designed for owner assembly, what documents ship with it and whether you can reach a person during setup. Secret Creek yurts are owner-installable: most go up in 1 to 3 days with a small crew of about four people, using the step-by-step pitching and setup guide (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-pitching-setup), with phone and video support. Free yurt deck plans (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-deck-plans) help you or your builder prepare the platform, and professional installation is available in supported regions. ### 12. What happens after delivery? A yurt company should still be there when you need a repair, a part or a new cover years later. Ask how warranty claims work and whether replacement covers are available for older yurts. Secret Creek has a simple warranty and service request (https://secretcreek.com/warranty-request) process, publishes care and cleaning (https://secretcreek.com/care-cleaning) guidance, and still supports long-lived yurts: the first yurt the company built, more than 40 years ago, is still standing on its third set of covers. ## What red flags should make you walk away from a yurt builder? Slow down or keep shopping if you see any of these: - No written snow or wind rating, or a rating that isn't tied to a specific size and package - No engineered drawings or documents to support a permit application - A cover warranty that is unclear, verbal only or not stated at all - A quote that doesn't list what's included in the kit - No setup manual, no platform plans and no one to call during installation - Pressure to pay in full before you have specifications in writing - No way to see real, finished projects or speak with the people who build the yurt ## How do you compare quotes from different yurt companies? Most quote confusion comes from comparing different packages. To compare fairly: 1. **Match the diameter and floor area.** Compare a 24' to a 24', and confirm the square footage. 2. **Match the load package.** A yurt rated for heavy snow is a different product from a fair-weather one. 3. **Match the insulation, doors and windows.** These options change both comfort and price. 4. **List what is excluded.** Platform, shipping and crating, sales tax, setup labor, utilities and interior finish are usually separate. 5. **Compare the warranty and support.** A slightly higher price with a longer cover warranty and real setup help is often the better value. Price per square foot helps too. Larger yurts usually cost less per square foot: at Secret Creek's published starting prices, a 12' kit works out to about $64 per sq ft and a 30' kit to about $31 per sq ft. If you are weighing new against in-stock or used, our guide to where to buy a yurt (https://secretcreek.com/where-to-buy-a-yurt) compares all three routes. Image: Row of four yurts with white roofs and red and green walls on a grassy field at a camp, with wooded hills behind (https://rvckecqqubyoynomdjga.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/gallery/yurt/1777494767507-24.jpg) ## Does a commercial project need a different kind of yurt company? Glamping resorts, campgrounds, camps and other operators should add a few questions to the list. Can the company deliver repeatable configurations across many sites? Will it provide stamped engineering, wind and snow documentation and site planning help for every unit? Can it coordinate delivery and installation, and support maintenance over years of guest turnover? Secret Creek works with commercial teams through a step-by-step process of consultation, design, build, delivery and installation, and ongoing support. Learn more on why commercial teams choose Secret Creek (https://secretcreek.com/commercial/why-secret-creek) and in our glamping yurts guide (https://secretcreek.com/glamping-yurts-guide). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the best yurt company? The best yurt company for you is the one that can document its materials, snow and wind ratings and warranty, includes what you need in the kit and supports you through setup and service. Ask several builders the same 12 questions and compare written answers for the same size and options. ### How can I tell if a yurt is good quality? Look for a solid wood frame with well-made lattice joints, UV-stabilized, mildew-resistant fabric with a written cover warranty, and snow and wind ratings tied to a specific size and load package. A quality builder will share specifications, engineered drawings and real project photos. ### What warranty should a yurt come with? Ask for the fabric cover warranty in writing, since covers wear first. Secret Creek offers up to a 15-year fabric warranty. Also ask how claims are handled and whether replacement covers will be available for your yurt in the future. ### How long does it take a yurt company to build a yurt? It varies by company, season and options. Secret Creek yurts are typically ready to ship 6 to 10 weeks after an order is placed, and in-stock yurts can ship sooner. ### Should I buy a yurt from the manufacturer or a reseller? Buying direct from the manufacturer usually gives you the most control over size, fabric, insulation and load rating, plus a warranty honored by the people who built the yurt and access to replacement parts later. ### What documents should a yurt company provide for permits? Permit rules vary by county and state, but many building departments ask for engineering documents and specifications. Ask the company for engineered drawings and snow and wind load documentation for your exact size and package before you order. ## Next Steps Ready to put a builder to the test? Start with the sizes and inclusions in our yurt kits (https://secretcreek.com/yurt-kits), price your options in the Yurt Builder (https://secretcreek.com/build-your-yurt), or request a consultation (https://secretcreek.com/request-a-consultation) and ask a Sales Guide all 12 questions at 970.240.2111. Secret Creek has handcrafted yurts, tipis and canvas tents since 1976, with financing options (https://secretcreek.com/get-financing) available through third-party lenders. ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "How to Choose a Yurt Company: 12 Questions to Ask", "description": "How to choose a yurt company or yurt builder: 12 questions on materials, snow and wind ratings, fabric warranty, kit contents, lead times and support.", "image": "https://rvckecqqubyoynomdjga.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/gallery/yurt/1777494858647-72.JPG", "datePublished": "2026-11-11T14:22:35.493207+00:00", "dateModified": "2026-11-11T14:22:35.493207+00:00", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Secret Creek", "url": "https://secretcreek.com/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Secret Creek", "url": "https://secretcreek.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://secretcreek.com/logo-white.png" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://secretcreek.com/how-to-choose-a-yurt-company" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best yurt company?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The best yurt company for you is the one that can document its materials, snow and wind ratings and warranty, includes what you need in the kit and supports you through setup and service. 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