We went to Eureka Springs to try to get all the utilities planned and finalize the yurt build site. It was a very productive trip. We spoke with Smiling Woods Yurts to confirm our order, went to the tax office in Berryville to get an offical address and stopped by the electric company to get the specs for installing our underground electrical lines. Blake walked in both places and didn’t have to wait in line. In fact he ended up helping the tax office with their computers and then the tax accessor solicited him for a contract. He said he wasn’t living there yet and she said to contact her when we relocate.
Before we made it back to our property we got a call from the Inspiration Point fire department saying they got a fax about our new address. No waits and fast service, that definitely wouldn’t happen in Dallas! The fire station is right down the street from our house lot so we stopped by to introduce ourselves. While there, Blake got recruited to be a volunteer. He told them he was too old and didn’t have any training. They said, “you will probably be the youngest one here and we will pay for the training!” He told them he wouldn’t mind volunteering, but he wasn’t comfortable making the life or death decisions of a first responder. They told him to get in touch when we relocate.
The next day we met with our excavator, Buck. He is regarded as the best backhoe operator in the area. We went over general property organization and determined the locations for the underground electrical and underground water lines. We discussed making the water line trench 3′ wide for a possible closed loop, horizontal georthermal installation. Buck will also clear out some dead trees and prep the build site so it is level. He told us he could also install the septic system and gave us the number for Ken who is the septic guy that Buck prefers to work with. We contacted Ken and hired him to do the septic system perk test, design and arrange the state inspection.
Now we just have to finalize which company will do the well equipment installation so we can have all the utilities planned. Right now it is just a capped hole in the ground. Hopefully we can get everything workded out so that Buck can do all the dirt work at one time.
We also went to the property to try to deside where the 1st yurt was going. We put markers down 3 times before we finally settled on a spot. Jack, our realtor andfriend, helped us stake out the build site and spray paint the 35″ yurt dimensions on the ground.
After we marked the spot we flagged the general area for a second build site that is about 150′ further down on the top ridge. We will be putting our first rental yurt at this location, hopefully by spring of 2015!
Panoramic view or our future backyard. I love the dogwoods in the spring.
We can’t wait to get there and have you come and visit us.
Blake, Melissa, Jenna and Bear
Eager to visit some day.