Shelter Designs

What Shelter Designs does

Shelter Designs, LLC is a privately held, founder-owned designer and manufacturer of custom yurt kits headquartered at 101 N Johnson Street in Missoula, Montana. Founded in 1999 by co-owners Hays and Vince, former carpenters and contractors who pivoted to lower-impact structures, the company has hand-built more than 850 yurts over 26 years using a deliberately small craft team in a single Missoula workshop. Its core catalog comprises two model lines: the Big Sky Yurt (12' to 40' diameter, Douglas Fir and Larch dimensional lumber, heavy-duty galvanized steel tension cables) and the Eco Yurt (12' to 30', lodgepole pine rafters sourced from Montana forests), both engineered for four-season use with 40' models rated for 150 psf snow loads and 120+ mph winds. The product surface is extended through modular add-ons including Snow & Wind Kits, Baseline and Arctic Insulation packages, SIPS Floor Systems, thermal-pane glass windows, fiberglass and French doors, screen roll-up walls, and dome ventilation options.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with no dealer or external investor intermediation. Revenue is generated through one-time project sales ranging from roughly $8,480 for an entry kit to over $84,645 for a fully equipped pre-built Big Sky 40', with customers configuring builds through an online 8-step Yurt Cost Calculator before engaging the in-house sales team for a quote. Order terms require a 50% deposit and 50% balance prior to shipment, with nationwide LTL freight delivery (and $700-$800 crating fees) plus international shipping to the nearest port; local pickup in Missoula is offered as an alternative. The company targets four primary segments: personal/residential use (full-time residences, ADUs, guest houses, backyard offices), commercial hospitality (glamping sites, AirBnBs, resorts, retreat centers), commercial business use (restaurants, retail, employee housing, warming huts), and off-grid enthusiasts seeking sustainable remote dwellings. Customer logos span ski resorts (Red Lodge Mountain, Shedhorn Grill at Big Sky Resort), summer camps (Camp Lutherhaven), research organizations (Idaho Bird Observatory), retreat centers (Spirit Vision Retreat, Feathered Pipe Ranch), adventure-tourism operators (Beartooth Powder Guides), and individual homeowners across the U.S. and abroad. Marketing is content-led via the company website, YouTube, blog, and the "Visit Our Yurts" experiential program, with no institutional funding, no M&A activity, and no parent company disclosed in available sources.

Name

Shelter Designs

Legal name

Shelter Designs, LLC

Website

https://shelterdesigns.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shelter Designs is a founder-owned Missoula, Montana manufacturer that handcrafts and sells custom Big Sky and Eco yurt kits (12' to 40' diameter) direct-to-consumer across the U.S. and internationally, serving residential, hospitality, commercial, and off-grid customers with engineered four-season structures and modular add-ons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Yurt Kits (Prefab Alternative Housing)

NAICS

Travel Trailer and Camper Manufacturing (336214)

akta.pro primary industry

Yurts, Tipis & Nomadic Tents (THAMADAD)

Keywords

• Custom yurt kits
• Yurt manufacturing
• Alternative housing structures
• Glamping accommodations
• Prefabricated portable buildings

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Yurt Kit Sales: One-time purchase of custom yurt kits; requires 50% deposit at order, 50% final payment before shipping; various sizes from 12' to 40' diameter; base prices range from $8,480 to $39,100 depending on model and size; extensive customization options with additional costs
2. Custom Upgrades and Add-ons: Additional revenue from optional features including insulation packages ($1,310-$11,830), SIPS floors ($2,565-$20,520), thermal pane windows ($1,550 each), snow/wind kits ($570-$2,260), doors, fabric options
3. Shipping and Crating: Fees for freight delivery ($700 domestic, $800 international), glass window crating ($200), SIPS floor crating ($300); pickup at facility available
4. Pre-Built Yurt Packages: Ready-to-ship pre-built yurt packages at discounted prices; example: Big Sky 40' at $84,645 (save $10K)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Shelter Designs designs, manufactures, and ships custom handcrafted yurt kits (Big Sky Yurt and Eco Yurt models) in 8 sizes from 12' to 40' diameter, built with premium Douglas Fir, Larch, and Lodgepole Pine and engineered for year-round, four-season use. The company sells the kits direct-to-consumer through its website and in-house sales team, supports them with optional add-ons (insulation, SIPS floors, snow/wind kits, windows, doors, ventilation), and delivers via LTL freight nationwide and internationally or via local pickup in Missoula, Montana.

Product overview

Shelter Designs offers a portfolio of custom, handcrafted Montana-made yurt kits for sale. The core product line consists of two main yurt models: the Big Sky Yurt (12'-40' diameter, Douglas Fir/Larch construction, flagship model) and the Eco Yurt (12'-30' diameter, Lodgepole Pine construction, sustainability-focused). Both models support extensive customization through add-on modules including Snow & Wind Kit, Perimeter Blocking, Insulation Packages (Baseline/Arctic), Thermal Paned Glass Windows, French Door options, 8' Screen Roll-Up Wall Section, Stovepipe Flashing Kit, and Dome Opener/Tinted Dome upgrades. Pre-built yurt packages are available for quick delivery with discounted pricing. The SIPS Floor System provides an insulated platform solution. An online Yurt Cost Calculator enables customers to configure and price custom builds. All yurts are designed for 4-season use with engineering for extreme snow and wind loads.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eco-Yurt: A handcrafted yurt featuring locally sourced round lodgepole pine rafters for a rustic, log cabin feel, available in 12'-30' diameters.
• Big Sky Yurt

Quantifiable outcome

• Yurts engineered for up to 150 psf snow loads and 120+ mph winds
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rainier Yurts: Pacific Northwest-based custom yurt builder offering traditional and modern yurts in multiple sizes. Comparable as a custom-built yurt manufacturer serving similar residential and commercial hospitality customers.
• Colorado Yurt Company: Colorado-based yurt manufacturer producing custom yurt kits for residential, glamping, and commercial use. Directly competes with Shelter Designs in the premium custom yurt segment with comparable size offerings and similar engineered-for-extreme-weather positioning.
• Nomad Shelter: Producer of yurts and portable shelters with multiple product lines for residential and commercial use. Comparable to Shelter Designs in core yurt kit offerings and direct-to-consumer sales model.
• Pacific Yurts: Largest yurt manufacturer in the US, based in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Directly comparable to Shelter Designs as a custom-engineered yurt kit maker serving residential, commercial, and glamping customers with similar size ranges and 4-season engineering claims.
• Smiling Woods Yurts: Manufacturer of handcrafted custom yurts with a focus on craftsmanship and natural materials. Directly comparable as a boutique yurt maker competing for the same premium, craftsmanship-oriented buyer that Shelter Designs targets.

Others

• Backcountry Hut Company: Manufacturer of modular, prefab cabins and small structures for remote and off-grid use. Not a direct yurt competitor, but comparable as an alternative-lifestyle structure provider competing for the same off-grid and remote-property buyer that Shelter Designs' Eco Yurt targets.

Emerging players

• Pinnacle Yurts: Custom yurt manufacturer offering traditional and modern designs for residential and commercial buyers. Comparable in core product offering and customer base, competing for premium yurt buyers.
• Yurtz by Design: Custom yurt builder focused on design-forward, modern yurt installations. Comparable in product category but differentiated by design aesthetic; potential alternative for Shelter Designs customers seeking a more contemporary look.
• Sky Castle Yurts: Smaller-scale custom yurt builder with overlap in residential and glamping use cases. Comparable as a niche competitor in the custom yurt segment, though likely smaller in scale and brand recognition than Shelter Designs.

Regional players

• Blue Ridge Yurts: Eastern US-based yurt manufacturer serving residential and commercial customers in the Appalachian region. Comparable product offering but limited geographic overlap with Shelter Designs' Mountain West and nationwide shipping base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCppJ90ev9VJM8Pd1hYaaIfw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shelter-designs-yurts
• Xx.com/SDYurts
• Facebookfacebook.com/sdyurts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shelter Designs