Utilizing the Consultant,

an independent sub-contractor

To view over 1,000 pictures of the Ai dome under construction.....

from land excavation, to foundation construction, to dome kit assembly, to interior finishing, please click on Ai dome construction.

If you do not have the time or do not want to assemble the dome shell kit, American Ingenuity can refer you to a Assembly Consultant operating out of Florida.  He will travel to your construction site providing "Hands On" work while supervising your workers or subs to get your dome shell assembled.  Then either you complete the interior finishing or your contractor hires local typical subs (plumbers, electricians, drywall finishers, framers, etc.) to complete the interior finishing and the installation of your locally purchased doors and windows.

Prior to the availability of this Kit Assembly Consultant to work and supervise the dome kit assembly, our clients had to hire a contractor who generally had never assembled a dome before.  As a result the contractor would tend to over charge because he did not know how long it would take or what problems would arise.  The Kit Assembly Consultant can provide you with references from previous American Ingenuity Domes he has assembled so you can assure yourself that your building kit will be assembled correctly and in a timely fashion. This Consultant would work directly for you or your contractor as an Independent Sub-contractor.  The standard rate for the Kit Assembly Consultant is $265 per day plus travel from his Florida home to your job site and a return to his home at the completion of his job. 

For dome sites in Florida, the Consultant can drive a Boom Truck to your site for use in assembly for a cost of $225 a day for the days it is in actual use on the site, plus mileage costs from Florida.      

If you are interested in using the Kit Assembly Consultant or the Boom Truck, call our office at 321-639-8777.

To unload the dome kit from the semi-truck, you will need to rent a fork lift and have 2-3 workers available.  Ai provides a document that describes the unloading process.

The Boom Truck could be used:

• To assemble the Temporary Wooden Rib System

• To lift and place the Dome Panels
• To lift concrete for the first layer in the seams

If the Dome Owner wants the Consultant to drive the Boom Truck to the site, the truck can carry a Cement Mixer which can be rented for a separate cost (the rate is listed below). The Dome Owner should provide a crew of 3-4 workers, preferably one of whom has some masonry or stucco experience.  Materials used in the shell construction are to be provided by the owner on site before the Kit Assembly begins.  The bags of cement don't have to all be delivered in advance but as soon as first needed for the kit assembly.

To view what items are included in the Dome Kit, click on Kit Contents.  To view what items are not included in the kit, click on Items Not Included. 

The following are items required at the job site:

• Water source and water hoses
• Portland Cement; 50 to 60 bags
• Sand; 14-16 yards
• #4 and #5 rebar (per the Building Plans)
• Concrete Blocks; 8x16"
• Electric Power or Generator
• Extension Ladder; 26'
• Mortar Mixer
• Lumber for Braces and Entryways
• Wheelbarrows
• Step Ladders
• Two Saw Horses
• Tarps to cover Cement and Sand
• Toilet facilities
  

Additional Items Required without the Boom Truck:

• 2x4's for Rib System
• Steel Hubs for Rib System (loaned from A.I.)
  
• Hoisting Mechanism
• Scaffolding with wheels, walk boards
• Extension cords
• Ropes
• Buckets for Water
• Extension Ladder; 20'

Using three to four good laborers and depending upon the size dome, soil condition around the dome to allow movement and placement of the panels, hoisting mechanism you use and prevailing weather, shell assembly can take from 7-16 days if your dome kit includes two entryways, four dormers and no cupola.  Once you know how many entryways and dormers are needed for your floor plan, our office can give you a more specific estimate on shell assembly time.  Click on Hoisting Mechanisms to learn more.

Typically it is cost effective to only have the Consultant stay until the kit and building options are assembled and the first coat of concrete is in the seams and on the kit options.  Then your workers can:

• apply the finish coat of concrete in the seams and on the building kit options
• paint the concrete primer on the dome
• apply two coats of latex paint to the exterior
• frame in the doors and windows
• apply the tape and joint compound to the shell interior wall board
• complete the interior finishing jobs; i.e. framing, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, etc

You or your contractor hire local subcontractors to perform the typical jobs like forming and pouring the slab, plumbing, electrical, framing, drywall finishing, framing in your locally purchased doors and windows, etc. We don't believe you should pay someone to come in from out of county or state to do work that your local subs can perform.  Click on Finished Cost, to learn about what it will cost to finish your dome home.  Click on Builders and Assemblers to learn more.

A helpful web site is rsmeans.com It has construction manuals, construction estimating CD's, etc. Another helpful web site that sells construction cost estimating programs is www.ezhomebuild.com

Sorry we do not give out the name of the Assembly Consultant.  We cannot determine which Consultant will be available till the shipping date. They are on job sites and cannot be distrubed.  It has been our experience due to delays with building departments and slab subcontractors, the start of projects is often delayed.  As a result, once you have the building permit, the slab is formed up and ready to be poured within a few weeks, we can then commit the Assembly Consultant to a specific start time. 

Labor Estimates for Dome Shell Assembly

Using a Consultant 

About 50% of American Ingenuity's clients assemble their own dome shell kit themselves, many with no construction experience.  The prefabricated panels come marked with numbers and letters to match the Assembly Manual that comes with the Dome Building Kit.  The dome building plans also have elevation views with numbers and letters.  The Assembly Manual must be read and the building plans followed to assure success.  If some questions come up, don't hesitate to call us.

Of course, the labor costs to assemble the dome shell kit are much less when you assemble the kit yourself with the help of family members or friends.

If you are employing a contractor to assemble the kit, an experienced consultant on the construction site will make the assembly go faster and reduce costs.  The contractor provides the additional workers needed and the consultant directs them through the assembly of the kit.

If you choose to hire the Kit Assembly Consultant, the following labor estimates assume the following:

• The slab/foundation and floor are completed.

• A Hoisting Mechanism/Lifting Device/Boom Truck or Crane is on site to move the panels, to set the panels in place and lift buckets of concrete.

• Additional equipment is on site, e.g.: wheelbarrows, ladders, scaffolding, mortar mixer, etc.

• The first floor of the dome is not elevated above ground level.

• The construction site is readily accessible for equipment and personnel.

• Your local Laborer cost per hour is $15.  The labor cost per hour varies depending on your construction site location.

The cost of materials and equipment to complete the assembly of the kit

The assembly time estimated below is based on a dome kit having two entryways, four dormers and no cupola.

• For each additional entryway: add one half day for the consultant and 12 hours for the workers.

• For the cupola: add one day for the consultant and 24 hours for the workers.

• If the rib system has not been cut or prepared: add one day for the consultant and 8 hours for the workers.

ESTIMATES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY

The following assembly times are estimated averages for general planning purposes only!  The times will be affected by inclement weather, worker productivity, site accessibility, changes in wage rates, rental rates, etc.

Estimates are based on the following:  All panels placed with first layer of concrete in the seams and a "scratch" coat on the entryways and dormers.  Finish stucco on seams and entryways is not included.  Includes two entryways and four dormers.  Windows and doors are not installed.

labor & equipment estimates for dome shell assembly

using a consultant