If you do not find a stock plan to fit your lifestyle, use these Floor Planner Guidelines to develop your own custom design for your new dome home. The Planners & to-scale furniture are located in each stock plan grouping in American Ingenuity’s (Ai’s) Geodesic Dome Home Plans web site file. Select the dome sizes you prefer and make additional copies of the floor planner. You will be able to experiment and create several different designs and select the ones you prefer. Before starting your custom floor plan it would be helpful to review the three docs named “Getting Started”, “Revising Stock Plans” & “Things to Consider”. The information on entryways, dormers, links, etc. will also apply to custom plans. Some additional things to consider are listed below. On each stock plan is a to-scale ruler to measure room size & dimensions & at the end of each stock plan grouping are to scale furniture cut outs.
After you resolve your design, please email, mail or fax your sketch to us along with a list of what is important in your new home. Include a phone number, email or address so we can contact you with a review or suggestions. Please call to confirm we received your email or fax. We can also provide a Plans Quote for a complete set of Building Plans.
ROOM ARRANGEMENT: Consider convenient access to frequently used areas and privacy for others. When placing interior doors on the 2nd floor, remember they require seven feet of headroom.
Bedrooms must have a window or exterior door that will serve as a fire exit.
The second floor is supported with a combination of first floor load bearing walls and suspension rods. It is far more practical and economical to have some load bearing walls on the first floor. The support walls are mostly needed around and near the center. Post and beams can be used in place of walls.
STAIRWAYS: Place the stairway in a convenient and easily accessible location. Stairs can be straight or spiral although the most practical stair design is the L shape with the landing against a dome outside wall which is utilized in many of our stock plans. Code requires the landing be 3’x3’ at 6’8” of headroom. The top of a stairway cannot be placed on an outside wall because of the reduced headroom on the 2nd floor. For the loft, a ship’s ladder takes up much less space.
ENTRYWAYS: Entryways may contain both doors and windows. One entryway can provide more window space than two dormers and the windows can even be in two different rooms. Remember that the sides of entryways slope inwards above the riser wall; therefore, doors and windows cannot be placed within two feet of the sides (with the exception of custom made windows). Locations for additional entryways are marked with dashed lines. Once you determine a dome diameter that fits your budget, call Ai and ask us to email you elevation views of the entryways and dormers showing height and width available to design in doors and windows.
WINDOW & DOOR DORMERS: All possible locations for dormers are illustrated by an opening in the exterior wall. If a dormer will not be used in that location fill in the wall. Each place you would like a dormer write the word WINDOW or DOOR. 2nd floor door dormers are only available above a standard entryway and in a 36’ or larger domes. Install a window in a 2nd floor door dormer to add light.
PLUMBING: Fixtures may be grouped together. But don’t sacrifice a practical or attractive design for a few feet of pipe. Vanities, mirrors, showers and at least one end of a tub needs about six feet of headroom which will limit their placement on the 2nd floor.
LINKS: Available for all domes. The Link width varies according to the size of the connecting dome. The standard link connecting entryways is ten feet long. It can sometimes accommodate a Laundry or Utility room. Links for the 22’ and 27’ are limited to the width of one riser panel with a length of two to six feet.
CUSTOM RISER HEIGHTS OTHER THAN FOUR FEET results in custom taller entryway base panels & custom taller first floor door dormer base panels. 22’ & 27’ domes can have 5’ riser panels instead of four feet risers resulting in first floor ceiling height where a second floor is installed of 8’6′. 30’, 34’, 36’, 40’, 45’ & 48’ can have custom two foot riser installed above standard 4’ risers resulting in first floor ceiling height where a second floor is installed of 9’6″ - 10′.
BASEMENTS: Available for all domes. Full basements are the same size and shape as the 1st floor. The basement stairway must align with the stairway going to the dome’s first floor. Remember when you utilize a basement, the doors on the 1st floor of the dome may be elevated above the ground enough to require a deck or stairway.
A basement garage is most suitable on a hillside where both the basement garage entrance and 1st floor dome entrances are at or near ground level. Load bearing walls in the basement are essential. Keep in mind that the weight of the floors above must be supported with walls or posts in the basement.
American Ingenuity. 8777 Holiday Springs Rd. Rockledge Florida 32955
321-639-8777 Monday – Friday 9-5 Eastern Time
