Consultant,  an independent Sub-contractor

Prior to the availability of a Kit Assembly Consultant to supervise the dome kit assembly, Ai's 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 general contractor as an Independent Sub-Contractor.  The standard rate for the Kit Assembly Consultant is $290 per day plus travel from his home to your job site and a return to his home at the completion of the job.

The use of a consultant for one week can save you two to three weeks on your shell assembly time.

American Ingenuity's new DVD is $2 plus mailing costs.  To order click on  Online Store.  To view the video free, click on DVD.

The dome owner provides three to four good workers, preferably two of which have masonry or stucco experience.  Materials used in the shell construction are to be provided by the owner on site before the Kit Assembly process begins.  The bags of cement don't have to all be delivered in advance but as soon as first needed during the assembly.

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

Due to possible injury on a job site, have some form of insurance.

The following are items required at your job site:

• Portland Cement in 94 pound bags (first number is the diameter of the dome/second number is bags of cement):  22' - 30, 27' - 40 (two frequency dome panels are larger so require less cement), 30' - 70, 34' - 79, 36' - 83, 40' - 90, 45' - 100, 48' - 106.  These bag numbers are based on the dome having two entryways, four window dormers, one door dormer and no cupola.
  
• For each additional entryway add: 22' - 3,  27' - 3.5, 30' - 4.0, 34' - 4.5, 36'  - 4.5, 40' - 5.0, 45' - 5.0, 48' - 5.5 
  
• For a cupola add:  30' - 4, 34' - 4.5, 36' - 4.5, 40' - 5.0, 45' - 5.5, 48' - 6.0.
• For an additional door dormer on any size dome add 2.5 bags of cement.

• Sand in cubic yards; 27' - 5, 30' - 8, 34' - 9, 36' - 9, 40'- 10, 45' - 11, 48' - 12.  These computations are based on the dome having two entryways, four window dormers, one door dormer and no cupola.
  
•  For each additional entryway add cubic yards of sand: 22' - 0.3, 27' - 0.4, 30' - 0.4, 34' - 0.4, 36' - 0.5, 40' - 0.5, 45' - 0.5, 48' - 0.6. 
  
• For a cupola add cubic yards of sand:  30' - 0.4, 34' - 0.5, 36' - 0.5, 40' - 0.5, 45' - 0.6, 48' - 0.6.
• For an additional door dormer on any size dome, add 0.3 cubic yards of sand.
  

• 2x4's cut to length, holes drilled & ends painted for the temporary wooden rib system...can be purchased from Ai.
  
• Water Source and water hoses 
• #4 and #5 rebar (per the Building Plans)
• Concrete Blocks; 8"x16"
• Electric Power or Generator
• Extension Ladder; 26'
• Mortar Mixer
• Lumber for Bracing the steel hubs, entryways and dormers
  
• Wheelbarrows
• Step Ladders
• Two Saw Horses
• Tarps to cover Cement and Sand
• Ropes and chains
  
• Buckets
  
• Toilet facilities
• Brushes to apply bonding agent
• Soft Steel Tie Wire
• Wire Cutters
  
• Sponges to sponge finish final layer of concrete
• Place to store boxed items out of the weather....C rings, pliers, cans of expanding foam, etc.

Additional Items Required:

• Steel Hubs for Rib System (borrowed from Ai with a deposit placed)
• 2x4' ribs for temporary wooden rib system - cut to length, holes drilled and ends painted. Can be purchased from Ai.
• 9/16" socket & ratchet and one 9/16" wrench (use for bolts with HUBS)
• Lifting Spikes set of 4 (purchased from Ai for $100). During panel lifting the spikes get damaged. If you have two domes, please order two sets of lifting spikes.
  
• Panel Lifting Harness - custom make the harness from Ai sketch using four strands of 1/4" chain 7 foot long & Quick Links.
• Zinc or Galvanized Quick Links - To make the harness purchase Quick Links: 1 - 3/8", 2 - 5/16", 8 - 1/4"   2 - 3/8", 4 - 5/16".  During panel lifing the Quick Links are disconnected quite often so the threads become damaged.  Purchase additional Quick Links to have on hand for replacements....8 - 1/4", 2 - 5/16"
• Hoisting Mechanism

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, type of hoisting mechanism 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, Ai's 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 which includes the first coat of concrete in the seams and a "scratch coat" on the entryways and dormers.  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 and install the doors and windows
• finish the interior shell wallboard
• prime then paint the dome shell interior with a mixture of joint compound and paint or spray knock down texture, prime and paint
  
• complete the interior finishing phases; i.e. framing, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, door and window installation, etc

As far as finishing the seams, no need to pay the consultant by the day for this.  Best to hire a local finish stucco person by the hour with the conditions if he does timely work and good work, you will retain him.  If you are not satisfied with his work or speed, pay him for the time worked and replace him.  Applying bonding agent and the second layer of concrete can take 20-30 minutes per seam.

Once your Building Plans have been ordered, American Ingenuity can estimate the number of days needed to assemble the shell.  Each floor plan varies as to the number of building kit options (components) needed to complete the shell kit; i.e. cupola, link, entryways, door dormers and window dormers.  Building Options take longer to install than triangles do.  To learn more about Building Options, click on Options.

You or your contractor hires local subcontractors to perform the typical jobs like forming and pouring the slab, plumbing, electrical, framing, drywall finishing, etc. Ai does not 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.

Sorry Ai does not give out the name of the Assembly Consultant.  He is on a job site and cannot be disturbed.  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, Ai can then commit the Assembly Consultant to a specific start time. 

About 40% 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, inventory sheet kept posted 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.  The consultant does not stand around...he is a working consultant.

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

• You have hired three good workers.

• 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 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 standard entryway: add one half day for the consultant and 12 hours for the workers.

• For a garage entryway:  add 1 day for the consultant and 24 hours for the workers.
• For each additional window dormer: add 2 hrs for the consultant and 12 hours for the workers.
• For each additional door dormer: add 3 hrs for the consultant and 18 hours for the workers.
  

• Cupola: takes three partial days because the concrete has to have time to cure during each process.  First partial day of 5 hrs: concrete beam around top opening is formed and poured.  Second partial day of 5 hrs: concrete corner columns are framed and poured.  Third partial day of 5 hrs: set top five panels, attach overhang panels & apply first coat of concrete in the seams.  During the rest of the partial days, workers can complete window dormers or door dormer installations.

• If the rib system has not been cut and prepapred: 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 include the following:  All Panels placed with first layer of concrete in the seams and a "scratch" coat on the entryways and dormers.  Includes two standard entryways and four dormers and the assembly and disassembly of the temporary wooden rib system. Finish stucco on seams, entryways and dormers is not included.  Entryways and dormers are not framed in. Windows and doors are not included and not installed.

Labor Estimates & Equipment for dome shell assembly

using a Consultant