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 an Assembly Consultant.  He will travel to your construction site providing "Hands On" work while supervising your workers or subs to get your dome shell assembled with a first layer of concrete in the seams and a "scratch coat" on the entryways and dormers...then he goes home.  FYI, the consultant does not apply concrete...that is done by your concrete workers.  He supervises that the concrete is mixed properly and installed properly. Either you or your family finishes the concrete or your local contractor hires a finish stucco crew to apply and finish the second layer of concrete in the seams and on entryways and dormers.  Then either you complete the interior finishing or your contractor hires local typical subs (plumbers, electricians, drywall finishers, cabinet installers, framers, etc.) to complete the interior finishing and the installation of your locally purchased doors and windows.

Prior to the availability of a Kit Assembly Consultant to supervise the dome kit assembly, Ai's clients had to hire a local 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 $290 per day plus travel from his home to your job site and a return to his home at the completion of his job.

The use of a consultant for one week can save you two weeks or more of shell assembly time.

You provide three to four good workers, preferably two have 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. 

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

The following are items required at the job site:

• Portland Cement in bags:  22' - 30, 27' - 40 (two frequency dome panels are larger & require less cement), 30' - 70, 34' - 78,  36' - 83, 40' - 90, 45' - 100, 48' - 106  (This computation is based on each dome having two entryways, four window dormers, one door dormer and no cupola.)
  
• For each additional entryway add the following bags of cement:   22' - 2.6, 27' - 3.5, 30' - 3.7, 34' - 4, 36' - 4.1, 40' - 4.5, 45' - 4.8, 48' - 5.1.
• For a cupola add the following bags of cement: 22' NA, 27' NA, 30' - 3.9, 34' - 4.3, 36' - 4.4, 40' - 4.8, 45' - 5.2, 48' - 5.4.
• For each additional door dormer on any size dome add 2.5 bags of cement.
  

• Sand in cubic yards:  22' - 4, 27' - 5, 30' - 8, 34' - 9, 36' - 9.2, 40' - 10, 45' - 11, 48' - 12 (This computation is based each dome having two entryways, four window dormers, one door dormer and no cupola)
  
• For each additional entryway add these 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 these cubic yards of sand: 22' NA, 27' NA, 30' - 0.4, 34' - 0.5, 36' - 0.5, 40' - 0.5, 45' - 067, 48' - 0.6.
• For each additional door dormer on any size dome, add 0.3 cubic yards of sand.

• Water source and water hoses 

• 2x4's cut to length, holes drilled and ends painted for the temporary wooden rib system (can be purchased from Ai and shipped on the truck with your dome kit)
  
• #4 and #5 rebar (per the Building Plans)
• Concrete Blocks; 8x16"
• Electric Power or Generator
• Extension Ladder; 26'
• Mortar Mixer
• Lumber for Bracing the steel hubs, panels, entryways and dormers
  
• Scaffolding
  
• Wheelbarrows
• Step Ladders
• Two Saw Horses
• Buckets
• Ropes and chains
  
• Tarps to cover Cement and Sand
• Toilet facilities
  

Additional Items Required at site:

• Steel hubs for temporary wooden rib system (borrowed from Ai)
•  Lifting spikes (borrowed from Ai)
• 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, 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 which includes the first coat of concrete in the seams and a "scratch coat" 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 and install your doors and windows
• finish the interior shell wall board
• paint the interior of the dome shell with a mixture of paint and joint compound
  
• complete the interior finishing jobs; i.e. framing, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, drywall & wallboard finishing, flooring, 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.

Once you have ordered the building plans, American Ingenuity can estimate the number of days needed to assemble the shell.  Each floor plan varies as to the number of building 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 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. 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. 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 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, we can then commit the Assembly Consultant to a specific start time. 

Labor Estimates for Dome Shell Assembly

Using a Consultant 

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 sheets 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.

• Water, electric and toilet facilities are on site.

• 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.

• All materials (cement, sand, 2x4's for support and framing, etc) are on site (see list above).

• 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 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 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 their seams. During the rest of the partial days, workers can complete window dormers and door dormers installations.
  

• 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.  Includes two 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 and windows and doors are not installed. 

labor & equipment estimates for dome shell assembly

using a consultant