plans.htm
Ready-made floor plans available!
Where can you build a Dome? Zoning pertains to whether a residential, commercial or industrial building can be constructed. Building Departments do not deal with appearance. They are concerned about strength and code compliance. Deed restrictions and homeowner associations can limit the type structure that can be built. Our dome design has proved itself by withstanding hurricane Andrew's 200 mph winds, four hurricanes in 2004, sub zero temperatures and heavy snow loads of Canada and the Northwest Territory, a large tree impact and many other conditions over a 29 year period.
In the entire United States our dome cannot be built in Dade or Broward County Florida even though one of our domes went through Hurricane Andrew with no structural damage. Our building complies with the new 2002 Florida Building Code. We have been informed that Dade and Broward Counties require additional testing to verify that the wall segments are capable of withstanding missile impact. Due to the cost and complexity of the tests, we have concluded it is not economical for us to perform this test. If the building departments will accept a Florida registered engineer�s assertion that our buildings pass this test, this documentation can be provided at a reasonable fee.
For assistance with your building departments, selecting subcontractors, etc. we know of a Pre-Construction Consultant. Click on Pre-Construction Consultant to learn more about this service.
If you do not have the time or do not want to assemble the dome shell kit, click on Kit Assembly Consultant to learn about this service. He will supervise your or your contractor's laborers and get the shell assembled.
Our Building Plans include the basic drawings for the dome that are needed when acquiring a building permit. They are composed on our computer aided drafting system as stock plans, or based on your individual requirements and design. Some of the pages are a 3-D elevation and a 3-D perspective view. These plans include all the structural drawings, show the placement of the electrical outlets, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures; however, they do not have the electrical, plumbing, HVAC layouts. We have found if the layouts are included, then the inspectors require the subcontractors to follow the diagrams when usually the subs like to do their own layouts.
Prior to purchasing Building Plans you need to assure you have answers to the following questions: 1) Does the deed for your land have any restrictions on domes? 2) If there is a Home Owners� Association governing your land, you will need to check with them and make sure you can build a dome. 4) You can ask your building department, �What are the requirements for a residential building permit? Are there any additional requirements to build a geodesic dome? Is an Architect�s or Engineer�s seal required on the plans?� 3) Do you have your financing secured?
What is the easiest way to determine room dimensions based on square footage? In the Stock Floor Plan Booklet that is included in the Planning Kit, we put the square footage of each room. Because the dome shape makes designing difficult, look in the back of the booklet for the to-scale ruler (on tan paper). Cut this ruler out and use it to measure the length and width of the rooms. Compare the dome room sizes to the room sizes in your current home. You know whether you want the rooms larger or smaller than the current home you are in now. The room sizes will determine what size dome will fit your needs. The scale is 1/10" equals one foot.
Your floor plan choices are unlimited. You can choose one of our stock plans, modify one of our stock plans, or go with an entirely custom design.
Building Plan, Custom Designs: We only put a few of the stock plans on our web site. In the Planning Kit is a 60 page stock plan booklet that contains stock plans for the 22' thru 48' domes. The 60' dome plans are all custom designed. If you do not see a plan that fits your lifestyle we can modify our stock plans or we design custom plans for a reasonable fee.
What we have found works best is for you to sketch out your ideas on a stock plan or on the blue floor planner pages in the Stock Floor Plan Booklet and email them to us at [email protected] or fax them to us at 321-639-8778. Please include your name, address, telephone number and best time(s) to contact you. Either Michael or the plans designer will review your sketch and call you with questions and a price quote. Once we receive payment in full for the Building Plans, we schedule them for production. We will fax you rough drafts that you review and make changes on and fax them back to us. After you approve the final draft, we design your structural blue prints and complete your plans.
Remember you can fax (321-639-8778) the drawings to us or you can email them if they are in the following format: jpeg format or bmp format (windows bit map) or if you are using AutoCAD we can accept the documents in dxf format or dwg format.
The second floor can be suspended from the dome shell so you can have as open a first floor as you desire. Keep in mind that it is more economical to occasionally use the first floor walls as supports. Long spans with floor joist will require more expensive materials to provide the strength or suspension rods that pass through the second floor. The suspension rods and plates are provided with the Building Kit.
If you should sketch in something that is either not practical or not cost effective we will let you know.
Your floor plan determines which Building Kit Options are needed with your kit.
Keep in mind that building departments are concerned with strength and safety and domes excel in that area. Building departments and building codes are not concerned with appearance although a plan examiner may be unfamiliar with the aspects of dome construction. We suggest you start by asking your building department a few questions such as: �What are the requirements for a residential building permit? Are there any additional requirements to build a geodesic dome? Is an Architect�s or Engineer�s seal required on the plans?
Some building departments require engineer sealed building plans before they will give our client a building permit. This means that a licensed engineer for that state has to review the building plans to see that they comply with that state's building requirements. Once the engineer reviews the plans and no changes are needed he or she applies his engineering stamp and his signature to the plans. This means he takes responsibility for the design not the building department. If there are needed changes, the engineer usually faxes us notes and sketches that we need to incorporate or change in the plans. At no cost to the client we make the changes. A Florida engineer seal for a 40' dome is about $400. A California engineer seal is $1,500 to $3,000 depending on the size dome and the county you will build in.
PILINGS AND A PLATFORM Our dome can be built upon concrete pilings and a concrete platform. We can design the pilings and platform, but you will need an engineer licensed for your state to seal the Piling and Platform Blueprints. For example, the Building Plans cost for the pilings and concrete platform for a 45' dome would be about $800-$1,000. We know of a Florida engineer who would charge from $1,000 to $2,000 to seal the pilings and platform plans. If you built on the ground the plans would only be about $500 and the engineering would be about $400. All the costs associated with elevating any house onto stilts is considerable more and worth considering other options.
BASEMENT Since we are a manufacturer of dome housing kits, we do not manufacture or build basement walls. You would need to contact a local subcontractor that does that kind of work.
Full basements are the same size and shape as the dome first floor. The multiple sided foundation for our dome is only slightly more difficult than a conventional house foundation and should not affect the cost more than 10% at most 20%. If you mark the corners of the foundation itself this removes that responsibility and fear from the contractor. You will find that he will give them a better price. The tolerance on the foundation is very forgiving. You can be off 1-2" in any dimension without any significant consequences.
The below ground basement can have the slab poured first with the exterior basement walls built on top of the slab or the footings can be poured separate with the exterior basement wall built on top of the footings and then the slab poured inside the basement wall. Basement walls are usually 8" thick when made of poured concrete but will likely increase depending on the height of the basement wall and the height of the backfill.
We have basement plans available that explain how the dome is attached to the basement, etc. for example rebars need to come out of the basement wall to connect into the dome riser walls, etc.
When the dome is built on a basement, the first floor framing of the dome is typically built with wood 2x10�s which are supported by the concrete basement walls. You can use wood, steel or manufactured trusses for the floor joists. The EPS insulation of the riser panels rests on the wood floor. Concrete is placed between the basement wall and extends up to join with the concrete of the panels. At the corners of the basement wall a column of concrete is formed that will extend up to the reinforced seams between the riser panels. Rebars are anchored in the basement concrete wall corners and are positioned to extend up through this concrete column into the riser wall vertical seams. When the concrete is in place the entire load of the dome bears on the concrete and not on the wood framing.
If you have any question about your soil�s suitability, you would need to consult with someone locally possibly your building department or soil�s engineer. Our foundation does not require anything more than 2000 lbs. per sq.ft. soil bearing capacity. Basically if you can build a regular house on your soil, you can certainly build a dome.
Precast insulated concrete basement wall panels: The company named, Superior Walls, supplies custom made precast insulated concrete wall panels. Their number is 800-452-9255 or go to their web site www.superiorwalls.com
Foam Blocks filled with Concrete are referred to as ICF for Insulated Concrete Forms. These blocks are easy to use and provide insulation. Their high cost is offset by labor savings in the assembly. Some of the many manufacturers are listed below. Call and ask them for the nearest supplier to you.
Reward Wall System, 800-468-6344, www.rewardwalls.com
Eco Block, Dallas TX, 800-595-0820, www.eco.block.com
Poly Steel, Albuquerque NM, 800-977-3676, www.polysteel.com
Insul Deck, Florence KY, 800-475-6720, www.insul-deck.org
Arxx, Alexandria Bay NY, 315-482-5253, www.arxx.net
Consider Ordering the Planning Kit, it includes a 60-page Stock Floor Plans booklet.
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48' DELTA 2,569
square feet |
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45' OMEGA 2,165
square feet |
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34' Zeta 1,218
square feet and optional basement of 825 square feet |
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30' ALPHA931
square feet |
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27 ALPHA852
square feet |
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45 DELTA and 34 GAMMA 2,417
square feet and optional Garage of 1,305 square feet |
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40' OMICRON 1,787
square feet and optional basement Garage of 1,142 square feet |
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