All Domes Can Be Designed Without a Loft or Second Floor

To view chart showing square footages, etc. click on Chart

If you want to max out the second floor this means there are no high vaulted ceilings over the first floor.  Each floor plan varies as to how much of the second floor is built on site.  Usually 30% to 50% of the second floor is NOT built which results in spacious, high vaulted ceilings over the first floor.  Dashed lines on the stock plans show the high vaulted ceiling areas.  Each second floor has 5′, 6′ & 7′ perimeter height lines drawn in.

15′ dome – two frequency dome with standard 4′ risers and additional 2′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 172 sq.ft.
  • Optional attic loft has 76 sq.ft.
  • Second floor panels are too small for fire egress window. Therefore a bedroom cannot be designed in the attic.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall risers & additional two foot tall risers which results in first floor ceiling height in rooms that have loft built above them of 8′.   

18′ dome – two frequency dome with standard 4′ risers and additional 2′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 249 sq.ft.
  • Optional attic loft has 118 sq.ft.
  • Second floor panels are too small for fire egress window. Therefore a bedroom cannot be designed in the attic.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall risers & additional two foot tall risers which results in first floor ceiling height in rooms that have loft built above them of 8′.   

22′ dome – two frequency dome with standard 4′ risers. Can have taller custom entryway base panels & custom 5′ risers instead of 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 370 sq.ft.
  • Optional loft has 81 sq.ft. to five feet of headroom.  Approx. loft area at 5’6″ to 6′ 10″ is 48 sq.ft. Dome can be built without loft.
  • Second floor panels are too small for fire egress window. Therefore a bedroom cannot be designed in the loft.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall risers which results in first floor ceiling height in rooms that have loft built above them of 7’6″.  22′ dome riser panels can be custom made to be five feet tall. If there are custom five foot tall risers, the ceiling height in rooms that have loft installed above them is 8’6“. 
  • The dome’s interior center height is 15’7″.

27′ dome – two frequency dome with standard 4′ risers. Can have taller custom entryway base panels & custom 5′ risers instead of 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 555 sq.ft.
  • Max Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 231 sq.ft.  for total dome sq.ft. of 786.  Maxed out means there are no high vaulted ceilings. The only open area is over the stairs.  Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.
  • Second floor can have a bedroom with fire egress casement window installed in a window dormer.  Casement window rough opening size is 32″x42″. Order with fire egress hardware.
  • Dome can be built without a second floor.  Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall risers which results in 7’6″ first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor installed above them.  27′ dome riser panel can be custom made to be five feet tall.   If there are custom five foot tall risers, the ceiling height in rooms that have second floor  installed above them is 8’6″.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 18’3″.  With cupola is 18’3″.

30′ dome – three frequency dome.  Kit has standard four foot tall risers which results in 7’6″ first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor installed above them.  Purchase taller entryway panels and additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers to produce first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them of 9’6″. Please see the 30′ Elevation View.

  • First Floor square footage is 665 sq.ft.
  • Max Second Floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 213 for total dome sq.ft. of 878.  Maxed out means there are no high vaulted ceilings, only open area is over the stairs. Stairs with two step platform.
  • Second floor dome panels are too small to accept fire egress window for bedroom. Therefore second floor cannot have bedroom designed; but can be designed for study or rec room or storage. 
  • Dome can be built without second floor. Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 17′,  With cupola is 19’8″.

34′ Dome – three frequency dome with standard 4′ risers.  Can have taller custom entryway base panels & custom 2′ risers installed above 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 851 sq.ft.
  • Max Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 427 for total dome sq.ft. of 1,278.  Maxed out means there are no high vaulted ceilings.  Only open area is over the stairs. Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each second floor dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.  The second floor can be designed where half of the second floor is open resulting in high vaulted ceilings over the first floor areas.
  • To have a bedroom, code requires a fire egress window be installed.  On the 34′ second floor the window dormer panels are too small to accept the code required fire egress size window. To meet code install door dormer on second floor above first floor standard entryway and install window instead of a door.  Fire egress rough opening is 29″x42″ or 42″x29″  Order casement window with fire egress hardware.
  • If balcony is desired on second floor, a second floor door dormer & on site railing is installed above first floor standard entryway.  Two foot by six foot tall door is made on site.  Door this small size cannot be ordered.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall risers & if a second floor door is installed,  the first floor ceiling height in rooms with second floor over them is 7’6″.  If you purchase taller entryway panels and additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers, the first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them is 9’6″. Please see the 34′ Elevation View on previous page.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 18’8″,  With cupola is 21’4″.

36′ Dome – three frequency dome with standard 4′ risers.  Can have taller custom entryway base panels &  custom 2′ risers installed above 4′ risers.

  •  First floor square footage is 948 sq.ft.
  • Max Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 470 sq.ft. for total dome sq.ft. of 1,418.  Maxed out means no high vaulted ceiling.  Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each second floor dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.
  • To have a bedroom, code requires a fire egress window be installed.  On the 36′ second floor the window dormer panels are too small to accept the code required fire egress size window. To meet code install door dormer on second floor above first floor standard entryway and install casement window instead of door.  Fire egress rough opening is 29″x42″ or 42″x29″  Order casement window with fire egress hardware.
  • If balcony is desired on second floor, a second floor door dormer & on site railing is installed above first floor standard entryway.  Door is two foot wide by 6’8″ tall.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall riser & if a second floor door is installed, the first floor ceiling height in rooms with second floor over them is 7’6″.  If you purchase taller entryway panels & additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers, the first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them is 9’6″. Please see the 36′ Elevation View.
  • Dome can be designed without second floor.  Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.

40′ Dome – three frequency dome with standard 4′ risers.  Can have taller custom entryway base panels &  custom 2′ risers installed above 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 1,178 sq.ft.
  • Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 667 for total dome sq.ft. of 1,957.  Maxed out means no high vaulted ceiling.  Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each second floor dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.
  •  Second floor can have bedroom(s) with fire egress window installed in a window dormer.  Second floor can have one or two bedrooms with bath.
  • If cupola is installed there can be optional loft of 112 sq.ft.
  • If balcony is desired on second floor, a second floor door dormer & on site railing is installed above first floor standard entryway.  Door is 2’6″ by 6’8″.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall riser & if a second floor door is installed, the first floor ceiling height in rooms with second floor over them is eight feet. If you purchase taller entryway panels and additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers, the first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them is ten feet.  Please see the 40′ Elevation View.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 21’2″.  With cupola is 23’10”.
  • Dome can be designed without a second floor or loft. Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.

45′ Dome – three frequency dome with standard 4′ risers.  Can have taller custom entryway base panels & custom 2′ risers installed above 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 1,489 sq.ft.
  • Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 951 for total dome sq.ft. of 2,582.  Maxed out means no high vaulted ceiling.  Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each second floor dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.
  •  Second floor can have bedroom(s) with fire egress window installed in a window dormer.  Second floor can have two or three bedrooms.
  • If cupola is installed there can be optional loft of 142 sq.ft.
  • If balcony is desired on second floor, a second floor door dormer & on site railing is installed above first floor standard entryway.  Door is 2’6″ by 6’8″.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 23’2″.  With cupola is 25’10”.
  • Dome can be designed without a second floor or loft. Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall riser & if a second floor door is installed, the first floor ceiling height in rooms with second floor over them is eight feet. If you purchase taller entryway panels and additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers, the first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them is ten feet.  Please see the 45′ Elevation View on previous page.

48′ Dome- three frequency dome with standard 4′ risers.  Can have taller custom entryway base panels & custom 2′ risers installed above 4′ risers.

  • First floor square footage is 1,693 sq.ft.
  • Max Second floor square footage to five feet of headroom is 1,137 for total dome sq.ft. of 2,992. Maxed out means no high vaulted ceiling.  Stairs with two step platform. Five Second floor dormers with each second floor dormer adding 9 sq.ft. of space.
  •  Second floor can have bedroom(s) with fire egress window installed in a window dormer.  Second floor can have two or three bedrooms.
  • If cupola is installed there can be option loft of 162.
  • If balcony is desired on second floor, a second floor door dormer & on site railing is installed above first floor standard entryway.  Door is 3’x0″ by 6’8″.
  • The dome kit has standard four foot tall riser & if a second floor door is installed, the first floor ceiling height in rooms with second floor over them is eight feet. If you purchase taller entryway panels and additional 2′ risers that are installed about 4′ risers, the first floor ceiling height in rooms that have second floor above them is ten feet.  Please see the 48′ Elevation View.
  • The dome’s interior center height without a cupola is 24’5″.  With cupola is  27’1″.
  • Dome can be designed without a second floor or loft. Or the second floor can be built with 30% to 50% left open over the first floor producing high vaulted ceilings.  Please see 48′ Elevation view on previous page.

American Ingenuity Residential Dome Stock, Modified or Custom Residential Building Plans are 50% off American Ingenuity’s plan pricing, if ordered prior to September 1, 2015.  If you do not see a stock plan that fits your lifestyle, Ai can design custom plans from your sketches and notes. To view Plan’s Sale Pricing, please click on Plans Discount. 

American Ingenuity’s Building Plans are New & Improved.  It is Ai’s philosophy that each customer pay for only what they need. Ai does not burden the price of the dome building kit with plan’s pricing, engineer seal cost, structural calculations cost or energy report cost. Building plans are purchased three months to 1 1/2 years prior to dome kit shipment.  About 50% of the building departments require engineer sealed plans, calculations and an energy report to issue a permit. As a result each customer pays for their plans separately from the building kit and pays for a seal, calculations and energy report only if their building department requires them.

How can I view American Ingenuity’s stock floor plans? There are three ways:

  • Print the PDF file for each Stock Floor Plan.  Please scroll down this page to find the blue hyperlinks to click on to print out some of American Ingenuity’s stock plans.
  • To receive additional stock plans via email, call Ai at 321-639-8777321-639-8777  Monday thru Fri 9-5 eastern time.
  • If you want the additional stock plans mailed to you, call Ai for printing cost and mailing costs.
  • Order the DXF files for each of the Stock Floor Plans and design your own floor plan using an autocad program.  See below.
  • Order the Planning Kit which includes stock plans, mini-dome, a DVD and other info by calling our office at 321-639-8777 – Monday thru Friday 9-5 eastern time.  To view the items available for purchase click on View.

Q: What is the standard foundation included with the residential stock plans?

A: Concrete slab. For Ai to design a basement or concrete columns or stem wall or pilings, etc. an engineer fee is added to the Plans Quote to cover the cost for a local Florida licensed PE engineer to calculate the load of the dome and the load of the two floors within the dome and give joist/edge beam size/spacing and foundation design to our CAD department to incorporate within your building plans. The local engineer requires a soil report which includes a soil’s engineer recommendation for type of foundation to be built.  Please call Ai at 321-639-8777 for more info.

Q: Do you have pictures showing Kit Assembly Steps?

A:  Yes, to view panel assembly info click on Dome Kit Assembly, Construction Overview , 22′ Video or Ai Dome Video.

Q: Do you have an engineering statement about your dome panels?

A:  Yes, to view the statement click on Engineering.

 

DESIGN FLEXIBILITY

If you do not see a stock plan to fit your desires, Ai’s design team can modify a stock plan or design a custom plan from your sketch and notes for a reasonable fee. Even modified or custom plans are discounted the same percentage as Ai’s stock plans.

When viewing the stock plans for each diameter dome (22′, 27′, 30′, 34′, 36′, 40′, 45′ and 48′), you will realize that the square footage of each plan in each diameter dome varies.  This square footage varies because the size of the second floor changes due to how much of the first floor is left open to give high vaulted ceilings over the first floor rooms. Plus the 40′ or larger domes can have a loft if a cupola is installed.

Some plans show the second floors maxed out meaning there are no high vaulted ceilings over the first floor. Other plans show high vaulted ceilings over one half of the first floor.  Look for the dashed lines because they reveal how much of the second floor is installed.

On the second floor of each plan there are perimeter height lines 5′, 6′ and 7′ showing how close you can stand to the second floor perimeter dome shell walls.  Cut out the to-scale ruler and measure between the height lines to check out the second floor space.  In a typical house there is an attic not generally walked in…but in our 27′ – 48′ domes the second floor is useable.  To learn about useable second floor square footage, click on Second Floor.  A lift or rail chairgives access to the second floor if not wanting to walk up the stairs.  Click on Cupola to learn about it and third floor lofts.

The following gives a recap of how many bedrooms and bathrooms typically fit in each diameter dome.  The diameter of each dome is in feet.  Ai gives square footage by room and by floor and Ai includes a to-scale ruler and to-scale furniture to learn about the spaciousness of the domes.   The second floor square footage is calculated per code to 5′ of headroom and does not include closets.  All floor plans show second floor perimeter height lines of 5′, 6′ and 7′.  Using the to-scale ruler measure the second floor area that has 7′ or more of headroom.

If you do not see a stock plan that fits your lifestyle, our designers can modify a stock plan or design a custom plan from your sketches.  Click on Stock/Modified/Custom to learn more.

For Ai to design a garage dome, give us your vehicle length, width, height and hood height and our Computer Aided Drafting Department (CAD) will design a proof showing the first floor plan with stairs and  vehicle sizes.

Q: I see that American Ingenuity is no longer manufacturing skylight panels. What lighting methods do you recommend?

A: Over the years American Ingenuity has accumulated information about the skylights and has determined that skylights are not the best method to bring light into our dome structures. Rather than offer an option that we feel is not beneficial, American Ingenuity has decided to remove this item as an option on our dome kits.

The most efficient way to add interior light is to install first floor entryways and max out second floor window dormers and or install second floor door dormers. Instead of installing a door install a tall window. This way when double paned glass gets moisture between it, you or your handyman can remove the window and tarp the dormer so no rain will come in while the window is being repaired. The dormers also provide an awning to protect the window. If you purchase windows that can be opened (with a pole or electrically for inaccessible windows); this would be an additional way to get fresh air into the dome.

There are five specific locations on the second floor where window dormers or door dormers can be installed. If selecting an existing plan, Ai can let you know where additional dormers can be installed. Or on a new custom plans design you can see where they can be located on the floor planner.

If your master suite is on the first floor and an entryway is designed in the suite, there will be ample light coming in through windows installed in the entryway. Once your dome kit is assembled (but not finished), you can better determine if more light is desired by standing inside the unfinished dome. At this point install solar tubes; they can be added into the panels during the finishing of your shell. A hole can be cut into any panel; just do not cut within 8” of the center of a seam.

Solar tubes unlike traditional skylights, are designed to control the problematic aspects of sunlight. They reduce glare and inconsistent light patterns. They also screen infrared rays that can overheat interiors as well as ultraviolet rays that can fade furniture and fabrics.

STOCK PLANS IN DXF FORMAT

Now Available

Would you like to design your own Dome Floor Plan?  If you know how to use a Computer Aided Drafting Program (CAD) and if you do not see a stock plan in American Ingenuity’s Dome Stock Floor Plan Booklet that fits your needs, you can now order CDs of American Ingenuity’s Stock Floor Plans in DXF format and design your own floor plan.  By purchasing the CD, you can modify an A.I. stock plan or produce sketches that American Ingenuity can use to design your custom Building Plans.

When you purchase a CD of DXF files we include a bonus item…..a DXF file of a six inch in diameter Mini-Dome.  Not only will this model be fun to put together, but that it will also serve as a reliable reference for building a life-size dome.  Once the Mini-Dome is assembled, you can see the dome geometry consisting of Hexagon, Pentagon and Riser panels.

American Ingenuity designs the DXF files using the AUTOCAD program.  In order to manipulate or edit the DXF files you need the AUTOCAD program or a compatible drafting program.   If you do not have AUTOCAD, on the internet there is a free 30 day trial of Delta Cad which is compatible with AutoCAD. http://www.deltacad.com/.  Also you can read and edit the DXF files if you have a photo editor program like adobe or paint shop. And you can read the dxf files but not edit them using Microsoft word and power point.

DXF  ORDERING  INFO 

American Ingenuity’s Stock Floor Plans are now available on CDs in DXF format.  Each CD contains the DXF files for a particular dome diameter’s stock plans.  Each CD is $10 plus the mailing costs. 

To place your order, please call our office Monday – Friday 9 to 5 eastern time at 321-639-8777321-639-8777 .  Let us know which CDs you want, along with your shipping info and your credit card info.

The following CDs by Dome Diameter(s) are available.  The floor plans are for Residential Dome Home floor plans or basement plans or garage floor plans:

  1. 27’ stock floor plans
  2. 30’ stock floor plans
  3. 36’ stock floor plans
  4. 40’ stock floor plans
  5. 45’ stock floor plans
  6. 48’ stock floor plans
  7.  22’, 27’, 30’, 34’ garage stock floor plans

Each CD of DXF files for American Ingenuity’s 22’ through 48’ diameter domes  includes:

  1. First floor and second floor room arrangements with second floor headroom height lines for floor plans with Greek names.
  2. Optional stock basement plans, if available for that particular stock plan.
  3. A Blank Floor Planner.
  4. A furniture DXF file that you can use to cut and paste the furniture into the stock plan.
  5. A bonus Mini-Dome DXF file.

Origins and terminology of CAD

 per Wikipedia “The Free Encyclopedia”

CAD  originally meant Computer Aided Drafting because in the early days CAD was really a replacement for the traditional drafting board. Now, CAD usually means Computer Aided Design to reflect the fact that modern CAD tools do much more than just drafting.

CAD is sometimes translated as “computer-assisted”, “computer-aided drafting, or a similar phrase. Related acronyms are CADD, which stands for “computer-aided design and drafting”, CAID for Computer-aided Industrial Design and CADD for “computer-aided architectural design”. All these terms are essentially synonymous, but there are a few subtle differences in meaning and application. CAM  (Computer aided manufacturing) is often used in a similar way, or as a combination (CAD/CAM).

 

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