Monolithic Domes

[Bladesmith]

Does anyone have any working knowlege/experience with these things?

We're selling our place (finally), and plan to build our own home later on. After suffering through the year of the hurricanes, Junebug and I castabout for a home that would withstand everything short of a nuclear war, and found this: http://www.monolithic.com/thedome/index.html

It's slightly more expensive to build, but very green, and the power costs pay off over the years. Not to mention impervious to wind, rain, tornadoes, lightning, and small arms fire (no joke!). Not to mention it's a really cool looking house.

Anyone ever seen or worked with one?

[matt_man]

Two of our neighbors (my husband's parents and his sister) each have one. They have issues with their windows leaking terribly but other than that, they are alright. They went down to Texas to where Monolithic Dome Homes main office is located but they weren't particularly helpful in knowing how to fix the situation. I believe they have a different design for the windows now though. Their homes were built in 1998.

They both have a 45' diameter dome. My mother and father-in-laws is open to the top of the dome above the living room and there are some echo issues there but it looks really cool. My brother and sister-in-laws has 3 stories.

They are finished inside like a traditional house but the outside walls are curved.

Here is a picture of my mother and father-in-laws (and a couple of our cows) :

[Judy in IN]

Two fellows at work have experience with domes. I got to stop in from about the rebar stage onward to see the dome develop. It is about 3300 sq. ft. It is a series of 3 domes, actually. It also has an echoshell attached garage. They haven't had any window issues that I know of...

The second fellow hasn't built his dome yet, but actually is building for other people. He is building one in Bloomfield, IN this summer. He is DEEPLY into the monolithic domes. He also foams for new construction.

I saw a segment of Extreme Homes Sunday evening. There was a part about the Paradise dome in FL. It was gorgeous!

If you're building your home, don't care about resale value, I say go for it!

[WisJim]

I have friends who have one. Windows leak, and the interior space is inefficient. It is a money sink, also. I would avoid any kind of dome for a home, due to space issues, and these seem expensive by the time you are done. Might be worth it if you are experiencing regular hurricanes.

[Lynnette]

I also posted the same question a while back and got overall a negative response and decided against it. I don't know how to post a link but I am sure if you did a search you would find it. We decided to go back to the ranch style.

[ellebeaux]

I have friends who live in a geodesic dome and I have to say I never felt very comfortable in that house. Something about the curving walls just made me feel claustrophobic.

[Jaclynne]

Here is the link to Lynnette's previous thread on dome homes.
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthr...ighlight=domes

Halo

[oz in SC]

No advice to offer on dome houses but glad you are getting ready to move.

[The Paw]

Originally Posted by ellebeaux

I have friends who live in a geodesic dome and I have to say I never felt very comfortable in that house. Something about the curving walls just made me feel claustrophobic.

Are you sure it wasn't because someone told you to go pee in a corner?

[sgl42]

i visited their site in italy tx, and toured the home of one of the founders.

i like the strength, but didn't like the rooms being just a pie-slice of the dome. too hard to use the space in a normal fashion.

personally, i think i'd prefer to build a concrete barrel vault, so i have a curved roof for strength, but a square floor layout to make layout easier and conventional. the poster 'highlands' on this forum is building something very similar to what i'd build. his blog is at www.sugarmtnfarm.com/blog.

[Grandmotherbear]

We'll miss you and Junebug I'm still trying to move to SCentral FL fulltime and ever-bodie's up and leaving!

[gobug]

I did enjoy reading some of the responses above. I agree with the comments about difficulties living in a dome shape when it is not really so comfortable, unless it is huge. A factor not mentioned is the noise complications in dome shaped structures. I did research the company mentioned and have several personal difficulties with that company. First, they claimed to have invented the process and lost in court to Lloyd Turner. The only thing they patented was the manner of attaching the rebar to the foam shell. Another factor which bothers me is that they get you for the classes and the use of the air inflated forms. The blog for Walter Jeffries is far better if you spend the time to study what he has been working upon. Further, his system of using his family to accomplish his dreams fits in with this whole group. Good luck. Gary

[frazzlehead]

There is a church that built a two-dome structure here in Alberta ...

Everyone calls it the Dolly Parton church, given the uhhh startling resemblance of said structure to certain anatomical structures.

If you have a need for the stability, then go for it ... if you just want economical/etc, maybe see what other options you have.

Oh yeah, I was at the Chiropractor's office recently and read an article on these new nails that are seriously hurricane resistant ... maybe do a Google search on those. Using them increased the wind resistance of a house by a very significant margin.