Dome Houses

Check your PM box.

Ours is a polyvinyl airform on the outside, then foam insulation, then rebar, then sprayed concrete. We'll have to paint or otherwise coat the airform in a few years, yes, to help keep the sun from degrading it. On the upside, we don't have to goof around with gutters or shingles.

I really like the idea of monolithic domes. Geodesic, not so much. They look really cool, though - I used to babysit for a family who had a geodesic dome back when I was a kid (this was the mid-seventies). I've never been in a monolithic dome.

Any chance I could see your pictutes too, Bink?

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Peace, tremulous, unexpected, sent a taproot out of nowhere into Morgon's heart. -Patricia McKillip, Harpist in the Wind

We are in the middle of 20 acres with no neighbors in sight or ear shot

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Guardian and mother to 2 pugs, 1 awesome lab, and 1 siberian husky

Dh is using mostly cement blocks, and I am not sure what else, but it won't be styrofoam, it is not the typical dome, more or less just the shape of the dome, everything else will be his own design.

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Guardian and mother to 2 pugs, 1 awesome lab, and 1 siberian husky

Be sure to check the Monolithic.com bulletin board, too. There is a wealth of experience and info there.

That is one benefit of domes, no gutters or shingles.
The people I knew with the small dome built it many years ago. They built a framework of rebar and chicken wire and started spraying on layers of cement and styrofoam. Looks like a white cave inside. It is very small though. It is strong enough they can walk all over the top and it has stood up to many storms.

I recently spent some time checking out the monolithic dome homes, and was very impressed. I have NOT been impressed in any way with geodesics or any of the other wood-framed domes that I've seen. IMO, if you want a dome, the monolithic is the only way to go.

Bink, I'd enjoy seeing pictures of your place, too!

Kathleen

My mother and father-in-law and brother and sister-in-law both have monolithic domes and have horrible leaking problems. The water practically gushes in the window sills every time it rains. They have had them worked on so much. They even went down to Texas to their headquarters and they didn't even have any info or suggestions to help them out with this issue.

They also had trouble insuring it and have never been able to get it refinanced out of their adjustable interest rate. They claim the can't appraise it because there is nothing similar in the area to compare it to.

Rachel

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Rachel K
(and sometimes Matt)

Parents to Danial, Jacob, Isaac, Clara, Sarah Jo, and twins Emma and Anna born 12/18/2009!

http://www.jerseyknoll.com

We have had some problem with water coming in over two of the doorframes and underneath. I figure the underneath is from where the contractor didn't slope the stoop away from the dome enough, and that the water running over the doorframe is where there wasn't enough overhang left on the augment. He did jerry-rig a sort of a mini gutter to trough the water away from the main door, and that's helped. We're going to try to seal the stucco better and see if that helps with the seepage underneath.

That's about the only gripe I've had so far, but it is a bugger.
On the bright side, if a geodesic leaks, it can leak everywhere.

If it can't be appraised, then it shouldn't spike the property taxes up, anyway. My husband had to have a long chatty talk with our insurer, and direct them to the Monolithic website pictures and info while he had them on the line. They had wanted to charge a whomping amount for fire insurance since we're out in the sticks and he told them, "Um, this isn't going to burst into flames".

That sounds pretty! And kind of familiar. Do they have a website? I seem to remember looking at one where the people had done their own and used chicken wire along with rebar.

You're right about the storms. I don't worry about tornadoes or high winds in this baby.

I am not talking about outside noise, do you want everything that goes on in your bedroom to be heard in other bedrooms, by children or guests ??

Bob

I've built two. I planned on staying in the one for life and the other one was spec. Most of the issues mentioned have solutions, except for resale value. Hard work and sweat can be more difficulty yo walk away from if you must sell the home.

No, they do not even know what the internet is. It was built long before computers were used. It is located in a small town in southern Okla called Colbert. They owned a restaurant and built it near it so they would have a place to stay when they had to stay late. When they grew older and retired it was just right for a couple. When they had a family it was too small.

One thing they found out, if they had a lot of people visiting the temp of the house would rise just from the body heat of the people in it.

Okay, I misunderstood you, but we have no children, we chose a long tiome ago not to go down that road, and as far as guests, we aren't the type of people to have overnight guests anyway. I think it has happened twice in the last 7 years, and it was only for a couple of days, I think we can control ourselves. We are very much set in our ways, have a routine, and don't like interference in our home. We both work stressful jobs and our home is our sanctuary, we seldom, very seldom have company even for a couple hour visit. We much prefer the company of each other and noone else. Hence the reason we live out in the boonies. I appreciate your thoughts though.

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Guardian and mother to 2 pugs, 1 awesome lab, and 1 siberian husky

"The popularity of dome houses will be increasing as people recognize the many benefits they bring to living" Paraphrased from something I read back in the 1970's. Don't count on the notion that people are going to come flocking to them any time soon.

There are two around here I know of. One has been for sale since the 1980's, the other since the 1990's. Both are still for sale. The one has been completely enclosed in square walls now, so it might actually sell.