The Dome Store > Dome Home Planning > Custom Dome Planning

Custom Dome Planning

“Standard” Pre-Designed Construction Plans

"Standard" construction plans can save you time and money. They can also be customized for your site or to incorporate some special ideas. Any re-work of an existing standard plan would be billed on an hourly basis. Send us a sketch of the dome layout you want and let us review our plan files to see if we have a pre-designed plan to fit your needs. You may also stop by the Dome Store in North Branch, Minnesota and review our plan file index of over 750 plans.

Pre-designed construction plans: $50-$250

Custom Preliminary Plan Services (2-D Non-Computer)

To start the custom planning process, we need you to select a plan from our plan book, making your changes, or develop your own sketches or plans, preferably using our Interior Planning Kit. Complete our Customer Design Information Sheet and send all of the information to us. We will then review your project and give you an estimate of total design costs and a work authorization to start your dome plans. $250 deposit required. An average amount for custom residential dome preliminary drawings is shown below:

Preliminary drawings include 2 blueprint copies and 2 blueprint copies as revisions are made. When completed, up to 3 complete sets of blueprints are provided. Additional sets are available @ $1/page, plus mailing, $10 min.

Custom Construction Planning Services

We will develop your custom preliminary plans into more detailed construction drawings. You need these to build your dome and apply for a building permit. Custom dome construction drawings will vary in cost based on the dome size. Your plan complexity and the amount of revisions during the drawing phases can create additional costs, which would reflect the higher costs shown below or even increasing these costs. A signed work authorization (with defined costs) is required to start your custom construction drawings. 50% deposit required. An average amount for custom residential dome construction drawings is shown below:

Construction drawings include 2 blueprint copies as revisions are made. When completed, 3 complete sets of blueprints are
provided. Additional sets are available @ $1/page, plus mailing, $10 min.

3-D Animated tour of your Dome

We can create an animated "fly around" and "walk through" of your dome. This animation can be viewed frame by frame letting you study your dome in detail. We can add textures, patterns and color to your dome images. The windows and skylights can be transparent, allowing you to look through, into the interior. We can change the colors, letting you compare color schemes. The cost varies with the total length of the animation (the total number of "frames" created), the complexity and detail required to show your dome. We first need to create basic 3-D computer construction drawings, which are not included in this cost.

Computer Animation: $600 - $1500.

Engineering Drawings

The Natural Spaces Domes shell system is pre-engineered to meet standard building codes regarding snow load, wind load & earthquakes. We will provide a standard dome shell engineering analysis upon request. This analysis will be stamped by an engineer registered in your state (assuming you live in the United States). Our dome shell system is also designed to meet extreme snow or wind load conditions. However, the engineering for these conditions will be handled individually with engineering prices quoted per project. The standard dome engineering pamphlet is available prior to purchasing our dome for a $125 fee. This will then be credited to your Natural Spaces Domes purchase.

A complete engineering analysis and signed, stamped plans for your custom dome or non-dome shell portions of your project may be required by your building inspection department. Costs for this, if required, vary considerably depending on the plan and building code requirements. Costs can vary from $500 to $1000 for partial engineering. Complete project engineering for multi-story domes will vary from $1500 to $3500. Multi-dome projects, hurricane/earthquake areas and more complex designs will cost additional. Most building inspectors do not require this engineering but some larger cities and a few states have mandatory requirements. We can talk to your building department to learn about their requirements.

Custom architectural/engineering drawings are signed and stamped (if required) by Paul Durand, PE, SE. He is experienced with domes and licensed (or affiliated) in all 50 states and can provide dome engineering calculations for foreign engineers, saving them valuable time. Custom architectural, engineering, mechanical and electrical drawings can also be provided for commercial, industrial and institutional projects.

MacDome Budget

Natural Spaces Domes can provide a complete itemized cost estimate of your entire project. It is an 11 page worksheet with over 475 itemized lines utilizing our Macintosh computer and an Excel spreadsheet. We estimate both materials and labor (separate) for everything and then show you square footage cost estimates. Prices for material and labor will vary depending on location and can be easily accommodated.

MacDome Budget costs depend on complexity of the project: $250 - $475

MacEnergy Calculations

Working with our own computer spreadsheet program, Natural Spaces Domes will develop the heat loss calculations for your dome and its site. This is often required by your local building department. Our program will also suggest the correct size for your furnace based on these energy calcs. Our program also shows you, by percentages, how much heat is lost thru the individual components of your particular structure such as; windows, doors, insulated wall and roof areas, framing, etc. The final chart shows you the actual yearly heating costs based on 4 different fuel sources. For domes located in Minnesota, we will provide an analysis and print out of the Minn-Chec computer program with the MacEnergy Calc at no extra charge (beyond the basic cost of the MacEnergy calc) upon request.

MacEnergy Calc costs depends on size of project: $250 - $475