METAMORPHOSIS: Building the Dome of a Home

Even with all of the heartache, tears of pain, and mountains of frustration, we are still glad we
took the leap and seized the opportunity to build a house more suitable for the beach.
However, we had a significant learning curve to endure. We have learned invaluable lessons
and discovered amazing products. We‟d like to share the most significant of those with you in
this chapter.
What we learned:
� We would hire a local contractor and sub-contract the building of the shell with a dome
contractor that would "blow and go".
� Get several bids to compare prices and services. The least expensive isn't always the
best deal, and the most expensive doesn't necessarily mean it is the best quality.
Interview extensively.
� Never, ever, ever pay your contractors the final draw before the work is complete.
� Never, ever pay the contractors ahead of schedule. Did I say that already? Well, it is the
most difficult lesson we learned and it bears repeating.
� Be aware that many estimates will be bid high just because the house is unusual, even if
the shape has no bearing on the work being done. We found two extremes: People who
would charge double just because it is a dome.
� And then there were those who were thrilled to work on the dome project in any capacity
for a reasonable fee.
� Definitely have your architect stay on the project at least until the openings are cut. Have
the architect approve the openings' positions before the contractor continues.
PRODUCTIVE PRODUCTS for ACHIEVING OUR GOALS
Throughout the construction of the home, from the pilings to the skylight, many of the products we
used are unprecedented in their application. The dome of a home is not only unique in its
outward appearance, even its skeletal framework is unusual. Primarily our goal was to discover
and employ products that would help protect the delicate balance of the barrier island.
DRIVEN DEEP: PILINGS
The dome of a home is not only unique in its outward appearance. Throughout the construction of
the home, from the pilings to the skylight, many of the products used are unprecedented in their
application. Protecting the delicate balance of the barrier island was our ultimate goal when we
selected the various products to use.
In keeping with the our desire to use new technologies that are more energy efficient and
environmentally benign than their predecessors, the pilings we chose were the Seaward's
Seapile Pilings.
With a home designed to physically last centuries, using wood or concrete pilings was
impractical. With a viability of decades, wood and concrete pilings would severely shorten the
lifespan of the home. Seaward International's SEAPILE pilings compliment the dome structure by
their longevity and environmentally-friendly characteristics.
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