METAMORPHOSIS: Building the Dome of a Home
METAMORPHOSIS: Building the Dome of a Home 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. 57
SEAPILE pilings are made of recycled and recycle-able composite materials. The SEAPILE composite piling is made of plastic that has been structurally reinforced with fiberglass rebar, making them impervious to corrosion, termites, and borers. Unlike chemically treated wood, the SEAPILE piling does not leech chemicals into our environmentally sensitive beach. And unlike concrete pilings, the SEAPILE does not begin to pit, allowing the rebar to corrode. www.seaward.com 58
- Page 8 and 9: Fortunately, before I had left for
- Page 10 and 11: ack on the island in our homes; end
- Page 12 and 13: for the entire house, so we all sta
- Page 14 and 15: They slept in the parking lot of th
- Page 16 and 17: esistant than its conventional neig
- Page 18 and 19: 3 Mother Nature's Influence in My L
- Page 20 and 21: The winds spawned an F-1 tornado th
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- Page 24 and 25: The kitchen trash. 4 HUMBLE BEGINNI
- Page 26 and 27: The cost of submitting the applicat
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- Page 30 and 31: 6 METAMORPHOSIS The Dome Home would
- Page 32 and 33: In utter shock, I stopped my sobbin
- Page 34 and 35: 7 SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN The
- Page 36 and 37: I compiled our wish list into a sev
- Page 38 and 39: VALERIE A Tribute to our Friend Jon
- Page 40 and 41: asked him to split his energy betwe
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- Page 44 and 45: 10 TO HURRICANE HELL AND BACK THE U
- Page 46 and 47: arrange for transportation to the n
- Page 48 and 49: SURVIVOR OR VICTIM As Katrina looms
- Page 50 and 51: trenches helping in innumerable way
- Page 52 and 53: I have learned to be mostly unattac
- Page 54 and 55: As I edit this book, I find there i
- Page 56 and 57: Although our counties are now suppo
- Page 60 and 61: The SEAPILE piling is placed into t
- Page 62 and 63: The balloon created quite a stir on
- Page 64 and 65: that hold the balloons‟ pieces to
- Page 66 and 67: FLEX-C TRAC, solved our dilemma and
- Page 68 and 69: PRODUCTS SELECTED FOR THE COASTAL E
- Page 70 and 71: DENSGLASS GOLD® EXTERIOR GUARD Den
- Page 72 and 73: With its double pane, glass block i
- Page 74 and 75: Another significant advantage of ea
- Page 76 and 77: We used foam insulation throughout
- Page 78 and 79: frustrated with my family, I rememb
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SEAPILE pilings are made <strong>of</strong> recycled and recycle-able composite materials. The SEAPILE<br />
composite piling is made <strong>of</strong> plastic that has been structurally reinforced with fiberglass rebar,<br />
making <strong>the</strong>m impervious to corrosion, termites, and borers. Unlike chemically treated wood, <strong>the</strong><br />
SEAPILE piling does not leech chemicals into our environmentally sensitive beach. And unlike<br />
concrete pilings, <strong>the</strong> SEAPILE does not begin to pit, allowing <strong>the</strong> rebar to corrode.<br />
www.seaward.com<br />
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