My husband and I are considering building a dome home. Anybody out there live in one, or had any experience with dome living? We are in rural NYS, winters can be harsh and cold with lots of snow and summers hot and dry, Appreciate any help in making this decision. Joyce

-- Joyce Besemer (joycemb3@juno.com), March 11, 2002

Answers

Here is a link to many dome home builder/owners

http://www.hoflin.com/DOME.html

-- JR (jr3star@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

DH built a dome here in S.NY over 25 years ago. We drove past it the other day and he mentioned that the "shakes still had plenty of life left in them" I guess that means a job well done. My advice is to do it right the first time.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), March 11, 2002.

Maybe Ken can help here--there was an article in an older issue of CS that referred to the fact that folks had trouble fitting into a rounded house with squared off furniture etc. I never forgot that.

The local dome home here has been for sale many times. No-one seems to stay very long. Don't know why, but I imagine it is reasonably priced as the land is well cared for and the heating bills seemed reasonable last I knew of.

What about a dome home appeals to you?

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 11, 2002.

Friends of ours built a dome 12 or 13 years ago & are still happy with it. It was a kit (from Oregon Domes??) consisting of lots of prefab panels to be bolted together into a dome. They had a "dome raising" and got most of the shell up in one day by hand but had to hire a crane to place the final panels at the top. If you can help out at a dome raising you will learn a lot! They did a lot of the finish work themselves but contracted out some things, like the complex drywall on the interior. WARNING: Watch what the contractors are doing. The drywall installer used the wrong screws in one area and the too-long screws went clear through the dome skin and pierced the exterior shingles. A large part of the roof/siding had to be ripped out and replaced!! The round house/square furniture dilemma is not a big problem with a big dome/small furniture. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! Cindy

-- cindy wells (cindywellsofpgh@yahoo.com), March 12, 2002.