Dome homes.
With a non-traditional aesthetic these innovative designs are sweeping Australia.
With designs and structures inspired by nature, geometric shapes have been experimenting with since the end of the 1940s.
Now, in 2019, while you might not see many domes on typical city streets, dome homes are considered one of the most proficient building systems available.
Architecture and building designs have continually involved. These days you can generate huge savings with designs like:
Container Homes
So, why should you opt for a dome house?
Put simply, to get more done with very little. Conventional construction techniques have inherent problems, whereas natural structures don’t have problems adapting to everything nature throws their way.
So if you want to tap into the strength of nature, through a cost-effective and beautiful structure, here are 5 reasons to invest in your very own dome home.
#1 - Dome Houses are...Energy Efficient
The sphere is the most efficient shape of nature.
It covers the most area while taking up the least space, surface area wise.
Compared to a regular-shaped house of a similar size, dome houses cover 30% less surface area. According to the roofing experts at Domain, dome homes use about a third less timber to build compared to similarly-sized rectangular houses. They explain “while dome structures use fewer materials, they are about five times stronger than rectangular-shapes structures. Furthermore, the fact that they take up a third less space means that one third less heat is transferred from and to their surroundings.”
As a result, dome homeowners may save up to 30% on their average cooling and heating bills.
#2 - Dome Houses are...Disaster Proof
In 1981, when the 7.1 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake shook the Santa Cruz mountains. It completely destroyed over five hundred conventional homes too. The few that survived required extensive repairs. After the aftershocks had rolled through, many more homes were damaged and needed repairs.
The interesting thing is that only one home in the area survived the quake - a Dome house.
While such extreme natural events won’t impact your Australian dome house, it is comforting to know that your new structure can handle the worst the Australian environment can throw at it.
The experts at Container Homes have built structures in:
The Flinders Ranges
The Central Deserts of Australia
So the strength and durability of your own unique home will never be in doubt.
#3 - Dome Houses are...Cheaper than Traditional Houses
The great thing about domes is that they save you money, especially when it comes to building materials
For this reason they are therefore cheaper to construct.
As they take up less space, they do not require that much lumber to construct. As a result, costs are lowered and you end up with more in your pocket without sacrificing quality.
As mentioned earlier, with dome houses able to save up to 30% on certain power bills, the savings don’t just stop with the construction costs.
According to construction finance experts Maxiron Capital, more and more people are opting for new forms living that suit affordable living situations like this. They explain “with living arrangements becoming increasingly complex in highly urban centres, innovative living arrangements like container homes and dome houses offer affordable living that don’t just take the pressure of overall debt. But require less to get funding upfront.”
#4 - Dome Houses are...Open to Endless Design Possibilities
When it comes to your own dome house, design possibilities are almost limitless.
While it might seem a bit odd trying to figure out how to design round-shaped homes, an open floor plan makes it easier to remove or insert walls anywhere you like.
Dome homes are structurally-independent of the interior framing. According to carpentry experts, this unique characteristic means that you never have to worry about walls being “load-bearing.” They go on to say “while natural openings occurring within the structure of the dome allow for larger windows and openings, letting in more light.”
This means you can impart your own personal style on your dome house, and build something from the ground up that is unique and meaningful to you.
#5 - Dome Houses are...Uniquely Aesthetic
Dome homes have a unique look – something completely unique to what you are used to.
If you are still thinking about it, why not find out more about these new, cost-effective, energy saving and flexible structures?
With endless possibilities, you just might be surprised by what you can achieve with a dome home.
Chat to a member of the Container Homes team to find out more and see how life could be different under the dome.
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