Home Obsevatory

I've been pricing some home domes on the net. WOW the're expensive. I've seen some other home made jobs where the roof slides out of the way, but I would really like a dome model. Can a guy get a classic obsevatory thats, 1) made in America, and 2) under $3000.00?

Probably not. $4,500 would be about the bottom I could see possible, given the costs of making the fiberglass panels. More typically, about double that to get a quality unit. Figure on $13000 for a motorized, first-rate dome.

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for. These are small quantity items, so the costs to make the molds and design the product are not amortized against a large number of units. Most domes are labors of love, and even at the costs you are paying the manufacturer isn't making a whole lot of money.

That's why you see so many roll-off observatories, plain and simple.

Ron Wodaski

Ok, so a roll off it is. Anybody want to share some plans or some do's and don'ts.

Don't forget the foundation, pier, and electrical work. Our club is in the middle of gathering pricing for the restoration of a 1920's 10ft. diam. dome observatory. We are relocating it to a new location. Concrete foundation below the frost line, concrete pier, pad flatwork will cost around ~$2,500. Electrical work trenching and materials will cost another ~$1,000. These costs are to have someone else do the work. We have to do the project this way because it's for a school system.

Good luck with your project.

Clear skies,

Tim Hornbeck

I would recomend a roll-off roff observatory also. Not just for the cost, but also because it lets you see more of the sky and from my own experience, the seeing through a dome slit is generally very poor.

Cheers,

Maurice