How a Garden Dome Goes Together

Why it's assembly, not building work

The fear that stops a lot of people buying a garden dome is the same one: "I'll never be able to put it up." It's worth laying to rest. If you can follow numbered instructions and tighten a few nuts and bolts, you can assemble a dome.

This is the heart of it. A dome doesn't arrive as raw materials to be built; it arrives as a kit of finished, precision-made parts designed to fit together one way. Every panel is pre-cut and individually numbered to a specific position, so assembly is a matter of matching part to place and bolting it in with nuts and bolts, not measuring, cutting or improvising. There are no walls to build and no wet trades, and beyond a level, firm base there's no foundation to dig. It's far closer to assembling a high-quality piece of flat-pack than to building a garden room, just on a more satisfying scale.

What the process looks like

The sequence is straightforward and logical, and the step-by-step guide that comes with every dome walks you through it:

1. Prepare the base. A level, firm surface (decking, a patio, a platform base or a prepared pad), ready and waiting. Our guide to foundations and bases covers the options; check the delivery timing for a base ordered from us, as it can take longer than the dome.
2. Lay out the panels. Sort the numbered panels and connectors so you can find each piece as the guide calls for it.
3. Build up the structure. Following the numbered sequence, bolt the panels and connectors together, section by section, and the dome takes shape as you go.
4. Fit the openings. The solid sliding door, windows and roof vents, all included, go into their places.
5. Anchor it down. Secure the dome to its base with the included anchoring brackets. This is the step that keeps it safe in strong winds, so don't rush it; our anchoring guide goes into more detail.
6. Add the LED kit. The free Ambient LED lighting kit finishes it off.

Most owners build their dome in an afternoon or a day: around 4-6 hours for the Mini or Standard and 8-12 hours for the Large. A second pair of hands makes it quicker and easier, and is the sensible way to do it.

What you'll need

• A helper or two. Not strictly essential on the smaller domes, but two people make the job faster, safer and more enjoyable.
• No specialist tools. The step-by-step guide tells you what to have ready.
• A prepared, level base. The one bit of groundwork to sort out beforehand.
• A calm, dry day. Panels are easier to handle when it isn't windy, and dry weather is pleasanter to work in, though the dome itself doesn't mind the weather once it's up and anchored.

No trades and no heavy machinery. Planning permission usually isn't needed either, as a garden dome is normally permitted development, but check with your local planning authority if your home is listed or in a conservation area, or if the dome will sit close to a boundary; our planning permission guide explains more.

Would you rather not build it yourself? Our Built for you installation service builds and anchors it for you. It's booked after delivery and installed within 14 working days (Express within 5), with anchoring only from £249, or base, dome and anchoring from £999 for a Mini or Standard (£1,995 for a Large), subject to a postcode check.

Can it be taken down or moved?

Yes, and that's a quiet advantage over a built garden room. Because a dome is bolted together from fixed parts rather than built in place, it can be dismantled and reassembled if you move house or want to reposition it. A built timber room you leave behind; a dome can come with you. The same nuts and bolts that put it up take it down, and the numbered panels make it straightforward to rebuild on a new level base, anchored again in its new spot.

Frequently asked questions