I want to build a bunker

[Sliver]

Hey so we're going to be completely remodelling our front yard to a xeroscape situation. I've always wanted a bunker/bomb shelter and I figure this is my chance to do it.

My house is kind of perched on a small hill. I'm thinking we dig out down to the base of the foundation and crane in a pre-fabbed bunker in place. I'd have a doorway cut into the foundation for access into the bunker from inside the house. Then just back fill over top of the bunker and carry on with the yardwork.

I'd set it up a kind of as a speak easy/smokers' lounge thing for normal use, but also have fold-down cots off the walls for sleeping if we should ever need to hunker down in it.

Anybody done anything like this? Any idea on cost?

TIA

[KelVarnsen]

Lol

[Mull]

I cannot relate at all to why you sent this but if you’re going to to do it - I would say do it right or not at all

I think you want many feet of soil with a narrow access point protecting it as if my memory serves me right - concrete does little to limit radiation exposure in the event of a nuke (assuming the blast doesn’t take you out) or dirty bomb- but soil is king. Google should give quick answer.

Op I hope you consider the massive negative impact on your property value if you do this. You will ensure your house is an extremely niche sale and be installing a piece of infrastructure that would be extremely costly to remove by any potential buyer. Unlike a house where if it’s niche - it’s only so expensive to bulldoze.

[Finger Cookin]

It's OK Mull, his house is by a lake so it'll even out.

[Sliver]

lol, lower property value? You have to be kidding. The house will be 100% normal with the addition of a cool safety feature that also adds square footage. On no planet would this devalue anything. That's absurd.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by Sliver

lol, lower property value? You have to be kidding. The house will be 100% normal with the addition of a cool safety feature that also adds square footage. On no planet would this devalue anything. That's absurd.

The house being normal or not had no bearing on what I said as far as I can see. Unsure why you wrote that.

As for will the bunker devalue it - perhaps you’re right- to lazy to try to find data but if you care about resale, and perhaps you don’t, I suggest you consider this aspect instead of assuming it’s absurd someone else thinks it’s a black mark on buying your property. Just cause you think it’s awesome doesn’t mean it is to the vast majority of others.

[jayswin]

With all due respect to fuzz's garage, I'm waaaay more excited to follow this project.

[topfiverecords]

I’d call that a mother in-law suite on the listing.

[DownInFlames]

I hate to burst your bubble but something like this is almost impossible to pull off due to safety codes. Ventilation, emergency egress, and fire suppression will all need to be considered.

If you have an unlimited budget you could maybe pull it off, but realistically it ain't happening.

[Fuzz]

A few issues, I assume you know where the actual property line is. The city owns a big chunk of "my" front lawn. Do any services come in through the front? Can you get it deep enough? Or will it be like a hobbit hole?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Just please get a permit properly closed out for this sort of thing. I wouldn’t buy a house that had a bunker without a closed permit on file.

[calumniate]

Hopefully what you build has a bidet.. or else you're really in trouble

[D as in David]

I will be disappointed if you don't name it "Archie".

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Silver is Christopher Walken in Blast From the Past confirmed.

[DownInFlames]

This is an example of someone doing it the wrong way.



https://imgur.com/a/usBzT
https://np.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments...x23/?context=3

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I hate to burst your bubble but something like this is almost impossible to pull off due to safety codes. Ventilation, emergency egress, and fire suppression will all need to be considered.

If you have an unlimited budget you could maybe pull it off, but realistically it ain't happening.

There's really nothing technically unfeasible about it. Just a matter of how much he wants to spend.

[nik-]

Why would you want to survive a nuclear Holocaust? To eek out some terrible existence battling roving gangs trying to steal your resources?

[PaperBagger'14]

If you need any clay for insulation in your soil I know a guy

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Mull

The house being normal or not had no bearing on what I said as far as I can see. Unsure why you wrote that.

As for will the bunker devalue it - perhaps you’re right- to lazy to try to find data but if you care about resale, and perhaps you don’t, I suggest you consider this aspect instead of assuming it’s absurd someone else thinks it’s a black mark on buying your property. Just cause you think it’s awesome doesn’t mean it is to the vast majority of others.

Sorry, you're still losing me. I have considered this. It's a value add. The fact that the house is still normal is completely relevant because if you didn't want to use the bunker you could just close the door and never see it. Or use it as storage. I mean, you realize this is underground, right? It doesn't detract from the property in any way, shape or form. I'm not talking about burying a school bus here. I want a real bunker.

How lame would you have to be to not want a bunker of your options were having one or not?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I hate to burst your bubble but something like this is almost impossible to pull off due to safety codes. Ventilation, emergency egress, and fire suppression will all need to be considered.

If you have an unlimited budget you could maybe pull it off, but realistically it ain't happening.

A concrete box doesn’t need fire suppression. Neither does your wood framed single family house. You only need egress from bedrooms in basements so if you acted like you were doing a wine cellar you wouldn’t be breaking any codes there.

We build homes all the time with cold storage under front porches when clients want exposed aggregate slab. That’s a six sided concrete shell. We don’t heat the room, just give it an exhaust fan to keep the humidity down.