If someone were to......

[CBR1000rr]

..... own a few acres of ground in a rural area and want to build a structure beneath the surface of the earth, what would you include? The ground is mostly flat with few trees but is known to have a small stream of water running beneath the surface. How deep would you build it and how many rooms would you have? How would you disguise the entrance and how many entrances would you have?

I don't know why anyone would possibly want to do such a thing. I'm just curious as to what people think they would need?

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I would first excavate a hole, then build with ICF and spancrete and bury it with no less than three- four human entry/exit points as well as ventilation shafts etc...I see no reason to restrict myself on size because once the primary living quarters are built and buried with a freight elevator I can continue to build as long and as big as I want to forever. Oh, entrances could be hidden as small buildings, trees, behind large stones or under seemingly impossible to move stones or perhaps just man hole covers set at ground level with overgrowth disguising them.

 

[goinggreyfast]

I would first excavate a hole, then build with ICF and spancrete and bury it with no less than three- four human entry/exit points as well as ventilation shafts etc...I see no reason to restrict myself on size because once the primary living quarters are built and buried with a freight elevator I can continue to build as long and as big as I want to forever. Oh, entrances could be hidden as small buildings, trees, behind large stones or under seemingly impossible to move stones or perhaps just man hole covers set at ground level with overgrowth disguising them.

"Somewhere between Greenwood and Martinsville"

With Tannerite...

 

[strahd71]

i would love to be able to do that but up here in NWI its just too swampy and the water table is too high

jake

 

[longbarrel]

What do you want it to do? Are you going to need power? How would you facilitate it? Grey water, clean water? Heat probably will not be an issue because that deep at 35 degrees North Latitude will not be that cold. Fresh, clean air is another consideration. If you just want a space, buy a $1500 semi trailer, coat it in rubber, and bury it. Access through a faux outhouse(whatever).

 

[CBR1000rr]

The semi trailer wouldn't be a bad idea but would it support the wieght of 6 feet of earth on top of it?

I like the idea of building 1 large room and then continuing the work once it has been covered but the time it would take to excavate and build would be more than one with a fulltime job and young family could possibly spare.

If someone were to invest in Spancrete, how much would one need to invest for 3 12x12 rooms, 4 50' tunnels 3 ventilation shafts that would rise through 6' to 8' of soil with the excavation portion being taken care of?

 

[Glock22]

You would want a good pump + a back up for flooding.Keep that in mind while you are building it.

 

[Kutnupe14]

The semi trailer wouldn't be a bad idea but would it support the wieght of 6 feet of earth on top of it?

I like the idea of building 1 large room and then continuing the work once it has been covered but the time it would take to excavate and build would be more than one with a fulltime job and young family could possibly spare.

If someone were to invest in Spancrete, how much would one need to invest for 3 12x12 rooms, 4 50' tunnels 3 ventilation shafts that would rise through 6' to 8' of soil with the excavation portion being taken care of?

A shipping container would be perfect. They run less than $5k

 

[littletommy]

The movie Red, with Bruce Willis had a really cool underground bunker with an old rusty car hiding the entrance. Open the hood and climb in.

 

[Icarry2]

many things to be considered have been thrown out. I would add that your overall budget will dictate what you do.

As for spancrete, you seriously need to find a qualified engineer to design this structure or you risk the lives of those in it.

Flooding, tremors, earthquakes, and all of Mother Natures other elements will determine how the thing is build. I know with all of our building projects at work there are many other things to consider, what it the natural earth makeup, clay, sandy, rocky, etc.

You may have to dig down way deeper then you think to build a stable base to pour anything on..

Waterproofing is key... What is the water table where your talking about digging?

How your power is delievered or generated are key elements, fuel safety, fresh air intakes, exhausting, etc.

Fire proof doors, isolateable air, each main room should have it's own air handling and conditioning. Air has to have backup since your life depends on it..

All of these points don't even touch the NBC (Nuclear,Biological,Chemical) systems that have to be built in if you want this to serve as an shelter from those threats..

Oh and a shipping container like a semi trailer can not handle a large load of cover earth. Saw how little a container could take on an episode of Mythbuster..

And I am sorry but unless this ground is surrounded by a depth of trees keeping those driving by from knowing your digging is going to be hard. Oh and the contractors you hire won't be cheap since you will bind them to a do not disclose clause in the contract so they don;t go yapping over a beer with their buddies telling them how they are building a cool shelter for a rich guy and that he will have room for them if crap flies toward the blades..

Just some thoughts.

 

[armedindy]

multiple levels...with waterslides going down....a "range room" with shooting range, dart board, archery range, bowling alley, virtual golf course, w.e. a movie/game room.. (i could go on and on...i always think about my hidden bat/man cave hideout/ have an awesome time while shtf on the topside)

 

[littletommy]

My uncle bought a house in Tennessee years ago that had a cold war era bomb shelter in the back yard. It had been neglected for years apparently, it was damp, smelly, musty, some old rusty junk laying around, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and I've wanted one ever since.

 

[tom1025]

I would find property with an old barn or other structure to shelter you from aerial photos being taken as you are constructing your secret hole.

 

[Iroquois]

I saw a bomb shelter disguised as/ built under a shooter's berm. Put the entrance on the side away from the road and maybe make it look like an outhouse. The shelter looked
like a large culvert but an old tank car would do...find one used for veggie oil.
Size depends on your wallet.

 

[45fan]

A semi-trailer might be a bad idea, as they are usually made up of a thin layer of sheet metal over plywood, but a CONEX type container, made of structural steel and corrugated steel, might be sturdy enough to use as a base. I know that we used to stack quite a few layers of sandbags on them when building bunkers and field CPs.

As for the exits, no less than two, three being even better. Though behind this being that if the position be compromised or the primary entrance blocked, you have a means of egress.
Drainage, waterproofing and breathable air are other serious considerations, as we cant live without air. Considerations here might include laying a substrate of stone , with perimeter drains laid in the substrate, and lining the side and covering the top in similar fashion to help deter water from gathering against the sides of the structure. Fresh air vents could be disguised with landscaping features such as windmills and flag poles.

Depending on the intent of the structure, and size required, multiple containers could be laid together in what ever arrangement suits your needs, and connected with corrugated drain pipe of sufficient size to allow passage between.

entrances could be hidden under outside structures like well houses, gazebos, or even a stepping stone in a walk way. Extra points if you build a pond, and make an underwater entrance as a last ditch exit/entrance.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

i would love to be able to do that but up here in NWI its just too swampy and the water table is too high

jake

I hear you. We could probably set something on the ground, cover it with dirt and seed it to make a "hill".....

 

[chrstian_indy]

I like the idea of an underground shipping container bunker.
Cheap, strong.

If you need extra space, here is an idea that might help.

And if you want to go all fancy, here's another one

I'd personally would build extra doors for escaping, or entering. Also, I would make the entrance/exits discrete.

my

 

[IndianaSigma]

If you're going to use concrete, just pour yourself a 12" thick bottom w/ rebar reinforcement, then form and pour some walls on top of the bottom pad (at least 10" thick w/ rebar). Get some steel decking for the roof, then pour a concrete cap over the decking and be sure to waterproof the walls.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

SIMILAR day-dream of mine...

If my dad wins the lottery and bequeaths me several dozen million dollars...

I'd have a nice-sized ranch home with an absolutely HUGE basement. In my mind, the basement would be 2x+ the size of the house on top.

ONE of the features I envision would be some kind of manually operated lift / jack that would punch through to the surface (shallow enough) to allow egress in an emergency situation. Think something similar to a mechanic's car lift...but manually operated somehow.

-J-

 

[Bazooka Joe]

Depending on you available funds you might want to try a WOFATI. Always thought that would be cool on my bug out land.

wofati eco building