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Stealth Urban Underground Shelter

19K views 72 replies 54 participants last post by  ArrowToTree 
#1 ·
I live in a rather urban area. I have a small backyard with high fencing and low visiblity from the street. My neighbors can clearly seen into my backyard but do not pay too much attention and do not care too much about what I do. I would like to build an underground concrete shelter, but I am afraid my neighbors may actualy start balking at what I am doing. They are lenient with what folks do on their own property, but cause trouble with MAJOR projects. How in the world can I dig and install an underground facility without thier knowledge?
I have thought abou installing something to completely block their view, but their curiosity will most definately get the best of them. Should I try to install something bigger and ask if the neighbors would like to be included if they are willing to help with construction and supplies?
 
#33 ·
Two words: The Greenbrier. The Dept of Defense hid a fallout shelter there for 30 years by using the construction of a new wing of the hotel as cover. Use a construction project to mask the construction of your project. Pool or septic system are good. And don't tell anybody what is there.
 
#35 ·
I think the small pool project idea is great. Acutaly buiding a small pool would be a great thing, think of the possible quantity of stored water. If your neighbors get nosey about the construction tell them the contractor makes a big deal about insurance on his jobs and no one can be there as a bystander or the insurance on the job is voided.
 
#37 ·
I have an idiot neighbor - a real busybody. I suggest looking for a landscape company or a home and garden store to have arbor vitae trees on sale. Large ones here normally cost around $70, but can be found for $40 on sale, and that's for 7'-8' trees. They're full evergreen type trees. If you have the money, buy 5 or 6 trees and strategically plant them to hide your project from your one neighbor. It's probably going to be cheaper than building dirt mounds in your back yard and putting fancy landscaping on them... that's IF you were going to do that before excavating and constructing the walls, etc.
 
#40 ·
:confused::confused: How does that work. I mean burying/caching on property your not known to be involved with most likely means that you don't own it. Or you have purchased it without using your own name. That could be a legal problem. If you don't own it then that means you are trespassing and anything you leave behind could be considered abandoned property. Granted, I'm not a real estate lawyer and I could be wrong. If there are any lawyers or knowledgeable real estate agents around could you chime in here.
 
#41 ·
u do not need to own property in order to stealthily bury stuff on it. There is lots of public property, or property owned by lumber, paper, utility companies. Always dig at night, never dig more than you can haul away and hide in any one night. Use a low dollar passive IR monocular to scan for people. dig in the middle of a thicket, etc.
 
#45 ·
Are you planning on digging in your basement or outside? I would recommend the basement. It is completely out of view. You can get into your fall out shelter or storage shelter without being seen. Just dig where you are sure there are no water, gas or sewer pipes buried. In my basement it is easy to see which direction the pipes are going. Hopefully it is the same in your home. Take your time. When you have enough dirt and rocks out to fill a dumpster call one in. Hauling the dirt out could be a daunting task. Buy something similar to a red flyer wagon. You can pull the dirt toward the dumpster. It will probably take you a week to fill her up. Especially if you are doing it after work. In about 6-7 months you should be done. Imagine how proud you will be. Remember to put a non-working boiler or propane tank over the hole to cover up the location of your fall out shelter. You can use those low profile dollys to move it around.
 
#51 ·
Would this work for you?

Can you pour a concrete patio with deep footings? Design the patio for a poured roof application, using the appropriate amounts of rebar and thickness of concrete. The poured concrete footings should be as deep as you can get away with as they will become the upper parts of the walls later.

Because the patio is actually the in ground shelters roof, when you tunnel under it, the roof will not cave in. Dig a 4 foot wall section at a time and build the remaining footing and wall as you go using block and mortor. The rebar in the footings and stem walls will hold it all together as you work safely, out of sight.

If you house has a crawl space, that would be the place to start. In the patio footing, leave a doorway framed out with treated wood facing the house so you can have easy access.

Get all necessary permits for this super patio.

If this were mine, that is how I'd try to approach it.
 
#55 ·
Build a 20 foot by 40 foot tarp shelter to cover your excavation (tell them anything you want - "party tent" summer shade - whatever).
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But this will require you to hand dig the shelter.
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Excavate, lay in the footings and walls (I would use concrete forms and plenty of rebar). then lay the floors, and put the roof on - then just bury it again. Oh yea- put a concrete patio on top and put in that bar be que pit you've always wanted.
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If the tarp shelter doesn't cover the whole area - build the shelter in sections.
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I like the idea of a fish pond/ splash pool - this keeps the observanyt neigbors from wondering why you had the tarp up for three months while only building a patio/bar be que pit.
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If you need brackets - I have a reasonable source. Heck I have a source for just about anything....
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Dave
Phoenix, AZ
 
#63 ·
Underground tanks with a manhole in Arizona is a bad idea.
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Arizona has a law that regulates "all" in-ground tanks. Even in ground water tanks are inspected and licensed. The government money mill gets worse every year.
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To make matters worse, OSHA requires certification to maintain in-ground tanks as "enclosed areas". This means that there are precautions that must be observed and safety equipment required when entering, working in an in ground tank.
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All this means - "You had better be storing what you claim you are storing in the tank".
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The best option is a 40'x60' Tarp "Party Tent" that you just leave up.
You can dig with a simple hydraulic ditch witch...
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Lay the foundation and retaining wall.. Don't forget to lay in Pond lined as a moisture/vapor barrier - and plan for a perimeter drain tile to carry ground water away or into a collection point where it can be pumped out and away).
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Then cover it up...
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Move the tent across the yard (because you don't want to kill all your precious grass - oh yea, use white poly tarps - then you won't kill your grass because a white poly tarp not only lasts a long time, it passes enough sunlight to keep the grass growing).
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Once you get the tent moved - Build the foundation and retaining wall on the opposite side of the "initial" shelter. (remeber to lay the pond liner and groudwater collection pipe)
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Then the good part.
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Excavate for a patio (just dig the patio foundation really deep and lay a slab about 12-16 feet below grade.). Remember to put in the rebar reinforced beams and slab rebar. Lay the shelter concrete cap. Then cover it up (make sure you tamp the soil really well - you are going to lay the real patio about 2-3 feet above the concrete roof). Then lay in the rebar and footings for the patio.
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Lay (pour the concrete for) your new patio (doesn't even have to be as big as the shelter underneath, just believable).
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Make sure you installed an access that is like behind a raised planter/water fountain feature. The actual entrance can be an actual door that goes into a fountain pump room (only the pump room has a door on the other side, and for some reason the pump room is really roomy - hey its a big fountain pond, I thought I would need more room...)
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Now you can dig out the dirt between the walls and under the ceiling of the shelter.
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Dispose of the dirt in whatever way you can

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Idea: Start composting. Mix dirt with compost and offer enriched soil to neighbors. (this would go a long way towards explaining why you are coming and going with that dirt trailer). Besides, telling the neighbors that you read about a guy that made a fortune composting and making garden soil will go a long way towards convincing the neighbors that you are into some **** and mammey "get rich Scheme". They will pity your poor wife for putting up with you....
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When you get the basic shelter excavated - just put in a sand/gravel base with a water collection drain along the perimeter that drains into a sump (you may or may not need it now, or you may need it later - either way plan for it..) Now lay down pond liner under the floor slab, put in rebar and pour the slab floor...
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Now you have an underground get away - right? Not quite...
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Things you need to plan for:
1) Air supply with input air filtration. Plan and install the equipment to supply fresh air - remember that raised flower bed - flowers make nice smelling air...
2) Water supply - Pump or city water: You will need a water tank. Too big to go through the finished door - bury it while you are excavating, you're going to dig the dirt out later anyway.
3) Don't forget water filtration/purification....
4) Plumbing for fixtures (sinks/toilets/shower...).
5) Don't forget the sanitary drain. You gotta collect shower water (gray water - can be reused to water plants, etc...) and Toilet waste. Toilet waste should go into a collection tank with a sewage lift pump (below the floor, with an air tight access plate to clean/service the sewage pump). The sewage will have to be pumped out, and since you cannot water your yard - you will have to pump it out and into the public sewer. Note: You can put in a septic system for shelter use only, but people get really ancey about neighbors having septic systems, and if not done right can become problematic and revealing really quick. The best option is to use the public sanitary sewer and put an emergency septic system in just in case the sanitary sewer quits (which it probably will when TSHTF).
5) Generator (this needs it's own room/shelter. I would also suggest that the generator shelter be a separate shelter with at least 2 feet of sand and gravel/soil between the generator shelter and main shelter walls. Generators are noisy while running, even if you only run it two to three hours a day - it is still noisy two or three hours a day.) Plan for the Generator Exhaust. In fact, make sure you put in a BBQ pit on your new patio - Pipe the generator exhaust into the BBQ Exhaust (I like that word) Chimney. When you install the generator get one with a good/decent muffler. then add a second muffler that is 3 times as big to muffle the generator to a whisper (as heard at the BBQ Patio). You can make a muffler with a couple of 55 Gallon drums, some sheet metal, a lot of steel wool and some exhaust pipe (a welder would be a necessity - ya can't bolt everything together, and duct tape, no matter how much I/you like it - just won't work here).
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Now all you need is your Emergency Stash, some cots/beds and furniture. Don't forget that arcade game (I suggest a centipede, Gallaga/Mrs Pac Man and Mr Do - wanna get crazy, include a Dig Dug game. Hey, ya gotta have entertainment. Or, Just get a couple of decks of cards...).
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The only problem here is that you are doing this in "Secret" that means you can't really brag about it or show your best buddies what you have done... Dah,,,, Best buddies now - later snitching you out to the code nazis....
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Good Luck...
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Whether you build in secret or not - Good Luck.
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If you need any help or assistance - I'm available. I don't care about your shelter, I just want you to be safe. I have tons of resources, literally for anything you may or may not need, but want.
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Want help? eMail me....
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Dave
Phoenix, AZ
 
#72 ·
hey Swift i can relate, i have the same issue. I am searching here for ideas of building a underground bunker, it's hard to decide to bug in or bug out. I am thinking of putting a bunker under my garage slab, yes it has to be reinforced to hold the weight of any auto's. At least i can conceal work in the garage, and load the trailer with excess dirt with no one seeing. I will be posting questions and progreess in the future.
 
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