You might have considered buying an underground bunker, but have you thought about the cost of building a bunker? To prevent the catastrophes of our worst fears, there is only one solution. Nuclear war destroying our country, EMPs returning us all to the Stone Age, and Yellowstone blowing its top.
Your chance of survival increases tremendously if you have a bunker that is properly planned, built, equipped, and fortified. Any survivalist who considers building a bunker knows that it takes extensive planning and preparation. You must choose if this level of planning is necessary based on your interpretation of the future.
When taking into account a project of this size, you must ask several questions.The size of your bunker? Purchase it or construct it? How will you stock it?
When you start to consider how much a bunker will actually cost you, all the amazing survivalist fantasies inevitably bring you back to reality. This essay will help you set realistic expectations for the cost of an underground bunker and help you create your own own underground paradise.
Buy vs. Build
Numerous elements will influence the price while determining subterranean bunker costs. What you decide to construct won’t be the main determinant; rather, it will be how you decide to build.
You can exchange sweat equity for overall cost, just like anything else in life. If you build your own underground bunker instead of buying one that is fully assembled and fitted, you can save a sizable sum of money. Money is given up in exchange for convenience and time.
Price Elements
When estimating a general price, keep in mind that the cost will be determined by your region and the location of your bunker. Construction expenses are typically lower in rural settings than in suburbs or (gasp!) urban areas.
Similarly, there are more options to use competent local labour (the farmer down the road with the large tractor) or barter for labour in rural areas than in suburban or metropolitan settings.
I will do my best to estimate expenses for you, but there will be significant variations in local actual costs unless we are talking about national brands with huge distribution networks.
Cost Of Building A Bunker: full DIY
You are fortunate enough to be able to build a bunker with only the purchase of materials if you are incredibly handy, have a wide range of knowledge and experience in… well, everything, and have a lot of free time.
There will be numerous categories used to separate the primary material costs. mechanical systems, finish materials, and building materials. Prices for commercial underground bunkers are calculated using these materials + labour.
DIY: Building Supplies
For traditional materials, we can only provide cost estimates. But first, a word on the unconventional. Buses and shipping containers have been used to construct a number of well-known bunkers.
We do not advise using shipping containers unless you are absolutely certain that you know what you are doing because they are not structurally suitable for usage underground. Look at box culvert bunkers as a substitute.
Review these choices at your leisure to see if they are right for you; alternatively, keep reading to learn about a less “unique” strategy.If you are laying a standard foundation, you can anticipate paying $125+ per cubic yard for concrete.
Precast box culvert sections are also an option, costing between $6,000 and $8,000 per section. Sincerity dictates that I would probably choose a box culvert bunker if given the chance and a variety of options.
As a final option, you might also use a corrugated culvert. For parts with an 8-foot diameter, local costs are $250+ per foot.
Mechanical systems, DIY
Once the structure is chosen, you must incorporate a number of mechanical support systems. These consist of Power, Water, Waste, and Air.
An air filter is a necessary addition if you want to be ready for virtually anything. Even the simple exchange of air with the outside has the potential to introduce pollutants. A filter that controls impurities from nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) sources is essential.
Depending on the size of your building, NBC filtration systems made exclusively for bunkers can be found for between $7,000 and $10,000. The price of subterranean bunkers will be impacted by these expensive technologies, but in that case, it’s a wise investment.
Water
It costs money to store water. not financially, but in terms of available room for storage. This is insufficient at one gallon per day per person, which is incredibly conservative over the long run.
It is best to think about plumbing your bunker with a well even though you can and should store water there. It can cost between $2,500 and $5,000 to dig a well (depending mostly on the depth of the well).
A filter system should be added since groundwater can get contaminated. Costs for a Berkey water filter system that is powerful and large enough for a well range from $250 to $500.
The assurance that comes with having a “unlimited” supply of water is definitely worth the cost.Waste management will also be necessary. It might be dangerous to have to leave your bunker to empty a 5-gallon bucket!
Similar to this, having a composting toilet in a small location will provide its own difficulties, not the least of which is the continued management of greywater.For between $2,500 and $5,000, a septic system (tank and leach field) can be added close to your bunker.
A grinder and pump could be good additions as well. Since the septic tank is deep down, you will need to lift the waste there. You can complete the task using a pipe with a considerably smaller diameter thanks to a grinder.
Sizing Your System for Power
Power is the final major system. The size of your bunker and your needs will determine what you need. Here, looking into solar systems will be beneficial because they have made determining your power requirements into a science.
First, add up all the electrical appliances in your bunker and arrange them according to your needs. This will cover things like lighting, a mechanical air system (assuming you don’t use a manual system), heating, cooking, communication, waste (grinder and pump), water, and refrigeration, among other things.
Use the total of all your needs to determine two requirements:
How much do I require each day?
How much do I have to keep in reserve between charges?
Energy Source
Decide on your source next. For between $1,500 and $5,000, a generator can provide a lot of electricity quickly. Generators can be noisy and demand fuel, which necessitates additional storage.
Solar, on the other hand, costs under $1 per watt and is quiet and fuel-free, although it is harder to conceal.A manual system is an option for you to examine. A practical alternative is a generator attached to a bicycle or hand crank.
Power Reserves
You will need to instal a battery bank to store power because you won’t be able to generate it continuously. Per 100 Amp Hours, batteries will cost between $100 and $250. To calculate the size of your bank, use the calculations you did previously.
Cost Of Building A Bunker – DIY: Complete Work
Your overall cost is only limited by your imagination, financial resources, and level of discomfort tolerance. The final cost will be the finished product. This requires you to at least level the area and offer basic storage organising systems (shelves).
Floors, you will need to instal a floor if you decided to utilise a steel corrugated culvert in order to be comfortable. Consider a raised floor if your home has a concrete box culvert or poured foundation. If you have the height in either situation, think about underfloor storage.
If not, simply raise the floor high enough to add a layer of solid insulation (such as fiberglass or Polyiso) to keep the floor from getting too chilly. The price is a few 2x4s (less than $5 each) and a few sheets of plywood (about $20 apiece).
Storage and Shelving
You can make shelving as straightforward or as complex as you like. The objective is to utilise vertical space. When you can stack, there’s no need to leave everything on the ground.
Shelves help relieve pressure on the bottom cases, preserving the structural integrity of such cases. There is nothing more frustrating than digging through a stack of pricey freeze-dried food only to discover that the individual containers have been damaged and their seals broken.
In a tiny area, much may be accomplished. Spend some time looking for organisational strategies online. with the tiny house movement, in particular. When you utilise every crevice in your bunker, you can store a lot of items.
Cooking, Sanitation, and Health
Cooking and hygiene/sanitation must also be included in the finished work. Cooking can be done on a low-CO emission alcohol stove, or it can be done in a fully equipped galley kitchen with a propane cooktop and oven.
The bathroom has a shower and a toilet. A 5-gallon bucket toilet and a sponge wash (preferably use two buckets!) can be used as a temporary solution.Alternately, you may add a relaxing seat and a sizable shower. It all depends on your particular comfort preferences.
Lighting
Lighting will be the final important factor in finishing your room. In addition to workspace/task lights, you will require area lighting.The voltages for LED track lighting are 12 volts DC and 110 volts AC.
The AC versions will be less expensive, and track lighting will provide you a lot of freedom for positioning and directing different light types. TrackDepending on your preferences and needs, lighting might range in price from $25 to $100.
Remember. You’re below ground. It will be dark when the lights are turned off. Never cut corners when it comes to lighting. You will be left in the dark literally if you use cheap lights. On this crucial component, “Buy once, cry once.”
Sale of Underground Bunkers
The next option is to buy a bunker if you don’t have the time or the necessary abilities to complete a bunker project. Again, there are various choices because life is so amazing and full of them.
Premium Kits
The first step is to get a full kit. On the basis of your budget, the sky is the limit. You might get in touch with suppliers like Atlas Survival Shelters or Rising S Bunkers if your budget allows for a luxurious bunker.
A small but thriving sector offers luxury bunkers to those with the money. These should cost between $250,000 and $1,000,000.
However, for the money, you can anticipate white glove service in terms of size, design, finish work, and even supplies since many companies also provide completely stocked choices.
Intermediate Kits
Those of us without a few hundred thousand dollars weighing down our checkbook balance have more affordable options. Smaller underground bunker kits, ranging in size from a few hundred to a thousand square feet, are available.
Suppliers can offer a 1,000 square foot floor plan bunker for $250,000 or 200–300 square feet for $50,000.Typically, installation is excluded from this. To identify a company with experience in this kind of construction project, you will need to consult the supplier.
Again, alternatives might increase or decrease the final cost, so consider your budget and add all costs (kit, installation, finishing, stocking) before making a choice.
Cheap Kits
Smaller bunkers and shelters provide lower installation and finishing costs for those on a tighter budget.For between $5,000 and $20,000, businesses like Survive-A-Storm offer simple storm shelters and fallout shelters.
These do have few amenities, but all that may be needed for a brief stay is the capacity to prepare a hot meal and a warm bed.
Communities that Offer Underground Bunkers for Sale
Investing in an existing community is the final choice. In response to the recent decommissioning of various government buildings, a variety of organisations with a focus on shelter have emerged.
These range from neighborhoods in former ICBM facilities to former ammunition silos. This is a brand-new methodology to consider when estimating the cost of underground bunkers.
For instance, the Terra Vivos community has an underground bunker available for purchase for $35,000 (for 2,000 square feet of bare space).This map shows the locations where you don’t want to be trapped and a marauder’s victim in the wake of a major catastrophe or calamity.
A living earth
Numerous communities that provide more than simply private bunkers can be found with a fast Internet search.Doomsday bunkers with 1,800 square feet of fully equipped living space are available for sale from Survival Condo for $3,000,000 in an Atlas ICBM silo. 75 people may live in the entire silo for five years.
Communities: Exercise Due Care
If you decide to take this route, please do your research. Not just a bunker, but a community, will you be purchasing. What is the procedure for reviewing new members? in particular if you are sharing a structure.
Are there any limitations or restrictions on your actions or voice in the community, and what will the leadership structure be? Be cautious to avoid joining a post-apocalyptic HOA.
Last Words on Underground Bunker Prices
As there are design alternatives, there are also numerous bunker configurations. The cost is one of several factors.
This is a serious decision requiring significant consideration, planning, and execution, regardless of whether you are planning for a $5,000 storm shelter on a tight budget, your own doomsday bunker for about $25,000, or you are digging deep for that million-dollar luxury bunker.
Whatever route you take to reach your bunker, it is a preparedness that will safeguard your future and the future of your loved ones from any threats society or Mother Nature may bring. Choose carefully!