How to Build Underground Bunkers & Shelters

A bunker is an underground shelter that’s designed to protect both people and valuables from various elements such as; earthquakes, tornadoes, civil war, and other natural calamities.

In this article, we’ll discuss underground bunkers as a part of your survival strategy.

Make sure to read to the end where we show you what a 2 Million Dollar Bunker can look like.

Resources: Survival Gear: The Best Tools, Emergency Supplies & Safety Equipment. 

Is an Underground Bunker Important?

The idea of underground shelters has been in use for a long time.

Many security personnel and people tasked with mitigating suffering from calamities have used underground bunkers as a viable solution before.

In recent years, underground bunker kits have been used as a survival strategy and the people who use this concept are often referred to as preppers or survivalists.

Here’s why many people want to learn how to build an underground bunker.

Why Build a Deep Earth Bunker?

There are numerous reasons why you may want to build an underground bunker.

Many times, these depend on where you live and how susceptible to calamities the region is.

Some of the reasons why you may want to adopt underground bunker plans include:

• Terror attacks which involve discharging of chemical weapons or suitcase nuke
• Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes
• Disastrous accidents which involve toxic chemicals and nuclear waste
• Nuclear war
• Highly communicable diseases 
• Civil unrest where residents are at high risk of home invasions, rising crime, or prolonged riots especially due to a severe economic slump.

These are just some of the reasons why you may want to consider underground bunker homes to keep you and your family protected.

Unfortunately, many people have had to rely on the government to protect them in the event of a calamity.

While the government should offer protection, disasters happen suddenly and governments can’t be ultimately prepared for the same.

Even if a government wants to do everything possible to offer assistance, you’ll want to take measures to protect yourself and your family, and building a bunker could go a long way. 

What are the Characteristics of good Underground Bunker Homes?

A good DIY bunker should come with various features.

These include: 

• Safe Location. Identifying the ideal location may not be an easy task. However, consider building your underground bunker far away from a river that’s likely to flood, a military base, a city, or a nuclear power plant. 
• Easy accessibility. You should be able to access the bunker as easily as possible when the need arises. Some people choose to have affordable underground bunkers within their homes. 
• Invisibility. It should at least be unidentifiable to passers-by
• Underground location. The underground bunker should be located deep under the ground to protect you from toxic chemicals and radiation.
• Well equipped. There should be sufficient food and other essential items to last you up to a month with minimal struggle. 

Factors to Consider when Building a Bunker

There are various factors to consider when building a shipping container bunker as seen below.

• Location

The location of your underground bunker is a critical factor to consider before you begin the construction process.

Here, you’ll want to consider the specific area within your property and the geographical setting.

Some people, especially those who have expansive homes, opt to build their underground bunkers along the basement area in their homes.

The viability of such a location depends on where you live and how safe it is. 

Think about the ideal location before you can begin the process of building your bunker.

Remember, your geographical location will play a major role in your safety in the event of a disaster.

If you’re satisfied with your geographical location, the ideal place where you can build your bunker should be within your home.

You can either choose to have it constructed in the basement or a separate location within your property. 

Remember, you’ll need various things when constructing your bunker – such as building permits.

You should also be familiar with various other factors – such as the location of power lines, septic tanks, fiber cables, and water pipes before you commence the construction process. 

• Cost

Cost is a major concern for many people who are looking to build a bunker.

If you’re not ready to construct an underground bunker from scratch, you can opt for underground bunker homes that are for sale.

These may be convenient for you depending on your budget and your location. 

If you choose to build your bunker from scratch, however, you’ll need to consider various factors to get the ideal estimate.

For instance, the type and condition of the soil plays can have a huge impact on your budget.

At this point, you’ll need to collaborate with experienced experts who can assess your soil and give you the best estimates.

You should also consider how deep your want to go with your bunker. 

While some people are comfortable with deep bunkers, others prefer not so deep ones.

Usually, the former option is the best even though it can be quite costly due to a complex installation process.

What electrical services will you need on your underground bunker for sale?

This too will have an impact on the amount of money you’ll spend on your bunker.

If you’re looking at having complex electrical wiring, you’ll need to broaden your budget. 

How to Build Underground Bunkers

If you’re considering an underground bunker, here’s how you can go about building one in your home.

You can choose between a tube survival shelter and a shipping container shelter.

Whatever your choice, ensure you have no less than two feet of dirt above your bunker.

This is what will safeguard you and your loved ones from gamma radiation should a nuclear attack occur. 

To enhance protection, you want to ensure that your bunker is as deep as possible.

You’ll also need a great quality filtration system and air exchanger to counter stale air inside the bunker.

The doors of your underground bunker should open towards the inside.

This will allow you to exit the bunker with minimal struggle even if something was to block the door.

You may also need a second exit just to be on the safe side. 

Tube Survival Shelter

Unlike the shipping container shelter, the tube survival shelter doesn’t require a lot of reinforcing.

This is because they’re specially designed to withstand load on the sides.

They’re stronger and can last underground for more than 200 years.

Here’s how you can build a tube bunker in your home. 

• Create a frame leaving a three feet allowance for storage for a 2X4 tube bunker
• Place plywood across the frame to form a level floor
• Drill holes and include doors along with plywood in the middle of the tube. This will create an access way for the underground storage
• Place your essentials such as your bunk bed, water, food, and other basic items
• Dig a big hole where you can fit in the pipe depending on your preferred depth and insert the pipe inside
• Solder a small pipe along the exterior door area and create an access ladder along the surface
• Connect your water and electricity. You may also need to have other connections made such as an air filter and a generator
• Weld in an extra smaller pipe along the back of the bunker to create an emergency exit.

About the Shipping Container Shelter

Shipping containers are available in different sizes such as; 40 ft and 20ft long.

You can purchase affordable shipping containers from numerous vendors in the market.

Remember, these containers weren’t initially designed to withstand extreme weight at the top which is why you need to reinforce them.

If you want to create a larger bunker to accommodate more people you’ll need to combine more than one container.

Here is how to go about the building process. 

• Dig a hole and ensure that it’s more than 2 feet the shipping container’s height
• Create concrete stairs towards the bunker
• Support the hallway roof with I-beams
• Line up corrugated steel along the top of the shipping container to create a foundation for the concrete roof
• Connect a rebar frame across the stairs
• Arrange blocks across the rebar and stuff with concrete
• Install PVC pipes and air vents inside your shipping container bunker
• To cushion and reinforce the roof, fill in a six-inch layer of concrete
• Complete the process by filling in topsoil and planting bushes and grass. This will help you hide the bunker.
• Include essential items that you may need inside the bunker. These could be; bunk beds, food storage, and a gun rack if you need one. 

Underground Bunker Video (DIY)

What You’ll Store Inside the Bunker

When disasters strike and you have to take shelter inside the underground bunker, you may never know how long you’ll remain there.

To prepare for the worst, you should have sufficient essential items to last up to a month – and even longer as we’ve mentioned above.

It’s worth noting that calamities disrupt normal operations and before things go back to normal, chances are strong that you won’t have access  to a store.

Here are some must-have items for the inside of your bunker.

Water

Water is a critical component of human life.

While you can survive for days without food, your body needs sufficient water to stay well hydrated.

Do you have a water source inside your bunker?

If you do, then that could be a good thing.

Secure an efficient water filtration system if you don’t already have one. 

Still, sometimes running water can be disrupted and you may never know when that day comes.

For this reason and to be on the safe side, have in stock sufficient water to last each person inside the bunker up to a whole month.

You can opt for water tanks or five-gallon water containers that are readily available in supermarkets. 

Food

Today, survival and emergency foods are readily available in local stores.

You can purchase canned, freeze dried, or dehydrated food that are specially designed to last a long time.

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Note: If you wondering about the benefits of going freeze dried or dehydrated, read this article here.

And if you want to learn more about canning with #10 cans, equivalents, and shelf life, you can read this article here.

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Remember to have enough snacks and energy bars for everyone in your family.

These will keep your body well-nourished until the situation improves.

An Air Filtration System

Not only will you need an air filtration system, but you’ll also need oxygen tanks and gas masks.

Communication Gadgets

As we’ve mentioned above, disasters can be disruptive and you may have no means of knowing about everything happening in the outside world.

Chances are that you’ll have no access to the internet, landlines, or even cellphones.

Make sure you have a GMRS radio, a CB radio, or a ham radio. 

First Aid

You’ll need basic medical supplies such as pain killers, bandages, sterilized needles, antiseptic cream, and thread.

Further, remember to pack enough medication for anybody in your home who suffers from a long term condition. 

Entertainment and Day to Day Essentials

Spending days inside a bunker can become boring and you may need something to keep you and your kids busy.

Pack some games for the kids, books, and cards.

Remember to have enough day to day essentials such as toiletries, batteries, warm clothing, and sleeping bags. 

Underground Bunkers for Sale

If you’ve no time or you don’t know how to build a bunker, you may want to start looking through underground bunkers prices in search of one that fits your budget.

Here are some of the choices you may want to consider.

Luxury Underground Bunkers

Today, many bunker manufacturers specialize in luxury doomsday bunkers for sale.

However, these can be expensive but you can still buy one if your budget allows.

The price of underground shelters for sale can range between $250,000 and $1,000,000, but it doesn’t have to stop there.

Here’s a video of a 2 Million dollar example.

2 Million Dollar Doomsday Bunker Video

Middle Range Kits

If you’re working on a budget, you can get reasonably priced underground bunkers.

These, however, will be smaller compared to the luxury bunkers.

You get a 200-300 square feet mid-range bunker for $50,000.

It’s worth mentioning that this price doesn’t include installation charges. 

One thing you need to keep in mind when buying or even building an underground bunker is the importance of working with professionals.

Make sure that your supplier is experienced enough in the underground bunker industry.

Remember, various other factors such as the installation and finishing process could escalate the final cost.

Calculate all the expenses involved to remain within your set budget.

Budget Underground Bunkers

If you’re working under an overly tight budget, you may want to consider buying a smaller underground bunker.

Often, these come with lower installation and finishing costs.

There are many bunker manufacturers in the market today who specialize in budget underground nuclear bunkers for sale with prices ranging between $5,000 to $12,000. 

Finally

Underground bunkers are an ideal survival component for you – especially if you live in a disaster-prone area.

You don’t have to know how to build a bomb shelter since you can buy a ready-made underground bunker at reasonable prices. 

Finding an Underground Bunker Near You

Where is Underground Bunker in (Player Unknown Battleground) Pubg?

While the bunker is located south of Los Leones where many players land, they aren’t aware of its location yet.

The bunker has a strong resemblance to the Erangel’s shelter.

Without knowing the ideal location, you may never find the bunkers but they’re either located below a mountain or underground.

There are numerous entrances to the region that are closely connected. 

Where is the Underground Bunker in Wailing Woods Fortnite?

Speculation has been rife regarding the inaccessible bunker in Wailing Woods.

However, unlike what was the case in season 4, this is a new huge bunker with immense loot inside.

It’s located at the center of the maze in Wailing Woods and you’ll have to break down the door to gain access and drop to the underground castle.

The location remains unknown but chances are high that soon, many players will be out searching for the bunker. 

Where is the Underground Bunker in Bear Creek?

It’s located in a small cave situated on the Wagon Road Ambush Camp’s plateau.

It’s dark and gory. However, when you finally clear your enemies, you won’t have anything to fear. 

Where is the Underground Bunker in Horizon?

You’ll find the first underground bunker in your open-world exploration just after you complete the preface as Young Aloy.

Secondly, you’ll need to go back to the ruins where you first found the focus gadget and back track your path across the barracks and down the stairs until you arrive at a closed door. 

More helpful reading:

• MRE: How Long Do MRES Last (Civilian & Military Shelf Life)
• Calling 911: When Should You Dial a Call?
• 10 Worst Natural Disasters (Deadliest in History, Biggest, & Most Recent)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunker