Bunker or house... Need suggestions and opinions

[Klayton]

How do you plan on building your bunker? How much land are you looking to buy? I suggested that because us country folk know everyone know where they live and know everything about them you can say. So when someone new comes around they stick out like a sore thumb. And when people see backhoes and gravel trucks concrete trucks there'd will be talk lots if it. Land around here is 2k-2.5k per acre a 1 ackre lot with well, septic and electric pole with run you about 15k so maybe you could look for a place that is up for sale. A buddy of mine just bought a place with 7acres 1700sqft house and a steel pole barn for $35k.just a thought

OK now I am jealous. Land in Texas is expensive as all getup. GRRRRR

[BAK]

We are actually thinking about central Pennsylvania, not NY state. Much better gun laws, a much lower population density in some counties and don't have to drive by a nuclear reactor to get there. Acreage wise we are planning for something in the 40-50 acre range...unless we get a great deal on something larger. From the research we can find something good for under 100K.
I paid my way through college working in highway construction so I am very competent with concrete, brick and overall construction principles. With some reference material from Joel Skousen's book and others like it, I'm sure I can construct my own concrete underground room. One of those custom bunkers would save a lot of headaches but keeping it a secret would be impossible like Antishot pointed out.
Underground homes are not any cheaper to construct and are not any more hidden. Usually at least one wall is exposed to the outside. Also I feel they are very unusual in this neck of the woods so an inspector coming to check out the plumbing or electric would blabble all over town about this. A hidden concrete underground room does not require any inspections.

Klayton- are you in Med school right now?

[Klayton]

Nursing school... one step at a time friend, one step at a time...

[JUSTIFIED]

How about building an underground home? Basically in the side of a hill making sure the front of the home is faced away from the entrance to the property. We've thought about doing that here but you can't get a loan for an underground home in Oklahoma.

[Hidden Agenda]

"An underground bunker will be much safer and easier to secure from real, everyday threats like trespassers, burglars/thieves, storms, wildfires, wildlife, etc... " Very true BUT don't you need the possibility of seeing these thing coming down the road and having a chance to take some action? Doesn't "field of fire" enter into the picture? I far prefer to "reach out and touch..." as the saying goes like about 200 yards or so.

GL, Yes, you have valid points about "seeing these things coming down the road", etc... However, my suggestion is based on the current situation (non-PAW)and expectation that the land in question will be occupied only one weekend per month (at best). This creates a unique set of security requirements. If occupied full time, in a PAW/SHTF scenario, then the situation changes, as do the security requirements. My suggestions are based on the current situation.

[Klayton]

How about building an underground home? Basically in the side of a hill making sure the front of the home is faced away from the entrance to the property. We've thought about doing that here but you can't get a loan for an underground home in Oklahoma.

Do they have basements in Oklahoma (sounds weird I know, but here in Texas only the very wealthy have basements-go figure).
You could always get a loan for a house with a HUGE basement. Then run into budget constraints and just be left with "topping off your basement". hehe Sneaky yes, but when idiots say you can't do something in the USA it just burns my 4th point-of-contact!!!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Do they have basements in Oklahoma (sounds weird I know, but here in Texas only the very wealthy have basements-go figure).You could always get a loan for a house with a HUGE basement. Then run into budget constraints and just be left with "topping off your basement". hehe Sneaky yes, but when idiots say you can't do something in the USA it just burns my 4th point-of-contact!!!

basements depend in Oklahoma because we have high water tables in many areas. An example is where i am, my well is 90ft with water at 13 and even in last summers rough weather was still at 20 so a basement would most likely flood here

[JUSTIFIED]

There are basements here and there but a lot of the state's soil has varying degrees of sandy loam in it and the "experts" believe it causes shifting and eventual cracking. Yeah right. I've seen home basements that were built at the turn of the century in Oklahoma and are still standing strong. We're looking for a home in the country now and hope we run across one with a basement. If not I'll have to look at shipping containers.

I like the way you think Klayton! I might just look into building a huge basement! Not sure I want to know what your 1st, 2nd and 3rd points of contact are, though! LOL

[Grand58742]

I got lucky and found a place with a basement. In our last rains (5 inches within 24 hours) I had a slight leak. Less than a gallon came through the walls. I've tracked down the area where it came through and will seal it back up when everything dries out. The previous owner did warn me that it leaked a little when hard rains came along, so it was to be expected.

House was built in 47 and has poured concrete walls, so it was built when folks knew how to build houses that lasted. Probably cost an arm and a leg at the time, but it's sturdy.

[Klayton]

I like the way you think Klayton! I might just look into building a huge basement! Not sure I want to know what your 1st, 2nd and 3rd points of contact are, though! LOL

Oh sorry, I am still catching myself use military lingo sometimes. In the above reference it is the 5 points of contact for a PLF (Parachute Landing Form). 1) balls of your feet 2) side of your lower leg 3) side of your thigh 4) BUTTOCKS 5) ridge [or side] of your back --think bending your body sideways in a letter C in the direction of fall to lessen your impact.... =)

So if anybody shouts at you 4th point of contact, there referring to their BUTTOCKS!!! LOL

[JUSTIFIED]

Well that makes sense. I learn something everyday!

Most of the posters I've seen here are active or retired military so I'll just learn the lingo as I go. I've got several in my family that were in the military but I never had that honor.

[Grand58742]

Most of the posters I've seen here are active or retired military

Just some of them never learned not to jump out of a perfectly good airplane :D

[BAK]

That's weird about the basements in Texas. If I had to guess (from a viewpoint of a Northeastern suburbanite) the reason is that Texas has plenty of land and there is no financial incentive for the builder to spend extra time/money on a basement. Am I wrong on this?
Here in central NJ the water table is 7-14 feet deep and most houses have basements unless they are right next to a lake. I even know of homes in an annual flood zone that have basements.
Klayton- that was a good idea with the unfinished house and a large basement. Question is, can the town fine me for not finishing? I remember reading an article either her or on SB not too long ago about a guy that was sent to jail for unfinished siding on his house. I'd want to avoid all this attention from the town and the jail time if possible

[rockriver]

i vote for the basement.
following klayton's comments.
--
basement under house, dug out a little lower than normal.
narrow "hallway" to basement under garage/barn/storage shelter
the basement under house would be normal idea.

basement under barn/garage would just be for extra storage etc..
since you know about concrete, "hallway" could be added later.
you probably wouldn't want the neighbors to think you had a tunnel.
second hidden basement access in the barn/garage.
it would be normal for a barn/garage to have tools, generators, fuel tanks,
compressors, refrigerators/freezers, noisy exhaust fans, heavy wiring, plumbing
toilet, all of these items helping to conceal what is below.

the basement under garage is the more serious shelter. dug out deeper than normal
and with a concrete floor in the garage/barn, protection from bad people or air or storm
would be high. it would be very cheap to keep temp comfortable considering it would be
"in ground"
hallway to house gives access to all the supplies and features in the house available discretely.
i spent a little time in pa twice. saw some nice little villages and rural areas.
congratulations on your plans.

[JUSTIFIED]

BAK, just build it in the country where there would be no restrictions or fines. Regarding basements, they are a great asset in TX, OK, AR, MO, KS, etc....tornadoes....