I'm looking into building a cheap, yet sturdy underground structure and was wondering if anyone had some designs or advice.
2007-03-10 11:11:53 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
About 6 feet deep, with a floor about 6'x7'. Serious answers only.
2007-03-10 12:28:15 · update #1
Be real careful with this one. It is quite common to see news reports of workers killed while digging trenches and the walls cave in on them and crush/suffocate them.
You must use shoring to support the walls if there is any chance they might collapse especially if the hole is deeper than you can step out of. Loose, sandy soil is the worst.
Shoring is planking or plates placed against the sides and supported by timbers extending to the opposite side. They must be strong enough to support slumping sides. As you dig down the shoring must be moved down to support the entire side.
2007-03-10 13:22:24 · answer #1 · answered by tablesawtom 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you want it completely underground, DO NOT go cheap - have a contractor do it. You don't want it to fall in on you.
If you can settle for 1/2 underground, then just dig down 3 feet or so, with whatever LxW you need, and use cement/block flooring with 4x4 supported walls. If you want deeper than 3 feet, you are going to need shoring, and it's not worth your life (or your kid's lives) to save a couple hundred bucks by not getting it done professionally...
2007-03-10 14:09:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had one as a kid. It was fun but now that I'm older i Wouldn't recommend it. It isn't very safe without spending a couple hundred dollars on materials. The biggest problem I had with mine were the dam rattlesnakes and scorpions. Turns out that an underground fort is their favorite place to hide in the day!
2007-03-11 04:28:30 · answer #3 · answered by NubbY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's an excellent book: "The $50 and up Underground House Book".
2007-03-11 01:47:52 · answer #4 · answered by weatherization guy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how big do you want it if it were my self i would hire a excavating contractor to come in and dig my hole how ever deep that would be then have a mason come in and build my walls and then have the pour a slab for a roof and put my drains in and my entrance to my room then back fill and plant grass
2007-03-10 11:21:51 · answer #5 · answered by boobman 1959 aka cliff 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check with the library about the fifties and the bomb shelters they used to build. And, the U.S.Army Corps of engineers and the silos they may still have.
2007-03-10 20:21:44 · answer #6 · answered by cowboydoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it for December 21, 2012? Muahaha "Doomsday prepper"
2016-03-28 23:25:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
u need a permit first , so they can locate gas lines or water lines for you, yeah next step...dig, and u can always rent those small diggers per day...
2007-03-10 16:12:10 · answer #8 · answered by ♦cat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
START BY DIGGING A HOLE!!that's all i can tell you without charging you a conseltation fee.
2007-03-10 12:04:05 · answer #9 · answered by chris j 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is a very stupid question to be asking here, seek proffessional help for the job.
2007-03-10 15:28:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋