Ideas for building a fallout shelter?

Question

I am seriously considering building a fallout shelter below ground out from my home. Even though I live in florida, I am on a bluff (small hill) and have done test digging and have not hit the water line until about 10 feet deep!

I am considering using concrete blocks, then filling them with concrete. I plan to make the inside dimensions

8 ft. wide, 10 ft. deep and 6 ft. high

I will build a staircase down towards its door
and have a cellar door over the stair well as well.

I also plan on putting 2 feet of dirt on top of the 1ft. thick block ceiling (filled iwth cement)

I would like to be able to have another underground area that is built much thinner for food and wate rstorage, because keeping the dust particles out of food and wate ris all that matters, not the fact that the gamma rays can go through it.

Anyway any idea on how much concrete blocks and concrete will cost not to mention getting a back ho to dig that hole?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You don't really need a fallout shelter to live after a nuclear attack. Just covering one room with all the junk you own, is all you really need. It only takes a foot of block most radiation; If it's a direct hit you're dead anyway.
Best thing you could do is build a small room for supply of food and water. This is a good idea no matter what.

If you really want some ideas check the link below read all the old posts on that news board. People on there are nuts but most know what they're talking about.

Answer 2

Not to throw cold water on your idea, but why bother? Far better to be at ground zero, than to try to live in the aftermath, think about it.
Using your figures, calculate about $2 per block for concrete and the block itself. The blocks are 16 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 8 inches high. With that basic information, your cost with out fill in can be calculated. Ask Lowe's, or Home Depot about the internal volume of the spaces in the block for fill in. Your dimensions are terribly small. They really should be a lot bigger. So far as radiation goes, 3 feet of earth should be enough to stop them.
To really get a good design, ask for information from Civil Defense. The government had a program for such things about 40-50 years ago during the Cold War. Ask them for design help.
To build your delay the inevitable shelter, look at about $5000 for materials. It will surprise you just how little one gets these days for that much money. You'll need re-bar to give strength to the walls. A concrete ceiling is not an easily built structure. A back hoe rents for about $150 to $300 per 8 hour period. If you don't know how to run it, you could get seriously hurt trying to dig your hole.

Answer 3

Wrong state for a project like that, you'll end up with a underground swinning pool. Why do you think there aren't any basements in Florida. Besides fallout shelters went out in the 50s

Answer 4

8x10 you could store enough food/water in that thing for every long. What is plan (B)...............