Who wants to help me build a DOOMSDAY BUNKER?

yeah i know ...silly right? or is it? ...im starting this thread because so far we dont really have a thread on PREPPING yet...that i have seen that is...and also as a light hearted way to get folks thinking...maybe...i would be willing to bet that everyone on this forum has at one point in time thought about prepping...some like me think about it alot while im sure some havent given it a second thought. Where do you stand?

There is as most of you know a cult type following to prepping. Is it crazy to think that NOTHING substantially bad could happen in our life time? Zombie hordes are probably out of the realm of disasters that could happen, however there are a myriad of other scenarios that could doom mankind.

Some folks call people who get together and drive new trucks off road crazy....i say to them that i have a vehicle that will operate in a poop hitting the fan scenario...so why is prepping any differently? To me it isnt since i have a good start with the vehicle...

Id like to see what any of you if any have done to "prep"...what are you prepping for? what kind of preps have you made? what do you think you are lacking? Are you going to bug out or bug in? do you have a bug out location? would you take folks in need in or would you turn them away? What about weapons? lets see if we can get a light hearted yet civilized conversation going...

Me personally i would love to build a bunker and if Angie and i build a house there will be some sort of "safe room" built into it. Maybe even a full on bunker. Angie and I every spring, summer, and early fall have a garden...we grow alot of our own food. I would love to have a larger stock of canned food. As of right now we are in good shape as far as weapons and ammunition. At this point we do have a bugout location, however getting to it could be a challenge. Not because of the vehicle but the route that would need to be taken; too much high way.

Anyway lets hear what you all have to say...

This is certainly a subject I'm getting more interested in as time goes on and I see more and more people expecting me to give them what I've worked for. I'm interested to see what people are doing here as well.

As you know, I design houses for a living and do well with it. Often people request safe rooms and I'll follow their specific requests, but those people aren't planning ahead much. Usually these rooms are all concrete and steel in a basement with a single entrance/exit into the main basement. I'm sure that's great for something, but if I'm doing it, I want some kind of external access out to daylight. Of course a tunnel works well here as it provides a more distant approach with more opportunities to hide the access, but it also provides a lot more area to store supplies and gives you an easy access for fresh air and possibly light. Something else I'm doing more often when building the homes is hidden rooms and passages. Frankly, these are just cool, but in an emergency, it's nice having a hidden passage from your room to your kids rooms, or a hidden escape route. I visualize things in 3D very well, so when I hide a room in a house, it's not usually large, but it's in a location that a good spatially oriented person won't realize that a space is missing in the house. Hinged bookcases, Heating and air return vents that are really access points and trap doors both in floors and ceilings are things I've built in to recent homes.

If The Walking Dead has taught us anything, its that a small close knit group is essential for long term survival. Perhaps you guys can develop a plan/location/bunker for 20-30 of us.

i would honestly build a bunker ..it really would not be that hard to do...it would be the expense of it...and i think alot of folks DONT prep because of the expense...it takes alot of money to put yourself in a position where you have ALOT of prep supplies and you may never use it...sois it wasted money?? or is it in fact an investment?

I am also very interested in this topic. My family is "secure" but we could certainly use some guidance in the area of prepping. I think it would be great to have a "list of must haves". I know everyone is different and has different must-haves, but a general list would be great.
Off the top of my head:
Weapons/ammunition
Food for at least 60 days
Source of clean water and fresh air
Shelter (bunker? or other?)
Means of travel

I think if it is a doomsday/apocolyptic type situation, I do not think a bunker is going to help. It is hard to get fresh air, water, and waste disposal without an electrical gride. Battery power will buy some time, but probably not much. So unless you are devoting hundreds of thousands into a self contained liveable unit, long term survival will only be achieved through being able to live with primative means. Any nice living situation will be sought after by hostile individuals, so a semi transient lifestyle would probably be the most likely situation.

Now a temporary collapse of the financial situation might be a different story. I could see a plausible situation were a person/group could ride out the storm in a shelter/bunker.

I've got a good amount of knowledge when it comes to remote camping/survival, and have built up a decent supply of gear that I could "make due" if SHTF... Plus when I run out of food, I'll just become a highway robber

But all reality, I think it'd be awesome to have a bunker of some sort. Like Mike said, the cost is what makes it tough. It's good to know that we've got some of the more capable bug-out vehicles though!

Scotty, Brian, and Mitch....i agree with all three of your points...Everybody is or can be "set up" very quickly...and the need for supplies are in my opinion a necessity to get thru even the smallest emergency. We in NC live in the ICE belt meaning we get more ice than snow during the winter months ice is heavy and tends to pull power lines down. living without power is a huge inconvenience. So even a 3 day power outage is rough. I think everyone needs to be prepared for at least 3 days.

Brian i totally agree...I think the initial bugout has a deadline. whatever that may be. Staying underground or bugged out will have a shelf life. After that i believe that you must become mobile. You will run out of food and water. Human waste doesnt break down very quickly. what about medical situations? more than likely and sooner than later you will have to open your hatch and leave, even if its for recon and intel gathering.

Mitch beconing a road warrior is probably what most long term survivors are going to become. im not talking Mel GIbson like but i think the Highway system will still be used in a way to get places. As long as there is concrete and asphalt most will still travel them. This can be good and bad at the same time...Highway robbery will be common but most people will not travel thru the woods and swamps to go out of their way to get to a destination.

We having a 4X4 have an advantage versus those with Miatas and Cadillac STS's we dont have the perfect vehicle by any means but we certainly have a leg up...

I'd also like to throw in my two cents about prepping/camping/just being cool in general...

If you have to grab a limited amount of items before you leave the house in a scenario where shizz hits the fan... you better make sure your #1 item is a water filter. I got an excellent one for $90, and it is easily my favorite camping tool. And although food, warmth, weapons, etc are all important, WATER is a necessity. http://www.rei.com/product/695265/msr-miniworks-ex-water-filter

Mitch water is the biggest necessity anyone can have...and in a bugout situation water will run out. From all the military training and all the reading i have done every person needs at least 1 gallon a day. Alot of people dont put that into actual numbers. If you are in a bugout situation and there are 4 people in your shelter. your in your shelter for 3 weeks. Thats 63 gallons of water at a minimum. do you have that enough room in your bugout shelter to hold that much water? what about toiletries? flushing a toilet? bathing? what about an accidental fire? The average human can go up to 3 days without water before dehydration becomes a real threat. Dehydration sets in almost instantly. if you drink a glass of water, your body will need more water within a very few hours just to keep up...

What is everyone elses favorite camping bugout tool?

Being in the military, and having done survival school in Alaska has taught me a lot. Whether or not I would definitely be ready can only be determined if a situation arises.

I can say with a level of sincerity that I hope something does happen. Nothing too severe, but a minor reset could do some good.

As far as my favorite tool, seclusion. I will head to the most isolated area I think that no one will think of.

David, great idea...but psycologicaly speaking seclusion can be a real lady dog...human interaction is natural and needed and the curiosity of information can be overwhelming..just like being in a bunker light deprivation sound deprivation can all be a bad thing... i think you have to have connections with other people...im not saying that i wouldnt do the same thing thus the idea of a bugout location that "noone" knows about. i would have to venture out when i felt safe enough to do so and seek out others that have "survived". cautiously of course and with an escape plan in mind. The idea of secretly coming "into town" i think is a good one. Most military and former military know of the "never take the same route" idea...but in the end i think seclusion is a great idea as long as you have some kind of plan of reintegration....

I to have a water filter in my truck...basically the same MSR but a little older. It was free from a former camper and I just bought a new carbon filter for a few bucks. It works great. Also keep a DIY hammock...just so I can relax after a day of zombie slaying.

Made a few changes to the ends since this picture...

I have a home out west. This is an article about it.

My Bunker

Edit: The wife is spying on me and said the link did not work. So I am trying again.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20568160_21116849,00.html

the link worked...and i have seen that plan and house before...i would love to be able to pay the several million dollar price tag that is associated with it...LOL...

i would love to be able to build a bunker like what the "bunker companies" build...would not be that hard...but it would cost quite a bit...not to mention that where ever you put it, the install of it could and would raise eyebrows ....opsec is not that easy!!

Have you been down to the bunker store in High Point? $60k for the bunker on display... I could build a decent bunker for that on my own. Of course it helps that I'm in the construction industry with lots of good contacts. I wonder if you need building permits for a bunker. Pretty sure I'd skip that part so they don't know I have one...

where is this store ? Ryan i have to know...now you have me seriously interested!!

World Class Powersports 2924 N. Main St. Here's a story:

http://www.hpe.com/life/x1733187424/High-Point-company-attempts-to-sell-doomsday-bunkers

Very nice...

Haha, doesn't everyone have a local bunker store?

http://www.baxternorrisconstruction.com/aboutus.html

This construction company, located outside of Boone, NC, builds custom underground bunkers.

All i need is the capital to start building one or a bunch of them...Ryan...you wanna help me out with that?? how bout a 8x8 steel safe room for your next house??LOL

Heck with that, I build houses so I'm going to do something more unique than that. And you know what? I'm not gonna tell you guys about it so no one comes to snatch my stash when the SHTF.

do i hear that there will be no more wrenching days?? LOL