How do I build a survival shelter?
Building a survival shelter begins with thorough planning starting with a formal Protection Program. At Hardened Structures we start with a formal Protection Program design development phase to ensure the shelter meets the owner’s needs safely and effectively. This phase includes three major categories:
- Threat Hierarchy – The design team interviews the client to determine the types of threats to prepare for and rank them by likelihood and potential impact. While no budget can cover every possible scenario, we focus on the top 3–5 most likely threats, the top 3–5 most devastating, and additional threats that are critical to the owner. Threats can range from radiation fallout, conventional blasts, Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP), direct assault, or regional natural disasters.
- Assets to Protect – Human life is the most valuable asset, followed by the infrastructure necessary to sustain life. Critical factors include:
- Air: People can survive only minutes without breathable air.
- Water: Typically 3 days without water is the maximum.
- Food: Survival up to 3 weeks without sustenance.
- Waste Management: Without proper sanitation, shelters quickly become uninhabitable.
Together with the client we establish the number of occupants, special needs, duration of sheltering, and the resources required. Power is a key factor, supporting pumps, air filters, lighting, cooking, heating, water systems, and security cameras. Redundant, off-grid power systems are essential allowing continuous operation even if a component fails, so also fuel supply and backup systems are also essential. All underground shelters require at least one emergency escape.
- Site-Specific Conditions – The property must be assessed for construction feasibility, defensibility, and local environmental risks. Factors include proximity to population centers, crime rates, regional hazards such as flooding, wildfires, or fallout zones. These criteria heavily influence shelter design and location.
- Budget Considerations – The owner’s budget is compared against the protection and survival goals identified in programming. If budget issues are identified, value engineering and alternative protection designs are discussed and confirmed before design.
Once program development is complete, architects and engineers translate the requirements into detailed code-compliant plans. While some shelter companies offer “one-size-fits-all” solutions, these often include trade-offs—for example, insufficient water storage or inadequate life-support systems for the anticipated duration of occupancy. Hardened Structures ensures that your specific shelter project is purpose-built, balanced for your threats, resources, and site-specific needs.
Finally, permitting requirements are reviewed before construction begins. The decision to obtain a building permit is determined by the owner, however, as professional architects and engineers Hardened Structures must design your shelter to comply with all regulatory building and life safety codes regardless if a building permit is obtained or not. Hardened Structures assists in selecting contractors and vendors, and provides professional oversight through architects, engineers, and Hardened Structures project managers to ensure successful project delivery.