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Find Shelter or outbuilding builders in Vancouver

Avatar for Compass Contractors LLC
Compass Contractors LLC
4.7(
15
)

Serving Vancouver, WA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2022

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"Derek and Matt were great to work with! They always maintained great communication and let me know what was going on and when. You can definitely trust Compass Contractors with your job."
House
Property Cleared
Crawl Hole Dug
Crawl Hole Dug
Framing

+126

Response time8 hrs
Response rate86%
29 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Defeat Contracting
Defeat Contracting
5.0(
12
)

Serving Vancouver, WA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2015

Free estimates

Customers say: Quick response

"I would definitely recommend Defeat Contracting to anyone looking for a fast fair construction project. I had them close in my carport and I could not be happier. The results are just what I had envisioned, and it was done in about three and a half days. We had to rethink some of the project and Remington took the changes to heart and we ended up with a beautiful outcome. Their work ethic was impressive, working hard each day and then leaving the site in great shape. Thank You Rem"
2 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by91%of homeowners
Avatar for Tyeco Home Services, LLC
Tyeco Home Services, LLC
5.0(
6
)

Serving Vancouver, WA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2022

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Tysen was wonderful to work with! He worked quickly without sacrificing quality - and I am so impressed! He was friendly, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. Thank you Tysen!"
New entry Fir door
Nichiha Modern siding
Exterior Concrete and curb wall
Sand finish patio
Curb wall and patio

+16

Response time1 day
1 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by83%of homeowners
FAQs for shelter or outbuilding building service projects in Vancouver, WA

A bomb shelter is an abode built to withstand disaster. Bomb shelters may refer to a space or bunker that can protect inhabitants through a hypothetical nuclear attack, apocalypse, or any other massive crisis. People usually build bomb shelters underground and stock them to live there a few days to a month at a time. Doomsday bunkers accommodate long-term living rather than just through a short crisis.

Builders construct bomb shelters with reinforced steel, box culvert, concrete, or other durable materials (but many professionals do not recommend shipping containers, as they’re not designed to live underground. If building underground, you’ll first have to excavate land before building the actual structure. You’ll have to implement air and water filtration systems, septic systems, and power supply.

It takes a lot of experience to safely and legally construct a bomb shelter, not to mention make sure it’s fit to live in for extended periods of time. It’s best to talk to a residential structural engineer near you for proper guidance.

The current standard filtration systems require filtering both air and water. For air, you’ll want an NBC filter system, which both domestic and international producers make. NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical, which filters out all three. If you’re only building your shelter for natural disasters, chemical attacks, and biological attacks, you may opt for the less expensive HEPA filter system. 

Water filtration requires the same level of care. You’ll likely want to have a large water storage capacity to survive short-term disasters. For long-term living, you’ll want to have a water filtration system.

Rising S bunker prices depend on the size, ranging anywhere from $20,000 to $9 million. Their least expensive model is 96 square feet while their most expensive model has a gym, swimming pool, hot tub, and bowling alley.

  • Mini: $45,500

  • Standard Bomb Shelter: $67,500–$109,500

  • Silver Leaf: $140,000–$182,500

  • Admiral: $180,000–$500,000

  • Xtreme: $450,000–$780,000

  • Xtreme Bunker Complex: $840,000–$1,830,000

  • Luxury Series: $3,800,000–$9,600,000

You almost always need a permit to build a bunker on land with any type of public utilities running through it. You’ll want to check with your local building code enforcement agency to see if this is the case for your area. 

Because you’re building a structural component that often requires electricity, water, and sewage services, you’ll need to apply for permits to attach these utilities to your new property. However, off-grid-only units in rural areas may not need all or any of the permitting you’d normally find in more urban settings.

To survive a nuclear blast, you’ll need to have your bunker at least three feet underground. However, it’s usually advisable to put it further underground. To survive a close strike, you’ll want to have the bunker at least 10 feet down and with five-foot thick reinforced concrete. However, knowing exactly how deep to build depends on the size of the blast you’re trying to avoid. Most bunkers don’t need to be more than 5 feet below the ground. 

The Vancouver, WA homeowners’ guide to shelter or outbuilding building services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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