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Find Shelter or outbuilding builders in Washington

Avatar for Adam Contracting
Adam Contracting
4.5(
171
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2008

Emergency services offered

Warranties offered

"Justin did an outstanding job on removing the old shower with great care and professionalize. He did an outstanding job on the build out of the new shower. He subcontracted the tile work out to a great tile craftsman but not the cleanest craftsman. They blow tile dust all over our basement but the tile job was good. However, once the dust all over the place was brought to Justin attention, he personally clean and paid for a cleaning service to clean our basement.
















"
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+32

Recommended by93%of homeowners
Avatar for Manny's Painting Services, LLC
Manny's Painting Services, LLC
4.9(
56
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

In business since 2015

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Jose and his crew did a nice job patching and painting two standard size bedrooms plus some work in the sunroom. In and out in a day and 1/2. Going to have him back to paint kitchen/family room in a couple weeks"
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+102

Recommended by98%of homeowners
Avatar for Sino-American General Contracting
Sino-American General Contracting
4.8(
187
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

In business since 2010

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"We should probably call our house design and remodel by Mason as he has executed so many wonderful projects for us. The latest was a complete remodel of our hall bathroom and the building of a storage closet/ window seat in an upstairs bedroom. As is his style, both projects were executed flawlessly and the results were stunning. He is meticulous about everything and it shows in the results. Along the way, we ask him questions and he solves other problems in our old house. He is just a gem to work with."
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+3

Recommended by98%of homeowners
EA Roofing & Siding LLC
4.9(
36
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

In business since 2004

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"I needed a complete exterior redo (roofing, siding, wood wrap and gutters), the services went very, very well and my home looks Brand New! The company is quality oriented, timely, honest and responsive. I would recommend them to anyone who needs their roofing or siding repaired and/or replaced. TJ, the owner was Johnny on the spot, responded to all my questions, concerns and requests within minutes by phone or text. He went above and beyond customer satisfaction with his personal service. His crew were hard working, precise, respectful and did whatever I asked of them during the repairs. You can't go wrong with this company!!"
Recommended by96%of homeowners
Avatar for Rent-A-Pro Handyman Services LLC
Rent-A-Pro Handyman Services LLC
4.6(
418
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

In business since 2010

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Definitely would hire again. The business owner submitted a detailed invoice to let us know what to expect for the job. When I had questions about the project I received very detailed answers. I felt comfortable that the company understood our project and how to handle building the shed. The installer, Pete, was very knowledgeable about how to handle the project. Upon completion the area was left clean and spotless."
Gulliksen
Gulliksen
Bolten
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Bolten

+25

Recommended by91%of homeowners
Avatar for Stallings National Enterprises Inc
Stallings National Enterprises Inc
5.0(
9
)
Shelter or Outbuilding - Build

Serving Washington, DC and surrounding areas

In business since 2003

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Ronnie and his crew did a great job from start to finish. Stallings was recommended to us by the tree removal company to do the emergency repairs on the house. They arrived the next day to put on a temporary roof and walls to make the house weather tight. The quality of the work led us to hire them to do the full repairs. They worked directly with the insurance company and bank which made everything much easier for us. The crews and staff were always very friendly and professional. Ronnie and his crew worked with us on changes and improvements we wanted to make. The work was high quality and completed in a timely manner and we are extremely pleased with the finished product. We highly recommend Stallings National Enterprises Inc. for all aspects of home repair and renovation."
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+9

Recommended by100%of homeowners
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FAQs for shelter or outbuilding building service projects in Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC 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.