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Posted: 5/14/2017 7:05:06 PM EDT
I posted this in the Safe & Home Security forum.  I figure some of the GD crowd would enjoy seeing this.

We recently built a new home with a vault/safe room.  I used the FEMA P-320 Construction Guide for the construction specifications. The room is 7'X10'. The room's intent is to safely store my firearms and provide as a storm shelter.  This room is not designed to sit out an apocalypse or make a final stand.

Here is a photo timeline of the construction:

Dirt Work (Gray dirt square is safe room site)





Concrete Pour



There was miscommunication with the subcontractor with the vertical rebar being set before the concrete pour.  The rebar was doweled in and set with high grade concrete epoxy.  Not how I wanted it but from the research I've done it should not be any problem and is still within FEMA guidelines.



The walls were built with 8X8X16 concrete block with rebar every hole and filled with a special high strength mix concrete.  









The ceiling was poured as a concrete slab and is 6.5" thick. A 2" electric opening and air supply and air return were installed.





1X4 furring strips were placed on the exterior of the block wall for sheetrock.



Raw safe room before finish out.  Notice here the 2" emergency air pipe to the outside.  I have two of these built to FEMA guidelines and will be capped from the inside with a screw on PVC cap shown later.



I purchased a Fort Knox inward opening vault door with redundant locks.









Next was the tedious task of applying three coats of masonry primer before painting.  A sprayer would have been much easier.





My trim guy framed around the door and I hand painted three coats of gray paint.



Installation of Gallowtech gun racks.











Room finished.  Vault door inside and out.  Notice the black commercial grade carpet and steel conduit on the inside pic.  



Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:07:01 PM EDT
[#1]
Awesome!

How you liking the Gallowtech?

Thinking about picking it up for my setup.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:08:26 PM EDT
[#2]
Bad ass!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:08:32 PM EDT
[#3]
awesome
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:09:07 PM EDT
[#4]
Holy shit I just got hard
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:09:58 PM EDT
[#5]
Sweet! Post up some pics with it all stocked up.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:12:40 PM EDT
[#6]
What was the added cost for the vault room compared to if you didn't have it.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:13:07 PM EDT
[#7]
How long till you wish you built it twice as big? 
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:13:30 PM EDT
[#8]
That is so sweet!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:13:31 PM EDT
[#9]
THAT is some of the coolest shit I've ever seen
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:14:08 PM EDT
[#10]
Very nice.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:14:30 PM EDT
[#11]
Awsome
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:16:00 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
What was the added cost for the vault room compared to if you didn't have it.
View Quote
This is something I really don't know.  It was bid as a whole with the house.  I purchased the vault door on my own.  If i were guessing, the whole room cost $15K-$18K.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:16:14 PM EDT
[#13]
Did you kill all the contractors afterwards?
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:16:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Niiiiiice.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:16:48 PM EDT
[#15]
Must be nice to have that kind of unneeded, disposable income.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:17:08 PM EDT
[#16]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Awesome!

How you liking the Gallowtech?

Thinking about picking it up for my setup.
View Quote
It's new to me but it seems like high quality stuff.  I've only read good things about it.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:18:08 PM EDT
[#17]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Must be nice to have that kind of unneeded, disposable income.
View Quote
Jealous much?
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:19:00 PM EDT
[#18]
Awesome, thanks for posting!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:19:32 PM EDT
[#19]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
How long till you wish you built it twice as big? 
View Quote
Trust me, it doesn't take long.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:21:28 PM EDT
[#20]
You forgot the trench you make to bury the workers...

Cool, but everyone and everyone they know knows about your place. 

Happened to come prepper guy from South Florida building his doomsday bunker. All the land owners around here knew what he was up to, their workers know, the help knows, and they go off to town telling everyone about it. 
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:22:10 PM EDT
[#21]
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:22:13 PM EDT
[#22]
Good job op.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:22:17 PM EDT
[#23]
I'm not use to seeing homes being built on top of dirt like that. I know its depending on the area but around here if they don't have a basement, they have a crawlspace.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:22:19 PM EDT
[#24]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Must be nice to have that kind of unneeded, disposable income.
View Quote
Jealous much, go shit some where else.  Go back to DU and study socialism.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:22:37 PM EDT
[#25]
Very awesome setup!  I'm jelly as fuck.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:24:03 PM EDT
[#26]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Must be nice to have that kind of unneeded, disposable income.
View Quote
Oh puddin don't be jealous or go be poor somewhere else. You choose.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:24:35 PM EDT
[#27]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Bad ass!
View Quote
This!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:24:54 PM EDT
[#28]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Trust me, it doesn't take long.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
How long till you wish you built it twice as big? 
Trust me, it doesn't take long.
Maybe.  But I still have another wall I can put gun racks on if need be.  I can easily store a couple hundred rifles in this room and a shit ton of ammo.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:25:47 PM EDT
[#29]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Maybe.  But I still have another wall I can put gun racks on if need be.  I can easily store a couple hundred rifles in this room and a shit ton of ammo.
View Quote
Sounds like a challenge. Do it.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:26:32 PM EDT
[#30]
Nice safe! What's the password?
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:26:39 PM EDT
[#31]
Room looks a little big for a couple of mosins and bags of cheetos.

Maybe I'm just use to the filthy casuals around here.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:26:41 PM EDT
[#32]
Awesome but with that much effort you might as well lined the inside with steel plate.

Concrete blocks are easily defeated.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:27:17 PM EDT
[#33]
Awesome.
Now lets see her full!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:27:24 PM EDT
[#34]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Must be nice to have that kind of unneeded, disposable income.
View Quote
Yeah! How dare he make better financial decisions than some of us.  I say we go to his house and make him give us some of his money so it's more fair!  
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:27:57 PM EDT
[#35]
How many times have you went in and thought "Damn this is nice" I think I'd have just walked in just because and smiled.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:28:25 PM EDT
[#36]
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:29:21 PM EDT
[#37]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Holy shit I just got hard
View Quote
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:31:45 PM EDT
[#38]
None of the pics are showing for me. Anyone else?

I love looking at cool shit on the interwebs, I feel like I'm missing out.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:31:56 PM EDT
[#39]
Awesome! I'm hoping to do something like this in my next house.

One small technical question: Any particular reason you went with CMU walls that were poured solid instead of cast in place concrete walls?

Both are nearly equally as strong, I'm just curious as to why block over CIP concrete?
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:32:27 PM EDT
[#40]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
None of the pics are showing for me. Anyone else?

I love looking at cool shit on the interwebs, I feel like I'm missing out.
View Quote
Broke.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:32:47 PM EDT
[#41]
Great job. When's the house (vault) warming party? I'll bring a box of 45 or 556.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:34:02 PM EDT
[#42]
Beautiful.  Pro tip - don't turn on the vibratory case cleaner if there is any chance Val will be calling you on the CB.

Attachment Attached File
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:35:24 PM EDT
[#43]
That is as awesome set-up and well thought out; gives me some ideas for my next house.

No basement in your new place or not common in Texas?

And just ignore the hater(s) in this thread; they are not worth your time to respond to.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:36:36 PM EDT
[#44]
0utstanding!!!!!
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:36:56 PM EDT
[#45]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
What are your plans for dealing with moisture?
View Quote
I have air supply and return which should help a lot. The house is also foam encapsulated which should help.  I also plan to install a large dehumidifier.  I haven't picked it out yet.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:37:07 PM EDT
[#46]
Badass
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:38:37 PM EDT
[#47]
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:39:03 PM EDT
[#48]
I hope they pulled that welded wire up into the slab when they were pouring. There should be chairs under there.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:39:10 PM EDT
[#49]
I'm speechless.
Link Posted: 5/14/2017 7:40:15 PM EDT
[#50]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
One small technical question: Any particular reason you went with CMU walls that were poured solid instead of cast in place concrete walls?
View Quote
It was actually a lot cheaper and I read a lot of things in my research that suggested it was actually stronger as long as there is rebar in every hole and high strength concrete mix is used.  I'm not engineer.  I relied a lot on the interwebs for my research.  I'm sure it'll do the job.
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