Been working on plans and ideas for almost a year now, and today the majority of the work was finished. I've spent a lot of time browsing this forum, looking for info an ideas, but like anything you hear/read online, its best to do your own home work.

This is part of a new home build, so it was from the start a made from scratch job. The first thing I can suggest to anyone thinking of building a vault is to forget everything you read on line, and hire a real structural engineer to design it. Give the engineer the drawings of where you want it and let him tell you your options. This cost me $800, to have my vault engineered but he brought up points and ideas that the builder and the foundation guy wouldnt have.


Going off the drawings, knowing how much weight we're talking about with the reinforced 8' walls, the vault has its own reinforced footers.


After the footers were set the forms went together for the walls.


The next day the forms came down and I could see the walls.


The black stuff is the waterproofing, the yellow stuff is some moisture resistant stuff, and it will be top offed with 6' of stone back fill. Doing about everything we can to make sure it stays dry.


Once the walls set, it was time for the top.


8 more inches on the top.


It was amazing watching how fast those guys moved and smoothed it out. After it sets a day they'll be back for relief cuts.


The stainless steel they used for the deck looks pretty cool from inside. I also had them add a drain for the dehumidifier. Still thinking about what to do with the interior walls. They will be studded, insulated and covered, but not sure with what yet.


The floor gets poured next week, and the door will be installed the day the framing begins. The door is coming from Smith Security Safes (local guy), who makes some really cool vault doors.

Very nice. If you don't mind me asking, whats something like that set you back? (after the $800 for the engineer of course).

Also - for those emailing me who think its stupid to post this here. I'm only posting/showing what is in plain sight for anyone around to see. Anyone who knows I own the local gun shop is going to know I have a "safe" - and I hope they see this as a deterrant. Anyone wanting to get into this is basically going to have to destroy the house to get the industrial equipment into the basement needed to go through the wall. There are also going to be a few more layers of electronic security that I'll keep private. So, no I dont think I'm risking anything showing this on the interweb.

I would say you got a helluva deal. I would have figured in the neighborhood of 25 or 30K, very nice.

Tag for future pics.

tagg

very nice.

Never seen a foundation poured like that with the brick pattern. Pretty cool.

Big bore,

Just building my house and working on finishing up my basement. I would recommend a good closed cell foam for all your below grade applications, It has the lowest PERM (moisture resistance rating) Its practically Vapor proof.

We did this for all our below grade walls and did open cell foam for the rest of the above grade home. I have to say I am very very pleased with my utility bills compared to all of my neighbors.

You can also get a kit to do your vault yourself.
Closed Cell
open cell

Hope this helps

nice well thought out bunker/ safe.........

whats with the big red beam?

is that to support the stainless till the concrete dries? Im not sure there was a reason to have that there. seems like you could have designed the concrete structures properly and avoided the use of that monster.

Thanks for the post bigbore; very interesting thread. I have a few questions. The continuous rebar sections do not appear tied into the wall on at least one side as apparent in the photo, even though holes were drilled for them. Is that correct, or are they actually stuck in a lower set of holes? Maybe the first row was too high? By any chance could you provide a copy of the Basement Vault/Foundation Plan drawing with enough resolution to read the details? I have some questions, but that would probably answer all of them. Thanks.

The floor went in Monday, and the door today.

1600lbs of door.


it fit like a glove

Power and plumbing are taken care of.

There is a handle on the inside too.