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Posted: 1/30/2013 6:21:57 AM EDT
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I recently built a home and poured a small concrete room in the basement to be used as a vault (thread on finishing the room found here). I have been hunting for a door and came across Sturdy. In my email to them for a quote I gave them some basic ideas on what I wanted and they came back with a custom door + extras quote. I am interested in getting a few opinions on this quote.
The custom vault door is roughly 70"h x 30.25"w made from 5/16" steel. Sturdy recommended 7g SS over the entire door as well as 3" fire lining. The total came out to be considerably more than I anticipated (mostly due to the 7g SS). An option they gave me was to go with 7g non-SS that would save $700. The 'vault room' is small with 8' concrete walls and a 6" concrete ceiling in my basement. There are no exterior doors to the basement - just 5 small windows approximately 2.5'w x 1.5' h. There are no heavy duty tools in the house (no axes, pry bars, grinders, etc...) I have a monitored alarm system with a motion sensor on the same wall as the 'vault room'. I live in a residential area of the city with very close neighbors and a good police presence. Is the 7g SS upgrade necessary or would the standard steel suffice? Is there something else I should be looking for in a door? Thanks. |
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I've never understood why anybody would pay a premium for a gauge steel "vault door", when you could buy a commercial grade steel door for much less money. True, it's going to be lighter gauge steel, but they are usually well reinforced.
If the person won't have the tools to breach a gauge steel vault door, they won't have the tools to breach a quality commercial door. |
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I've never understood why anybody would pay a premium for a gauge steel "vault door", when you could buy a commercial grade steel door for much less money. True, it's going to be lighter gauge steel, but they are usually well reinforced. If the person won't have the tools to breach a gauge steel vault door, they won't have the tools to breach a quality commercial door. Got a link to an example of the door? |
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I've never understood why anybody would pay a premium for a gauge steel "vault door", when you could buy a commercial grade steel door for much less money. True, it's going to be lighter gauge steel, but they are usually well reinforced. If the person won't have the tools to breach a gauge steel vault door, they won't have the tools to breach a quality commercial door. I'm a bit confused by your question. Are you asking why anybody would pay $2k+ for a Sturdy vault door over a commercial steel construction door as-in one of these? 
I think it's quite obvious... the door, as spec'd in the OP is 5/16 steel + 7 ga. SS which gives a total thickness of the door material of 1/2". Plus the added security of a real combo lock plus relockers and real locking bolts. A commercial steel door as pictured above is night and day difference in security level. What is that door? 10 ga at best for the pricey premium ones? That doesn't even compare to 1/2" of steel. If, OTOH, you were referring to a commercial vault door, please, tell me where I can get a commercial vault door with as much, or more security as a Sturdy, for less money. I'm all ears. FWIW, I priced a Sturdy door about 1 1/2 years ago. 3/8 thick steel + 1/4 ss skin + 3/8 SS cover plate on lock area = 1" thick steel (5/8" of SS) over the lock and 5/8" thick over the remainder of the door. Including freight to my house was around $2400. If I can get a better door for less money I haven't found it yet and I've done a lot of digging. |
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... FWIW, I priced a Sturdy door about 1 1/2 years ago. 3/8 thick steel + 1/4 ss skin + 3/8 SS cover plate on lock area = 1" thick steel (5/8" of SS) over the lock and 5/8" thick over the remainder of the door. Including freight to my house was around $2400. If I can get a better door for less money I haven't found it yet and I've done a lot of digging. Whoa...that is much cheaper than the quote I just received. Was your door similarly sized? |
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I've never understood why anybody would pay a premium for a gauge steel "vault door", when you could buy a commercial grade steel door for much less money. True, it's going to be lighter gauge steel, but they are usually well reinforced. If the person won't have the tools to breach a gauge steel vault door, they won't have the tools to breach a quality commercial door. I'm a bit confused by your question. Are you asking why anybody would pay $2k+ for a Sturdy vault door over a commercial steel construction door as-in one of these? http://www.northliteglass.com/media/images_upload/product/steeldoor_3.jpg I think it's quite obvious... the door, as spec'd in the OP is 5/16 steel + 7 ga. SS which gives a total thickness of the door material of 1/2". Plus the added security of a real combo lock plus relockers and real locking bolts. A commercial steel door as pictured above is night and day difference in security level. What is that door? 10 ga at best for the pricey premium ones? That doesn't even compare to 1/2" of steel. If, OTOH, you were referring to a commercial vault door, please, tell me where I can get a commercial vault door with as much, or more security as a Sturdy, for less money. I'm all ears. FWIW, I priced a Sturdy door about 1 1/2 years ago. 3/8 thick steel + 1/4 ss skin + 3/8 SS cover plate on lock area = 1" thick steel (5/8" of SS) over the lock and 5/8" thick over the remainder of the door. Including freight to my house was around $2400. If I can get a better door for less money I haven't found it yet and I've done a lot of digging. Several members here and I think ADCO have Smith Vault doors. They are very competitive with tons of options. |
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Got a link to an example of the door?
Call any local company that deals with commercial doors and see what they have available. Even a heavy solid wood door will provide excellent burglary and fire protection against somebody with limited tools. Sorry I thought you were referring to a security door of some sort, not a steel exterior door. |
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I think it is the custom size that is costing you. If you could make Sturdy's standard door size work, you'd probably save a ton. They are listed on the website at $1635. If it were me I'd skip the SS panel but you would have to make your own choices about what amount of peace of mind you want against torch attacks. (Maybe just protect the lock area as a compromise?)
You could also look at the AMSEC vault doors. You could get one delivered for under $2500. Or the BF model with 1/2" plate door for $2750. Of course, you can't customize the sizes. Quoted:
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... FWIW, I priced a Sturdy door about 1 1/2 years ago. 3/8 thick steel + 1/4 ss skin + 3/8 SS cover plate on lock area = 1" thick steel (5/8" of SS) over the lock and 5/8" thick over the remainder of the door. Including freight to my house was around $2400. If I can get a better door for less money I haven't found it yet and I've done a lot of digging. Whoa...that is much cheaper than the quote I just received. Was your door similarly sized? |
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I think it is the custom size that is costing you. If you could make Sturdy's standard door size work, you'd probably save a ton. They are listed on the website at $1635. If it were me I'd skip the SS panel but you would have to make your own choices about what amount of peace of mind you want against torch attacks. (Maybe just protect the lock area as a compromise?) You could also look at the AMSEC vault doors. You could get one delivered for under $2500. Or the BF model with 1/2" plate door for $2750. Of course, you can't customize the sizes. I can get the Sturdy door with the non-ss panel & fire proofing for that price. |
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I've never understood why anybody would pay a premium for a gauge steel "vault door", when you could buy a commercial grade steel door for much less money. True, it's going to be lighter gauge steel, but they are usually well reinforced. If the person won't have the tools to breach a gauge steel vault door, they won't have the tools to breach a quality commercial door. Do you mean for my specific application? Would I be better served buying a standard safe and placing it in my room? What door would you recommend? |
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I think it's quite obvious... the door, as spec'd in the OP is 5/16 steel + 7 ga. SS which gives a total thickness of the door material of 1/2". Plus the added security of a real combo lock plus relockers and real locking bolts. A commercial steel door as pictured above is night and day difference in security level. What is that door? 10 ga at best for the pricey premium ones? That doesn't even compare to 1/2" of steel.
Unless it's laminated steel (which I doubt), it doesn't make much difference. These lighter weight vault doors don't offer a lot of protection. Neither does the commercial steel door, but it will cost much less. The OP stated he doesn't have tools at his house, and the likelyhood of any criminal thug bypassing his alarm system, and bringing his own serious tools is pretty slim. If that happens, the Sturdy isn't going to keep him out either. I suppose it's cooler so say you have a "vault door" as opposed to just a plain commercial steel door, and if your goal is bragging rights over function, then perhaps it makes better sense. Ask a firefighter how easy some of those commercial steel doors are to pry open. Granted, they are not all created equal, but a quality steel door is designed for that exact purpose. Some of them come with an additional UL fire rating (although not the same as a records door). High security key locks, and multi point locking systems are all possible. FEMA rated doors are also available, and quite robust. |
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Whoa...that is much cheaper than the quote I just received. Was your door similarly sized? Is yours a custome size? At the time I checked the door I mentioned above was a "standard" door but Sturdy just doesn't list it because they don't sell many of them. Quoted:
Several members here and I think ADCO have Smith Vault doors. They are very competitive with tons of options. I checked into Smith, very thoroughly. I wasn't impressed. Their ale-carte ordering style means that by the time you get up to the door you want and add paint, lock, etc onto it a comparable door to the Sturdy quote I mentioned above was about 50% higher than Sturdy. Quoted:
Unless it's laminated steel (which I doubt), it doesn't make much difference. These lighter weight vault doors don't offer a lot of protection. Neither does the commercial steel door, but it will cost much less. The OP stated he doesn't have tools at his house, and the likelyhood of any criminal thug bypassing his alarm system, and bringing his own serious tools is pretty slim. If that happens, the Sturdy isn't going to keep him out either. I suppose it's cooler so say you have a "vault door" as opposed to just a plain commercial steel door, and if your goal is bragging rights over function, then perhaps it makes better sense. Ask a firefighter how easy some of those commercial steel doors are to pry open. Granted, they are not all created equal, but a quality steel door is designed for that exact purpose. Some of them come with an additional UL fire rating (although not the same as a records door). High security key locks, and multi point locking systems are all possible. FEMA rated doors are also available, and quite robust. We're going to have to agree to disagree then. 1/2' thick steel, even if composed of 2 sheets wrapped and spot welded in a few places is still a formidable foe to a would-be thief. The comparison between that and a commercial steel construction door isn't even in the same spectrum. If it's so easy to break through such a vault door then next time you're in Indiana I'll challenge you to demonstrate, on video, just how easy it is. I'll even let you have tools and I'll provide the door sample (obviously not a real door, just a steel plate manufactured similar to the way Sturdy does their layered doors. |
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We're going to have to agree to disagree then. 1/2' thick steel, even if composed of 2 sheets wrapped and spot welded in a few places is still a formidable foe to a would-be thief. The comparison between that and a commercial steel construction door isn't even in the same spectrum. If it's so easy to break through such a vault door then next time you're in Indiana I'll challenge you to demonstrate, on video, just how easy it is. I'll even let you have tools and I'll provide the door sample (obviously not a real door, just a steel plate manufactured similar to the way Sturdy does their layered doors. He's likely forgot more about safes than most of us know. I'd be careful what you wish for. I think his point was unless you have a much larger budget for a real vault door, your investment is in vain. Nobody here likes hearing that something is overkill. Insurance is dirt cheap on firearms. If there are no breaching tools in an alarmed house than its a moot point. The money might be better spent on a camera system etc. If the OP wants a real high security vault door, there are plenty of options but they are 2-3x his budget. I am thinking 1" thick solid would be a starting point. Sturdy is a company largely unknown outside a small area of the internet and and a small area of California. The Koolaid is thick around here. |
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I think his point was unless you have a much larger budget for a real vault door, your investment is in vain. Nobody here likes hearing that something is overkill.
You're on the right track. Security is a lot more complex than most people assume, as there are so many variables involved. You can keep most of the people out most of the time, or some of the people out some of the time, depending on your choices. You have to analyze your risk(s), then make some non emotional decisions. Let me give you a few examples using the vault door in question, vs. a steel door: Let's assume that there are no tools at all. The lock on the vault door could be manipulated without tools, whereas you'd be stuck behind the steel door. Neither could be kicked in. Some guys could have that Sturdy open in under 5 minutes without leaving any signs that the door was bypassed. Let's assume you have a bad guy with a sledge hammer, and both doors are outswing. Neither would yield easily, if at all. Since the house is alarmed, I doubt the bad guy would make any progress prior to somebody arriving. Six foot pry bar? Sturdy door would likely hold up well, the commercial door not so well. Power tools? If the person knows what they're doing, neither will last long. The Sturdy may buy you several minutes over the door. People buy safes (and vault doors) all of the time because they look like safes. They then assume that because it's a safe, it has some mystical ability to prevent a bad guy from getting in. The same holds true for a lot of these lighter vault doors. Yes they'll keep somebody out, for some period of time. So will other lesser expensive options. How long, and how well depends on a number of factors. |
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You're on the right track. Security is a lot more complex than most people assume, as there are so many variables involved. You can keep most of the people out most of the time, or some of the people out some of the time, depending on your choices. You have to analyze your risk(s), then make some non emotional decisions. Let me give you a few examples using the vault door in question, vs. a steel door: Let's assume that there are no tools at all. The lock on the vault door could be manipulated without tools, whereas you'd be stuck behind the steel door. Neither could be kicked in. Some guys could have that Sturdy open in under 5 minutes without leaving any signs that the door was bypassed. Let's assume you have a bad guy with a sledge hammer, and both doors are outswing. Neither would yield easily, if at all. Since the house is alarmed, I doubt the bad guy would make any progress prior to somebody arriving. Six foot pry bar? Sturdy door would likely hold up well, the commercial door not so well. Power tools? If the person knows what they're doing, neither will last long. The Sturdy may buy you several minutes over the door. People buy safes (and vault doors) all of the time because they look like safes. They then assume that because it's a safe, it has some mystical ability to prevent a bad guy from getting in. The same holds true for a lot of these lighter vault doors. Yes they'll keep somebody out, for some period of time. So will other lesser expensive options. How long, and how well depends on a number of factors. I could care less if I have a 'vault' or just a concrete closet with a steel door. I guess it really boils down to cost. Whatever I don't spend on a door can go towards guns/ammo/other things. If a $2k 'vault' door only buys me an extra 5 minutes of security over a $500 security door I don't see the point. Perhaps I should add another layer to my security setup instead. |
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He's likely forgot more about safes than most of us know. I'd be careful what you wish for. Your point? That doesn't bother me one bit. I work in a multi-million dollar fab shop and machine shop and I've been doing fab type work since I was a kid on the farm. I run my own shop from home as well. I'm an engineer by profession and in just a few years since getting my degree I've had unsolicited job offers from private industry that came looking for me because they've heard about me and my abilities through business connections. I've had a previous work-partner of mine tell me that I'm the smartest, most creative, and most capable engineer he has ever met in his lifetime. Suffice it to say that I'm no dummy either. a1abdj may know more about safes, but I'm certain that I know as much or more than him about manufacturing methods and the vulnerabilities of such in most cases. I, for one, do not bow down to him just because he is "in the industry". His credentials mean nothing to me and I've seen some of the stories people have had in previous dealings with him. I take every word he says with a grain of salt. As anybody else should do with my word. Quoted:
If the OP wants a real high security vault door, there are plenty of options but they are 2-3x his budget. I am thinking 1" thick solid would be a starting point. Sturdy is a company largely unknown outside a small area of the internet and and a small area of California. The Koolaid is thick around here. The vault door I mentioned above (if Sturdy still makes it) is less than $3000, is 5/8" thick over the whole door and 1" thick over the lock. AFAIK the Sturdy has no glaring vulnerabilities to the locking mechanism or the lock itself. Any vault door of equal or greater security is going to cost you much, much more than the Sturdy. The reason Sturdy isn't widely known is due to the fact that Terry refuses to submit to the UL testing. UL wants several units of each model for testing purposes and that is a HUGE cost that ultimately has to be passed on to the consumer. Terry would prefer put that extra cost into real security measure with no added frills. I don't think his business is hurting one bit because of it. Likewise the same could be said about Smith Security Safe. They aren't widely known outside of a small group. As a matter of fact, I can't think of any of the names in safes that are still putting all their money into added security vs marketing & UL testing that are widely known. Most any safe or vault door above the level of your average box-store RSC isn't widely known until you get up into real commercial doors like Diebold etc and then they are only known within the commercial industries they cater to. IMHO your point about Sturdy not having a major following nad koolaid is moot Quoted:
Let's assume that there are no tools at all. The lock on the vault door could be manipulated without tools, whereas you'd be stuck behind the steel door. Neither could be kicked in. Some guys could have that Sturdy open in under 5 minutes without leaving any signs that the door was bypassed. Lets face it, the people that have that talent are very few and very far between and most of them aren't breaking into houses. Quoted:
Let's assume you have a bad guy with a sledge hammer, and both doors are outswing. Neither would yield easily, if at all. Since the house is alarmed, I doubt the bad guy would make any progress prior to somebody arriving. Six foot pry bar? Sturdy door would likely hold up well, the commercial door not so well. No disagreement here. Quoted:
Power tools? If the person knows what they're doing, neither will last long. The Sturdy may buy you several minutes over the door. Just for the sake of playing devil's advocate here, how long will a Sturdy door, with 1/2" of steel take to cut enough to gain entry? Lets even say they have a grinder which is going to be extremely loud. I'm putting it at a minimum of 10 minutes and I think I'm being very generous. Torch won't do it either because of the SS wrap over the door. The commercial steel door? I give it 3-4 minutes before they get the grinder pluged in and slide it in the door-gap to cut the single lock-bolt. Even a cut resistant lock bolt with a spinner on it will succumb to a grinder with a bit more time. Quoted:
People buy safes (and vault doors) all of the time because they look like safes. They then assume that because it's a safe, it has some mystical ability to prevent a bad guy from getting in. The same holds true for a lot of these lighter vault doors. Yes they'll keep somebody out, for some period of time. So will other lesser expensive options. How long, and how well depends on a number of factors. Nothing in the industry is break-in proof. Everything is a trade-off between time/effort to break-in and cost. When considering this you have to consider the most likely threat. I think the most likely threat of a breakin is 2-4 middle-aged males with tools. I don't think any person that reads the news can dispute that their most likely breakin threat is going to come with more than 1 guy and tools. A lot of thieves carry pry-bars on their person to assist in breaking in. It wouldn't take more than a few minutes with prybars and a few strong guys to pop a commercial door open. Recommending a commercial steel door, even in an alarmed residence, is bordering on risky IMO. If that is all you budget has then its certainly better than nothing, but if the OP is looking at a vault door there is no disputing that the added cost will certainly buy him a great deal of added security, especially with the door he is looking at with Sturdy. You don't put a set of cheap, used, Chinese tires on a Ferrari, so why put a commercial steel entry door on a concrete vault? Just food for thought. IMHO, a person should be looking to match the door's security level to the security level of the concrete walls of the vault. The vault is only as strong as it's weakest point. FWIW, last time I priced a commercial steel entry door it was $400. I just bought a Chinese RSC to keep some extra ammo in for just over $400. How many guns have to get stolen to make up the difference between the steel entry door and residential vault door? |
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Lets face it, the people that have that talent are very few and very far between and most of them aren't breaking into houses.
Most people breaking into homes don't have the talent, tools, or time to deal with any sort of hardened barrier. In the St. Louis area, safes are rarely touched by burglars unless that was their intended target. Just for the sake of playing devil's advocate here, how long will a Sturdy door, with 1/2" of steel take to cut enough to gain entry? Lets even say they have a grinder which is going to be extremely loud. I'm putting it at a minimum of 10 minutes and I think I'm being very generous. Torch won't do it either because of the SS wrap over the door.
The commercial steel door? I give it 3-4 minutes before they get the grinder pluged in and slide it in the door-gap to cut the single lock-bolt. Even a cut resistant lock bolt with a spinner on it will succumb to a grinder with a bit more time. By somebody who knows what they're doing? Perhaps a few minutes. By somebody with no idea what they're doing? Perhaps so long that they eventually give up or get caught. But this holds true for either doors. UL has set the standard, and it's been around for a long time. 15 minutes of time against all common hand tools, power tools, and pressure applying devices requires 1.5" of A36 solid plate. The US government has their own testing for GSA safes and vaults. Their vault doors, made out of an alloy, are 1/2", and buy 10 minutes. The Sturdy isn't built nearly as well as the average GSA door. Neither door is designed to prevent a dedicated tool attack, and neither should be used if a tool attack is an expected risk. I think the most likely threat of a breakin is 2-4 middle-aged males with tools. I don't think any person that reads the news can dispute that their most likely breakin threat is going to come with more than 1 guy and tool
A call to your local police department can certainly clear up the trends in your area. Around here, in the St. Louis area, most burglaries are single persons, with no major tools. They tend to be young, or have addiction problems. They are looking for something they can grab easily and take to the pawn shop. Safes are rarely attacked. I would assume that this trend is true in most parts of the country. If there were roving mobs of middle aged men, equipped with tools, and breaking (or attempting to break) into safes, we would certainly be seeing a lot of post showing the carnage. A lot of thieves carry pry-bars on their person to assist in breaking in. It wouldn't take more than a few minutes with prybars and a few strong guys to pop a commercial door open.
UL test gun safes and give them the RSC label. This test is against the most common burglary tools: A hammer not to exceed 18" in length, or 3 pounds in weight, and a prying device not to exceed 18" in length. The safe is tested for a period of 5 minutes. I bet a commercial steel door would survived the same test. but if the OP is looking at a vault door there is no disputing that the added cost will certainly buy him a great deal of added security, especially with the door he is looking at with Sturdy.
I don't think it would at all, given his description of his needs. so why put a commercial steel entry door on a concrete vault? Just food for thought. IMHO, a person should be looking to match the door's security level to the security level of the concrete walls of the vault. The vault is only as strong as it's weakest point.
That's a great question. Why put a 1/2" steel door on a room made of 8" of concrete. Why not use a door that is equally as heavier as the walls? Why not use a door that is even heavier, since it is likely to be the focus of the attack? The vast majorities of safes made have doors built stronger than their bodies for this very reason. FWIW, last time I priced a commercial steel entry door it was $400
It depends on what you buy. You can buy $1,000 doors, and $3,000 doors as well. How many guns have to get stolen to make up the difference between the steel entry door and residential vault door?
What difference will it make if either door is breached and they are all stolen? If they're coming to attack the room, and they're bringing tools, they're getting in either one. |
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so why put a commercial steel entry door on a concrete vault? Just food for thought. IMHO, a person should be looking to match the door's security level to the security level of the concrete walls of the vault. The vault is only as strong as it's weakest point.
That's a great question. Why put a 1/2" steel door on a room made of 8" of concrete. Why not use a door that is equally as heavier as the walls? Why not use a door that is even heavier, since it is likely to be the focus of the attack? The vast majorities of safes made have doors built stronger than their bodies for this very reason. FWIW, last time I priced a commercial steel entry door it was $400
It depends on what you buy. You can buy $1,000 doors, and $3,000 doors ... When the room was built I didn't have the foggiest idea of what I needed. I should have done more research then, but now it is a sunk cost. If matching the strength of the concrete room means a prohibitively expensive vault door, then I will have to settle for less. What would an equally heavy duty vault door cost? Where is the information on security doors? I can find plenty of info on vault doors, but only sales info on security doors. |
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If matching the strength of the concrete room means a prohibitively expensive vault door, then I will have to settle for less. What would an equally heavy duty vault door cost?
I would base the strength of the door on the value of the contents, no different than I would suggest if you were looking at a safe. With the alarm system, a 1/2" or less door should be good up into the $30,000 range. If you're over that, I would look at something heavier. Ironically, the "gun vaults" at the local major sporting goods stores are not vaults at all. Simply commercial steel doors with an alarm system. I suppose if Cabela's and Bass Pro can get by with a commercial steel door, you probably could too. Aside from cost, a heavier vault door may not even be possible at this point. Installation is fairly easy when the room is designed for it, and while the house is under construction, there is easy access. Once the house is built, things can become much more difficult. Where is the information on security doors? I can find plenty of info on vault doors, but only sales info on security doors.
You would need to find a local door dealer to see what they would have available. Door dealers are plentiful. Every building uses them. |
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If matching the strength of the concrete room means a prohibitively expensive vault door, then I will have to settle for less. What would an equally heavy duty vault door cost?
I would base the strength of the door on the value of the contents, no different than I would suggest if you were looking at a safe. With the alarm system, a 1/2" or less door should be good up into the $30,000 range. If you're over that, I would look at something heavier. Ironically, the "gun vaults" at the local major sporting goods stores are not vaults at all. Simply commercial steel doors with an alarm system. I suppose if Cabela's and Bass Pro can get by with a commercial steel door, you probably could too. Aside from cost, a heavier vault door may not even be possible at this point. Installation is fairly easy when the room is designed for it, and while the house is under construction, there is easy access. Once the house is built, things can become much more difficult. Where is the information on security doors? I can find plenty of info on vault doors, but only sales info on security doors.
You would need to find a local door dealer to see what they would have available. Door dealers are plentiful. Every building uses them. I hate to stir the pot, but I think the strength of the door should also be based on how long you think it will take for the cavalry to arrive when the alarm goes off. Many of us live in rural areas and we don't have a police station down the block. I'm not discounting the importance of a security system, but I beleive the physical security needs to match the likely response time. I agree with you that the most likely threat is a meth-head looking for something to pawn, so a 1/2" or less should be sufficient for most people. |
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^^^^^
You're not stirring the pot at all. I agree 100%. The problem with that is that most people won't spend the money. They tend to base their purchase on their budget, and not the requirements for the task at hand. And if you're going to cut corners because it's "good enough", then why not save some money while still being "good enough"? 
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Whatever you go with, I would make sure to get the fire protection. You've taken the time to put concrete on all 6 sides. Don't make it all for naught. Also, you might want to consider what you will do if a situation arises where the police are unable to respond to your alarm (think LA riots, hurricane Katrina). Are you bugging in or out? etc. With your budget, I would expect to loose anything in the vault that you are not guarding. One more thing - installing an inswing door would allow you to use the vault as a disaster shelter (think Joplin, MO). |
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Whatever you go with, I would make sure to get the fire protection. You've taken the time to put concrete on all 6 sides. Don't make it all for naught. Also, you might want to consider what you will do if a situation arises where the police are unable to respond to your alarm (think LA riots, hurricane Katrina). Are you bugging in or out? etc. With your budget, I would expect to loose anything in the vault that you are not guarding. One more thing - installing an inswing door would allow you to use the vault as a disaster shelter (think Joplin, MO). If the room is large enough to use as a storm shelter the inswing door is a good idea. It would really suck to be entombed in your own vault after a storm. If you plan to use the room as a shelter then it should also have vents to outside air. |
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