Designing a preppers home

[Wulf202]

A few simple features that I didn't see mentioned yet:

* Steel roof - for rain harvesting while retaining potability
* Water well drilled from the basement - with adequate ventilation and solar pump
* Concrete or earthen construction throughout, so that the structure is less susceptible to fire damage.
* Attic mounted cistern sitting on sturdy steel beams, for both the thermal mass and gravity fed water
* 1" hardened plate steel below each window

Rain harvesting is illegal if you've got a well. Its not potable by most standards after coming off a roof no matter what the roof is made from.
Well in the basement is a bad idea for any kind of maintenance. Resleeve? Move your house over.
concrete interior walls is a waste. Just use steel studs and fire rock. Also saves tons of money.
cistern and well could be put in uphill and save a ton and increase the size and reduce maintenance costs.
1" steel hardened is for tanks. 3/8" hardened is what we just did a group buy on and they hold up very well.

[omnione]

Rain harvesting is illegal if you've got a well. Its not potable by most standards after coming off a roof no matter what the roof is made from.
Well in the basement is a bad idea for any kind of maintenance. Resleeve? Move your house over.
concrete interior walls is a waste. Just use steel studs and fire rock. Also saves tons of money.
cistern and well could be put in uphill and save a ton and increase the size and reduce maintenance costs.
1" steel hardened is for tanks. 3/8" hardened is what we just did a group buy on and they hold up very well.

Your perspective is refreshing. I'll respond with some additional thoughts:

1) I did not mean to advocate breaking the law, especially not during times of peace and prosperity. I do believe steel is healthier than tar and shingles. I'll volunteer an additional con to steel roofs: rain is NOISY on them!

2) I agree, the well in the basement would be a nightmare to maintain, and probably should not be the only well on the property. There are other detriments as well, including possible out-gassing. The real concern from a survival perspective is to have the well and tank in a defensible location, and there are many ways to accomplish that.

3) Concrete walls on the interior have pros and cons. One pro is thermal mass. You're right that cost is a little bit of a con here in the United States where we have cheap manufactured materials. Folks in the Philippines use concrete on interior walls and it seems to work very well for them. That is where I got the inspiration. (I have no first hand experience.) One additional benefit is the confidence I would gain in home invasion scenarios in terms of ballistic protections between rooms. It transforms interior walls from concealment into cover against smaller calibers.

4) On the topic of steel plate: I'm no expert in material engineering. A brief google search indicated that 3/8" is indeed adequate. I suppose that if I shoot that steel at the range, it ought to be just fine for protection. (Thanks!)

More food for thought. Cheers.

~Omni~

[Wulf202]

Your perspective is refreshing. I'll respond with some additional thoughts:

1) I did not mean to advocate breaking the law, especially not during times of peace and prosperity. I do believe steel is healthier than tar and shingles. I'll volunteer an additional con to steel roofs: rain is NOISY on them!

2) I agree, the well in the basement would be a nightmare to maintain, and probably should not be the only well on the property. There are other detriments as well, including possible out-gassing. The real concern from a survival perspective is to have the well and tank in a defensible location, and there are many ways to accomplish that.

3) Concrete walls on the interior have pros and cons. One pro is thermal mass. You're right that cost is a little bit of a con here in the United States where we have cheap manufactured materials. Folks in the Philippines use concrete on interior walls and it seems to work very well for them. That is where I got the inspiration. (I have no first hand experience.) One additional benefit is the confidence I would gain in home invasion scenarios in terms of ballistic protections between rooms. It transforms interior walls from concealment into cover against smaller calibers.

4) On the topic of steel plate: I'm no expert in material engineering. A brief google search indicated that 3/8" is indeed adequate. I suppose that if I shoot that steel at the range, it ought to be just fine for protection. (Thanks!)

More food for thought. Cheers.

~Omni~

Not an expert myself but i've got a decent amount of experience. I also currently live in a place with 12" concrete exterior walls...

Cons for concrete walls; they take up more space than standard construction thus increasing your footprint for the same living space, thermal mass works both ways, noise reverberates well like gunshots or the tv set real low two rooms away, r factor sucks, bullets bounce and skip off of them so a safe direction is questionable at all times.

Pros of concrete walls; bullets bounce and skip off of them, thermal mass, they reflect sound real well (we live next to a train track)

The R factor of concrete is 1.35 per 8" thick wall. Which is roughly a 1/2" peice of fiberglass batting or 2 sheets of 5/8 sheetrock (the same as a standard interior wall). Modern construction of houses provides r-13 as standard for an exterior 2x4 wall.

This place sucks in the winter the summer isn't bad since the south exposure is limited.

[tmckay2]

why not use ICF instead of straight concrete? or is it an older home?

Not an expert myself but i've got a decent amount of experience. I also currently live in a place with 12" concrete exterior walls...

Cons for concrete walls; they take up more space than standard construction thus increasing your footprint for the same living space, thermal mass works both ways, noise reverberates well like gunshots or the tv set real low two rooms away, r factor sucks, bullets bounce and skip off of them so a safe direction is questionable at all times.

Pros of concrete walls; bullets bounce and skip off of them, thermal mass, they reflect sound real well (we live next to a train track)

The R factor of concrete is 1.35 per 8" thick wall. Which is roughly a 1/2" peice of fiberglass batting or 2 sheets of 5/8 sheetrock (the same as a standard interior wall). Modern construction of houses provides r-13 as standard for an exterior 2x4 wall.

This place sucks in the winter the summer isn't bad since the south exposure is limited.

[HoneyBadger]

You brought up some interesting points. Hope the members chew on them.

There is an awful lot to chew on here with quite a few ideas I had not considered... Things like an attic cistern... Basically a private water tower in your home. Roof overhangs to provide shade to your windows in the summer and sun in the winter? Why doesn't every house do this??

Some very good ideas here, thanks Omnione!

[jerrymrc]

Think concrete box for a basement. One side can be open (walk out) just needs to be able to be sealed.

* Tunnel from the basement to a hidden exit as emergency egress and/or flanking position.

But from a walk in safe.

Have had the plan in mind for years.

[omnione]

One side can be open (walk out) just needs to be able to be sealed. But from a walk in safe.

You mean like this safe?



http://www.sportsmansteelsafes.com/safe_room.htm

I could get behind that idea.

[Irving]

Roof overhangs to provide shade to your windows in the summer and sun in the winter? Why doesn't every house do this??

They are called window awnings. My house has them. They do a great job keeping the house cool in the summer with no A/C. They are ugly though. Well, my awnings are ugly. I bet some HOA's don't even allow them.

I like this style.

[ChunkyMonkey]

They are called window awnings. My house has them. They do a great job keeping the house cool in the summer with no A/C. They are ugly though. Well, my awnings are ugly. I bet some HOA's don't even allow them.

I like this style.

How about Carbon Steel 'awning'? They are popular in Southern China, Taiwan, The Philippine Islands for storm protection (hurricane). I wonder if gulf coast area has them.

[tmckay2]

How about Carbon Steel 'awning'? They are popular in Southern China, Taiwan, The Philippine Islands for storm protection (hurricane). I wonder if gulf coast area has them.

These were my plan for all widows. Doors I would buy steel and put some safe/blast doors on the bunker room.