# Safe room



## Boneyfinger (Oct 27, 2015)

i would like to build a safe room off of my existing basement under a porch area in the front of my house. Should I remove the porch and build that way( which I would rather not do) or can I cut out my existing foundation wall, support the doorway and begin to dig and build up that way? I have average building skills but less experience with cement/ foundations.


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## bud16415 (Oct 27, 2015)

If you break thru the wall you might be surprised and already have a room under the porch if it was a poured foundation. I have a friend that did exactly that only he was looking for a root cellar.


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## nealtw (Oct 27, 2015)

Is the porch above ground and is it concrete or wood. How big is the porch? if you are much below ground level you may devalope a drainage problem?
Anything is possible but there are a lot of questions that would have to be dealt with.


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## slownsteady (Oct 27, 2015)

If you can take the porch off to build under it, then it may not be as safe as you would want; especially if it is a wood porch. That won't make a safe roof.
Start with a small exploratory hole in the foundation to see what's behind there. be sure to know where your pipes and electric are located, and be careful that you don't disturb any foundation drainage that might be there.


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## Chris (Oct 28, 2015)

It is possible either way but is likely easier and faster to remove the porch and put it back. But really that all depends on the existing porch.

I am doing something similar on my addition in the spring.


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## Boneyfinger (Oct 28, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> If you break thru the wall you might be surprised and already have a room under the porch if it was a poured foundation. I have a friend that did exactly that only he was looking for a root cellar.


that would be nice, but from the looks of the porch foundation I would be very surprised.


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## Boneyfinger (Oct 28, 2015)

nealtw said:


> Is the porch above ground and is it concrete or wood. How big is the porch? if you are much below ground level you may devalope a drainage problem?
> Anything is possible but there are a lot of questions that would have to be dealt with.


the wood porch is above ground on bricks that match the brick house. It is full length of the house and I really don't want to disturb it if possible. The basement is older blocks. This house was built early 1900's


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## oldognewtrick (Oct 28, 2015)

Post some pics of the basement wall and also several of the porch. Pics help a lot.


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## nealtw (Oct 28, 2015)

A small hole to get just a camera inside to see what you can under there? Do floor joists land on the front wall where you would like to put in a door?


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## JoeD (Oct 28, 2015)

It all depends if the porch foundation goes down deep enough. If not then you need to somehow extend it down.


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## beachguy005 (Oct 28, 2015)

If you start from the outside you'll make it easier to remove dirt, pour a footing, build and waterproof the walls then backfill.  A couple of issues are having to remove and rebuild the porch but also letting curious neighbors know what you're doing.  Not a great idea for any safe room if you want to maintain operational  security.
The down side from doing it from the inside is having to move soil and block in and out through your house.  Plus you never know what you'll find once you start cutting out the wall and digging like Andy Dufresne out of Shawshank.  Cut out wall, dig, dig, dig.....find 6" water main....oops!


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## slownsteady (Oct 29, 2015)

Are we talking about a safe like a storm cellar...or a safe room like burgler-proof.....or are the Chinese coming?


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## bud16415 (Oct 30, 2015)

When I was a kid they were called bomb shelters and the reason I was told was because the Commie&#8217;s were coming. Every generation has a new reason to want to hunker down at home.


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## nealtw (Oct 30, 2015)

Up here we call them grow ops


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## Chris (Oct 30, 2015)

I've always thought about a bomb shelter or safe room but then I think if there was something so bad that everyone else was killed off do I really want to prolong the inevitable just a little longer?


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## havasu (Oct 30, 2015)

Can't zombies come through the air vents?


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## Chris (Nov 1, 2015)

Picked this up for my room the other day.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1446428369.301162.jpg


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## slownsteady (Nov 1, 2015)

does it open from the inside???


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## Chris (Nov 1, 2015)

Of course. Don't want to get stuck in there.


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## Boneyfinger (Nov 7, 2015)

Here is a pic,trouble loading others off of phone.  Each outside side  has the brick column, the inside is brick. Under the porch area all I see are a few spare bricks and dirt.


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## slownsteady (Nov 7, 2015)

I'm guessing the height of that porch is about 3 ft. which means you'll have to excavate if you want room to stand up. Be mindful that you would have to be sure not to disturb the porch footings. I can't tell from the pic how wide the room would be (front to back). 
Can it be done? Sure. 
Can you do it yourself? I guess so. 
Will you be taking on a *BIG* project? You betcha. 
Is it worth the effort? depends how much you need it.


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## mudmixer (Nov 7, 2015)

For an addition source on safe areas, looking at the FEMA standards for a "Safe Cell" that is designed for life safety from tornadoes. The largest cause of deaths is from fragment impact and this standard addresses that for use in many situations from isolated below grade, isolated above grade, built into new construction as a bathroom or closet or added to existing home. Basically it is a 8" reinforced concrete block box with a concrete slab for a top that can be built for many applications. Steel and wood are not compliant.

Obviously, the door is steel and opens inward for egress since debris and cars can eliminate the exit from opening. Wood offers little reliable protection.

Dick


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## frodo (Nov 9, 2015)

My opinion, since its your foundation. I would hire out the foundation work.

it is a skilled level job. not only the building of it,

but the excavation and back fill compaction are very important


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