A 3D model of a small, dome-shaped structure with a cylindrical entrance and a small ladder inside, two faucets on top, a solar panel on the side, and a textured roof.

PROCESS

“It all begins with a phone call…”

It’s easy to think you can dig a hole and just drop a shelter into it, the reality is a lot more complicated so it’s important to be informed. The first step is to have a conversation with us and discuss your site and requirements. We can talk to you about what will be required and from that we can advise on the best course of action.

Once you commit to the purchase of a shelter you’ll be sent an instruction manual which outlines everything you need to do to prepare the site before the shelter arrives. Whilst you are preparing the site the various components will be fabricated and prepared for shipping. At an agreed date the shelter will arrive, followed shortly by everything else included in the package.

    • HDPE structure

    • Galvanised hatch

      • Gasket

      • Gasket adhesive

    • Air handling system

      • Ventilation pipes

      • Flange assemblies

      • Blast valve

      • Associated adhesives

    • Flooring system

    This represents everything you need to commission the shelter but this is by no means an exhaustive list of what you might like to add.

  • Beyond the list price, you need to pay for delivery, excavations, cranes, electrical connection and any additional necessities/comforts.

    If you want to take advantage of the access pipes to run cables to the surface then you need to supply your own pipes for this. Additionally you may think about a camping style toilet as well as hammocks and additional storage items. This product is designed to get you onto the front foot of surviving a period of civil unrest.

  • So how did we land on this design? Over the course of a year the designs have been worked and reworked to provide what we think is an affordable and effective system to keep your family alive. We have had to consider a number of factors in the course of this process and make decisions based on the best available evidence. For instance:

    • The ventilation pipes to the surface are composed of two parts. From the flange in the end walls to the surface we use standard plastic drainage pipe. Above ground these change to a galvanised pipe. Why? In the event of an attack there is the very real chance that building around may be on fire. We have to assume the worst case scenario, so we opted for a steel pipe to withstand the heat.

    • If you opt for the Type One buried option then you will be issued with a hatch designed to be sealed with a concrete apron. The hatch is constructed with a flange on the lower edge which when concreted over will be incredibly difficult to remove, providing you with an even greater level of protection from a hostile party. We also recommend that permeable concrete is used so that any rainwater will soak away quickly and not pool around the hatch.

    These are just a couple of the many design details which have gone into the specifications related to our shelters.