
If you are reading this you are probably a lot like me: you want a storm shelter. You don't have a ton of money, but you are willing to build it yourself. You probably want to know what the best design is, what it would cost, how it's done, common mistakes, and stuff like that.
Two years ago that was me. I'm not an engineer and I'd never touched concrete before, but I was confident I could figure it out and make it work if I did the research. After dozens of hours of research I broke ground. About $3,000 and 150 man-hours later I had a storm shelter. When I finished it and stood back I was filled with a powerful sense of accomplishment. My wife is thrilled, my family is now safe from tornadoes, and I'm so glad I did this myself. I want others to be able to do the same. So I documented everything and made a video. Take a look:
That's less than half of the complete video. The rest covers how to build with concrete blocks, designing the roof (the most critical part - you don't want a 20,000-pound roof failing while you are inside), building the decking to support the roof pour, and lots of other stuff. The full video is available as a direct download for $14.
I also created three other time-saving resources that are included when you purchase the video:
1. PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
I also drew up blueprints / plans for my storm shelter. They aren't stamped by an engineer, but I did have several engineers examine them and give me the thumbs up. Also included are some additional illustrations to explain some of the steps. The PDF is about 50Mb, so you could easily print these out as high-res plans.
2. DESIGN CALCULATOR
Then I realized that some people might not want a 12x20 shelter. Maybe you want one that's smaller, quicker, and cheaper to build. So I made up an Excel spreadsheet that allows you to explore different sized shelters, their costs, material requirements, etc. Punch in the cost of materials in your area and what size shelter you want, and you'll get a list of needed materials, approximate cost, etc.
3. WALKTHROUGH
And then I remembered the times during the construction process when I was stumped about what to do next (this is normal on large, new projects). So I made up a simple two page step-by-step overview and included some extra tips and pointers.
My goal in doing all this is to radically speed up the research process so more people will feel comfortable building their own shelters. That's why I'm selling all these resources for only $14. (People have told me I should be charging $50 or more for all this information.) I'm also offering a no-questions-asked money back guarantee, so you can buy with complete confidence. (By the way, so far not a single person has asked for a refund.)
What a professional had to say:
"After my friend [a structural engineer] looked at your drawings he also felt that the form work was going to be more than sufficient to support the new 7" roof. Also your steel detail and 4000psi/with fibers was great. Once again he commented on your diligence - Great homework!"
What some of my customers have had to say:
Informative and concise.Thank you for taking the time to make this video and sharing it.
-T.H.
You helped fill in the gray areas and Gave Me Confidence
-A.B.
- WOW! One of the best DIY videos I've seen. Well Done!
-B.S.
Thank you very much. I saw the video and I really really find it informative.
-C.M.