A 20-Foot Container

Once Wayne Martin had his plan in place, he knew it would take some serious hard work and prep. So, before he even started digging the massive hole, he had an extraordinary object delivered to his home: a 20-foot-long shipping container. That’s right! You can only imagine the look on his neighbors’ faces when an industrial delivery service dropped off this container at the Martin household.

However, as any good DIYer knows, it’s essential to keep costs low during a construction project. While Martin could have completed his entire project on his own, the container would give him a leg up on the whole project. Moreover, he felt surprised by how little shipping containers cost online! Now, Martin needed to give the container a little TLC…

Sealing Up The Container

Still in the preparation phase, the next step Martin had on his docket was sealing up the double doors on the container. Instead of using the swinging loading doors, he had a better idea: a regular door! First, that required sealing the double-door, ensuring that not even water could leak inside. Then, Martin started on the traditional door.

Once again, Martin headed online to find the cheapest door possible. Within just a few days, a door arrived at his, well, front door! Just a few days after that, Martin managed to cut a hole in the other end of the container and install the door. Most importantly, he made sure that the door he installed swung inward, not outward. While it might not make sense now, it will when you see Martin’s finished product!

Measure Twice, Dig Once

As any construction worker or DIYer can tell you, there’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a major project and realizing you messed up. An experienced DIY-er, Martin knew this better than anyone. So, when it came time to turn his attention to the hole, he knew he needed to get it right! As you might imagine, he measured his yard again and again, making sure he had it perfect.

First, Martin dug the hole two feet deeper than the height of the container, giving him some room to work with. He also left two extra feet on the sides and plenty of room in the front, so one could stand in front of the newly installed door and open it with ease. Martin thought of everything! With the planning complete, it was time to start digging…

Digging A Hole In His Backyard

Now that the hole had been measured, re-measured, and marked, Wayne Martin felt ready to begin his massive project. Of course, it was at this point that his neighbors truly started to become interested in his DIY project. After all, nobody in the neighborhood had ever attempted a project of this size before!

While some felt sure he was building a swimming pool, others felt a tad more worried. Many others wondered if he wasn’t building some massive doomsday bunker in his backyard. You can hardly blame them for their fears, as few want to live next to the paranoid prepper. Meanwhile, when Martin failed to fill his hole with water or cement, the swimming pool idea quickly went out the window! But what Martin had in store would shock everyone even more than an end-of-the-world-proof bunker!

Lining The Bottom

What Martin did next truly stumped his neighbors: he started lining the bottom of his hole with pea gravel. If you don’t know, pea gravel is a gravel that consists of “small, rounded stones.” As you might suspect, many of his neighbors felt very confused: had Martin dug the hole in the backyard simply to fill it back up again with gravel and build a garden? After all, most of the time, gravel beds are placed down to prevent weeds and stop water accumulation, which is very helpful in gardens!

While you might know what Martin had planned for the hole and the contained, his neighbors felt absolutely stumped! None of them could have predicted what his final project would end up being…

Calling In The Pros

Sometimes, no matter your status as a DIYer, it’s just easier to call in the pros. That’s certainly what Martin learned when it came time to lower the 20-foot-container into the hole in his backyard! Only Superman could have lifted that thing by himself! Still, Martin wanted to make sure he saved as much money as he could. That was the whole point of doing the dig himself, after all.

In the end, Martin did not go with a construction company. Instead, a septic tank company gave him a much better price than any local construction company. So, they did the “dirty” work! Honestly, that’s much better than asking a bunch of friends to do it! Soon, the moment of truth arrived as the crane picked up the bunker: would Martin’s measurements hold true?

The Moment of Truth

Martin is the first to admit: he felt more than a little anxious as the septic tank company lifted the 20-foot-container over the hole in the backyard. If his measurements did not pan out, he would need to spend a few more weeks digging, at least. At last, the moment of truth arrived as the crane lowered the container.

Thankfully, the container fit perfectly inside the hole! With that, Martin let out a sigh of relief, as you might imagine. However, incredibly, this was just the beginning of Martin’s massive project. Now that the container had been lowered down, it was time for the real project to begin…

Everyone Needs A Little Support

Many who use shipping containers to make underground structures make one terrible, sometimes even fatal, flaw: no support. Underground locations, just like people, need a lot of help. While you might not think that a 20-foot container could move much when surrounded by dirt, but that’s not the case. One earthquake or just a tad too much weight above ground can have devastating effects on the structure.

Thankfully, Martin did his research before he started digging. Once he had the container in place, he added support beams to the front of the container. Not only would these stabilize and support the room, but they would also act as a frame for Martin’s plans for the exterior of his project…

Is That An Underground Roof?

After placing the support beams, Wayne Martin moved on to the most challenging part of the project: the underground roof. That’s right; Martin intended to build a roof and then promptly bury it! While neighbors watched on, thoroughly confused, he laid down large, heavy pieces of sheet metal across the support framework and top of the container. Martin even had his wife and dog sit on top of the sheets of metal to test their strength!

While this might seem strange, Martin had an excellent reason to put the metal down: like the framework, it helped support the roof from collapsing. As he planned on spending a lot of time in his project when finished, Martin wanted to make sure the roof never caved in on him!

Time For The Sump Pump

Next, to preserve his project forever, Martin needed to install a sump pump. For those who don’t know, a sump pump is an essential piece of architectural equipment that helps drain water out of enclosed spaces. While some above-ground locations have a sump pump, one is absolutely critical if building any type of underground structure, like a basement, bunker, or what Martin had in mind. No one wants water flooding their underground building!

While the sump pump seemed to confirm some neighbors’ beliefs that Martin intended to build an underground bunker, many still could not believe it. After all, Martin had no other prepper tendencies!

The Right Entrance

At this point, Wayne Martin’s project had really started to come together. But there was still a major problem: getting in and out of the hole in the backyard was a lot of work. So, next, Martin decided to focus on the entrance to his underground structure.

While Martin could have opted for a more fun way to decent, like a ladder, fireman’s pole, or slide, he elected to go the more traditional route: a simple staircase. Once again, in order to save money, the DIYer did almost all the work himself, from mixing the concrete to laying the stairs. While it took quite a bit of time and work, few can argue with the results!

Adding On To The Staircase

While he had finished the stairs, Martin did not feel satisfied with a simple entrance to his project. Instead, he wanted an entry for a king! So, after finishing the roof and staircase, he started work on his grand entranceway.

Almost entirely by himself, Martin installed some rebar that would act as more support for his plans. At this point, few still believed that Martin was building a doomsday bunker. After all, it seemed too small and grandiose to become a bunker for the end of the world. It appeared that the DIYer wanted to spend a lot of time inside the project once he finished…

Testing The Support System

As Martin worked on the entranceway, he realized it would soon be time to test his work once again. This time around, however, he would need to test the support system he created. Carefully, Martin started laying down concrete blocks on the roof and entrance. If he had kept everything up to code, the top would hold. If not, Martin would need to start all over again. Unsurprisingly, he felt more than a little nervous as he worked on the roof blocks for days.

Soon enough, though, Martin had covered the entire roof in cinder blocks and cement – and it held! Once again, his thoughtfulness and planning had paid off!

Pump In The Air

While his neighbors still had no idea what Wayne Martin had planned for the underground structure, he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The project was almost complete! However, as nearly anyone can guess, you will not last very long underground without some water. As Martin wanted to spend quite a bit of time in his project once completed, he also had to ensure he had plenty of air.

So, after completing the roof, Martin finished the most critical part of the project: installing two large, 12-inch diameter PVC air vents in the front and back of the container. What a great and simple solution to his air problem!

Encased In Concrete

With the support beams in the front, the rebar, and the roof, you might think that the container could not possibly shift underground. However, Martin did not want to take a single chance. One earthquake or frigid winter night could destroy all of his hard work! In the end, Martin came up with a pretty ingenious idea: encase the entire container in concrete!

While it might not seem like it, pouring the concrete would be one of the most complex parts of the entire project. Between the amount of concrete required and the size of the container, Martin found himself once again pulling out the yellow pages and asking for a bit of help…

Six Inches Down

Once again, Martin needed to reach out for a bit of professional help. Pouring that amount of concrete is no easy job. But, with a small crew and a couple of friends, Martin made the perfect pour! And if you might think that Martin only put a thin layer of concrete over his container, think again. To ensure that his underground structure survived rain, sleet, snow, earthquakes, or anything else Mother Nature threw at it, the DIYer encased the entire container in six inches of concrete!

Finally, Martin’s project had really started to take shape. Now, with everything nice and smooth, he could move on to the finishing touches and interior of the room.

One With The Yard

Let’s face it: no one wants a bunch of concrete, bricks, and PVC pipe in their yard. Thankfully for his wife, Martin had thought of everything! You see, he had carefully measured the hole in the backyard multiple times to ensure that all the concrete came up flat with the rest of his yard. So, once the concrete had dried, Martin went and placed dirt and grass on top of the bunker, making it blend in seamlessly. In fact, today, you might not even notice the elegant staircase descending into the Martins’ backyard!

With the landscaping complete, all that Martin needed to do was finish the interior of the underground structure. Once he did that, the DIYer planned on inviting some neighbors over to finally reveal the secret he had kept for so long…

The Day Finally Arrives

Over the next few weeks, Martin worked hard at preparing the interior of his underground structure. This largely involved removing some temporary support beams, installing shelves and lighting, and similar tasks. However, Martin did not even rush this part! After all, when you spend all the time and money Martin did, you don’t want it all to fall apart because of a shortcut!

Finally, after all the hard work, Martin felt ready to share his creation with the world. While his wife was the first to see the interior, he soon invited over some of his more curious neighbors. As he led them down the stairs, they had no idea what to expect. And when Martin opened the door, they realized they had been incredibly wrong the entire time!

It’s A Wine Cellar!

Most of Wayne Martin’s neighbors expected to see a doomsday bunker or man cave behind the door – they certainly did not expect to see a wine cellar! However, that’s precisely what Martin had built in the hole in his backyard. And he did so at a fraction of the cost that others have paid for wine cellars – all thanks to his incredible DIY spirit!

For those who don’t know, wine, bourbon, and many other liquours actually last a much longer time when stored underground. That’s because rooms underground have far fewer fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Now, Martin will be able to keep his collection lasting for generations. Of course, his neighbors could not help but wonder: how much did this all cost?

The Cost of the Wine Cellar

In the end, Martin did have to put quite a bit of cash into this project. However, it’s not nearly as much as you might expect! When all was said and done, Martin spent just over $12,500 on his DIY wine cellar. He not only saved money by doing almost all of the work by himself, but also by thinking outside of the box when it came to professional help.

In case you didn’t know, professionally built wine cellars cost much more than Martin spent on his DIY version. But, more on that in a moment. First, as you might have guessed, this DIY King had a particular reason for making his own wine cellar, which some eagle-eyed readers may have already realized…

Brewer, Distiller, and Vintner

For those who didn’t notice, Martin also has a sink, cooking tools, empty bottles, and the like in his handbuilt wine cellar. This isn’t because he’s some messy build – the quality of his work proves the opposite. No, instead, Martin likes to brew his own beer, liquor, and mead – and hopefully, one day, wine! However, as any vintner can tell you, wine is the most challenging alcohol of all to make.

Of course, there are plenty of other reasons that Martin decided to build his bunker! The great thing about a 20-foot container underground is that it can fill so many different needs…

Plenty of Great Uses

For some, it might seem that Martin spent far too much time and money on a simple wine cellar. But the container is much more than meets the eye. Of course, it will always remain a fantastic place for Martin to store his wine and liquor, either homemade or store-bought. However, it can also double as a place to hide Christmas presents or store non-perishable foods in the event of a disaster or emergency.

Meanwhile, while he never designed it as a doomsday bunker, Martin and his family do have a place to ride out any nasty storms or natural disasters. The Martins could last in the container for a few days, if need be. The best part of all? It takes up no yard space – it’s underground! Want to build your own bunker or wine cellar? It’s actually not as complicated as it seems…

The Plans Are Available Online

Another of the best parts of Martin’s plans is that he did not use any special or expensive equipment. On the rare occasions he needed to, he just opted for a professional crew for a single day. In fact, Martin based his wine cellar plans on underground bunker plans he found for cheap online. Then, after its creation, he shared all the details of his creation on his YouTube channel. While you can’t strictly follow along, it’s more than enough to get any serious DIYer started.

Along with the plans, Martin also took to YouTube to share some smart tips that he learned the hard way.

Wayne Martin’s Tips

After finishing his incredible DIY wine cellar, Martin shared a few recommendations and tips to any fellow builders who wanted to try something similar. Most importantly, he went back later and installed some handrails to the cement staircase. While he didn’t think it was necessary at first, Martin quickly learned that the stairs become pretty slippery during the wet and cold seasons.

Likewise, Martin says that, at a later date, he plans to install a slight overhang over the entrance. This will not only help keep rain, sleet, and snow out, but also shade the entrance during the hotter months of the year. Plus, it will discourage critters from investigating! His number one tip? Really think about giving it a go yourself! You’d be surprised how much a professional wine cellar costs…

The Cost of a Professional Wine Cellar

Do you love wine but hate DIY? Well, we have some bad news for you… it’s not cheap to have a professional wine cellar built in your backyard. In fact, according to blogger Pinot Squirrel, it can cost nearly $8,000 just to have someone design a wine cellar for your backyard. Nothing in the wine world is cheap: rack material alone can cost anywhere from $2 to $20 per bottle. That’s right!

When all is said and done, a professional wine cellar ends up costing the average wine love around $40,000. Compare that to Martin’s, which cost just over one-fourth of that. Now, you’re probably starting to see why he decided to go the DIY route. Plus, he now gets to say he built his own wine cellar! Of course, Martin is far from the only DIYer to do something like this…

The Booming Bunker Business

While Americans started to become interested in the bunkers during the Cold War, current political tensions have caused interest a serious increase in bunker business. In fact, according to Clyde Scott, who owns Rising Bunkers, a bunker building company from Texas, doomsday bunkers have been booming since 2016. His sales have increased a whopping 400% in the past five years!

And Scott is not the only one to notice: last year, the Independent reported that bunker building had become a $10 million a year business. Is a doomsday bunker more your speed than a wine cellar? Well, there’s good news! Premade bunkers are actually slightly cheaper than professionally built wine cellars!

Pre-Made Bunkers

The president and CEO of Utah Shelter Systems, Paul Seyfried, agrees that the bunker business has never been stronger, especially in states like Texas, California, and New York. If you’re interested in a pre-made doomsday bunker, there’s good news and bad news. The good news? It’s cheaper than a professionally built wine cellar! The bad news? It’s still pretty expensive…

“The smallest [single-room] shelters start at around $50,000, “Seyfried explained to Fox News. “The largest shelters we build, a 12 [foot] by 50 [foot] usually runs right around $100,000.” Meanwhile, other bunkers – the sizes of entire houses – can cost millions of dollars! Don’t have that kind of money? Consider leasing a spot in a South Dakota bunker!

Vivos xPoint

For those who don’t know, in South Dakota lies decommissioned army base. Just a few years ago, Vivos Bunkers took over the property and, inside, built a whopping 575 concrete bunkers. And it will only cost you $25,000 to least the bunker for 99 years, plus $1,000 annually. While they are quite spacious, at either 1,590 or 2,120 square feet, they do not come with plumbing, electricity, or air filtration – so they still need a bit of work.

Of course, some homes already come with safe rooms, wine cellars, and anything else you could dream of: celebrity mansions. Read on to see what the homes of Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, and many more look like!

Larry Bird – Naples, Florida, $4.6 Million

After growing up in a rough and impoverished childhood, Larry Bird managed to become one of the NBA’s biggest stars. A member of the Boston Celtics for most of his career, Bird earned three championships, was crowned NBA MVP once, and also won a gold medal during the 1992 Olympics! Needless to say, when Bird retired in 2001, he had plenty of money to build his dream home.

After retiring, Bird and his wife, Dinah, built the house of their dreams in Naples, Florida. The incredible four-bedroom, five-bathroom property has a dock for boats and even a movie theater inside! Most recently, the all-star basketballer had his home evaluated for $4.6 million! Click next post below to see more celebrity mansions!

Sources: Boredom Therapy, Brain Sharper, Post Fun.