When Wayne Martin started digging a large hole in his backyard, his neighbors thought that he was getting a pool. When Wayne refused to disclose to his neighbors what he was up to, though, they started to get suspicious...
Putting the Backyard to Use
Most people dream of having a nice house with a large backyard. Some people want to use their backyard for a pool while others want to have the space for their kids and pets to run around in. Wayne Martin had an enormous backyard. He had some serious plans for it, too, but not quite what most would expect...
Not Quite a Garden
Curious neighbors peeked their heads over his fence when big construction vehicles drove up onto his property one day. In a close-knit community like Wayne's, he knew that all of the commotions would pique some interest. Most people assumed he was building a swimming pool, but Wayne had something else up his sleeve...
Getting Bigger and Bigger
Wayne, being a bit of a trouble-maker, decided to stay tight-lipped during most of the construction. The more he dug, the more neighbors thought that he was just building a large pool. That was the one thing that Wayne would talk about. "No, no. It's not a pool!" Things got even weirder, though, when a shipping container showed up at his house.
Quick Find
It didn't take long for Wayne to find an unused shipping container for sale on the internet. This was the catalyst for the entire project. He had an idea and a plan, but these things could only be executed if he found the perfect container. Once this showed up in his yard, his neighbors were perplexed.
Sealing It Up
Before this shipping container could go into the giant hole that they dug, he had to make sure it was all sealed up. No water or bugs would get in on his watch! He also needed to make sure that this would be lockable so that nothing inside could get out. At the time, his neighbors didn't know that he was sealing it up, so they weren't very skeptical... Yet.
Back to Digging
Something else struck Wayne and he went right back to digging. His neighbors, specifically his next-door neighbor, watched him from the window as he dug even deeper into the ground. Something was off with Wayne, but no one dared to say anything to him. Instead, they just watched and waited. Something was bound to start making sense soon...
Digging Even Deeper
After digging an extra two feet, Wayne's next step was to line the bottom of the hole with pea gravel. This made his neighbors fully believe that he was going to put the shipping container in the hole. Still, their biggest question was, "Why?" Wayne, loving all of the attention, kept saying that they would know sooner or later...
Calling in a Crane
One sunny afternoon, Wayne had a crane roll in. He wasn't going to try to put the container in the ground himself, so he had to enlist the help of a friend. His friend owned a septic tank company and had easy access to cranes. It took a little while, but together they got the container in the ground...
Perfect Calculations
The easy part was over. The hole was dug, the container was in the ground, and now it was time for the real project to begin. His friend didn't ask what was going on. He just put the container in the ground, told Wayne, "good luck," and left.
Bringing in a Sump Pump
Wayne had prepared the area for a sump pump to be put in. Just in case it flooded, the water would be pushed away from the container and into the ground. The only real reason to get a sump pump was if someone was planning to live down there... What was Wayne doing?
Things Were Getting Out of Hand
Wayne even installed stairs that lead you down underground! Something was fishy. It seemed that Wayne had intended for this container to be frequently accessible. Was this some sort of chamber? A bunker? A wine cellar?! The neighbors were really up on the gossip as they watched Wayne build his bizarre contraption...
Sure Stability
To keep this room safe and stable, Wayne installed support beams all around it. For whatever reason, the ground could shift and that could be detrimental to what Wayne wanted to do with this space... The more he progressed with his construction, the more confused the neighbors would get. It had been months, and still, they no answers...
Safe, Secure, and Secret
Wayne was in the yard day in and day out. He knew how this looked to the neighbors, which is partly why he kept quiet. It was fun that he was the talk of the town. He was giving people something to gossip about and look forward to, which wasn't a part of the plan but just made things more exciting.
Wife Approved
The neighbors tried to extract some information from his wife. She was supportive of his choice to be sneaky with it, so she didn't reveal much of anything. She did make it clear that she was for his decision to build his secret room underground and thought that it was fun and useful...
Getting More Advanced
As the construction progressed, so did Wayne's zany ideas. Eventually, he decided to make a "grand entrance" into the underground room to try and make it even crazier. He decided to make a top-down entrance using a ladder. That way, it would be easy to hop in and out with grandeur!
Going Heavy Duty
Wayne's neighbors were positive that he was making some sort of bomb shelter. They were a bit confused and concerned... Was Wayne some sort of doomsday enthusiast? Did he know something that they didn't? His wife wasn't concerned, but should she have been? They'd soon find out how wrong they were...
Sump Pump for Air
Once Wayne put in the air vents, his neighbors were positive: this was a crazy doomsday bunker. Wayne installed sump pumps for air so that people could breathe underground. Why else would he need airflow? Things were coming together quickly with this bizarre construction, and neighbors could put their minds to rest in the coming weeks.
The Finishing Touches
Wayne was making some final moves. He made sure to encase the entire bunker with concrete so that it would stay completely safe and unmoving. His wife, on the other hand, was excited to get some grass back in her yard once all of that construction was done!
Laying Down The Concrete
Wayne got a few of his friends together and they all helped lay the concrete. This wasn't just a little bit of concrete... They used a whopping six inches of concrete! No matter the weather, this thing would be staying put. Wayne himself made sure of it. Once the outside was complete, it was time to think about the inside...
Protecting the Interior
Wayne wanted to make sure that his valuables inside of the bunker were safe and secure. He lined the entrance with even more concrete and bricks to keep animals from breaking into it. Wayne was positive that they would want what was inside...
The View Outside
This is the only view available from the underground room. Wayne was so close to being finished. His neighbors were getting antsy with his grand reveal. Yes, he was finally going to reveal this monstrosity to the world!
The Finishing Touches
The interior was finally complete. Before Wayne could let his neighbors see his creation, he had to work on the landscaping. With the months of construction, the grass was completely dead. When then neighbors saw the grass seed going in, they knew that the reveal was coming soon... They were completely blown away at what Wayne had done.
A Wine Cellar
Wayne was easily the envy of the neighborhood. His neighbors took the eerie steps down into the cellar and were shocked. The walls were lined with wine and other types of liquor. Wayne said that wine is best stored underground, so he figured he'd take his wine-drinking hobby seriously. Once again, rumors started swirling about Wayne...
Other Plans
Not only did this cellar store wine and liquor, but it's also a great spot for extra and safe storage. Plus, Wayne even has plans for doomsday, of course. Due to the sturdiness of the unit, it will stand up to any sort of natural (or unnatural) disaster. Plus, it's super-secret! Would a burglar even think to poke around in the backyard? Probably not!
Make Your Own
Since Wayne did this all on his own (with some help from friends) he decided to release some blueprints if anyone else was inspired to make their backyard wine cellar. He went into deep detail about the resources he used and how much it all cost. Honestly, if someone wanted to do this, it can be done on a tight budget.
Keep It Safe
Wayne wanted to convey that the most important part about building your very own underground wine cellar is to keep it safe and smart. In his blueprints, he put huge importance not cutting corners or taking shortcuts. He wanted people to install handrails, support beams, and enough air vents. These can add up in price, but it would be worth it. Wayne only spent $12,500 on his bunker. That's way less than a new car!
Old School Bunkers
Wayne isn't the only one with a DIY underground bunker. During wartime in the US, the government suggested that citizens make their bomb shelters in case of a threat. Their only tips were to use a lot of concrete and have a strong roof. Wayne proved that it's a bit more complicated than that...
Businiess is Booming
Naturally, there are actual companies that create underground bunkers for clients. All of these businesses saw a boom in their economic growth in 2017 when Americans began preparing for war-time situations. Foreign tensions were growing, and Americans knew exactly where to turn.
A Business to Get Into
Clyde Scott, the owner of Rising Bunkers, said that his sales increased by 400% in 2016 and 2017. His company quickly became a $10 million company in just one year. Wayne has a talent for this... Maybe he should tap into the bunker business!
Preparing for the End Days
Utah Shelter Systems is another bunker company that has seen a huge boom in demand for their products. Their customers are all over the country, but most are based in New York, California, and Texas. CEO Paul Seyfried told Fox13, "The smallest shelters start at around $50,000. The largest shelters we build, a 12 by 50 usually runs right around $100,000."
Expensive Bunkers for Sale
A decommissioned army base in South Dakota has been abandoned since 1967. Within the base are 575 concrete bunkers hidden in the grass-lands. The bunkers are available to lease, but they're not cheap. For the first 99 years, a customer will pay $25,000. There is also an annual payment of $1,000. That seems a bit steep!
The Future of Bunkers
Wayne Martin built his wine cellar and possible doomsday shelter all on his own for $12,500. Although it might seem like it was a waste of time and money, his neighbors will surely know where to run if they need to take cover... or if they want the best wine night ever.