You can build a tunnel connecting your home and garage by carefully creating an opening in the ground. Creating a safe escape path takes time and effort. Bracing the walls and ceilings is critical if you don’t want to be buried alive in your home.
Tunnels date back to the Roman era when they were originally used for water distribution and drainage systems. However, in the seventeenth century, they were first used for transportation as part of waterway networks.
So, how do you construct a tunnel between your home and garage? Here’s everything you need to know about constructing an underground tunnel between your home and garage.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need To Build A Tunnel From House To Garage?
It’s no laughing matter when it comes to underground construction. Furthermore, you cannot take shortcuts if you wish to save your life. However, doing it incorrectly can have far more serious repercussions.
In many ways, having an unattached garage can be beneficial. A detached garage can provide extra space for activities or storage while reducing the numerous concerns associated with a linked garage.
One of the most inconvenient features of this setup is walking from your house to the garage whenever you need to get in your car, use your workshop, or fetch something from storage. Fortunately, building a tunnel from your house to your garage is a relatively simple project that requires little time or money. If you are ready to end the dreaded drizzly walk to your vehicle before commuting daily, you must go to the garage to work on something.
Safety Considerations Are Essential Before Building A Tunnel
A tunnel’s construction is a major matter. Even if you only have fun constructing a modest tunnel, it can cave in and kill you. Because of this, you must take all essential precautions when excavating a tunnel from your house to your garage to serve as a safe haven or escape path.
Before you ever lift a shovel from the earth, there are a few things you need to decide. Then, confirm that you own the mineral rights to your land. If you don’t, you can be in trouble with the law. Constructing a subpar tunnel is not only unpleasant, but it may also be quite risky.
You must take great care when building your tunnel since it must be able to contain tonnes of dirt and rock. Also, request that your neighborhood’s utility companies mark any underground wires. You can avoid litigation and genuine physical calamities by following these two measures.
Avoid cutting corners. Ensure You can begin planning your tunnel once you’ve established that the soil in your yard can sustain a tunnel and that you won’t be digging through any utilities or breaking any laws or codes. Your earth is stable enough to build a tunnel, have a professional inspect it.
Additional factors that might prevent the successful excavation of a tunnel include outcroppings of granite or other rock and highly difficult-to-dig clay soil.
Steps To Build Tunnel From House To Garage
Before we get into the matter, I’d like to point out that linking your garage to your house via a tunnel is not simple. You should engage a professional architect and construction crew for this project unless you have years of tunnel engineering experience.
You must secure mineral rights to the land before mining the dirt for the underground tube. Furthermore, you should contact the utility company to get the lines marked to avoid future problems.
Prepare An Engineering Plan
Don’t try to construct an underground tunnel by digging at random. It necessitates meticulous underground planning and engineering. A small amount of irresponsibility can significantly damage your property and life.
Many believe a well-built underground tunnel is as safe as stable-looking soil or dirt. Your underground tunnel will eventually collapse and injure people if you rely only on the dirt for the ceiling.
Many individuals believe that a succession of culvert piping or shipping containers will be sufficient to support the weight. Your subterranean tunnel will collapse if you utilize thin metal or a structure to hold the underground earth.
Create Blueprints
The next stage is to draw up a blueprint. If you wish to work completely beneath the surface, dig down and cover the ceiling with dirt. Each one comes with its own set of challenges. The weather and passers-by are more vulnerable in an open pit.
You should also plan ahead of time to deal with it during your job. Working from the top down, on the other hand, is more practical for a beginner. You have two alternatives when creating the blueprint for your subterranean garage tunnel.
One option is to construct a tunnel that runs totally beneath the surface. You can also have the underground garage tunnel cut and covered. If you choose the cut-and-cover tunnel, you’ll need to think about how you’ll cover the tunnel. Furthermore, the cut and cover tunnel are more exposed than the other tunnel designs.
Consider Flooring Material
During the procedure, you’ll need to select your tunnel flooring and roofing options. If you will utilize cement for your tunnel flooring, be sure it’s reinforced with rebar. You can, however, leave the tunnel floor alone if you wish to give your garage tunnel a medieval vibe.
You’ll need a solid design and structure for your tunnel ceiling once you’ve decided what to do with your tunnel floor. You’ll need to think about ventilation when creating the tunnel ceiling.
The air in the tunnel will grow stagnant and dangerous if sufficient ventilation is not provided. Furthermore, mold will begin to form inside the tunnel due to a lack of ventilation, exacerbating the problem.
Focus On Tunnel’s Wall Design
You’ll need a design for the subterranean walls while designing the tunnel ceiling and floor. You must adhere to the local city construction codes when creating the subterranean walls.
The tunnel walls must be adequately built and engineered because they will hold tons of dirt and rock. Otherwise, your tunnel wall will collapse, and your garage tunnel project will fail.
Always Work With Professional Engineers
Recognize that to build a truly safe tunnel, you must dig it and brace the floors, sides, and roof. You can establish safe strategies for doing this with the assistance of a skilled engineer. It would be a mistake to assume you could build your tunnel by laying down several shipping containers or using some culvert plumbing.
The metal used to construct culvert piping and shipping containers isn’t sturdy enough to withstand the weight and strain brought on by dirt. Constructing a reliable framework that will firmly support your tunnel is crucial.
The length and depth of your tunnel will determine how many supports you’ll need. Galvanized steel pipes or wood should be used if you believe your tunnel requires more support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What would be the cost of building a tunnel from the house to the garage?
Building a tunnel cost depends on factors such as material type, condition and cost of hiring a construction company.
What are the drawbacks of constructing a tunnel?
The initial cost of building a tunnel is higher. High-level technical supervision and skilled labor are essential for tunnel construction. Compared to bridges or open cuts, tunnel building takes longer. Tunnel building involves sophisticated and specialized machinery.
Bottom Line
People who are careless or ignorant will not be able to construct an escape tunnel. Much physical effort is necessary as an investment in high-quality materials. Consider it submersible. You don’t want to take any chances for your health and well-being.
A well-designed escape path can save lives in the event of an attack or even a fire. You can seek shelter in the basement in the event of a storm. Include features in your design that you will not use right away.
