Chose the basement bunker over the panic room, not sure I won

After watching one too many documentaries, I had my contractor quote both options in my 1970s ranch outside Tucson. The panic room was 11k, the bunker was 18k, so I went cheap and picked the panic room. Then three weeks ago a monsoon flooded my crawl space, and now that room smells like a wet gym sock. My cousin Dave built a backyard bunker for 15k with a sump pump and it's bone dry. Guess I should have asked about drainage before I put all my canned beans in there. Anyone else build survival spaces without checking water tables first?

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kelly_craig10d ago

Oh man, that wet gym sock smell hits different when it's your emergency supplies. I feel your pain, I really do. I once drywalled a basement without checking the grading outside and ended up with a little indoor pond and a very expensive lesson about water always winning. Your cousin Dave sounds like the smart one here, but hey, at least your beans have a nice earthy aroma now, adds character. Honestly, every contractor learns the hard way that water tables do not care about your plans. Take this with a grain of salt, but I'd trade musty for dry any day, even if it costs a few extra grand.