I am lucky enough to have a brick built double garage. It was built in 2000 with a pitched roof. It measures 24 ft x 19 ft (each side is 12 ft x 19 ft).
I have divided the garage in half - one half to be a store the other to be control room (for want of a better word).
I have painted the floor areas with grey rubber paint to avoid dust. I intend to put boards in the loft area (both sides) which will enable me to use it for further storage.
I have already put a stud partition wall in the middle which effectively cuts each room off from the other. Above the control room side I have insulated the roof.
In the control room I have installed a 19ft long wooden desk the length of the garage. I intend to use this area for communications gear etc... I still possess my old radio ham gear but have decided to make my main comms system CB based. In the end I will have full access to CB, 144mhz, 430mhz and full HF.
My old HF Yausu FT840 will come in handy.
The control room has full mapping on the walls - world, national road maps, 2 levels of ordnance survey maps of the whole of Kent. I have mounted the maps on cork tiles which enables me to use map pins and lables etc.
I'd be very interested in hearing from others out there with a similar set up or anyone intending to do what I have done.
I have realised that their are two kinds of preppers - the kind that intend to collect their bug out bag and live off the land and the kind (like myself) who intends to try and live in a degree of comfort. For me surviving SHTF means making arrangements for 6 months plus survival (10 persons).
I am quite lucky because 2 of my hobbies have come in handy in this respect. I am a radio amateur and a hunter. I possess shotguns and firearms for pest control. This said, I have much to learn from some of you because although I have always wanted to become a prepper, I am only just starting out in this endevour...
Of course I will use my firearms just for food.
It would be nice to get in touch with a local prepper who understands what I'm trying to achieve here.
My Mrs just thinks I'm bloody paranoid!
Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
Loving the concept of a control centre! It does make me wonder about security though, whats it like? Is it a single skin wall, or cavity? Where's the access to the control centre part?
Still loving it tho
Still loving it tho
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
The garage is brick built with a double skin just like the house itself. It's a very secure rural location too so I don't envisage too many visitors.
Access is via a set of patio doors - I have taken the garage door off and binned it. The patio door is 3 lever multi locking. The food store next door has a normal up'n over garage door fitted because I keep my beloved mint Yamaha XT600E in there too.
Okay calling one side my control centre may be pushing things a bit for... What else can I call it though? It will be the area where I have contact with the outside world and spend most of my time.
The control centres I have used in 23 years of police work looked remarkably like my version of one only on a larger scale.
I'm just starting out so a few ideas from others is most welcome.
It's a bloody good place to go when I'm getting on the Mrs nerves too.
It would be nice if I could make contact with a KENT based prepper who is doing the same kind of thing as myself.
Access is via a set of patio doors - I have taken the garage door off and binned it. The patio door is 3 lever multi locking. The food store next door has a normal up'n over garage door fitted because I keep my beloved mint Yamaha XT600E in there too.
Okay calling one side my control centre may be pushing things a bit for... What else can I call it though? It will be the area where I have contact with the outside world and spend most of my time.
The control centres I have used in 23 years of police work looked remarkably like my version of one only on a larger scale.
I'm just starting out so a few ideas from others is most welcome.
It's a bloody good place to go when I'm getting on the Mrs nerves too.
It would be nice if I could make contact with a KENT based prepper who is doing the same kind of thing as myself.
Last edited by modplod on Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
It sounds brilliant, modplod!
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
Like I say, I'm just starting out.
When I'm done I hope to have enough things in place to survive 6 months of hell. The main house will be used for normal living. It is not jined onto the garage but is only 10 feet away. I can't do too much inside the house because that's her domain. She thinks I'm bloody paranoid!
My view is that in precisely 100 years our anti-British dictatorships have literally bought our country to it's knees and bankruptcy - less than 100 years ago WE were the worlds most powerful and richest country by far.
The recent banking blip is just the start of things to come. Our failed politicians (of the failed traitor 3 political parties) will soon reap what they have sown and YOU and I will be on the receiving end not them.
Our version of democracy is a joke. We live in a time where you can be arrested & locked up for just speaking the truth. The thought police truly are out there monitoring us all.
I intend to act now while I can.
The thing that annoys me most is that most people (the sheep as I like to refer to them) seem more interested in Eastenders or Strictly Come..... than what is happening around them!!!!!
Then again the British people have gotten what they voted for!
When I'm done I hope to have enough things in place to survive 6 months of hell. The main house will be used for normal living. It is not jined onto the garage but is only 10 feet away. I can't do too much inside the house because that's her domain. She thinks I'm bloody paranoid!
My view is that in precisely 100 years our anti-British dictatorships have literally bought our country to it's knees and bankruptcy - less than 100 years ago WE were the worlds most powerful and richest country by far.
The recent banking blip is just the start of things to come. Our failed politicians (of the failed traitor 3 political parties) will soon reap what they have sown and YOU and I will be on the receiving end not them.
Our version of democracy is a joke. We live in a time where you can be arrested & locked up for just speaking the truth. The thought police truly are out there monitoring us all.
I intend to act now while I can.
The thing that annoys me most is that most people (the sheep as I like to refer to them) seem more interested in Eastenders or Strictly Come..... than what is happening around them!!!!!
Then again the British people have gotten what they voted for!
Last edited by modplod on Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
Sounds like a retreat from a visiting mother in law, or the perfect retirement hideaway man cave from day time TV and soap operasWhen I'm done I hope to have enough things in place to survive 6 months of hell. The main house will be used for normal living. It is not jined onto the garage but is only 10 feet away. I can't do too much inside the house because that's her domain. She thinks I'm bloody paranoid!
I have a strategy, it's not written in stone, nor can it be, this scenario has too many variables, everything about it depends on those variables, being specific is not possible.
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
From reading most posts it would appear that many peoples idea of prepping is merely having a simple bugout bag in the corner of the house? That is fine if you wish to live like a cave man for months on end...
I presume there are some others here who take the matter a bit more seriously?
I realise and accept that not everyone has the funds to go to the lengths I propose.
The problem I have is convincing my friends and family that it is a worthwhile project. I'm sure they look on me as some kind of nutter.
I presume there are some others here who take the matter a bit more seriously?
I realise and accept that not everyone has the funds to go to the lengths I propose.
The problem I have is convincing my friends and family that it is a worthwhile project. I'm sure they look on me as some kind of nutter.
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
I have amassed the following bits and pieces for my project most of which are remnants of my past and present hobbies:
Fishing gear (freshwater and sea)
Shotguns x 3
Firearms X 2 (.22LR rimfire) for hunting rabbits.
Airgun (Diana model 48 in .177 flavour).
HF Ham Radio (Yausu FT840).
Alinco DR430 (UHF ham radio)
Midland CB handheld
Yausu Scanner (10 mhx - 1300 mhz coverage).
Plug-in Power Supply for HF set above.
Various receivers (normal radios).
Mapping.
Satnav x 2.
Handheld GPS.
Compass.
I own 2 cars one of which is a small 4x4 (Daihatsu Terios) (SEAT Altea diesal). I also own a Yamaha XT600E trail bike.
My next list will be water storage and food.
Fishing gear (freshwater and sea)
Shotguns x 3
Firearms X 2 (.22LR rimfire) for hunting rabbits.
Airgun (Diana model 48 in .177 flavour).
HF Ham Radio (Yausu FT840).
Alinco DR430 (UHF ham radio)
Midland CB handheld
Yausu Scanner (10 mhx - 1300 mhz coverage).
Plug-in Power Supply for HF set above.
Various receivers (normal radios).
Mapping.
Satnav x 2.
Handheld GPS.
Compass.
I own 2 cars one of which is a small 4x4 (Daihatsu Terios) (SEAT Altea diesal). I also own a Yamaha XT600E trail bike.
My next list will be water storage and food.
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
You are quite right there are two types the bug out lot and bug in lot. For me I have a toe in each camp I am stayng in as long as possible but do have a bug out a few miles away to ride out any unrest as there is no way I can defened my family ( have got ideas about that but no guns) But no where near wild camping I'm getting old worse case I have a very nice family member who moved(not saying where) incase of (zombies) this gives me a foot in a community so I would not be considered a refugee as I visit them quite a lot and help out when I can in said community.
I love the idea of the control centre never thought of something like that do you think you could post a picture of it so I have an idea about how you are setting it out if I can find room might have a go at doing something like this myself
I love the idea of the control centre never thought of something like that do you think you could post a picture of it so I have an idea about how you are setting it out if I can find room might have a go at doing something like this myself
AREA's 5-6 and 4
Feet the original All Terrain Vehicle
Feet the original All Terrain Vehicle
Re: Brick Built Double Garage - my control centre!
Modplod are you planning to put anything in their in terms of security monitoring like CCTV for your property?
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain
Area 4
Mark Twain
Area 4