The questions every owner asks first.
Cost, timeline, approvals and life support — answered plainly. If yours isn't here, email the founders directly.
How much does a Fortis Substrata bunker cost?
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The turnkey underground bunker starts at $1.4M AUD fully installed, sized for 4–8 residents with 12+ months of autonomy. Hardened residential panic rooms start at $1.2M AUD. Both figures include engineering, excavation, the reinforced shell, life support and commissioning.
What is included in the base price?
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Site assessment, structural engineering, excavation and backfill, the 700mm reinforced concrete shell, the primary blast door, twin-redundant HEPA-14 ventilation, thermal insulation, power and water storage, the offline survival AI core, interior fit-out and commissioning.
How long does construction take?
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Plan on a 14-month engineering and installation cycle for a full bunker from contract signature to handover. Panic room retrofits are typically completed in 6–10 weeks.
How thick is the concrete and what does it protect against?
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The shell is 700mm of poured monolithic reinforced concrete with a steel lattice. It is engineered for high-velocity impact, overpressure shockwaves, seismic movement and ground shift, and provides substantial radiation shielding by mass alone.
How does the offline survival AI work?
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Each bunker ships with an air-gapped compute core holding roughly 40,000 volumes of survival literature, offline medical diagnostics, agriculture and water-treatment references, plus automated atmospheric regulation. It never requires an internet connection.
Can the bunker really sustain people for over a year?
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Yes. Capacity planning is built around 12+ months of full autonomy for the configured occupancy — stored water with purification, dry and long-life food stores, sealed air handling, battery and generator backup, and optional hydroponics for ongoing fresh produce.
Do I need council approval?
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Most installations require development approval and a structural engineering certificate. We prepare the documentation and coordinate with your local authority as part of the project — approval timelines vary by council and are excluded from the construction estimate.
What sort of land do you need?
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We need vehicle access for excavation plant, sufficient setback from boundaries and services, and ground conditions confirmed by a geotechnical assessment. Rock shelf, high water table and steep terrain are all workable but affect cost and schedule.
Where do you build?
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We are based in Kilsyth, Victoria and install across Australia. Remote and interstate sites are quoted with mobilisation included.
How is the bunker maintained?
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Filters, seals, batteries and stored consumables are on scheduled service intervals. We provide the maintenance schedule at handover and offer an annual inspection and recertification visit.
Is financing available?
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Structured payment schedules aligned to construction milestones are available, and many owners fund the build through equity release or asset lending. See the financing page for how the milestone schedule works.
Is my project confidential?
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Yes. Client identity, site location and configuration details are never published. Any imagery we share is either our own reference builds or published with explicit written consent.