2 Survival-Bunker Makers Say Demand Has Been High Since War in Ukraine Started

Two US-based bunker manufacturers told Insider they have seen an uptick in bunker sales in the weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Ron Hubbard is the CEO of Texas-based Atlas Survival Shelters, a company that customizes luxury underground bunkers and safe shelters. He launched the company in 2011.

“For a shine there three weeks ago, it was a call every minute,” Hubbard told Insider about rising demand for bunkers.

Insider’s Aine Cain reported on the uptick in bunker interest in late February, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Now, weeks after the invasion, the trend doesn’t appear to be tapering off.

“I get typically around 75 calls a day on average during the past month, with one or two sales average per day, which still amounts to about 50+ sales in a month,” Gary Lynch, the CEO of steel bunker manufacturer Rising S Company, told Insider. He started the company in 2003, and also offers buyers advice on how to stock their shelters.

While the threat of a nuclear war has traditionally been a driver for the sale of bunkers, they were not the only reason people bought bunkers, Lynch said.

Many buyers choose to purchase shelters in case of natural disasters, economic or social collapse, or to protect themselves from home intrusions, Lynch said.

“We have built a few for people that did intend to live in them as their primary home, although not many. One notable account was a lady that lived in hers for three years while she saved to build a home on top of it as well as during the construction process,” he said.

The bunker is currently part of the completed home, and it’s where the master bedroom and bathroom are now located, he added.

Lynch said that not only is he seeing an increase in demand, but he’s also seeing demand from a wider pool of buyers.

“What makes this recent uptick in sales different is that these buyers may not have ever considered purchasing a shelter before the recent nuclear threats,” Lynch said.

Past buyers have typically made their purchases after years of research and consideration. But the recent spate of buyers, Lynch said, were completely new to the idea, and from both sides of the political spectrum.

“Never before have we seen this,” he added.

This new buyer demographic ranges across all age groups and family sizes. He’s had buyers express interest from urban areas such as Long Island, Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle, he said.

In an as-told-to essay in September, Hubbard told Insider’s Jenny Powers that Democrats didn’t historically drive sales for him. Now, he said interest is coming from across the spectrum. “Up until now, it is 99% Republicans who buy bunkers,” he said.

But modern survival bunkers don’t come cheap.

Survival bunkers are expensive because of their structural protection systems, including the steel and concrete used in construction, as well as the blast-proof, airtight doors.

Lynch said his most popular shelters range between $150,000 to $250,000 in price. Bunkers in this price range measure 10 feet by 50 feet, and they’re designed to look like regular homes, with separate rooms for living, sleeping, and eating.

The cheapest bunker available on his site measures 8 feet by 12 feet, with prices starting at $45,500. His most expensive shelter, which costs $9,602,500, includes luxury amenities like a sauna, a gun range, and a swimming pool.

Hubbard did not provide details on the type of bunkers that are most popular among his buyers. The base price of the Platinum series bunkers starts at $300 per square feet, per his site.

Bunkers can also be customized according to the buyer’s needs and preferences.

“If you want to add a feature that you don’t see, just ask because there are very few limitations to what we can do,” Lynch said.

“This medical unit was for a surgeon — the chair was chosen to save space. The plan was to have a place for suturing and even light surgeries during times when you may not have medical services available,” he said of the bunker pictured above.

Hubbard, too, said bunkers can be adapted to the buyer’s taste.

“Most people want basic protection but the elites want the same comforts as an average home: Tall ceilings, private bedrooms, full bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, storage,” Hubbard said.

The bunker movement isn’t new, but it does appear to be steadily attracting more mainstream attention.

In 2017, Insider reported on an entrepreneur who had built a luxury 15-story underground survival shelter that has individual units available for sale.

And it’s not just the war in Ukraine that’s led to a spike in demand. Early on in the pandemic, some doomsday preppers took to hiding out in their bunkers.

Due to political uncertainty as well as the threat of climate change, both bunker manufacturers said they expect buyer interest to remain steady in the near future.

“The demand for bunkers peaked in the second and third weeks of the war. I see it slowing down already, but the trend is here to stay for years to come, especially with Putin still in charge,” Hubbard said.