Bunker home is a rarity in the Valley

Have a need to get away from it all? There’s a property in Missouri Heights on the market that might spark a buyer’s interest.

In a few short words, this home, located on a 35-acre property, boasts an area 25 feet underground. The bunker, as it’s called, can only be accessed by two entrances, one on the property 30 feet from the home’s exterior and the other is through a hidden panel in the living room’s floor.

The bunker maintains a year-round 50˚ F temperature.

This residence, built in 2016, is made entirely out of metal shipping containers designed for home construction. The interior walls are magnetic, so specific types of hanging devices are needed.

Intriguing? Perhaps.

As listing realtor Bryan Cournoyer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate explained, “From modern roof planes to cantilevered overhangs, “Form follows function” is the concept this house was built on.” The property is priced at $1,475,000.

And the underground portion at 10 feet wide and 50 feet long, he noted, could be used as a yoga studio, artist retreat, social distancing or survival space. 

The property is zoned agricultural/rural which limits the property to one residence, although it can be expanded. The Garfield County Zoning regulations permit a total of 250,000 square feet of equestrian or ranch use construction. 

With the designated zoning and if the property owner complies with agricultural use requirements, the current annual property tax is $2,175. The property also comes with water rights, its own well and septic system.

The home has three stories: upper floor for bedrooms and baths; middle floor for the kitchen and living areas and a lower level with the washer and dryer. The total interior living space (not including the bunker) is 1351 square feet all of which has radiant heating.

Cournoyer explained that the owner, an inventor, had hoped to live there, but his circumstances changed. He added the property’s location features a 360 degree view of the Sunlight to Snowmass Village ski resorts and more.

Although the name of the company which provided the containers for this specific residence was not available at press time, The Sun contacted a Colorado-based firm in this industry.

Courtney Schriver, office manager, Colorado Container Homes and Local Shipping Containers both located in Kiowa CO noted that while this option may appear revolutionary, it seems to be a growing resource for Colorado residential housing.

When asked about the benefits of using steel containers, Schriver responded, “Faster construction, mobility, can be built in a shop and dropped on site, toughness of the steel, fire rating, durability.  Using a shipping container for your project really depends on what suits your needs.“

Plus she said, “These are 100 percent custom. Owners can choose colors and finishes just like they would in a standard home build.  They can be as involved in the process as they want. “

As far as the history of the company, Schriver said, “Over 40 years of experience in the construction and fabrication business.  We have built homes, cabins, man caves, visitors centers and offices.” 

Go to containerhomesco.com for more information.