In-garage shelters
A steel or concrete unit installed in the garage, either set into the slab below the floor or bolted to the slab as an above-ground room. You reach it without stepping outside.
How it works
Below-floor units are lowered into an opening cut in the garage slab, with a sliding or hinged steel lid you can park over when it is closed. Above-ground garage units are anchored to the existing slab with engineered anchors. Either way, the slab and its anchoring matter as much as the box itself, so an installer should check the slab before quoting.
Good for
- Getting to shelter fast, from inside the house, at night
- Homes where yard space is tight or the backyard is hard to reach
- Households that want a shelter that stays out of sight
Watch for
- Below-floor units need stairs or a ladder, which is hard for some people
- Some units take a parking space or need a car moved to open
- Post-tension slabs need extra care before any cutting
Cost
Published cost guides put most garage and safe room units in the low-to-mid thousands; your installer confirms the actual price. See the cost guide for ranges and sources.
Standards
Ask for documentation that the model, including its door and anchoring, was tested to ICC 500 and FEMA P-361.
Compare: In-ground (underground) shelters · Above-ground safe rooms
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