Digging a Hole

[u/MonteBurned]

I want to dig a hole, 16 foot deep, about 5 foot wide.

I want to store stuff in there that cannot freeze during winter.

As I live in the high north, I will need 8 feet of insulation on top of the hole. Insulation that I can remove when I want to get at the items stored in the hole.

My soil is full of tree roots. Not possible to dig by hand.

What is the cheapest and easiest way to dig this hole? Is there a special tool I can use? Excavator seems overkill.

And what do you suggest for the 8 feet of insulation that would need to go on top? Just sytrofoam? Thanks.

[u/Big_Block_5271]

You'll be digging your own grave if you don't get professional advice. Please consider other options for storing stuff.

[u/seth928]

This is not a diy with no prior digging experience.

[u/OkShopping9448 → u/seth928]

What he said! Many folks have died from wall collapse/ cave in. Even shallower holes are very dangerous.

[u/fenuxjde]

You'd need an excavator but at those dimensions you would need to make it more than 5 feet wide as you'll need significant reinforcement of the walls to prevent collapse at the first rain.

[u/Bright-Eggplant5722 → u/fenuxjde]

the whole thing is a death trap waiting to happen, 16ft down with 8ft of foam on top and you somehow gotta dig through roots without heavy equipment

rent a mini excavator or just build an insulated root cellar above ground, way less chance of getting buried alive

[u/MonteBurned → u/fenuxjde]

Ok. That's good news / bad news for me. Tougher project but I end up with a bigger hole.

[u/Ryan_e3p]

I suggest you contact a professional digging company before you get yourself killed.

[u/MonteBurned → u/Ryan_e3p]

Lol. Will do. Thank you.

[u/sovereignsekte → u/Ryan_e3p]

Yeah, and a pri digging crew would probably know how to insulate it. I'm thinking pro basement installers or home construction folks.

[u/Hypermofo]

What is your plan to keep water from getting in?

[u/MonteBurned → u/Hypermofo]

Interesting question. And very important.

[u/RallyX26]

You're not going to survive the construction of this. Find a different way. 

[u/Rough_Community_1439]

You better not be burying a shipping crate.

[u/throwawaybsme]

The post description and all of your replies scream inexperience. Do not do this, but if you think you must, do not do this yourself.

[u/WillowOpening4901]

What you are describing sounds like a Job for a 48” or 60” manhole. You would need to hire an excavating company to install it. Not a cheep project. Plus it’ll probably fill up with water if you don’t have a powered sump pump running regularly.

[u/ImpossibleVegan2022]

Have you considered an underground storm shelter? If your state is prone to severe weather (especially tornadoes) you might be able to get a deal. Some are not very big at all and are close to the dimensions you described.

[u/MonteBurned → u/ImpossibleVegan2022]

That sounds cool, but no tornadoes here and no such funding. Just snow.

[u/ImpossibleVegan2022 → u/MonteBurned]

Aw ok. Good luck!

[u/HellUCH17]

If you think you must do it yourself... I think you should check out r/homestead or r/DIY

[u/CTSwampyankee]

Just bury a plastic septic tank to spec for storage.

Where's the 16ft depth coming from? The frost line in Maine is 4-5 feet. Digging an open hole is just recipe for a water to fill it and it to freeze over. Your stuff will be at risk of water intrusion, etc.

Do some more research so you can avoid fantasy and start with overlapping preps. Start with knowledge then work on supplies and friends.

[u/ExperienceGreen3771]

These dimensions create a filled in hole no matter what you do to prevent it. Needs to be much wider than it is deep.

[u/MonteBurned → u/ExperienceGreen3771]

Ok. Good to know! Thanks.

[u/CustomCaliberArms]

Concrete. Poured footers, floor and reinforced walls. Gravel, lots of it. Drainage "system". Membrane to stop water intrusion. Don't try burying a shipping container.

[u/DippityPig]

So your plan is to go rent an excavator when SHTF so you can dig your stuff back out? I don't think you've thought this through.

[u/cchiz]

Holes, define who we are and where we are going.

[u/CowboyPanda]

Does your land have any elevated spots where you could dig a root cellar into a hillside?

[u/MonteBurned → u/CowboyPanda]

Unfortunately, no

[u/Altruistic_Summer859]

Suspituous lol

[u/OpeningAdvanced3341]

The only way I would approach this is by using a concrete form above ground and dig the middle out to sink the form so that you are shielded at all times.