Storm Shelter Relocation, Removal and Inspection in Tuscaloosa, AL

Not every storm shelter call is about a new unit. People buy houses that come with a shelter of unknown age, want to take a bolted safe room with them when they move, need an old flooded storm pit filled in, or simply want someone to tell them whether the shelter in the backyard would hold up. Call (205) 346-8680 and we will connect you with an independent storm shelter installer in the Tuscaloosa area who handles this kind of work. Tuscaloosa Storm Shelters is a referral service operated by Recover Profits Now. We do not build, sell or install shelters; the independent installer you are connected with quotes and does the work.

When to call

• You are buying or just bought a home with a shelter and have no paperwork for it.
• The shelter takes on water, the door sticks, the lid will not slide, or you see rust through the coating.
• You are moving and want to take an above-ground steel safe room along.
• You are remodeling or adding on, and the shelter is in the way.
• An old block or concrete storm pit is caving in, full of water or a hazard for children.
• The shelter has never been registered with Tuscaloosa County EMA.

Shelter inspections

A shelter inspection is a visual and hands-on check of the unit. Typical items include:

1. Identity. Finding the maker, model or label if there is one, and any engineering or test documents.
2. Anchors. Counting and checking anchor bolts against what the design calls for, and looking for cracked concrete around them.
3. Door and latches. Testing that the door closes, latches at every point and opens from inside.
4. Structure. Looking for rust-through, cracks, bent panels and failed welds.
5. Water and ventilation. Checking drainage, standing water and blocked vents.
6. Report. Ask for written findings and a list of fixes, with prices if repairs are needed.

An inspection cannot always prove an older home-built shelter meets today's standards. Without design documents, the honest answer may be that nobody knows what it would withstand.

Relocation

Bolted above-ground units can usually be moved. The installer removes the anchors, lifts the unit with a forklift or crane truck, hauls it to the new site and re-anchors it to a slab that meets the shelter's requirements. In-ground and garage floor units are much harder to move and are usually replaced rather than relocated.

Removal

Removing a buried shelter means digging it out or, in some cases, breaking it up and filling the hole with compacted material so the ground does not settle later. Garage floor units may also need slab patching.

Typical cost ranges

These come from national cost guides, not local quotes. Get a written price before work starts.

What drives the price

• Distance and equipment. Moving a heavy unit across town needs a truck, a lift and a crew.
• New slab work. The new site may need a pad poured before re-anchoring.
• Buried units. Digging, haul-off and compacted fill all add cost.
• Condition. Rusted bolts and collapsed walls slow the job.

How long it takes

An inspection usually takes an hour or two. A relocation is often done in a day once the new pad is ready. Removing a buried shelter can take one to three days, depending on size and weather.

Registration help

Tuscaloosa County EMA runs a shelter self-registration program. The EMA says the registry is not public and exists so first responders know where to look for people after a storm, when debris can hide a shelter. If you moved a shelter, bought a home that has one, or never registered, update or add it. An installer can help you gather details like location and size, but the registration is yours to file.

Local factors

Tuscaloosa County has a long history with storm shelters. Older homes in the county may have home-built block storm pits or early steel units with no paperwork. Since the December 2000 F4 and the April 27, 2011 EF-4, many more shelters have gone in, and some of those houses have since changed owners. Low ground near the Black Warrior River and the county's creeks can leave older buried shelters holding water. If you hope to claim the Alabama storm shelter tax credit on a new unit, note that the Alabama Department of Revenue says it is not available if you already have a storm shelter, so ask about that before removing or replacing one; see our tax credit page.

Licenses, standards and permits in Alabama

Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board licenses home builders and remodelers, and its consumer warnings tell homeowners to ask a contractor to show a license card and to check status at hblb.alabama.gov or 1-800-304-0853. Ask any storm shelter installer which state license they hold, if any, and whether it covers your job. Ask for proof of insurance as well. For the shelter itself, ask for documents showing the design meets FEMA P-320 or P-361 and the ICC 500 standard. Permit rules depend on where you live and the type of shelter, so have your installer confirm permit needs with the City of Tuscaloosa, the City of Northport or Tuscaloosa County before work starts.

Call (205) 346-8680 to get connected with a local installer for relocation, removal or inspection.

Frequently asked questions

Areas we serve

We connect callers across Tuscaloosa, Northport and Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, including:

• Tuscaloosa
• Northport
• Cottondale
• Holt
• Alberta City
• Cedar Crest
• Coker
• Brookwood
• Duncanville
• Vance
• Lake Tuscaloosa
• Moundville
• Taylorville
• Tuscaloosa County

Local pages: Northport, Holt, Cottondale.

Related services

• Community & Business Shelters
• In-Home & Closet Safe Rooms
• Above-Ground Steel Safe Rooms
• Underground Storm Shelters
• Garage Floor Shelters