"Personally, after seeing some of the recent severe weather events nearby, I went ahead and installed a prefab shelter in our garage last fall."
Interesting choice going with the prefab shelter—did you have any issues anchoring it securely to the garage slab? I've been considering something similar but worried about installation headaches...
I put in a prefab shelter about two years ago, and honestly, anchoring it wasn't nearly as tricky as I'd expected. A few quick points from my experience:
- The slab thickness matters a lot—mine was around 4 inches, which was fine, but I did have to double-check with the shelter manufacturer first.
- Renting a hammer drill made the job way easier. If you don't already have one, it's worth the rental fee.
- Definitely use the anchors recommended by the shelter company. I tried saving a few bucks initially with generic hardware store anchors...big mistake. Ended up redoing half of them.
- Having an extra set of hands helps a ton when positioning and securing the shelter. It's doable solo, but way less frustrating with help.
Overall, installation took me about half a day, and that included some trial-and-error time. Honestly, if you're comfortable with basic DIY stuff, you'll probably be fine. Just take your time measuring and prepping—makes everything else smoother.
Nice job getting it all set up and passed! I totally second your point about the hammer drill rental. When we did ours, I debated skipping it to save a few bucks, but man, that thing was a lifesaver.
"Definitely use the anchors recommended by the shelter company."
Wish I'd read this advice sooner...I went generic too and ended up with a couple anchors spinning loose. Lesson learned, lol. Glad yours went smoother!
Wish I'd read this advice sooner...I went generic too and ended up with a couple anchors spinning loose. Lesson learned, lol.
- Been there. Those generic anchors always look like a good deal until you’re halfway through and realize they’re not biting right.
- Hammer drill rental is worth every penny. I tried using my regular drill once—never again. Ended up with a sore arm and barely made a dent.
- For anyone else reading, don’t cheap out on the bit either. The right masonry bit makes a huge difference, especially if your slab is older or has aggregate.
- I’ll add: double-check your slab thickness before drilling. Ran into rebar on mine and had to reposition a couple times.
- Not sure if it’s just me, but the instructions from these shelter companies can be hit or miss. I always end up watching three YouTube videos just to make sure I’m not missing something obvious.
Glad yours passed inspection without drama. Anchors are one of those things you only notice when they fail...
Not sure if it’s just me, but the instructions from these shelter companies can be hit or miss. I always end up watching three YouTube videos just to make sure I’m not missing something obvious.
That’s not just you—those instruction booklets are like a puzzle sometimes. I remember thinking I’d missed a page because step 4 just jumped straight to “install anchors” with zero detail. Ended up pausing a YouTube video every 30 seconds just to keep up.
Congrats on passing inspection, by the way. That’s no small feat, especially with all the little things that can go sideways. I had a couple anchors spin on me too, and it’s such a sinking feeling when you realize you’ve got to pull them out and start over. The slab in my garage turned out to be thinner than I thought, so I had to get creative with placement.
It’s funny how much you learn from these projects—stuff you never even think about until you’re in the middle of it. At least now you know your shelter’s solid, and you won’t have to worry next time the weather gets wild.
