ever it is, it allows them to continue their work away from but it can be done in most cases. You can have a false wall,
their base of operations. It could even be needed by a politi- an excavation under the house, through the basement floor,
cian or diplomat after an event that renders their primary fa- or through the garage.”
cility useless. A lot of the considerations for these rooms Condos and townhouses require the problem-solving tal-
came about after 9/11 – you have a disaster like that and it ents of Homestead Renovations. If the structure has con-
wipes out everything. COOP rooms provide a backup facility crete ceilings and floors, if it’s a studio or one-bedroom
so that you can continue your work.” condo where what you see is pretty much what you get, it
Regarding security, most of us are aware of the dangers takes some creative planning to situate a safe room.
that lurk out there, and home safety is a major concern. The “It isn’t just all one big room,” says Frost. “There are op-
current economy has some folks nervous about their finan- tions, but again it depends on the purpose of the safe room.
cial institutions, and protecting assets takes on new impor- It could be as small as a little closet or a space carved out of
tance. Perhaps you just want to hide valuables, such as a utility room. We’re very careful and we’re very discreet with
jewels, rare books or even a gun collection. If someone the services we provide. People want to keep the existence
wants to burgle your house, they will find a way. of these rooms secret – we take no photographs that could
“Invaders can’t steal or harm what they can’t find,” states reveal any information about the project or location whatso-
Frost with breathtaking simplicity. “How we construct and ever, and our records are ‘adjusted’ to mask the room’s ac-
outfit safe rooms depends on how they’re going to be used. tual use and location. With the Freedom of Information Act,
Most of the time, if it’s going to be used for an outside anyone can go to the County Services building and say they
threat, it might only be for a couple hours or maybe a day or want to see the plans for this or that house. If there’s a safe
so. Other rooms could be used for nuclear, biological or room, and it’s on the plans, it becomes public knowledge.”
chemical attack and they can be outfitted for the occupants Many times their work is done after final inspections and
to last for weeks or even months. They can be hardened does not involve permits, a fact Frost admits just goes with
structures, buried so that a blast goes right over it. How we the territory. “You want your den renovated? Fine, we can do
construct safe rooms depends on the real or imagined fears that to disguise the construction of a ‘special’ room.”
of our clients.” “In the past, we have done work for somebody for an-
The list includes, but is not limited to, natural disasters other purpose and in the course of conversation the issue of
like tornadoes and fire, occupational risks, the fear of being a safe room or a vault or a hidden room has come up and
kidnapped and held for ransom, home invasions of any kind has led into constructing these rooms,” explains Frost. “Peo-
and personal risks to diplomats and foreign executives. The ple are curious right now, and as time goes by, interest in
threat determines how the safe room is built and outfitted. safe rooms will surely increase and we have the experience
“You’re not going to put a safe room in the attic if you’re to construct whatever our clients want, wherever they want
trying to survive a tornado,” quips Frost. “Seriously though, it.”
each room has to be built differently. Once you have its pur- Safe rooms are just one facet of the services offered by
pose, you have to find the right place to put the room. In an Homestead Renovations. The bulk of their work involves cus-
existing structure it’s harder to hide or disguise a safe room, tom remodeling and renovations.
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