Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Michael Brait built an 18-foot underground bunker in New Hampshire after the pandemic sparked concerns about food security and preparedness
Most people retire and slow down. Michael Brait built a bunker. After more than three decades constructing schools and public facilities across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Brait turned his building expertise toward a project of his own: an underground bunker in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
It started during the pandemic, when Brait, an avid cook, began freeze-drying food in bulk out of concern for his family.
"Like a lot of people, I was concerned that food would run out for my family," he said.
What began as food storage quickly grew into something much larger.
"It just became, well, if I'm storing food, let me store some supplies, some valuables," Brait said. "Wait a minute. If I'm building all this, let me make it a fun place, a home."
The result is a 2,000-square-foot underground space with 11-foot ceilings, a kitchen, two bathrooms and enough beds to sleep a crowd. Behind sound-deadening curtains sit 12 queen-size bunk beds, with room for more portable cots if needed.
Brait spent 14 months building out the bunker and outfitting it for long-term use. The walls are waterproofed, the air is specially filtered, and water comes from an artesian well deep in the mountain. He has also planned for food production underground, using aeroponic towers that can grow dozens of plants in about a month.
And if those inside ever need to leave quickly, there is a hidden escape route: a 36-inch tunnel stretching 200 feet down the mountain.
The project has become more than a personal passion. Brait now runs Bunker Building Consulting, based in Walpole, Massachusetts, and says interest is coming from across the country. His friend and business partner, filmmaker Andre Rocke, said Brait's vision is matched by unusual attention to detail.
"The thought that he puts into things is truly rare," Rocke said.
Bunkers like this can cost anywhere from six figures to millions, putting them out of reach for many families. But Brait says preparedness does not have to start with a massive underground build. Even a small secure storage area for food and valuables, he said, can make a difference.
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Michael Brait built an 18-foot underground bunker in New Hampshire after the pandemic sparked concerns about food security and preparedness
Most people retire and slow down. Michael Brait built a bunker. After more than three decades constructing schools and public facilities across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Brait turned his building expertise toward a project of his own: an underground bunker in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
It started during the pandemic, when Brait, an avid cook, began freeze-drying food in bulk out of concern for his family.
"Like a lot of people, I was concerned that food would run out for my family," he said.
What began as food storage quickly grew into something much larger.
"It just became, well, if I'm storing food, let me store some supplies, some valuables," Brait said. "Wait a minute. If I'm building all this, let me make it a fun place, a home."
The result is a 2,000-square-foot underground space with 11-foot ceilings, a kitchen, two bathrooms and enough beds to sleep a crowd. Behind sound-deadening curtains sit 12 queen-size bunk beds, with room for more portable cots if needed.
Brait spent 14 months building out the bunker and outfitting it for long-term use. The walls are waterproofed, the air is specially filtered, and water comes from an artesian well deep in the mountain. He has also planned for food production underground, using aeroponic towers that can grow dozens of plants in about a month.
And if those inside ever need to leave quickly, there is a hidden escape route: a 36-inch tunnel stretching 200 feet down the mountain.
The project has become more than a personal passion. Brait now runs Bunker Building Consulting, based in Walpole, Massachusetts, and says interest is coming from across the country. His friend and business partner, filmmaker Andre Rocke, said Brait's vision is matched by unusual attention to detail.
"The thought that he puts into things is truly rare," Rocke said.
Bunkers like this can cost anywhere from six figures to millions, putting them out of reach for many families. But Brait says preparedness does not have to start with a massive underground build. Even a small secure storage area for food and valuables, he said, can make a difference.
WCVB is your home for Massachusetts breaking news and weather. For your latest Massachusetts news and weather visit: wcvb.com
For licensing inquiries: wcvb.com/licensing
