The shelter and the installer are one purchase. The best unit installed badly will fail; a great installer will steer you to the right unit. Vet both — and don't let urgency after a tornado warning rush you into a bad contract.
The 6-point checklist
- ICC-500 testing, in writing. Ask for the design wind speed (you want 250 mph in tornado country) and debris-impact test documentation. See what the standards mean.
- NSSA seal or third-party engineering review. A producer's NSSA seal signals an independent engineer reviewed their compliance and test data.
- License & insurance. A valid state contractor license where required, plus current liability insurance. Ask for proof.
- Written warranty. Separate product and installation warranties, in writing, before you sign.
- Specialist, not sideline. Shelters should be their core work — not an add-on for a general contractor or concrete crew.
- Permits & registration. They should handle permits where needed and explain registering the shelter with your county/911 so responders know where you are.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What ICC-500 wind speed is this shelter tested to, and can I see the test report?
- Who manufactures it, and do they carry the NSSA seal?
- Is the door debris-impact tested? (The door is what gets hit.)
- What's your payment schedule? (Deposit now, balance after install & inspection.)
- What exactly does the warranty cover, and for how long?
- Will you pull the permit, and do you register the shelter with the county?
- Can you share recent local installs or references?
Red flags — walk away
"FEMA-certified" or "FEMA-approved." Not real — FEMA certifies nothing. · Full payment up front. Pros take a deposit. · High-pressure, "today only" pricing, especially right after a storm. · No written warranty or test docs. · No license or insurance. · A "shelter" that's really a generic concrete box with no ICC-500 testing.About those "near me" lists
Be careful with lead-marketplace directories. Investigations and ratings have flagged the big ones — HomeAdvisor and Angi have faced trust complaints, and "top installer" lists often surface generic contractors, not shelter specialists. They also sell your number to several companies at once. That's exactly why we built a vetted-only directory with a published standard.
Ready?
We'll match you with installers who clear every point above. Find a vetted installer →