Hate to say it, but my wife, who works for an architecture firm calls B.S on the 16" to 24" deep solid concrete doors with only two hinges holding them up. I also noticed that in the back is just a rolling metal door. That won't stop larger caliber weapons. Maybe, that's a big maybe, small arms fire, but it won't stop larger caliber bullets. Neat house, but I know I could find a way to breach that building.
My eye was immediately drawn to that, too. I knew instinctively that there was absolutely, positively zero way that those doors weigh more than a couple of hundred pounds. Have you ever seen the hinges that support a bank vault door? They are enormous. And these doors are bigger than any bank vault doors I've ever seen. So, yeah...no way.
And again, yeah, the overhead door would be pretty easy to breach.
Its obviously a show piece meant more to impress than to defend. However sometimes walls that look imposing are enough. The Panels may have been done that way to suggest bulk where there isn't any. If that deters anyone, then its done its job. I can hear that discussion with the wife now -
(Rich) Man: "I want to build a massive 2 story concrete bunker to live in in case things go bad"
(Rich) Man's wife: "I am not living in a cave - I like lots of light and windows."
(Rich) Man: Okay, how about if we have Panels that slide out of the way?
(Rich) Man's Architect: "You want what? Not with concrete.. unless you plan to use very powerful lift motors under each one.. "
(Rich) Man's wife: "no, that will block the upper story"
(Rich) Man's Architect: "Maybe down into the ground then.. where is the water table?"
In the end they decide its easier and cheaper to just fake it. After all, its more about bragging rights than real defense, and really, if those shutters are aluminum with plate steel, etc, then they still pose a real barrier... just as that giant door. The theory behind the "build an obvious castle" mode of prepping is that you look harder to hit than the next guy. Its says I am prepped, armed and ready. Problem is, its also says " I am a rich bastard and stocked to the gills!"
You won't get a casual looter. But it will attack that Mad Max Hoarde just as surely as a barricaded and defended oil well in a gasoline deprived Australia will.
You will get to fight the toughest combatants outside your gates. Yes you can defend from the roof and the Metal door and the blocked windows will stop them long enough-- providing someone doesn't snipe you off the roof. Then they have as long as they want. I think Avoiding confrontation if possible is the best course of action..
