Smyrna sits northwest of Murfreesboro along I-24, home to the Nissan assembly plant, Smyrna Airport (the former Sewart Air Force Base) and the historic Sam Davis Home, with Percy Priest Lake to the north. Much of the town's housing is in newer subdivisions: slab or crawl space homes with attached two- or three-car garages. Like most of Middle Tennessee, very few have basements, which is why so many Smyrna families look at a shelter.
Why the garage is usually the answer
In a typical Smyrna subdivision home, the garage slab is the only large area of thick concrete on the property, and it's a few steps from the kitchen door. That makes it the natural home for:
- An above-ground safe room bolted to the slab in a corner of the garage. No stairs, so it suits young children, older relatives and anyone with limited mobility. See above-ground safe rooms.
- A garage floor shelter set into the slab, with a sliding lid you can park over, if the ground beneath allows. See garage floor shelters.
Either way, the installer should check the slab's thickness and condition. Above-ground rooms must be anchored to concrete that meets the manufacturer's requirements, which follow FEMA P-361 criteria. Under the garage, rock can be close to the surface in parts of Rutherford County, so a garage floor shelter may not fit every lot.
HOA approval
Many Smyrna neighborhoods have homeowners' associations. A garage shelter is usually out of sight, but an outdoor shelter, or work that needs equipment on a shared street, may need approval. Check your covenants before signing a contract, and ask the installer for a product sheet you can send the HOA.
Permits
Inside town limits, building permits are handled by the Town of Smyrna; outside, by Rutherford County. Cutting a slab, pouring a new pad or adding an electric opener can all need a permit. A good installer knows the process and should say who pulls the permit and whether the fee is included.
Shift workers and night storms
With large employers running around-the-clock shifts, many Smyrna households have someone asleep during the day or home alone at night. Middle Tennessee tornadoes often come after dark and outside the spring peak. Make sure everyone can open and lock the shelter door by themselves, and keep phone alerts and a weather radio on.
Get a quote
Send your ZIP code, garage size, and how many people need to fit. One independent installer who works in Smyrna will contact you. For budgets, see the cost guide.
Common questions
Will a safe room take up a parking space?
A compact above-ground room usually takes a corner of the garage, roughly the footprint of a large closet. A garage floor shelter sits flush with the floor, so you can park over it.
Do I need HOA approval for a garage shelter in Smyrna?
Often not, since it is inside the garage, but check your covenants. Outdoor shelters are more likely to need approval.
Who issues permits in Smyrna?
The Town of Smyrna inside town limits, and Rutherford County in unincorporated areas. Your installer should confirm which applies to your address.