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from Boerne Business Monthly – December 2020

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The Making of a Custom Cave

How cool would it be to have your very own cave? Have you ever thought of having an underground getaway that acts as an extension of your home or business? What would you use the space for? Maybe a wine cellar or the ultimate home theater, or how about a spa-like retreat or even an amazing home gym? “The possibilities are endless and limited only by your imagination,” said David Provost, owner of Bacchus Caves. “We have even had people approach us about underground tennis courts and bowling alleys.”

Currently, Provost and his team are in the works of constructing an approximately 4,200 square foot cave for a local Boerne couple. The cave will include a dining/entertaining area, multiple lounge spaces, a kitchenette and full bathroom as well as a home gym and storage areas. “This particular project is expected to be about a year long process. Each project differs depending on the size, the geology, etc. There are a lot of different factors that go into each cave and they are all unique,” Provost added.

According to David, “If someone wants their very own custom cave, we do whatever we can to make it work. There have been very few instances that we have come across in which we just couldn’t make it happen.”

So once it has been determined where the cave will go and how the client would like the space to function, construction can begin. “The current Boerne Cave project has all been cut out using a cutter head mounted on an excavator. Many caves require blasting, but that all just depends on the geology of the site,” said Provost. As you can imagine, a 4,200 square foot underground structure would result in a lot of displaced dirt. To date, Bacchus and his team estimate that they have removed approximately 2,000-cubic-yards of dirt.

Once the digging has begun, the Bacchus team tries to work as many areas at the same time as they can, starting with the main run of the cave and then progressing to the off shoots. To secure the walls of the cave, high strength wire mesh is installed and covered with layers of shotcrete, which is sprayed concrete

About Bacchus Caves:

that is projected at a high velocity onto the surface. “The process of building something underground is more difficult than above the ground. Everything depends on the ground itself as to what the final outcome will be. The more the owners are involved, the more successful the project will be. When building a cave, it is important for the clients to be flexible. For example, if you hit bad ground along the way, it may be better to stop digging in that direction and go a different way in order to keep the costs down. Ultimately, you don’t want to fight the ground.”

Bacchus Caves also works a lot with the clients’ personal architects, general contractors and interior designers in order to achieve the desired vision for each project. Just as in a custom home, there are so many different finishing touches that can truly customize each individual cave.

Bacchus Caves has been creating subterranean getaways for clients all over America since 1997. A veteran of the mining industry for over two decades, founder David Provost is known for his expertise, energy and straight-shooting attitude and uncompromising commitment to doing a job well. Working with him is a team that has earned a reputation for its innovative excavation methods, exceptional workmanship and onsite professionalism. The Bacchus Caves team truly believes that anything is possible underground!