Building Off the Grid

Building Off the Grid: Ohio Valley Hut

The Dutton Brothers are building a high-end, off-grid vacation home in the center of their family's 2,000-acre Ohio Valley cattle ranch. The home's unique design features include a wall of windows, a fully functional kitchen, a bathroom with shower, a solar panel station and an outdoor living area with a fire pit. A project like this in such a remote location would normally take six months to complete but the guys are working against a tight four-month deadline. And since they can only work on weekends, every minute is vital and every decision could either make or break the entire project.

Building Off the Grid: Mountain Timber Frame

Kolin Buzerak has recently returned to his family's 100-acre property in upstate New York to put down some roots. He plans to build an off-grid timber frame cabin with a full kitchen, living space, dining area and open loft bedroom. His goal of living off the grid before winter hits is threatened, however, when the locally sourced lumber will not dry fast enough. His dad, mom, brother and girlfriend all chip in to help speed up the tedious work of hand building the intricate timber frame so Kolin's dream home can come true.

Building Off the Grid: Appalachian Underground

A husband wants to surprise his wife on their 10th wedding anniversary with a family vacation home on the edge of a rock quarry in the Appalachian Mountains. He plans to build this 700-square-foot home with an L-shaped ecoshell of soil and grass to blend into its surroundings. Besides the challenges of building in the remote location and keeping the project a secret, the deadline is nearly impossible with a countdown of only 35 working days before the 10-year wedding anniversary.

Building Off the Grid: Piney Woods Place

Building Off the Grid: Colorado Crest