The WORST episodes of Building Off the Grid

Every episode of Building Off the Grid ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Building Off the Grid!

A team of builders face difficult conditions to build innovative homes in remote areas. They are faced with tight deadlines and uninhabitable landscapes as they attempt the impossible.

Last Updated: 3/31/2025Network: Magnolia NetworkStatus: Continuing
Georgia Country Cottage
star
6.20
10 votes

#1 - Georgia Country Cottage

Season 13 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/30/2024

A couple wants to build a country cottage on the remote family farm.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Island Getaway
star
6.25
4 votes

#2 - Island Getaway

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/23/2020

A family attempts to build a 400-square-foot cabin situated on a small island in Northern Idaho; access to the property is limited, and rough waters make it difficult to bring materials in; it's a race to the finish as winter hits the island early.

Watch Now:Apple TV
star
6.67
3 votes

#3 - California Cob House

Season 9 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/27/2020

A group of off-grid-living enthusiasts come together to build a 300-square-foot bungalow. With a variety of eco-friendly features, including a solar-powered water pump, this house is a welcome addition to the environmentally friendly community.

Watch Now:Apple TV
star
6.84
19 votes

#4 - Desert Den

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/2018

Beau Dunavant bought a piece of land in Tres Piedras, New Mexico, as a gift for his girlfriend, Samantha Inman, where they can build a home made of mostly recycled materials and dirt. They plan to construct a modest, self-sufficient structure, but with blowing dirt, blistering sun and freezing temperatures, they may have underestimated the power of the desert.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Colorado Earth House
star
6.87
15 votes

#5 - Colorado Earth House

Season 11 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/19/2021

Two renovators realize their building method is more work than anticipated.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
6.93
28 votes

#6 - Woodland Expedition

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/24/2019

A young man builds an off-the-grid home on family land in rural Illinois.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.00
2 votes

#7 - Hawaii Dome House

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/26/2020

A mother-and-son team pulls up stakes from the crowded confines of Orange County to build an off-grid family commune outside Keaau, Hawaii. With the help of a skilled aircrete instructor, the duo overcomes a learning curve to make a dream come true.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.00
7 votes

#8 - Dakota A-Frame

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/9/2020

Jared "Cappie" Capp showcases the luxury of off-grid living by building a modern home in the Black Hills of South Dakota; this stunning all-solar-powered abode has a wood-burning fireplace, a gourmet kitchen and a 400-square-foot loft.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.00
4 votes

#9 - Colorado Crest

Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/8/2019

Builder Phil Parr heads to the wilderness of northern Colorado to build the ultimate off-grid tent. Far beyond simple nylon and poles, this lavish tent has a custom fabricated wooden frame, canvas shell and 650-square-feet of livable elegance.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.07
14 votes

#10 - High Altitude Hideout

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/6/2018

Adventure seeker Joey Caiafa sets out to build a mountaintop hideout outside of Leadville, Colorado. He enlists the help of his friends and an architectural designer to trick out the solar-powered space, but missed deadlines, brutal weather and multiple injuries could bring the build to a halt.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.09
11 votes

#11 - Bottle Island

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/22/2017

John Beal is ready to leave the city behind and embrace a life off the grid in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. He hires Richart Sowa and his son Eden to build an eco-friendly private floating island made from recycled plastic bottles. Despite facing many challenges, Richart, Eden and the crew work to make John's dream a reality.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.15
20 votes

#12 - Container Dreamhouse

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/2019

First-time builders Shay and Shae set out to build a home using five shipping containers on a wooded lot in Oklahoma. They hope his background in electrical and welding, and their collection of building materials, helps them finish the job quickly.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.18
11 votes

#13 - Ozark Paradise

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/8/2017

A realtor and his three children set out to build their dream home together on a wooded ridge top in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. But they aren't building a conventional house. They plan to convert three shipping containers into an off-grid paradise. Follow the journey as they navigate the hardships of their remote setting and unorthodox construction project. Surrounded by stunning views and with a little help from friends, they'll build it all by hand completely off the grid.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.18
38 votes

#14 - Rocky Mountains

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/21/2015

What do you get when a talented architect and a group of daring mountain bike enthusiasts come together to build an off-the-grid Oculus and tree house in the side of a mountain? We follow along as Colorado native Steve Novy and his friends from the Stomparillaz Creative Cycling Collective put the rugged Rocky Mountain terrain to the test in an area known for unpredictable mudslides, snowstorms, and mountain lions.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.19
27 votes

#15 - Big Sur Modern Retreat

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/28/2019

A nature-loving architect builds a modern California cabin that rivals the views of nearby Big Sur.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Tennessee Dome Home
star
7.20
20 votes

#16 - Tennessee Dome Home

Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/20/2020

A couple looks to build an eco-friendly, off-the-grid geodesic dome, cooled using geothermal caves, with a view of Tennessee's South Cumberland Mountain Range. But they're up against uncertain weather, intricate design and treacherous mountain paths.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.20
5 votes

#17 - Ozark Mountain Lodge

Season 9 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/20/2020

An adventurous couple builds a home with self-sustaining features near the Ozark National Forest. And while they both have renovation experience, building on the dangerous mountainside terrain in a location plagued by flash foods will be a challenge.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.20
25 votes

#18 - Smoky Mountain Homestead

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/7/2019

A family builds a forever home on 46 acres overlooking the Smoky Mountains.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.21
33 votes

#19 - Alaskan Glacier

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/16/2016

Alaskan adventure guide Don Lee is building a remote survival cabin on top of a glacier where no man has stepped before. But in an area plagued with avalanches and unpredictable weather, this fearless bushman needs to time his construction perfectly. And when you're building in an untouched area only accessible by air, logistics are just the tip of the iceberg.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.23
26 votes

#20 - Tiny House on a Lake

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/20/2016

The Busbys, young entrepreneurs and world travelers, have been living off-the-grid for two years already, but now they're ready to take it to the next level. Follow the adventure as they build a super efficient tiny house in northwestern Montana. Surrounded by stunning views and with a little help from friends, they'll build it all by hand completely off-the-grid.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.25
20 votes

#21 - Mountain Man Cave

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/15/2017

Joe Donovan, an avid skier and adventurer, has found the perfect spot for his permanent base camp on a remote ridge in southwest Montana. Follow the adventure as he battles the elements to build his rustic, straw bale dream cabin. Surrounded by stunning views and with a little help from friends, he'll build it all by hand and completely off the grid.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.26
38 votes

#22 - Alaska Range

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/14/2015

Ana and Jacob White and their two small kids are a modern-day Swiss Family Robinson, building an off-the-grid cabin on the Alaska Range. With all of their materials needing to be transported by snowmobile, this adventurous couple will have their work cut out for them as they create an entire home with no utilities available. And with the unpredictable Alaskan weather, not to mention aggressive wildlife, this family will be racing against the seasonal clock to get the cabin done before the dead of winter.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.27
15 votes

#23 - Piney Woods Place

Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/24/2019

Cat Taylor uses her artistic and naturalistic background to construct a remote sanctuary for her and her husband in the woods of Northwest Texas. The two-story home uses a mixture of sand, clay and straw with a touch of comfort to entertain family.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.27
22 votes

#24 - Colorado Mountain Lodge

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/2018

A Colorado couple attempts to build one of the most energy-efficient homesteads in the state. Mother Nature and bleeding edge technologies give them a run for their money as they race to complete their high-end alpine lodge before winter hits.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
star
7.29
14 votes

#25 - Tiny Forest Cottage

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/27/2018

New York newlyweds escape the city to build their first home upstate in a secluded part of the Hudson Valley. Utilizing timber felled from their own property, they plan to craft their own tiny house completely off the grid, but the persistent weather, demanding pace and unexpected setbacks threaten to derail their honeymoon project.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV