Building Off the Grid (TV Series 2014– ) Poster

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8/10
creative
cabledad-5105024 September 2021
Definitely, some creative ideas with homes.

BTW svader, I feel the same way when I see British TV in the US. I mean really, driving on the Left side of the road, people can get killed doing that.
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6/10
...just came back from the beauty salon...
denise-881523 November 2021
Oh my! First, I'm amazed with folk who attempt building off the grid and truly don't think through the details of the process. Second, why do the wives all have their full face make up on, hair swinging down voluptuously....; no dirt...? I guess their concern is more the camera and TV than the build! Silly females!! So i guess the show is more fake than it'll admit to!!
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7/10
I really like this show.... but
netjaymz6417 February 2022
A couple of things I would like addressed. 1) the safety issue brought up here before 2) slow the dram and 3) and most important I want more information on the "off grid" part. If they living there full time, is it a vacation home? What about septic? Plumbing? Or bathroom issues in general none of that is every discussed and is a major point of living off the grid. What we can't talk about composting toilets? I would like more details on the solar systems, how many watts? What kind of batteries? Where is their battery storage? I would also like to see follow up. What's it like to live off the grid? What changes did they have to make, what didn't work? What did they have to add/take away/fix.
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8/10
Fascinating
drjgardner3 May 2023
Week after week this show illustrates the problems in building off the grid. Anyone interested in doing this must watch this show. Even if you're not planning to do it, it's still worth watching to educate yourself.

Part of the enjoyment of this shows is not only what you can do, but what you shouldn't do. The #1 problem is under-estimating the time to build. #2 is failing to account for the weather, which is a major part of any construction. #4 is materials and #4 is personnel. Watching people struggle through this is very interesting.

I also like the locations which are usually beautiful, though I don't understand why you can't build off the grid in more hospitable places.
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7/10
Where do I begin...
ninjalino23 August 2022
Firstly people...enough crying about the lack of safety. They are not employees of an organization. They are not being forced to work unsafely...They make their own choices. Just like you may smoke, drink, eat fast food, skydive, etc. I've done union electrical work and sometimes shake my head at the idiocy of people, but who cares? Should the show insist they wear safety gear and follow OSHA requirements? Come on. If it was a How-to program, then I'd say yes - they should set an example. But this is just people doing it for themselves.

They usually DO usually mention the use of composting toilets when they don't build septic systems. They also mention rain-water capture systems if they don't drill a well. Obviously they touch on solar power and sources of heat (propane, geo-thermal, etc.). They even mention budget.

MY GRIPE is not mentioning how much the land cost (you often are introduced to people with common, middle class jobs buying 25, 50 acres or more. I'd imagine in the middle of nowhere you're not paying top dollar, but the cost would be interesting and informative to know. My REAL GRIPE is not discussing how the still-working people do their jobs when you're 50, 100 miles or more from the nearest town. Those miles are not highway miles, either - you're not getting anywhere quick. I've seen many mention they're builders by trade. How and where are you building when you're so far from anything? I've seen a nurse and a salesperson. Same question? Are these getaway homes or is it their primary residence, as you're led to believe. Because each subject always mentions something to the effect of "we decided to live off-grid" or "wake up and have coffee looking at the mountains". Um...when do you leave for work? Tell us the real-life logistics.... Do you go to Costco once a month and stock up on supplies? Very interesting show to me, but I really want some details on how they can do this if not retired.
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3/10
Poorest working ethics ever!
muskyridge9 March 2018
I am in construction, have huge problem with lack of good safety practices on this episode, COB building in Oregon. The young lady doing the work has flip flops and doing concrete work. She had no dust mask when concrete dust was flying, no gloves when applying wet concrete on the footings, did she not ever hear about lime poisoning? Then, I really had enough of the show when I saw her digging with shovel with her bare foot. One older fella had only hard hat on when all were standing about while cutting out an unstable middle support. Sloppy all the way around and just wrong way to do a good job and stay safe thru it. Terrifying examples on how to work safely! I would bet they all end up with some terrible skin,lung problems or injuries due to their awful work habits.
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5/10
Spare me the fake drama
wds_553 July 2021
Love the concept. Show me how they build them without the fake drama sideshows.
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3/10
Amazing Hollywood action
kaptgb30 October 2021
So I watched one or two episodes. The first was about Northern America in the glaciers... Respectable. The second was in an area of great Bushland.... Hollywood drama to the max. The cut scenes made out like there was some fantastic hardships. And perhaps there were, but the exaggerated drama lost me when the people filmed made it obviously appear worse for the camera than it likely was.....

Not true to the experience that was portrayed from what was filmed. Over drama for the sake of film.
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1/10
Michael Reynolds problematic history w/young women should have this show pulled
phoenixangelheart25 September 2023
Michael Reynolds has a history at the Earth Ship community in New Mexico as well as in other countries that is problematic,let alone with not properly showing good building techniques,he is not showing a good face to off grid living,but trash building practices while he surrounds himself with young naive people who fawn over him until they find out the hard way. Pull the show. Not only is it dangerous in showing how NOT to build,i.e barefoot, or in flip flops, but he has a person has managed to dodge litigation because of his problematic behaviour because women Hate being scrutinized when they report. Look at the show. He's old, the women are young. What are THEIR qualifications other than his willingness to use them.
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1/10
Really
svader10 June 2021
I live in the UK and know the safety laws on construction are different country to country.

However I came across this daft programme and was amazed no one had been killed or seriously injured. No working at height adherence, no safety harnesses, no goggles, nothing regarding safety at all.

Won't be watching again as I found it really annoy and frustrating.

How was this rubbish allowed to be aired in the UK?
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3/10
All in there 30
mronman17 May 2023
I like this show but all are in there 30 all look more or less the same handsome and sweet strange is it only people in there 30 that build of the grid?do they want me to belive that when u work close with some your wife /husband -partner that there will not be arguments its stress work i imagne ..theese people seems to be perfect never loosing there temper always in balance ..saftey is not an issue it seems in many in theese working places ..i think its to harmonius ..it dosent show real frustrasjon when there are problems in the work places ..some of them take big chanses ...i wish to c other kind of people older if there are older that build like this.
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3/10
Fake show
mreamer-3685921 February 2023
This show is not believable.they use construction techniques which would not work or be safe.in the end some projects have electric equipment and no real source of power.like an elevator or heat pump.and one panel in the shade in the woods.hollywood not reality.usually very attractive females though. Real tradesman or off gridders know what I mean. We have an off grid cabin in the Adirondacks so we know what we are talking about. Would like to see some of the projects now after use . Some of the shows are serious buildings so must be real but some are just not believable. I watch some for the entertainment value.
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2/10
Idaho Barndominium
rogercox-056267 July 2022
This episode demonstrates the perfect example of disregard for worker safety and poor planning! The show just gives inexperienced people the false belief that they can attempt projects like this.
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