For 4 months, a TV crew will follow Hilton Head couple’s move to Daufuskie

DIY Network will be filming for four months in Beaufort County as it follows the owner of Tiny Homes of Hilton Head’s move to an “off the grid” lifestyle.

The hour-long episode of Building off the Grid will start filming Thursday, executive director Vince Cusomato said Tuesday.

Cusomato said the show will feature James McGrath, owner of Tiny Homes, and his girlfriend, Christina Rodgers, as they move from Hilton Head Island to Daufuskie Island and build a tiny home for themselves.

“We focus on folks building homes that are going to be off the grid,” Cusomato said. “Some of these are very remote and in those situations it is the only option and for others it is a preference.”

Cusomato said McGrath was a good fit for the show because of his connection to the tiny homes movement.

“We loved the idea that he is going to be building a home for himself,” Cusomato said. “In this way he walks his own talk.”

Producers will make about six trips to film in the area, he said. Other filming will be self shot by McGrath and Rodgers.

“(The series) is a one-hour special, and they are almost like mini-documentaries,” Cusomato said. “Each one has its own story.”

The series should air at the end of 2017 or start of 2018, Cusomato said.

McGrath has made local headlines before, first for his use of Hurricane Matthew debris for his Tiny Home business and second for his volunteer efforts in freeing boats washed ashore by Hurricane Matthew at Palmetto Bay Marina.

This time McGrath is asking for help.

McGrath said Tuesday he is unable to speak about the show but asked that anyone able to help with the move to Daufuskie Island to contact him at the company at www.facebook.com/TinyHomesofHHI.

This story was originally published June 21, 2017 at 10:21 AM with the headline "For 4 months, a TV crew will follow Hilton Head couple’s move to Daufuskie."