Plot Synopsis

BUILDING ALASKA follows men who set out to build cabins in remote areas of The Last Frontier over the course of a single season of this series. Each 30-minute episode features a different stage of construction, including every step from the demolition of abandoned cabins and digging foundations to completing the framing and rough plumbing to the final finishing touches. In Season 1, hunting and fishing guide Bob May embarked on a five-month project to build the perfect hunting lodge in the great outdoors on a remote island in southern Alaska. Bob, his son, and team of experts battled the elements and personal challenges as they made his dream home a reality -- even though they had to adapt to inferior lumber, changing weather conditions and an 11-foot brown bear that all caused havoc on the build site.

BUILDING ALASKA returned for its second season on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at 10pm ET/7pm PT on DIY Network, as the new season followed three men who set out to build three cabins in remote areas of the Alaskan Frontier, constructing cabins that need to hold up in some of the most harsh conditions in the world. The second season followed professional builders Lee Raymond, Jim Wagner and Chuck Gerwig, as they led their construction teams.

On Sunday, January 4, 2015 a 10pm ET/PT, DIY Network premiered the third season of BUILDING ALASKA, immediately following an all-day (2pm-10pm) marathon of an encore presentation of the second season. In the Season 3 opener, "Builders Begin Construction on a Fishing Retreat, a Ski Hut and a Getaway Cabin in Remote Alaska," the return of spring in Alaska means the race is on for three builders to begin constructing homes in the remote wilderness before the inevitable return of winter shuts them down. Three builders -- returning foreman Lee Raymond and two new builders, Derek Galbraith and Tony Malone -- begin construction on a fishing retreat near Anchorage, a ski hut close to Valdez and a getaway log cabin in the Southeast corner of remote Alaska. Before breaking ground, one builder has to fly to his build site to inspect the piece of land he purchased without ever stepping foot on it, breaking the number one rule of land buying.

Season 4 of BUILDING ALASKA premiered on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT, immediately following an all-day marathon (9am-9pm) of encore episodes. In the season opener, "We're Back," three men risk it all to build a remote hunting cabin, an off-the-grid bear lodge and an island retreat. Early in the season, Rich's island build is literally between a rock and a hard place, Tom gets a lesson in logging and Creig feels the sting of remote building and shoddy materials.

BUILDING ALASKA returned for its fifth season on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT, immediately following an all-day marathon (8:30am-9pm) of encore episodes. The three build teams kick off their builds in unique, remote Alaskan settings. Adam Tschappat and his family begin building a Family Legacy cabin in the Wrangell Mountains. Mike Williams and his family begin building a guest cabin in Eagle Song, near Mt. Susitna. And Steve Box and his builder friends, Dave Bartlett and Hans Moser, begin an Island Getaway on Shelter Island, near Juneau.

The eight-episode seventh season of BUILDING ALASKA premiered on Sunday, February 26, 2017 from 9-11pm ET/PT, as DIY Network debuted back-to-back new episodes. The new season follows the intrepid journeys of three young builders, Nick Blanco, Ben Crew and Brannon Richart as they each set out with their teams to construct one-of-a-kind lodges among the stunning landscape. In the season opener (9pm), "Building Alaska, the New Generation," a new generation of builders tackles the Alaskan wilds to build off-the-grid cabins. First-time builder Nick faces some harsh realities when he can't use the trees on his build site for lumber. Brannon's team develops a unique foundation system to build on permafrost, but they must fight nature every step of the way. Father and son team Jere and Ben take on a massive 5,000-square-foot floating lodge project, the most challenging and dangerous build ever attempted. Then, in the night's second new episode (10pm), "Hard Work Beats Talent," reality sets in for first-time extreme cabin builder Nick Blanco in Alaska as he fights the tides trying to retrieve pylons for his foundation and realizes he doesn't have the right equipment to dig postholes. Then Brannon's team gets stuck on the muddy trail bringing in more build materials, but eventually makes good progress on the front porch before an unexpected rainstorm shuts them down. Jere and Ben continue to build the massive aluminum barge one weld at a time, but when signs of fall creep in, the colder temperatures start to cause problems.

Two months after Season 7 ended, DIY Network premiered the sixth season of BUILDING ALASKA, showing seasons out of order. On Sunday, May 14, 2017 from 9-11pm ET/PT, DIY Network premiered Season 6, showing back-to-back new episodes. In the season opener (9pm), "Game On," the three build teams kick off their builds and each faces unique challenges while building in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Bruce Chambers and his crew begin building a cabin on LaTouche Island, while Mark Sams and his team begin building a cabin in Freshwater Bay. Then, Dave Poppert and his family begin building a family home on Point MacKenzie. Then, in the night's second new episode (10pm), "Piece of the Pie," Bruce Chambers and his crew run out of supplies, putting their cabin build at a standstill. Mark Sams and his crew are challenged to make their foundation level and square, and Dave Poppert and his family deal with a non-functional milling machine while working on their family home.

Season 8 of BUILDING ALASKA premiered on Sunday, January 7, 2018 from 9-11pm ET/PT, as DIY Network debuted back-to-back new episodes. "Keeping Morale Up" (9pm): A new season of builders brave the Alaskan elements to construct off-the-grid cabins. Jeff Erickson takes on a challenging cliffside build, Chappie Cook's team struggles to get materials to the site without roads and first-time builder Chris Sewell faces some harsh realities about his foundation. "Progress Is Messy" (10pm): A SkyCrane helicopter delivers a whopping 17,000 pounds of materials for Chris Sewell's cabin kit, Jeff Erickson fights the pouring rain and cold temperatures to stay on schedule and Chappie Cook's crew struggles to lift 20-foot balloon walls without heavy equipment.

The ninth season of BUILDING ALASKA premiered on Sunday, January 6, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT on DIY Network. Three new build teams arrive to their build sites and begin work on their unique cabins in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Josh Tousignant and his crew make the long trip to Cordova to begin building the foundation for their clients' two-story cabin. John Donkersloot and Heather Rough oversee delivery of two 40-foot shipping containers for their cabin's foundation on a mountain build site in Seward. Finally, float plane pilot Chris Maynard and his crew fly out build materials and install helical piers for his cabin's foundation on Trinity Lake.

On Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT, DIY Network premiered the tenth season of BUILDING ALASKA. In the season opener, "A New World of Challenges," three new teams begin their projects across Alaska. Rookie builders Matt and Amy Hill quickly realize building in snow is more complicated than they had planned. Mike and Dan Owens mill the lumber needed for their build, while first-time builder Jackie Keizer hires a team of professionals who struggle to bring out an excavator to dig her foundation.

The eleventh season of BUILDING ALASKA debuted on Sunday, January 12, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT on DIY Network, kicking off the new season with the "My Life Is in Your Hands" episode. In the season opener, three new couples challenge the Alaskan elements. Mike and Kathleen Kondus build atop a windy tundra, first-time builders Mike and Teresa Oldenkamp construct a complex cabin and Paige Drobny and Cody Strathe create a dog-training facility on haunted land.
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DIY Network premiered the twelfth season of BUILDING ALASKA on Sunday, October 17, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT. In the season opener, "Cliffside Ski Hut," builder Derek Galbraith and his ski buddies construct a backcountry ski hut to give them access to highly sought-after powder snow conditions. The team builds the cabin at a lumberyard and attempts to helicopter the logs to the build site for reassembly.