Forget the notion of some urban sports cave or sewing snug.
These getaways are the ultimate escape: from a snowboarder's paradise at the top of a mountain to a cabin built on a turntable so the owners can enjoy sunrise and sunset from their porch.
Building Wild, which premieres tonight at 8.30pm on National Geographic Channel, chronicles the adventures of DiMeo and business partner Pat ''Tuffy'' Bakaitis, who use extreme architectural engineering to build one-off getaways in challenging places.
DiMeo is on the line from Philadelphia, his home town. Having just returned from Vermont, where yet another cabin project was under consideration, he explains his latest television venture: ''When Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was winding down, we had this idea of building these cabins.
''I came off 10 years of Extreme Makeover, where people were sent away until their home was rebuilt. They missed the best part of the process . ... to experience this with friends and family ... those are memories to share.
''I love it when people come together to reap a communal benefit. At the end of seven days, you stand back and sometimes can't believe what has been accomplished.''
In each episode of Building Wild, DiMeo and Bakaitis provide ideas and construction expertise for their clients, who are required to provide some materials, bring together a workforce of friends and family and agree to do the build in one week.
Each finished cabin is a rustic feat that defies the odds.
On Building Wild, a school bus could become a screened-in porch; a shipping container can become a vertical lookout tower; and a tumbling-down barn is the raw material for a new hunting retreat.
''I have learned that a lot of people are 'stay-cationers'; they just can't get away from their busy lives. They might be dairy farmers, in which case their cows need to be milked twice a day. Therefore, their vacation involves going to the far side of a mountain that they own.
''However, because we are in close proximity to big cities such as New York , ... we get city people saying, 'Hey, look - I've got these hundred acres in Vermont; can you build a cabin?'. There are those weekend warriors.''
A key aspect of Building Wild is innovation.
''We try to incorporate things that are lying around,'' DiMeo says, adding that the idea of a cabin might seem simple enough but there are engineering marvels aplenty.
''If you look under the hood, there are lots of things going on, from using a bicycle to power a light. We find various solutions. I call some of them Tuffy gadgets; he is very mechanically minded. I take full advantage of all of his knowledge.
''We are pretty much off the grid. If some has some solar panels, we might use those. If there is a stream nearby, then we might be able to gravity-feed water to a cabin.
''One thing I have is the ability to listen to people and understand what their passions are. Then, through design and building, we make it work for them,'' DiMeo says.
''It doesn't matter if they are a musician or a beekeeper. It is about making sure the cabin has the tools to allow the person to do the things they love. And a key to achieving that often involves listening.
''I wanted to continue that feeling from Extreme Makeover. Being a small part of making someone's dream come true makes me feel good.
''There is always going to be that element that a cabin is more than just a place. It might be something old or new. Regardless, it allows people to get together and share an experience in a rewarding way.''
• Building Wild premieres tonight at 8.30pm on National Geographic Channel.
