Plot Synopsis

BACKYARD GOLDMINE is a half-hour reality series that follows renovator, designer and chef Ben Sargent as he travels across America rehabbing and revamping homeowners' unused backyard buildings into remarkable rental properties. During the series set in Burlington, Vermont, and Charleston, South Carolina, Ben infuses his projects with a mix of natural rustic charm and eclectic design. Homeowners and room-renting tourists that flock to the area for the famous fall foliage and great skiing are in for a few surprises when they see Ben's transformations. Dismissed spaces can be rented or used as a family staycation retreat, home office or a kids' playroom. On Thursday, July 28, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT, DIY Network premiered the pilot of this series. In the pilot, "Burlington Rental Barn Rehab," Ben heads to Burlington, VT, to meet the Brandt family, who want to renovate their 100-year-old carriage barn. Five months later, HGTV aired the network premiere of this series on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11pm ET/PT with a different name: GUEST HOUSE GOLDMINE. Nine months after it premiered the pilot, DIY Network debuted the official series premiere of BACKYARD GOLDMINE on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 from 10-11pm ET/PT. In the series opener (10pm), "A Mountainside Shed Makeover," Ben and the crew head to the mountains of Montgomery, Vermont, to check out a ski shed that a family wants to transform into a boutique-style rental for visitors. The team insulates the space for four-season comfort and adds a bathroom, kitchenette and a surprise creation from Ben. Then, in the night's second new episode (10:30pm), "Renovating a Richmond Shed," a couple in the storybook village of Richmond, Vermont, want to get Ben and Lee's thoughts on their run-down storage shed before they tear it down. After clearing out the space, Ben sees an opportunity to transform the space into rustic rental complete with a cozy sleeping loft and vintage kitchen.
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On Tuesday, May 23, 2017 from 10-11pm ET/PT, DIY Network premiered the season finale of BACKYARD GOLDMINE, debuting back-to-back new episodes. In the night's first new episode (10pm), "A Charleston Garage Renovation," a couple in tourist hot spot Charleston, SC, has a detached poolside storage garage they want Ben to transform into a decent rental. The team gets to work, opening up the ceiling to make two sleeping lofts in what was once the attic. They then make a bathroom out of an existing storage closet and combine three single windows into one that can swing open to a pool with a bar. To drive home the nautical theme, Ben goes on an oyster hunt and adds the shells to the faces of all the existing cabinetry in the space. Then, in the season ender (10:30pm), "Charleston Creekside Man Cave," a Charleston, SC, couple taps Ben and the boys to help salvage a small metal shed in disrepair. Ben immediately sees big rental potential in the bunker-type structure, so the guys get to work adding new windows and French doors as well as a deck to take advantage of the waterfront views. Inside, Ben adds a kitchenette and rehabs an old existing tool cabinet into a top-shelf bar. Finally, Ben goes on a hunt for shrimp boat parts that he turns into the perfect dining and card table as the finishing touch on this ultimate man cave.