Your Family's Sanctuary, Built for a Lifetime
I design off-grid and high-efficiency homes from the ground up — floor plans, energy systems, water, and thermal envelope. I've done it for my own family. Now I do it for yours.
I design off-grid and high-efficiency homes from the ground up — floor plans, energy systems, water, and thermal envelope. I've done it for my own family. Now I do it for yours.
A home should earn its place in your life — quiet, comfortable year-round, energy efficient, and built to last. My approach comes from personal experience: I designed and built my own off-grid home, working through every system and tradeoff firsthand. That knowledge is what I bring to your project.
Thoughtfully designed HVAC and building envelope systems reduce mechanical noise inside and dampen outside intrusion — because you can't have peace without quiet.
Continuous air barriers, thermal bridge elimination, and insulation strategies sized for your climate — so your home holds temperature without working hard.
Not sure what yet
Custom floor plans, 3D renderings, and permit-ready drawing sets — designed around how your family actually lives.
Every site has a best answer for solar orientation, privacy, drainage, and indoor-outdoor connection. I find it and design for it.
Passive solar orientation, airtight construction, and right-sized mechanical systems — a home that stays comfortable without working against the climate it sits in. I spent more time on air sealing in my own home than on any other detail. The results speak for themselves.
Solar array sizing, battery storage, water systems, and backup power — designed as a unified whole, not bolted on as an afterthought. I've lived off-grid full time since 2023 with a family of nine. I know how to build for January, not just July.
In software, defects are cheapest to fix in the design phase. The further into development you get, the more expensive a fundamental problem becomes. Some can't be fixed at all without starting over.
Houses work exactly the same way. As a build progresses, less and less can be changed — and every change costs more. The framing stage is not the time to reconsider your exterior wall assembly. HVAC rough-in is not the time to consider going off-grid.
I ask a lot of questions early. I push you to make decisions before anything is built, when changing your mind costs little. My clients still face choices during the build — but far fewer of them, and none of the fundamental ones. That's what makes the build go smoothly.
Every decision you make before breaking ground is almost free. Every decision you make mid-build costs more time, money, and stress. I front-load the hard thinking so you don't have your hands tied later.
Most general contractors don't have experience building high-performance homes. I stay available to answer their questions and review critical details. You can work with a contractor you trust — as long as they'll follow the plan details.
I went through full county permitting for an off-grid home in a jurisdiction that had little experience with them. I know how to work with county employees, read ordinances, and get to approval — even when the path isn't clear.
I take on a limited number of projects each year to ensure every client receives my full attention. I am currently accepting a limited number of projects for delivery in Fall 2026 — tell me about your land and what you're imagining.
Phone
435-562-5964
tyler@rencherdesign.com
Studio
Spring City, Utah
I'll be in touch within a day or two. While you're waiting to hear from me, here's a preparation guide I put together to help you get ready for our first conversation.
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