In a previous issue of Aberdeen Magazine, Mike Re, Chris Galvin, and Jackie Ulmer talked about their experience with a new television series, Cabin Wars.
The first episode of their season dropped January 15. The cabin renovation process was detailed throughout the six-episode season with the final episode and winner reveal on February 19.
This season featured Re’s South Dakota team and two others from Louisiana. Winners were selected through an online voting process that happened about a year ago.
Episodes are posted on the Cabin Wars YouTube channel and broadcast on Destination America, which is now part of HGTV. That’s channel 115 on Midco and channel 62 on NVC cable, with the show broadcast at 7:00 PM on Wednesdays.
Each team received $20,000 for materials to restore a 500-square-foot cabin in 30 days at Adventures RV Park in Robert, Louisiana, in January and February 2024.
Construction has long since been completed, but restoration work on 15 of the park’s cabins is being unveiled over five seasons with three teams featured each season. Re called the program a brilliant marketing plan.
Re heard about the contest through his college roommate who had moved to New Orleans and encouraged him to audition. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Re and his wife, Michelle, who is from Mobridge, moved to Aberdeen with their five sons in 2021. The two met while attending Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. They have since had a sixth son, a development Re found out about on camera during filming of the show.
Re started Building Bros construction company when he moved to South Dakota. Previously working in the computer software field, Re said his experience in construction came from fixing and flipping homes in Philadelphia as a hobby.
His and Galvin arrived in Louisiana early, and Ulmer and Michelle later drove down with the boys.
Once selected for the program, Re assembled his team with Ulmer in charge of interior decoration and Galvin helping with construction.
“Chris and I had collaborated previously, but nothing of this scale,” Re said.
Galvin said he initially didn’t believe Re about the project.
“My first reaction was he’s lying,” Galvin said. “The fact that he said it was going to happen in a few months, that was a shock.”
When he realized Re was serious, Galvin said he had to think about whether to team up. Being 1,500 miles away from home for a month or more was a big commitment.
Ultimately, he said, it was a good experience and a chance to do something different.
“People are kinda shocked that I would do that, but that’s why I went, because of the challenge of it,” Galvin said. “I think it was a good thing to do to get out of the routine of what we do every day up here and reset a little bit.”
Ulmer said she was both surprised and honored to be part of the team.
“I thought it would be a great experience,” she said.
Ulmer doesn’t have a degree in interior design, but has helped design spaces for friends. The experience, she said, prompted her to form Foote Creek Homes, a design company that’s just getting started.
The team’s South Dakota work ethic is on display during the show. While many teams stopped working around 5:00 PM, Re said, the Building Bros team was working until 10:00 or 11:00 PM.
He said the long days were partly due to the ambitious vision of the project, which not only included removal of the roof and construction of a loft, but the creation of an outdoor pergola and a loft ceiling in the kitchen.
Galvin said plans for the loft were kept under wraps from other teams until they started tearing into the roof and building it, working as fast as possible to avoid the next storm during Louisiana’s rainy season. He estimated the process took about three days. The competition notice, he said, and it sparked some other ideas from those teams.
Ulmer said the finished cabin had to sleep the same number of people as it did before renovation. Because their restoration plan included a more defined kitchen area, she said, the Building Bros team had to think outside the box to create additional sleeping space. That’s where the idea for a loft came in.
Re said Galvin originally preferred working in the background, but eventually got more comfortable and talkative on camera. Galvin agreed he got accustomed to the filming.
The cabin was dubbed Dakota Heights, and features a buffalo hide as well as pictures of cattle, bison and South Dakota’s Badlands.
Ulmer said the goal was to showcase elements of the state.
“A lot didn’t understand South Dakota and where we were from,” she said.
She said the experience was a lot of fun and an opportunity to see her son-in-law work.
“I was very proud of him,” Ulmer said. “It was really great to see him in his element.”
Re was also impressed with the way the program was filmed.
“What was really cool with this production company is they did a good job of not dramatizing, but drama unfolded,” Re said.
For example, he said, their massive lumber order was dropped off at the RV park, but at the wrong location, which meant moving it to the work site. The ambitious nature of their project also led to lots of stress and to Re wondering if it would get done on time and under budget.
Budget concerns led to some amendments, he said, like changing the concept in the kitchen from cabinets to shelving for open storage.
Ulmer said one memorable moment was when the team went into town to purchase some finishing touches. The manager at the department store had been following promotional materials for Cabin Wars.
“And they recognized us,” she said.
As the project neared completion, Re said the team expanded. Brady Lesnar, a friend and Aberdeen Roncalli elementary school teacher, traveled down to help. Re’s brother Anthony also flew in from Philadelphia as a surprise.
Galvin said Lesnar had been involved with some of the project planning, so he was familiar with the plan. The extra bodies provided not just manpower, but some fresh ideas.
“Getting two or three more brains got more creative ideas and a lot of relief because we were wondering if we weren’t going to be completely done by open house day,” Galvin said.
His wife Jenna also joined the team during the final week and helped with decoration and cleaning.
Ulmer said when Lesnar and Anthony showed up, it was like the cavalry had arrived. The other teams had friends and support from nearby.
Re and Galvin said participating in “Cabin Wars” has benefitted their businesses, and Re said it’s also brought attention from other networks.
“It’s given me credibility, because I am new around here, and some recognition,” he said. “I just met with a new client. When she saw I was on a show, she knew I’d be good.”
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