NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL’S GONE CABIN CRAZY
WITH THE RETURN OF BUILDING WILD
AND NEW SERIES CABIN FEVER
Paul “Paulie” DiMeo and Pat “Tuffy” Bakaitis Construct the Ultimate Cabin Retreats
in New Season of Building Wild Premiering Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 9 PM ET/PT
on National Geographic Channel
New Series Cabin Fever follows at 10 PM ET/PT
(Washington, DC – Feb. 4, 2015) Need that perfect spot to watch every big game, or a home away from home to escape the madness of the city? A classic log cabin or a floating getaway — these guys can build it. National Geographic Channel (NGC) is going into the woods to give cabin enthusiasts incredible — and sometimes improbable — wilderness retreats in America’s last frontiers. NGC’s first do-it-yourself series Building Wild returns for a second season of incredible wilderness havens. And new series Cabin Fever builds beautiful custom log homes for clients across the United States.
Starting Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Building Wild is back, along with construction’s odd couple, for another round of do-it-yourself dream cabins. Designer Paul “Paulie” DiMeo (@Paul_DiMeo), known for building the impossible over nine seasons on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” has again partnered with woodsman and master fabricator Pat “Tuffy” Bakaitis on a cabin design and construction business known as the Cabin Kings. This unlikely duo uses repurposed materials to construct fabulous off-the-map retreats for their one-of-a-kind clients while overcoming outrageous challenges along the way. From creating a fishing cabin literally on a lake to incorporating a four-seat plane into a build, these guys are up for anything. They will use any and all materials they find to make these cabins the ideal sanctuaries for their clients. For more information, visit natgeotv.com/buildingwild or follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.
Then, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, new series Cabin Fever follows Minnesota-based company Heim Log Homes as they take on incredible and challenging log cabin builds across the country. Started by Ron Heim in the late ’70s, Heim Log Homes is now owned and run by Ron’s son Nate. Nate and his team — plus the occasional drop-in by dad — use century-old techniques, pouring themselves into each and every rugged and timeless cabin, to bring the past to the present. Each week, the guys travel to a new town and construct a custom log home for their clients. From a getaway atop the highest resort town in America to a ski lodge cabin overlooking Utah’s gorgeous valleys — this is Lincoln Logs to the nines. For more information, visit natgeotv.com/ or follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.
National Geographic Channel first entered the DIY construction space in 2014 with season one of Building Wild. But these aren’t your typical cabin shows — they come with a Nat Geo twist. Possibly the most rugged construction show ever, Building Wild develops on challenging terrain with atypical materials, such as an old gas pump, a rust-ridden 1956 car or an old ski chairlift. And Cabin Fever builds unique log cabins in the most rustic and remote locations in the U.S., such as high in the mountains of Utah, where The View is breathtaking but the elevation could cause serious construction issues, or on a family homestead surrounded by buffalo in northern Minnesota. Between the two series, every single build is unique.
Premiere episodes include:
Building Wild: Tailgating Paradise
Premieres Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The Cabin Kings tackle their largest-ever build — a 1,350-square-foot cabin at the top of a mountain for a larger-than-life New York Jets fan. Their client, Sean Winters, wants a place where he and his team of family and friends can tailgate during Jets away games and enjoy his massive property’s 17 miles of trails on their ATVs and snowmobiles. To keep costs low, Tuffy will repurpose one of Sean’s old 7-ton compacting dumpsters as an ATV garage, and Paulie will snag two fallen trees from Sean’s land to turn into a dining table fit for a king that seats 30. But with a lightning storm on the way and only a week to get it all done, this football-themed build may not make it to the end zone.
Cabin Fever: Sky High Sanctuary
Premieres Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Nate Heim and his team of tough log-home builders set out for Brian Head, Utah, to make dreams come true for Dr. Darin Brimhall and his family. The Brimhalls want a picturesque getaway home away from their lives in Las Vegas, where they can entertain friends and take advantage of Brian Head’s outdoor activities. But the property’s soaring views also mean a high elevation and drastic climate changes, which make the project a challenge for the crew. Meanwhile, Nate and Grizzly Bob must avert a disaster — new client Beau has a cabin in Wetmore, Michigan, leaning precariously after some nearby trees were uprooted in a storm. With all their energy and some tender loving care, Nate and his crew will save one beloved home and establish another.
Building Wild: Waterfall Cabin
Premieres Tuesday, March 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Ain’t no mountain high enough this week, as Paulie and Tuffy struggle to build a mountaintop cabin over a waterfall. Their clients, Jamie and April Meracle, have long dreamed of a cabin that takes advantage of their property’s incredible view of the Hudson River Valley. With a growing family, they want to keep costs down, so the Cabin Kings will repurpose materials for the cabin from Jamie’s sign business — steel beams into a foundation, 10-foot-high glass doors into windows and an old refrigerator box truck into a master bedroom. The cabin with the million-dollar view may be the Cabin Kings’ most challenging but ingenious project yet!
Cabin Fever: Lakeside Log Cabin
Premieres Tuesday, March 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Nate Heim and his dependable crew of craftsmen at Heim Log Homes have important marching orders — build a first-class cabin for Nate’s superior officer in the National Guard, Maj. Eric McGowan. Eric and his wife, Jessica — an athletic, outdoorsy couple who own 5 acres of prime real estate on the shore of Lake Vermillion, Minnesota — want a wilderness retreat where they can enjoy the outdoors and raise a family. Nate and his crew accept the mission, but they soon contend with freezing temperatures that cause major log problems, and an unexpected request that forces Nate to revise his strategy. While the troops push toward the new objective, Grizzly Bob, Nate, and Nate’s father, Ron, advance to Seeley, Wisconsin, to volunteer at a charity event for the Great Lakes Log Crafters Association. Once they return to Lake Vermillion, the whole team works to complete the project in a decisive victory for all.
Building Wild is produced by 90 Miles in association with Hoosick Falls Productions and Shake Media, Inc., for National Geographic Channel. Executive producers are George Verschoor, Will Spjut and Paul DiMeo. For NGC, executive producer is Michael Welsh; vice president, production & development is Kevin Tao Mohs; senior vice president, production & development is Alan Eyres; and president, original programming & production is Tim Pastore.
Cabin Fever is produced by Stiletto Television for National Geographic Channel. Executive producers are Mark Grove and Troy Queen. For NGC, executive producer is Char Serwa; vice president, development is Charlie Parsons; and president, original programming & production is Tim Pastore.