Behind the Build: An Inside Look at Vanilla Ice and His Crew
Rob VanWinkle -- also known as Vanilla Ice -- and the crew of DIY Network's The Vanilla Ice Project work together to make incredible changes to some of Florida's largest mansions. See the behind-the-scenes pics here.
Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these links.
April 01, 2015
By:
Jennifer Brake
Related To:
Pop Icon & Home Rehabber
Rob VanWinkle might be best known for selling 11 million copies of his first album in the 1990s, but now he's made a name for himself in the real estate business. With 20 years of house flipping under his belt, Rob is an expert in converting beat-up properties into big profits.
Early Start to Greatness
Rob started renovating homes in his late teens with some smart property purchases, including his first remodeling project, his personal 15,000-square-foot mansion in Miami Beach.
Meet the Team
Rob relies on his construction crew to get the job done right and on time. From left: Jim Block, Jeremy Brenner, Wes Kain and Frank Morales
Right-Hand Man
Rob's right-hand man is Wes Kain. When Rob can't be on the job site, it's up to Wes to make decisions, catch problems early on and keep things running smoothly.
Game On
There's always time for hoops once the job is finished. Rob and Wes break in a newly installed basketball court with a little friendly competition.
Father-Daughter Duo
Rob had his daughter Keelee help him design a few of the rooms in this Florida home. It seems she inherited her dad's eye for bold visual statements, as evidenced in this wall-to-wall mural that she suggested to help bring this formerly drab bedroom to life.
True Techies
Rob and Keelee show off a super high-tech Murphy bed equipped with LED lighting and controlled by a remote control that quietly lowers the bed to the ground.
Demo Day
This bathroom needed to be gutted, so Rob grabbed the orange safety paint to mark the areas that would get the sledgehammer and those that would live to see another day.
Art of Tagging
Since this wall had to go anyway, Rob took the opportunity to practice his graffiti skills before tearing it down.
Group Effort
Rob knows his crew can get a little crazy with the sledgehammer, so he makes sure to clearly mark what stays and what goes. Wes is less concerned with the demo and more concerned with Frank having some screws loose.
Hands-On Host
Sometimes if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Rob never hesitates to jump into the construction action. Here he installs the final tile pieces on the mansion's exterior.
Air Time
Rob tests out his custom swingset made from two 30-foot telephone poles secured into the ground. There's no doubt you can get a lot of air on this gigantic swingset.
The A-Team
Frank, Wes and Jeremy take a break from smashing up a Palm Beach mansion before the real remodeling can begin.
Leaving His Mark
Embedded into the rocks of this at-home waterpark feature is the Vanilla Ice signature cupid logo. Rob tries to leave his trademark cupid at every house he renovates.
Finished Product
Rob shows off the end result of a long overhaul project. This Florida mansion was a maroon eyesore before he gave it the Vanilla Ice touch.
VIP Status
The Vanilla Ice Project team puts their contracting skills to use to turn rundown houses into customized cribs. They have a lot of fun on set but always get the job done to turn Rob's vision into a reality.
