Looking alive for five, guys! In the season 5 opener of Brother vs. Brother, Jonathan and Drew invite guest judges and fellow HGTV hosts Egypt Sherrod (Flipping Virgins) and David Bromstad (My Lottery Dream Home) to deliver a verdict on their favorite living room transformation. The brothers each throw in $600,000 of their own cash to renovate two very different beachside properties in Galveston, Texas, and compete to make the biggest profit. Each week, guest judges designate a winner for each space in the home. Will Egypt and David pick Drew’s open and airy common room or Jonathan’s modern luxe entrance? 

In this destination beach town, Drew is specifically targeting buyers looking to get into the vacation rental market. Therefore, he wants a beach house with “lots of beds for a lot of heads.” To begin, he plans to tear remove every last inch of wood paneling and stone from the living area — not an easy task! — and turn the lackluster fireplace into a major focal point for the room. The staircase will also get a major makeover with custom glass railings.

Are we in Galveston or the backwoods of Texas? Drew’s two-story home is covered top to bottom in wood paneling, and though the beams offer up some potential, the layout is closed off and leaves much to be desired. 

The new living space is barely recognizable after the paneling is replaced with crisp, white walls, the gnarly carpet is swapped for beachy hardwoods and the closed off staircase is opened up to highlight the gorgeous high ceilings.