Photo Credits: Jonathan Scott/Instagram
You might think that having The Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, come over and carry out some renovation work on your house would be a good thing. Well, HGTV thought it was a good idea until they met a couple called the Kings.
Paul and Mindy King are a Las Vegas couple that participated in the reality show in 2019. For many reasons other than being thrilled by the TV show’s renovation, the couple filed a lawsuit in 2021.
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The Kings didn’t file against the property brothers personally. It was filed against Cineflix, the show’s production company, and the local contractor they used for the renovation, Villa Construction. The Kings claimed they had given both companies plenty of time to correct issues and now had no option other than to take legal action.
The Kings, who contributed over $193,000 to the renovation of their home, alleged the work they received was sub-standard. They claimed the renovation was not up to code, citing exposed wiring, poorly hung doors and a badly installed backsplash.
The Other Side of the Story
Cineflix issued a statement. While they recognized that there had been issues, as the Kings described, what happened next differed from the story the Kings presented. Todd Christensen, president of Villa Construction backed up the production company’s version of events.
There had been issues, he confirmed, but only a few. A punch list, as he described it, of identified issues picked up on by the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB). Although the list was started, it couldn’t be completed because the Kings denied the construction company access to the property. After several attempts, the NSBC closed the case file.
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However, Mindy King made a complaint against Villa Construction with the Contractors Board, alleging they had left her property with 90 unresolved issues. The Board considered her claim, found 10 of the issues warranted action, and sent a Notice to Correct to Villa Construction. Once again, the contractor was denied access and the Board closed the case again.
The Scott brothers were never part of the lawsuit, although their lawyers did issue a statement suggesting the Kings were using negative publicity to secure a better settlement.
Broader Implications for Reality TV Home Renovations
Obviously, the lawsuit raises important questions about the responsibilities of reality shows and their accountability. In this case, homeowners are perhaps a little naïve to expect high-quality workmanship in a rapid TV-land turnaround. The lawsuit suggests that the result the viewer sees is better than what the homeowner actually gets.
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This case also underscores the complexity of these projects. The tight scheduling means the involvement of multiple parties, with many onsite at once. It makes determining responsibility difficult and resolving issues challenging.
It’s September 2024, and the lawsuit is ongoing with a jury trial set for October. However, there could be a considerable shift in the case’s dynamics because the Kings are said to be considering adding Drew and Jonathan Scott to the lawsuit.
