Chatham County couple sues TV show over home renovation

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Chatham County couple is suing the producers of a popular home improvement television show, saying the contractors actually revealed more problems after they finished their work.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports Deena Murphy and Timothy Sullivan contend in their lawsuit that the work done on the HGTV show “Love It or List It” only found additional issues for which they’re seeking compensation.

According to the lawsuit, the floor in the home was “irreparably damaged,” and duct work left holes in the floor “through which vermin could enter the house.”

The hour-long show hinges on whether a homeowner wants to stay in a home which a contractor renovates, or whether they want to move to a new home.

The show’s Canadian-based producers call the couple’s allegations false.

Murphy and Sullivan were selected for the series in April 2015. Sullivan owned the house in north Raleigh and had been leasing it as a rental property before contacting the show.

As part of the agreement with the production company, the lawsuit says the couple would “deposit” $140,000 with the production company and would use the money only to pay for work performed by Aaron Fitz, the Triangle-based contractor, or its subcontractors.

Aaron Fitz was not the couple’s choice, and they voiced their concerns about below average ratings they had seen for the company on Angie’s List.

Between July 30 and Sept. 24, Big Coat paid $85,786.50 to Aaron Fitz.

According to the lawsuit, Big Coat acted as a general contractor. The plaintiffs question why payments agreed to under the terms of the contract were not distributed.

Also, the couple allege “Love It Or List It” did not use a licensed architect to develop renovation plans, that they never were shown houses on the market by any North Carolina licensed real estate agent who had the ability to broker the sale of those homes and were left to put up with “disastrous work done by Big Coat and its subcontractors.”

“Big Coat’s purported agreement,” the lawsuit contends, “admits that it is in the business of television production, not construction. … The homeowners’ funds essentially pay the cost of creating a stage set for this television series.”