News
Devin McRae Speaks with New York Times About Lawsuits in the Aftermath of Popular Home Makeover Shows
In a recently published New York Times article exploring what goes on behind the scenes of popular home makeover television shows, Devin McRae weighs in on the construction lawsuits that have become increasingly common in their wake. The article describes how homeowners who participate in such shows are promised the home of their dreams, only to find in some cases that once the cameras are done filming, they are left with a “construction nightmare.” Homeowners who participated in many of the most popular home renovation shows revealed to the Times that after their episodes were complete, they were left with homes that were unfinished or poorly constructed, and rife with health and safety hazards due in part to workmanship that was not up to code.
The article details how the contracts that participants enter into to appear on such shows often include a strict waiver precluding participants from speaking to the media or press about their experience, and that legal recourse is discouraged. Still, the Times was able to take a closer look at numerous lawsuits, both settled and ongoing, that have been filed after homeowners appeared on shows including HGTV’s “Love It or List It,” Fox’s “Renovate My Family,” and others such as “Property Brothers” and “Flip or Flop Las Vegas.”
While some homeowners have sought significant reparations, Devin shares that the damages awarded in most construction lawsuits are likely to be for the cost to make the necessary repairs, and not much higher. “You’re probably not talking about seven figures,” he notes. “The fight is probably in the low hundreds.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).