HGTV’sprogramming has brought comfort to millions of viewers over the years as they’ve shown renovations, remodels, and DIY projects for every type of home, butone lawsuit blew the lid off the behind-the-scenes fabricationthat went into certain shows. While many have become aware over the years that some of HGTV’s biggest shows have an element of invention to them.
While many have enjoyed shows likeLove It Or List Itfor their entertaining back and forth, it’s become clear thatthe whole truth wasn’t being shown on screen from episode to episode. Instead, viewers got partial insight into what was happening during each renovation. Even shows going as far to the early 2000s had some withheld information to inform the narrative.
Regardless of the fact that some viewers have been using HGTV shows as their comfort for years,the production side of the shows have a lot of work to do off-screen to ensure each episode makes narrative sense. From the general casting process to the renovations being paid for by homeowners on certain shows, not everything is what it seems.
While the shows themselves do often offer renovations that can serve as inspiration to others or offer helpful information to viewers, they’re not always operating smoothly behind the scenes. OnHGTV shows likeLove It Or List It, for example, the renovations shown on screen aren’t always the dream that viewers are sold to think they are as things progress.
One Couple Sued HGTV After Their Love It Or List It Experience
They Claimed The Work Done On Their Home Was Damaging
Love It Or List It, a series thatpitted interior designer Hilary Farr and real estate agent David Visentin against one another as they competedto see if a renovation could push homeowners to stay in their space or eventually list it for sale, originally aired from 2008 to 2023. The competition format allowed Hilary to design while David searched potential listings for the homeowners.
While there have been many episodes of Love It Or List It that seemed to feature genuine homeowners who either benefitted from Hilary’s design changes and continued living in their homes or found a new space from David, one troubling episode led the show into legal turmoil. In 2015,a couple from North Carolina sued the show for damage to their home.
According toABC News, Deena Murphy and Timothy Sullivan were featured on an episode ofLove It Or List Itand found thatthe work completed on their North Carolina home had damaged it, rather than enhanced it as the show promised. Explaining that they invested"more than $140,000 with the production company"to work on their home, the couple shared that there was"irreparable damage."
The couple went on to allege that the show misused over $60,000 of their funds, and ultimately, that the"incentive is to make decisions that favor the television show but not the homeowners.“The couple did name the construction company that the show hired to take on the work, but was holding the production company accountable.HGTV had to acknowledge the issue publicly.
The Lawsuit Was Eventually Settled, But The Damage Was Done
HGTV’s Reputation Was Soured After The Suit
After documenting the damage done to their home and publicizing their lawsuit, the North Carolina couple who suedLove It Or List Itsproduction company, Big Coat TV, were countersued, according toThe News & Observer. Big Coat TV shared the couple"knowingly spreading inaccurate information to damage the company’s reputation"andthe parties eventually settled the suit out of court.
AlthoughLove It Or List Ithad a more publicized lawsuit, it isn’t the only HGTV show to have made headlines with its concerning practices.Shows likeHouse Huntershave been called out onlinefor their false-narrative, with some of the homeowners sharing that they never had any intentions of actually buying property, let alone the properties shown on the series.
With HGTV shows proving that some of the renovation magic isn’t what it seems on screen, the damage for the network has long been done. Although lawsuits can crop up for a variety of reality TV shows,the fact that theLove It Or List Itsuit wound up settled and quieted down drew more attentionto the fact that the series had flaws.
The Staged Renovations Should Be Mentioned Upfront
AlthoughHGTVshows have proven that they’re not always working for the homeowner when it comes to renovations, the majority of series' on the network have been able to provide thoughtful, thorough work. WhileLove It Or List Itfaced criticism from their lawsuit, the show went on to continue for years to come, andhas even revamped in recent years on another network.
Despiteviewers understanding that there’s a lot of work being done off-screen, it’s always the most obvious on an HGTV show that has a short runtime. With such a short amount of time for viewers to grasp who the homeowners are, what they want, and to see the designers get to work, there’s bound to be a lot left on the cutting room floor.
While there are always going to be some issues that come from renovation shows,Love It Or List Itslawsuit proved that the reality TV renovation space needs to be held to a higher standard. From vetting the local contracting companies that will participate in builds to being transparent with homeowners,HGTVneeds to take further accountability for their shows.
