A co-host of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous is being sued by a couple who claim the home they bought from his company was incomplete and riddled with defects.
Dave Marrs owns several businesses and stars with his wife Jenny in renovation shows in their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.
Benton County couple Matthew and Sarah McGrath filed a lawsuit against Marrs and his companies for breach of contract, alleging that the home built for them was full of defects that had not been fixed.
Court documents seen by DailyMail.com revealed that a structural investigation found 21 code violations and dozens of structural problems at the property at 6 Itetbury Lane.
“Please understand that these reports do not fully detail the repair work that must be performed to rectify the numerous faults in workmanship, but only represent my clients’ current understanding of the nature and extent of the repairs,” the McGraths’ attorney said in a January report. 2023 letter to Marrs.
Dave Marrs (left), co-host of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous with his wife Jenny (right), is being sued by a couple who claim the house they bought from his company is defective.
Matthew and Sarah McGrath purchased the property at 6 Itetbury Lane (pictured) from Marrs’ company, Jupiter Rentals, for $559,000 in 2022.
The lawsuit says the McGraths entered into a contract with Marrs’ company, Jupiter Rentals, to purchase the property in May 2022.
The couple purchased the property for $559,000 and made a down payment of $15,000.
As part of the contract, the McGraths requested that Jupiter and Marrs Construction make specific improvements.
In an agreement to do additional work on the home, the purchase price was increased by $10,125, according to the lawsuit.
The McGraths performed an inspection of the property before closing and sent a list of repairs to Jupiter.
The McGraths said Marrs agreed to make numerous repairs to the property, but failed to do so and found even more in subsequent inspections.
A structural investigation report found flaws in the floor framing in the kitchen (pictured), dining room and entrance area.
Defects were also found in the beams and columns, footings, cracked exterior slabs, roof, patio, retaining walls and site grading.
Jupiter agreed to make several repairs to the home after the McGraths’ purchase that would be completed within 30 days, with the exception of installing replacement windows, which would be completed 90 days after closing, according to the lawsuit.
The couple officially purchased the house on July 28, 2022 and said that by August 28 of that same year none of the agreed-upon repairs had been completed.
A Nov. 12, 2022, structural investigation report found failures in window flashing, roof framing, exterior walls, exterior stairs, floor framing in the kitchen, dining room and entry area.
There were also defects in the beams and columns, footings, cracked exterior slabs, deck, patio, retaining walls, and site grading.
The inspection report said: “The problems we observed will continue and worsen until they are corrected.”
‘It is our judgment that the home requires repairs to the roof structure, main floor structure deflections, exterior wall framing and bracing, reinstallation of windows, vinyl siding, window and door flashings and the brick cladding.
Marrs (right) owns several businesses and stars with his wife Jenny (left) in several renovation shows in their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.
‘Repair and redesign of rear deck to eliminate water infiltration and foundation problems. Additionally, grading and drainage modifications are necessary, along with possible structural improvements to the retaining walls,” the report states.
An inspector estimate said it would cost $38,740 to repair the path and walkways, as well as $47,862 for landscaping and grading, including installing French drains.
According to a letter sent by the McGraths’ attorney, the estimates did not include the nearly $1,900 spent by the couple “in an attempt to discover the extent of defects in the construction of the home.”
The McGraths are seeking to have all costs of repairs to their home paid by the Marrs companies and for damages to be determined at trial.
A five-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on September 23.
