LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A northwest Las Vegas valley couple claims they were sold an empty dream by two hosts of a popular home-remodeling show.
Paul and Mindy King recently married in 2018 and bought a house to start the next chapter in their lives. But they say the experience has been a nightmare.
“They’re making their millions of dollars. Their fame. They’re living their lifestyle based off of people like us, that put our trust into them,” Mindy King said.
The Kings told 8 News Now they thought it would be cool to have Jonathan and Drew Scott, who are known as the “Property Brothers,” renovate their house.
They host a popular show on HGTV, so the Kings entered into an agreement back in 2018, paying them around $200,000. But for the last several years, they’ve been in a lawsuit that the Kings describe as a “David versus Goliath” fight.
“They put the fear of God in you, and I’m not going to let that happen to us or anybody else,” Mindy King said.
According to a lawsuit filed in Clark County District Court, the Kings accuse Cineflix, the production company the Scotts were working for, and several contractors and subcontractors that the company hired, of doing a shoddy job.
“We didn’t have a honeymoon. I didn’t get a wedding band. We took our savings because we trusted Jonathan and Drew,” Mindy King said. “Again Jonathan and Drew where are you? Why are you not helping us?”
The Kings allege in a lawsuit filed in January of 2021 that Cineflix wasn’t even licensed in Nevada to perform the work and that they hired inexperienced contractors.
Villa Construction, which is listed as a co-defendant, allegedly had no expertise in home renovation and created numerous building code violations.
The Kings shared a behind-the-scenes video with 8 News Now that captures Jonathan Scott and his camera crews working on the house.
“Yeah, our house looks good when you walk in, because they built a TV set. But, it’s what you can’t see that is dangerous,” Mindy King said. “Sludge and sewer were leaking out, disintegrating the cabinet,” she said opening the cabinets under the sink.
The sink they had at their island bar also fell in a few years ago. They also haven’t used their range in four years.
“It’s the wrong size pipe, the wrong size gas line,” Mindy said.
They said their dishwasher was another problem.
“Every time we had turned on the kitchen sink, once the water would hit the garbage disposal, it would backflow into the dishwasher,” she said.
Photos the Kings provided of their dishwasher showed mold built up and brown residue.
The Kings said the Southern Nevada Health District tested it and it came back positive for harmful bacteria.
“It was actually deemed a biohazard and removed by a hazmat company over the summer,” Mindy said.
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Paul and Mindy King filed a lawsuit in Clark County District Court, the Kings accuse Cineflix, the production company the Scotts were working for, and several contractors and subcontractors that company hired, of doing a shoddy job. (Courtesy of Mindy King) -
Paul and Mindy King filed a lawsuit in Clark County District Court, the Kings accuse Cineflix, the production company the Scotts were working for, and several contractors and subcontractors that company hired, of doing a shoddy job. (Courtesy of Mindy King)
Records from the City of Las Vegas show inspectors approved construction plans for the house. However, despite the long list of problems in the King’s lawsuit, the house passed city inspection after its remodel.
“There are serious, expensive issues to be fixed in this house,” Paul King said.
The Kings said Chapter 40 was placed on their house, meaning they can’t sell it until all the deficiencies have been corrected.
But they can’t even correct them because of the lawsuit, which has languished in the courts.
“We can’t sell a house where there is all these deficiencies and not to code,” Paul said. “We can’t sell it but if we could we would take a huge financial hit.”
The contractual agreement with Cineflix states that the Kings are entitled to $5,000 each day that if their deficiencies aren’t corrected past the agreed-upon completion date. That date was May of 2019.
“When you’re in a doctor’s office, and HGTV is on, I have to go up and ask them to change the channel,” Mindy said. “We can’t watch any HGTV shows ever.”
The episode with the Kings did eventually air and the Kings said as recently as a few months ago, friends called them saying they watched it.
The King’s personal story is also still up on Drew and Jonathan Scott’s website.
Both brothers are no longer with Cineflix, they have since started their own production company.
The “Property Brothers” did not respond to 8 News Now’s request for comment, and Cineflix said it does not comment on pending litigation.
It’s important to note, that the Kings have not listed Jonathan and Drew Scott as defendants, only the production company they worked for. But the Kings told 8 News Now they are considering adding them to the lawsuit.
A jury trial is scheduled for October 2024.
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Source Agencies
