Love it, list it or litigate? Home reno show crew denies liability after disgruntled couple sues

The producers and a contractor behind the home reno show Love It Or List It Vancouver have denied all the accusations made by a dissatisfied couple who sued themlast year, saying all the renovations at the heart of the lawsuitwere completed properly.

Even if the workhadn't been done right, a response to the civil claimsaid, itwouldn't matter because the North Vancouver, B.C., homeowners gave upany rightto sue when they signed asweeping contract agreeing to be on the show.

"The plaintiffs assumed any and all liability for all of the renovation work following the [on-air] reveal," readthe court document filed in Julyon behalf ofthe production company and the contractor.

Jeanine Almeida and Norman Waine filed their lawsuit againstthe company behind the show on May 9, 2018, claiming producers brought inan actor with no contracting experience to work on their Lynn Valleyhome for theirepisode.

The couple also claimed the renovation was riddled with defects that could lead to mould, fires, water damage and high concentrations ofcarbon dioxide putting their family's health and safety at risk.

None of the couple's allegations have been proven in court.

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The company, its producers and the contractor haveasked for the case to be dismissed entirely.

The response to the couple's claim, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, said the renovation is up to code. It also said the contractor is not an actor and has 30 years ofexperience in construction.

Almeida, Waine andtheir four childrenappeared on season fourof the show in 2016.

During each episode, families have to decide whether to keeptheir current home. Twohosts,one real estate agentand one designer,try to sway participantsto move or stay.

The real estate agentworks to find a new house on the market suited to the family, while the designer renovates the participants'current home. At the end of the episode, homeowners choose to moveor stay in their spruced-up old house, which is shown to them in a walk-through on camera.

Almeida and Waineclaimed they paid the show's production company, Should I Stay or Should I Go West Productions, more than $175,000 for therenovation.

Thekitchen, dining room, laundry room, garage and back deckwere transformed. During the on-air reveal of their new house, AlmeidaandWaine said theyloved the "gorgeous" final product.

They claimed issues cropped up after the show aired.

In their lawsuit, the couple said theysigned a contract agreeing that work would be carried out by Kenny Gemmill,the show's resident contractor,or a "reasonable alternative." Almeida and Waine claimedtheshow instead hiredKerry van derGriend, whom they described as anactor with "little to no experience" as a general contractor.

The defendants said thatallegationaloneis "reckless" and false. The court filing said the couple's allegationshave harmed Van der Griend personally and professionally.

Almeida and Waine are asking for damages for breach of contract andnegligent misrepresentation, as well as general and special damages. They did not specify how much compensation they were seeking.

The defendants denied the couple"suffered any loss, damage or expense, as alleged or at all."

The Love It or List It franchise, developed by Big Coat Media in Toronto, has versions in Australia, the U.S. and several countries in Europe. Love It or List It Vancouver was the first spinoff.