What Is the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is a private breach of contract and breach of warranty case over a home sale in Benton County, Arkansas. Matthew and Sarah McGrath sued Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC in February 2023.
Coverage describes both companies as owned by Dave Marrs, who hosts HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous with his wife Jenny Marrs. The coverage reviewed for this page does not say the McGraths' home appeared on the show.
The case is not a class action, and no multidistrict litigation covers it. It ended in a settlement in January 2025.
Why Was the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit Filed?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit was filed because the McGraths say repairs they were promised were never done and the home had further defects. According to People, the complaint says the couple agreed on May 22, 2022 to buy the house from Jupiter Rentals for $559,000. They paid a $15,000 down payment.
The complaint says Jupiter Rentals agreed to perform $10,125 of upgrades before closing. After an inspection, the McGraths submitted a repair list. The filing says "not a single item on the list of repairs" was completed by the August 28, 2022 closing.
The McGraths then sought repairs under a builder's warranty from Marrs Construction. They say that company declined and that Jupiter Rentals did not respond. They asked the court for all repair costs, attorney's fees and litigation costs.
What Harms Does the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit Allege?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit alleges three harms: breach of contract, breach of warranty and construction defects. Each item below is an allegation from the McGraths' complaint or later coverage, not a finding by a court.
Breach of Contract
Breach of contract is a legal claim that one party failed to do something it promised to do in an agreement.
People reports that the McGraths pleaded this claim against Jupiter Rentals only. They say the company agreed to finish specific upgrades before closing and did not.
KNWA/FOX24 listed work the couple said was left undone. It included hardwood floors in the upstairs bedrooms, a different kitchen sink, stairs and a handrail from the back deck, and windows in a top garage panel.
Breach of Warranty
Breach of warranty is a legal claim that a seller or builder did not honor a promise about the quality of a product or home.
The McGraths pleaded this claim against both Jupiter Rentals and Marrs Construction. It rests on the builder's warranty that Marrs Construction gave them.
They say they asked for warranty repairs and that Marrs Construction declined. The complaint says Jupiter Rentals never answered the same request.
Construction Defects
A construction defect is a flaw in the design, materials or workmanship of a building that affects its safety, use or value.
The complaint alleges "a multitude of additional defects in the construction of the home" that the McGraths found after the sale. Later KNWA/FOX24 coverage described a "critical safety issue" with the deck and said the couple alleged an incorrectly installed septic system.
The Marrs side said the McGraths would not allow the companies to make repairs, and the companies said they tried. No court ruled on either account.
What Is the Current Status of the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit?
The current status of the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is settled, with the claims dismissed or to be dismissed with prejudice. The parties reached the deal before the jury trial that was set for January 27, 2025.
The coverage reviewed for this page did not publish the docket number or the presiding judge. It also did not show the final dismissal order.
McGrath v. Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC
This Benton County case is a single dispute between one couple and two companies owned by Dave Marrs. Court-ordered mediation failed, and the parties settled instead of trying the case.
| Court | Benton County Circuit Court, Arkansas |
| Case Number | Not published in the coverage reviewed |
| Judge | Not named in the coverage reviewed |
| Filed | February 2023 |
| Plaintiffs | Matthew and Sarah McGrath |
| Defendants | Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC |
| Claims | Breach of warranty (both companies) and breach of contract (Jupiter Rentals) |
| Relief Sought | All repair costs, attorney's fees and litigation costs |
| Trial Date | Five-day jury trial, first set for September 23, 2024, then moved to January 27, 2025 |
| Outcome | Settlement filed January 24, 2025; claims to be dismissed with prejudice; terms not disclosed |
Tim Watson appeared as the McGraths' lawyer in a filing quoted by NewsNation. Defense counsel did not answer KNWA/FOX24's request for comment.
What Was the Outcome of the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit?
The outcome of the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is a settlement reached before trial. A January 24, 2025 filing said all pending claims "have been fully compromised by settlement."
No settlement amount or term has been made public, so this page does not estimate what the case was worth.
The case never went to trial. The jury trial set for January 27, 2025 did not take place after the filing three days earlier.
The filing said the claims will be dismissed with prejudice once the settlement is completed. A dismissal with prejudice generally means the McGraths cannot refile the same claims.
The McGraths asked for repair costs and fees, and coverage reported no dollar demand. Neither couple answered requests for comment when the settlement was reported.
Latest Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit Updates
The latest Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit updates and news, including new filings, rulings, and case-count reports, are tracked below as they're confirmed. A settlement in the McGraths' Benton County case against Marrs Construction and Jupiter Rentals was reached as of October 2026, detailed in the timeline below. The timeline below tracks every confirmed development from the first filing forward.
Full Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit Timeline
Outlets Report the Settlement as the Trial Date Arrives
People and NewsNation reported on January 27, 2025 that the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit had settled. The jury trial in Benton County had been moved from September 23, 2024 to that date.
McGraths and Marrs Companies File a Settlement Notice
The McGraths, Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC filed a notice on January 24, 2025. It said all pending claims were fully compromised and would be dismissed with prejudice.
Pretrial Hearing Is Scheduled Before the Rescheduled Trial
NewsNation reported that a pretrial hearing in the McGraths' Benton County case was set for January 14, 2025. The hearing came ahead of the January 27 trial date.
McGraths Ask for More Discovery Time After Tornadoes
The McGraths asked the court on June 4, 2024 to move the June 24 discovery deadline, citing Memorial Day weekend tornadoes in Benton County. The defendants did not consent, and NewsNation later reported the deadline moved to July 8.
McGraths Ask the Court to Compel Discovery Answers
The McGraths filed a motion on October 2, 2023 saying the Marrs companies had not produced full discovery responses. They asked for attorney's fees, and their filing said mediation had "failed utterly."
Court-Ordered Mediation Fails
The McGraths and the Marrs companies mediated on September 19, 2023, after the court directed mediation at a July 20 pretrial conference. The McGraths said the session failed.
Marrs Companies Answer the First Discovery Requests
Marrs Construction and Jupiter Rentals responded to the McGraths' discovery requests on May 12, 2023, after a one-month extension. The McGraths called the answers full of objections and vague promises to supplement.
McGraths Serve Their First Discovery Requests
The McGraths served interrogatories and requests for production on both Marrs companies on March 13, 2023. The original response deadline was April 12.
McGraths Sue Marrs Construction and Jupiter Rentals
Matthew and Sarah McGrath filed suit in Benton County Circuit Court in February 2023. They pleaded breach of warranty against both companies and breach of contract against Jupiter Rentals.
McGraths Close on the Home
The complaint says the McGraths closed on the house on August 28, 2022. It says none of the repairs on their inspection list had been done by that date.
McGraths Sign the Purchase Contract With Jupiter Rentals
The complaint says the McGraths contracted on May 22, 2022 to buy the house from Jupiter Rentals for $559,000. They put down $15,000 and requested $10,125 in upgrades.
Who Are the Defendants in the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit?
The defendants in the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit are Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC. News coverage describes both as owned by Dave Marrs.
| Defendant | Role in the dispute | Claim pleaded |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter Rentals, LLC | Seller of the home under the purchase contract | Breach of contract and breach of warranty |
| Marrs Construction, Inc. | Gave the builder's warranty on the home | Breach of warranty |
Dave and Jenny Marrs host Fixer to Fabulous from their hometown of Bentonville, and the show has aired on HGTV since 2019. According to KNWA/FOX24, the Marrs side said the McGraths would not allow repairs.
How Does the Fixer to Fabulous Lawsuit Compare to Related Cases?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is separate from an earlier suit against other Marrs companies. The two cases involve different plaintiffs, different homes and different allegations.
| Case | Allegation | Reported outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Craddock v. Marrs Developing, LLC and Marrs Construction, Inc. (2021) | A 2018 renovation was not completed without defects, the companies held no Arkansas contractor's license and they pulled no Benton County permits; the couple sought at least $75,000 | Dismissed in March 2022 by Judge Xollie Duncan after the plaintiffs settled and released the defendants |
Some outlets blur the two cases or misstate their years. This page treats the McGraths' 2023 suit as the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit and the Craddock suit as a distinct earlier matter. No other open case against the Marrs companies turned up in research for this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit about?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is about a home sale dispute. Matthew and Sarah McGrath sued two companies owned by Dave Marrs and alleged unfinished repairs, a breached contract and a breached warranty.
Is the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit a class action?
No, the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit is not a class action. One couple sued two companies in Benton County, Arkansas, and no multidistrict litigation covers the case.
How did the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit end?
The Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit ended in a settlement filed on January 24, 2025, three days before the January 27 jury trial. The filing said the claims would be dismissed with prejudice.
How much was the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit settlement?
The amount of the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit settlement has not been made public. Reports said the terms were not immediately available, and neither couple answered requests for comment.
Who sued the Fixer to Fabulous hosts?
Matthew and Sarah McGrath sued the companies of the Fixer to Fabulous hosts in February 2023. The defendants were Marrs Construction, Inc. and Jupiter Rentals, LLC, both owned by Dave Marrs.
Is the Craddock case part of the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit?
No, the Craddock case is not part of the Fixer to Fabulous lawsuit. Tyler and Dana Craddock sued other Marrs companies over a 2018 renovation, and Judge Xollie Duncan dismissed that case in March 2022.