Why Chip And Joanna Gaines Pulled Home Work From The Magnolia Network

Chip and Joanna Gaines shot into the celebrity spotlight with their well-known HGTV renovation series, "Fixer Upper," which aired for the first time in 2013. In the years since, they have managed to launch a number of businesses related to their work on the show, including their own paint color and furniture line, as well as open their own bed and breakfast and retail park, as per Brides. The Gaines have also penned a book together detailing their success as a couple and in life, called "The Magnolia Story." These superstars even created their own cable network by the name of the Magnolia Network, which airs a number of shows related to home renovations and cooking, among other topics. 

One of the shows that was picked up by the Magnolia Network is called "Home Work," hosted by Andy and Candis Meredith. The program began as a way for the couple to document the renovation of their own 20,000-square-foot schoolhouse to become a functional home for their large family, which includes nine children. It then turned into the Merediths taking on room renovations for clients who wanted their expertise. At the time of its premiere, Decider predicted that "Home Work" would eventually boost the success of "Fixer Upper," in part because of the similar renovation theme as well as the talent evidenced by its hosts. However, this has ended up not being the case as it was revealed this past week that the show would be pulled from Magnolia Network's lineup.

Andy and Candis Meredith, hosts of Magnolia Network's renovation show, "Home Work," were accused this week by multiple homeowners of grave issues related to their workmanship and professionality, as per Variety. In response to the complaints, Chip and Joanna Gaines have decided to pull the program from the schedule. President of the network, Allison Page, explained the motivations behind the cut in a statement to Variety. "Certain homeowners have expressed concerns about renovation projects undertaken by Candis and Andy Meredith," she explained. "Within the last few days, we have learned additional information about the scope of these issues." Page added that the network will conduct a review of the claims to determine whether it will return to the lineup.

Among the complaints was one from homeowner Jeff Hawley, who told Today that the work done on his home was so poorly finished that "two times, somebody fell through the floor into [the] basement." He also complained that the renovation took double the time it was supposed to and that Candis and Andy weren't communicative enough throughout the process. Another homeowner, Aubry Bennion, had similar complaints. Speaking with Today, she revealed that the project went over budget and that Candis and Andy didn't pay the contractors once the work was finished. Ultimately, there wasn't just one or two errors left to improve — these homeowners were unhappy with nearly the entire process.

Candis and Andy Meredith defended themselves against the allegations that their work had been subpar on their renovation show, "Home Work." On January 7, 2022, they took to Instagram to issue a joint statement. "We have always tried to give everything we have to make anyone we work with happy," they wrote. "We can only say that there are two sides to every story and ... we understand that only hearing one side can paint a negative picture." The Merediths went on to explain the reasons behind the issues that the homeowners were detailing, which ranged from miscommunication to choosing the wrong contractor for the job. The couple hoped that the public would see past the surface mistakes and realize that they "have always tried to do [their] best in any situation." Ultimately, the Merediths want people to know that they are not the "frauds" they have been made out to be nor have they "hurt people intentionally."

It doesn't seem like the disgruntled homeowners will let the couple off the hook that easily, however. In the meantime, Aubry Bennion has filed a complaint with the Utah Department of Commerce Division of Consumer Protection, according to Today. Others have considered taking legal action against the Merediths. While the couple deals with the backlash from their show, they have decided to no longer take on new clients. "We don't want to do this ever again," Candis proclaimed.