Magnolia Network’s ‘Home Work’: Everything to Know About the Show Amid Controversy

Credit: Lindsay Salazar/Discovery+

Magnolia Network’s ‘Home Work’: Everything to Know About the Show Amid Controversy

In need of renovations. Chip and Joanna Gaines had high hopes when they launched Magnolia Network, but they were not expecting the controversy that stemmed from Andy and Candis Meredith’s show Home Work. The Fixer Upper alums left HGTV in 2018 after becoming some of the network’s biggest stars. The couple branched out on their own with Magnolia Network, which debuted on Discovery+ in January 2021. DIY Network eventually rebranded as Magnolia Network in January 2022. Home Work originally premiered on the Discovery+ iteration of Magnolia Network in July 2021 before shifting to TV in January 2022. The show follows the Merediths as they transform a 20,000-square-foot school into their home while also doing projects for clients, overseeing rental properties and juggling their family of nine. Two days after the series first appeared on airwaves, the network pulled Home Work amid allegations of shoddy work, expanding budgets and timelines, a lack of communication from Andy and Candis and unsafe conditions. “I want Magnolia to be accountable,” Aubry Bennion, a Utah homeowner who was one of the Merediths’ former clients, shared via Instagram in January 2022. “It’s mind-blowing to me that they would put Magnolia’s name and reputation on the line or that they would allow these people to represent them without any sort of oversight or mentoring.” [jwplayer Fm4XLlfB-zhNYySv2] Teisha Satterfield Hawley, another homeowner who worked with Andy and Candis, came forward with similar claims. “Hopeless is the word that comes to mind when I think of that day,” she wrote via Instagram in January 2022. “We had been living in our basement for months at this point, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays. We were exhausted, we had just been told all of our funds were used and our home was torn apart with bubbling floors laid.” Amid the controversy, the Merediths denied scamming or lying to their clients but admitted to setting unachievable goals. “I fully acknowledge how hard any renovation is, especially when it’s a renovation for television. The timelines that were set were too crazy, and I am an optimistic person,” Candis said in a January 2022 Instagram video. “I know better now that I should never have said these short timelines and set these expectations. That is on me, and I take full responsibility.” Chip and Joanna, for their part, have yet to react to the ordeal, but prior to the headlines about Home Work, they detailed how they curated the shows on Magnolia Network. “We don’t do it the typical way. We’re not the network that says, ‘Send in your casting tapes,’” Joanna explained to Variety in January 2022. “For us, it’s been this really authentic way of finding talent. It’s either talent that we’re just completely enamored with as far as what they do, what they’re passionate about. It’s been a little harder, honestly, because it takes a lot of time on the phone and hours of talking them into even wanting to do television. I’d say most of our talent didn’t come to us and say, ‘I want to do a show.’ We came to them and said, ‘Can we highlight what you’re doing? It’s so amazing and inspiring.’” Scroll through the gallery below for more information about Home Work: [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Andy and Candis Meredith/Instagram

Who Are Andy and Candis?

The couple tied the knot in 2013 and live in Utah with their seven children. (The Merediths share one daughter, while they each have three sons from previous relationships.) They have been flipping homes together since 2013. Before starring on Home Work, they appeared on a limited series called Old Home Love, which aired on HGTV and DIY Network in 2015, and produced their own Facebook Watch show titled Old Sweet Home. They also released their first book, Old Home Love, in 2017 and launched a YouTube series called Traveling Home in 2018.

Credit: Courtesy of Andy and Candis Meredith/Instagram

What Are the Allegations?

Bennion claimed via Instagram that the Merediths began renovating her kitchen in 2019, informing her that the project would take three weeks and cost $20,000. The price allegedly rose to $25,000 while taping Home Work. It eventually cost more than $39,000 — with much of the sum allegedly going toward fixing the issues created by the project — and took five months to complete. Bennion also claimed that the Merediths created a drainage issue by building a deck over a sprinkler system, which cost $18,000 to repair. 

Hawley, meanwhile, alleged that she gave Andy and Candis $45,000 to renovate her home, but after 10 weeks (the project was only slated for four), little work had been completed. The Merediths then allegedly said they needed another $40,000. Hawley claimed that she told the duo not to come back after they asked for more money.  

Others who worked with the reality stars, including a local real estate agent, came forward with similar allegations via social media. 

Credit: Courtesy of Andy and Candis Meredith/Instagram

How Did Magnolia Network Respond?

The network pulled Home Work from the air in January 2022 amid the controversy. “Magnolia Network is aware that certain homeowners have expressed concerns about renovation projects undertaken by Candis and Andy Meredith,” Allison Page, the president of Magnolia, said in a statement at the time. “Within the last few days, we have learned additional information about the scope of these issues, and we have decided to remove Home Work from the Magnolia Network lineup pending a review of the claims that have been made.”  

Later that month, the show returned to the network. “After speaking with homeowners as well as Candis and Andy Meredith regarding renovation projects for Home Work, and hearing a mix of both positive and negative experiences, we do not believe there was ill or malicious intent,” Page said. “Our commitment now is to provide appropriate resolutions for those whose experience with Home Work fell short of our network’s standards. While Home Work will return to Magnolia Network, we recognize the responsibility we have to act on how we can better support not only our talent but those who put their trust in them and this brand.”

Credit: Courtesy of Andy and Candis Meredith/Instagram

What Was the Merediths’ Response?

Andy and Candis shared a lengthy statement via Instagram amid the allegations. “We have always tried to give everything we have to make anyone we work with happy,” they wrote. “We will never take away their truth and how they are feeling. We can only say that there are two sides to every story and while we chose not to go public with our truth, because we know how hurtful this feels, we understand that only hearing one side can paint a negative picture. We have always kept lines of communication open, there have always been ways for people to recover any damages, there have been purchase contracts in place, legal avenues etc, but taking this public seems to be the easiest way to harm us personally.”  

They claimed that while it was “true that we are sometimes left with outstanding balances” on their projects, they “have paid every amount of money we could to [make] things right and have continued making payments when necessary.”

Credit: Lindsay Salazar/Discovery+

What Happened to Andy and Candis From ‘Home Work?’

After months of silence, the couple spoke out for the first time via Instagram. “We have been spending much needed time with our family (our oldest is leaving for college  ) We’ve been nominated for two Emmy Awards (!!!) for 'Home Work' and really want to celebrate our small team for all of their hard, hard work. We will share more about that soon!” they wrote. “We have something exciting coming and we can't wait to share it with you! We are gardening, or more accurately, learning to garden. Please send tips on how to make it past the seedling stage ..”

The pair concluded their post with a subtle nod to the drama. “And finally, we’ve taken time to catch our breath, something that we truly have not had time for in the past,” they wrote. “We want you to know that your words of encouragement have meant so much to us, thank you!! It feels good to share here with you again .”