The Rico to the Rescue lawsuit was filed in November 2024 by Denver firefighter Jon Schauer, who says a renovation featured on the HGTV show left his Larkspur, Colorado home riddled with construction defects. A five-day trial is set for May 2026 in Castle Rock, and the case has drawn attention because host Rico León is arguing he cannot be held liable because he was only acting for the cameras.
Who Is Suing and What They Allege
On November 4, 2024, Jon Schauer, a captain with the Denver Fire Department, filed suit in Douglas County District Court against four defendants: Rico León (also known as Andrew León); Watt Pictures LLC, the New York-based production company; PCB Precision Custom Builders LLC; and the company’s owner, Siavash Zadeh.1Trellis.law. Schauer v. PCB Precision Custom Builders LLC et al, Case No. 2024CV31061 The case is assigned to Judge Ben L. Leutwyler III.
The complaint lists dozens of alleged defects at 11306 Valley Drive in Larkspur, where the show filmed. Among them: a fireplace installed backwards, missing smoke alarms, an unsafe back deck, missing bathroom tiles, improperly installed toilets, and defective windows and doors. Schauer also alleges Zadeh performed work beyond the scope of the county building permit.2BusinessDen. Denver Firefighter Accuses HGTV Show, Local Contractor of Botching Home Project
León Says He Was Only Acting
In a court filing dated June 2, 2025, León’s attorneys at Overturf McGath & Hull argued that León “denies having performed any actual management, design or construction work on the project.” They described him instead as “an actor in the show ‘Rico to the Rescue,’ performing in the theatrical sense mock construction work in front of TV cameras.” His lawyers contend León never entered into a contract with Schauer and should not be a party to the lawsuit at all.3BusinessDen. HGTV Host Says He Did Only Mock Work on Denver Firefighter’s Home
That framing sits awkwardly next to León’s public profile. A 2023 profile in 5280 magazine described him as a “local home restoration expert” who arrived in Denver in 2018 and worked in emergency restoration and construction before moving into consulting.45280. How Denverite Rico León Became an HGTV Star At a 2023 industry conference he was billed as a “contractor and Denver business owner” who spoke about managing project contractors.5METALCON. HGTV’s Rico to the Rescue: Real Life Scenarios From Nightmares to Dreams Come True The show’s premise is that he personally steps in to fix botched renovations. Whether a court will accept the distinction between real construction work and “mock” construction work performed on camera is one of the central questions heading into trial.
The Contractor Denies the Claims and Countersues
Precision Custom Builders, the Centennial-based firm that did the on-the-ground work, has denied the allegations. Owner Sia Zadeh called Schauer’s claims “absolutely hilarious” when first contacted by reporters in November 2024, saying, “Me personally and the show, we did not take any steps or do anything without Jon’s consent, and that’s all recorded.” He called Schauer “a crook” who saw the lawsuit as “a payday.”2BusinessDen. Denver Firefighter Accuses HGTV Show, Local Contractor of Botching Home Project
Zadeh also alleged Watt Pictures had threatened to cancel the episode and demand a refund of the $275,000 project budget because Schauer was difficult to work with, and said Schauer lied on his permit application. Precision Custom Builders has filed a counterclaim for unpaid invoices.3BusinessDen. HGTV Host Says He Did Only Mock Work on Denver Firefighter’s Home
Watt Pictures’ Role
Watt Pictures, the production company behind the series, is also a defendant. When it cast in the Denver area in 2022, the company described the show’s objective as resolving conflict between homeowners and contractors and providing “labor, services and materials” to help “rescue their renovation.”6Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel. Production Company Seeking Homeowners for New TV Show Watt Pictures filed a motion to dismiss at least one cause of action; Schauer responded on February 21, 2025, and the matter appears to remain pending ahead of trial.1Trellis.law. Schauer v. PCB Precision Custom Builders LLC et al, Case No. 2024CV31061
Trial Date and Case Status
Schauer is represented by Ivan Sarkissian and Tyler Campbell of McConaughy & Sarkissian. León is represented by Greg Theo of Overturf McGath & Hull. A five-day trial is set for May 2026 in Castle Rock. No settlement has been reported.3BusinessDen. HGTV Host Says He Did Only Mock Work on Denver Firefighter’s Home
The show itself aired two seasons on HGTV, premiering in January 2023 and returning in January 2024. It has not been officially renewed for a third season, but it was not among the seven series HGTV canceled during the summer of 2025.7People. HGTV Announces Over 100 New Episodes Are Coming After Canceling Fan-Favorite Series