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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Paula Deen Blames Contractors for Corroding Roof

Celebrity Chef Paula Deen claims in court that the contractors she hired to build a new home, two cottages and a garage on her property outside of Savannah negligently topped them with zinc roofs that immediately cracked and continue to corrode.

(CN) - Celebrity chef Paula Deen claims in court that the contractors she hired to build a new home, two cottages and a garage on her property outside of Savannah negligently topped them with zinc roofs that immediately cracked and continue to corrode.

In a complaint filed in Chatham County Superior Court, Deen and her husband, Michael Groover, a Savannah harbor pilot, say they hired T&G Ventures to serve as a general contractor and supervise the construction of their home and three outbuildings on Wilmington Island.

All of the buildings were to be fitted with zinc roofing supplied by defendant Rheinzinc America Inc. supplied

Deen also hired defendants Metal Quarters Inc., Integrated Construction and Restoration Inc., Clark and Sons Inc., Swagert and Son Construction, Port City Metals Inc., and Lewis-Geotz Company Inc., to participate in the construction of her home.

Deen says by the time the project was completed, she'd paid the companies a combined $597,000 for labor, materials and expertise.

However, in late February 2016, she and her husband noticed the new zinc roofing was quickly coming apart, the complaint says.

“The corroding, cracking, and/or deteriorating of the zinc roofing is a direct result of the Defendants’ shoddy workmanship, defective installation, and poor materials used,” the court documents say.

Deen says she asked the contractors to return and replace the damaged roofs, but the defendants refused to do anything to rectify the situation.

Deen and Groover are seeking unspecified monetary damages on claims of breach of contract, defective performance of contract, failure to construct and install in a workmanlike manner, negligence, failing to hire competent subcontractor and manage work, negligence, hiring and supervision of subcontractors and laborers.

The couple is represented by Georgia Milmine II of Weiner, Shearouse, Weitz, Greenberg & Shawe in Savannah.

Categories / Business, Entertainment

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