Are Chip And Joanna Gaines Getting Divorced? New Details On Their Rumored Marriage Troubles
They just had another baby!
instagram Are Chip and Joanna Gaines getting divorced? Oh no! The rumor mill is spinning with news that Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are about to throw in the towel on their 15 year marriage. How can the mother and father of shiplap call it quits? Let's take a look at all of the details we know so far.
1. Baby number five
Chip and Joanna welcomed their fifth child, son Crew Gaines, on June 21st. Five kids is a lot to handle. Sources told RadarOnline that little baby Crew just may be what causes their marriage to meltdown.
2. Mounting pressure in their empire
The Gaines' Magnolia Homes brand includes home goods, furniture, a bed and breakfast, bakery, books, and the magazine Magnolia Journal. The empire took a huge hit in February when a former business partner accused Chip of being a corner-cutting cowboy who failed to pay a more than $9,000 bill.
3. Fine from the EPA
Magnolia Homes settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after Chip and Joanna broke the very strict rules and guidelines for removing lead paint during remodels on Fixer Upper. The EPA reviewed several seasons of the HGTV show and found 33 home that were renovated on the program “did not depict the lead-safe work practices normally required,” according to a statement on EPA’s website Tuesday.
The Gaines' didn't follow the rules to minimize risks from lead paint exposure. They didn't cover the floors and vents with plastic to contain and capture paint chips. The EPA found a number of violations that are critical for homes that were built before 1978 that are being renovated. Magnolia Homes agreed to pay a $40,000 civil fine and also demonstrate how to properly remove lead paint in an episode of their show.
4. Substandard construction practices?
The former business partner of Chip and Joanna's also alleged the Gaines' use substandard construction practices. He accused Chip of failing to get proper construction permits, hiring unlicensed contractors, and doing shoddy work.
5. The lawsuit
On April 27, 2017 former business partners named Chip Gaines in a fraud lawsuit. The former partners accused Chip of persuading them to sell their interest in Magnolia Realty to him for $2,500 each without disclosing the fact that he had a deal for the Fixer Upper reality show on HGTV that would use the Magnolia brand. Prior to the success of Fixer Upper, Magnolia Realty was a Waco-based real estate firm with one agent. Now the firm employs more than 90 agents. The former partners are seeking more than $1 million in damages.
6. They can't hide their problems anymore
Sources told RadarOnline that Chip and Joanna can't hide their problems anymore. They've been worked to exhaustion by everything going on and the new baby isn't helping that. "Working together and raising all these kids have worn them out and a new baby was the last thing they needed right now. Their marriage is falling apart!”
7. This isn't the first time divorce rumors have surfaced
After Chip and Joanna announced that the fifth season of Fixer Upper would be last, rumors started that the reason was because they were divorcing. Shortly after that, Joanna announced she was pregnant again. Could it be true?
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. She is deeply devoted to her chocolate Labrador and an avid long distance runner. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.