Sofía Vergara Sued by Contractors Who Renovated Her L.A. Mansion for $1.7 Million Over Allegedly Unpaid Work

Sofia Vergara is being sued by the contractors who renovated her mansion in Los Angeles for allegedly failing to pay them more than $1.7 million.

According to a complaint filed Nov. 27 obtained by PEOPLE, Reside Custom Homes (RCH) alleges Modern family star, 51, failed to pay two invoices from March and July 2023 for completed work on the home totaling $1,700,492.64. The filing accuses the star of breach of contract, fraud and intentional interference with contractual relations, among other claims.

Vergara’s attorney, Martin Singer, said in a statement to PEOPLE: “My client filed claims against the contractor, Reside, several months prior to the filing of this fraudulent lawsuit. Sofia Vergara’s claims related to substantial overcharging by Reside, substandard and negligent work, and long-term delay in damages exceeding 5 million dollars.”

He added: “We are confident that my client will prevail in this dispute.”

Records show that Vergara bought the house for about $26 million in 2020, while she was still married to ex-husband Joe Manganiello. The couple, who announced they are separating after seven years of marriage in July 2023, previously re-listed another home in the area for $18 million in June.

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According to contractor filings — which list Vergara and her business partner, Latin World Entertainment CEO and founder Luis Balaguer as the property’s owners — Vergara hired RCH in April 2022 to renovate the new house, and they completed the original scope of work on schedule by December 2022.

They claim Vergara then asked for additional work to be done, including adding plaster that “had to be sourced from a small, rural town in the United Kingdom” to many of the walls, as well as removing and replacing the back stairs, which were to be custom-made.

The lawsuit alleges that “Vergara repeatedly represented and promised … that she would personally ensure that RCH was paid in full for all of its work on the property” upon completion of the project.

In March, the company sent an invoice for $896,196.15, which they say has not been paid to date. A final bill for the additional work was sent in July in the amount of $657,245.23. And that, the performer claims, is extraordinary. RCH placed a mechanic’s lien on the property in August.

According to RCH, Vergara never complained about the quality of work during the renovation despite regular on-site inspections. She allegedly moved into the property in March 2023, according to the lawsuit. “Some seven months later and only after RCH recorded a lien on the property did the owner and Vergara first complain,” the filing claims.

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RCH also claims that their employees and subcontractors were mistreated on the construction site.

“During the course of RCH’s work on the property, Vergara would routinely have aggressive outbursts and humiliate, ridicule, harass and seek to intimidate RCH employees, representatives and subcontractors, among others,” the complaint states.

It continues: “Vergara’s outbursts became so frequent and severe that it became difficult for RCH to keep subcontractors engaged and willing to continue working on the project.” They claim they would often have to convince workers “not to quit” because of what they describe as “pervasive, abusive and hostile behaviour”.

Things escalated in October 2023 when RCH claimed that “Vergara hired an attorney to harass RCH (and others) with baseless allegations of wrongdoing and threats of litigation.”

Sofia Vergara/Instagram

The actress has had what she described as a “very interesting and very long year,” she told PEOPLE in November during the Toty Transform AHA launch party.

“I got divorced this year, the SAG strike that went on for so long,” she continued.

But although she admits that there have been several obstacles for her personally and for the entertainment business as a whole, she believes that she has a brighter future ahead of her. “Not that it’s bad,” Vergara continued. “I think all the things are working out, everything will be fine and I’m very excited about next year.”

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