FRANK’S FLOP American Pickers’ Frank Fritz sued for $20K after ‘not paying renovations on farmhouse’ years before leaving show
FRANK'S FLOP American Pickers’ Frank Fritz sued for $20K after ‘not paying renovations on farmhouse’ years before leaving show
AMERICAN Pickers star Frank Fritz was sued for over $20,000 for “not paying renovations” on his Iowa farmhouse years before he mysteriously left the reality show, as the lawsuit was ultimately dropped.
Frank, 57, currently lives in an Iowa farmhouse that he bought back on May 14, 2010 for $130,000.
Frank renovated the farmhouse from when he bought it, as he remodeled the exterior and more, according to photos obtained from the Scott County Assessor’s Office.
The Sun can exclusively reveal Frank was sued by a contractor company for $20,204.40 in September 2016.
According to the lawsuit, E&G Contractors entered a contract with Frank in July 2015 for the remodeling of the Iowa farmhouse.
The work included a new master bathroom, siding, windows, steel roof and gutters, wrap-around deck, deck for the front door and more.
The court papers claimed: “The amount owed by [Frank] to [the contractor] for the work performed by the subcontractors and/or for supplies and services in connection with the Project and for labor connected with the Project totals $20,204.40.”
The contractor “completed the work contracted for in a diligent and workman-like manner.”
The lawsuit claimed Frank “breached the contract by failing and refusing to pay the amount owed for work performed… and for materials and services utilized in the Project.”
The contractor claimed Frank “provided no reasonable basis for his retention of payment.”
In Frank’s answer, he denied all of the allegations against him and requested the court dismiss the counts.
The contractor dismissed the case in July 2018.
A rep for Frank did not respond to The Sun’s request for comment.
The 1,660 square-foot farmhouse sits on .79 acres of land and features two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The home also boasts a basement, three garages, barn and shed.
The contractor dismissed the lawsuit in 2018Credit: Getty
In 2013, Frank purchased the adjoining .34-acre property for $25,000.
Frank built a $3,240 square-foot warehouse in 2015.
The Sun previously reported Frank sold the gorgeous Iowa home for $358,000 that he once shared with ex-fiancee Diann Bankson.
Frank bought the home in March 2018 with Diann for $355,000, according to Iowa property records.
Frank and Diann, who have split, put the home on the market in August 2019 for $379,900.
Diann, 54, then took her name off the deed in March 2020, as Frank re-listed the abode for $389,000 that same month.
After a series of price drops, Frank finally sold the home for $358,000 in January
The 2,780 square-foot house boasts three bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The home has an open-floor plan with hardwood floors and carpeting in the bedrooms.
The kitchen features black and white granite countertops, and white cabinets with a gray tile backsplash.
The kitchen also has stainless steel appliances and a kitchen island with seating, as well as a dining area.
According to Realtor, the house has “lots” of natural lighting with high-end Pella windows.
The master suite features a walk-in closet, jetted tub, double sinks and shower.
The lower level has a third bedroom, full bath, recreation room, storage space and more.
Other amenities include a three-car garage and fireplace.
According to Realtor, the home was “purchased new in 2018″ and was “gently lived in a very short time so in new condition.”
As The Sun previously reported, Frank and Diann had a nasty split.
In court papers obtained by The Sun, Diann sued Frank for negligence on January 27, 2020. She dismissed the case in March 2020.
Diann revealed she and Frank were engaged in 2017 and were living together in the Iowa farmhouse.
In November 2018, she “walked in and caught him in bed with another woman,” according to the lawsuit.
After the two reconciled, she claimed an incident took place at the farmhouse when Frank and a friend set off fireworks.
Diann claimed the men “had been drinking” at the time, as she went into the home while they lit the fireworks.
She continued in the court papers that the men were unable to light a firework.
Diann alleged: “Both defendants then put it in a closed cylinder vintage ashtray and tried to light it there. The firework did not light again and the Defendant just left it in the covered intake ashtray instead of properly disposing the firework.”
She then claimed she wasn’t warned about the ashtray, as she used it while smoking a cigarette.
The lawsuit continued to claim: “The ashtray blew up severely burning her hand and arm with third degree burns and burnt off eyelashes and eyebrows.”
She claimed Frank “refused” to “take her to the hospital” and instead told her to “toughen up.”
She went to the hospital in the following days and was “treated for third degree burns.”
When the couple split again, she claimed he had the locks changed on a separate Iowa home they shared, as one sold in January 2025
Diann demanded $50,000, claiming Frank was “negligent in the operation of fireworks.”
She claimed she has experienced pain and suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish, past and future loss of function of body and scarring, loss of earning capacity, loss of normal life and medical expenses.
On March 19, 2020, Diann dismissed the lawsuit.
Frank and a rep for American Pickers did not respond to The Sun’s request for comment at the time.
The American Pickers star has posted many photos with Diann on Facebook over the years, though he hasn’t posted with her since September 2017.
Frank did not appear on last season, which premiered in January 2025, and was missing from this week’s season premiere.
Frank’s partner in the series, Mike Wolfe, revealed that Frank was getting back surgery.
The reality star also suffers from Crohn’s disease.
