Pennsylvania Sues Contractor After Homeowners Report Damaged Ceilings, Exposed Wires and Lost Money

Pennsylvania homeowners paid thousands of dollars to improve their properties, only to face unfinished projects and costly damage, according to a new state lawsuit. One bathroom renovation reportedly ended with a ceiling collapsing in another room.

The complaints have now led to legal action against JC Home & Construction Management, LLC, and its owner, Julian Caldwell. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the lawsuit on November 6, accusing the contractor of violating state consumer protection laws.

Based in New Jersey, Caldwell’s company took on renovation jobs across Pennsylvania. Some customers say they paid for work that was never finished, while others had to hire new contractors to fix problems left behind.

One homeowner even won a court judgment against the business but never received the money, according to the complaint. Now, the state wants to stop Caldwell and his company from taking on any more home improvement work in Pennsylvania.

Ceiling Comes Down, And Other Damage

A 38-page court complaint filed in Philadelphia describes several projects that allegedly went wrong. Among them was an $8,575 bathroom renovation ordered by a Philadelphia homeowner in September 2020.

The job called for a complete rebuild, including new plumbing, a standing shower, tile, lighting, and fixtures. However, the state alleges that Caldwell’s business failed to finish the work as promised. Poor workmanship reportedly caused a water leak that led to a ceiling collapsing in another room.

A Montgomery County homeowner faced a different set of problems after signing a contract worth more than $50,000 in August 2023. The renovation covered a kitchen and several other parts of the house, but the complaint says workers damaged a ceiling while removing a load-bearing wall.

Uneven floors, exposed electrical wires, incorrect voltage, and windows ordered in the wrong sizes added to the problems. The homeowner eventually hired another contractor and is seeking a refund.

Thousands Left Behind

Another customer hired the company for renovations at three Montgomery County properties in 2019. Although Caldwell’s business completed a significant amount of work on the first two homes, it allegedly abandoned both before finishing.

The homeowner paid other contractors $10,000 for each property to complete the projects. Work on the third property, covered by a $90,900 contract, also stopped after the customer paid a $20,000 advance. That customer is seeking $36,000 in refunds and related losses.

A separate Philadelphia homeowner, who was at least 60 years old, agreed to pay $41,570 for a basement renovation in September 2023. After making payments totaling $31,020, the customer reported that the work remained unfinished.

During the project, a vendor reportedly refused to leave the property because Caldwell had not paid a promised bill. The homeowner paid the vendor $2,000 after Caldwell agreed to reimburse the money, according to the filing.

The homeowner later sued and received a $20,900 default judgment. The attorney general’s complaint states that the business never paid it.

Registration Problems

The state also accuses Caldwell of performing home improvement work during periods when his business lacked the required Pennsylvania contractor registration.

According to the complaint, Caldwell began operating under the name JC Home Repair in 2018 but did not obtain a state home improvement contractor registration until June 2022.

That registration was deactivated in August 2023 because of problems involving the business address and insurance records. After registering again in April 2024, the business lost its registration that December over insurance documentation and incomplete information about past civil judgments.

Caldwell registered again on June 14, 2025, and the registration is scheduled to expire in June 2027. The lawsuit also claims that some customer contracts lacked required details, including project dates, subcontractor information, and cancellation notices.

State Wants Ban

Sunday’s office is asking a Philadelphia judge to permanently bar Caldwell and his company from providing home improvement services or registering as contractors in Pennsylvania.

The lawsuit also seeks refunds for customers, civil penalties, and repayment of the state’s investigation and legal costs. The requested penalties include $1,000 per violation and $3,000 for violations involving customers aged 60 or older.

“Pennsylvanians who pay for home improvements deserve quality work and honest business practices – not unfinished projects and a cold shoulder when they seek refunds,” Sunday said in the November 6 announcement.

The lawsuit names several business identities, including JC Home Repair, JC Construction, JC Home Improvement, and JC Home and Construction. The claims are civil allegations that have not yet been decided in this lawsuit.

Pennsylvania residents who believe they lost money to the company can file a complaint online, call 1-800-441-2555, or email [email protected]. The attorney general’s office is encouraging affected customers to come forward so their losses can be considered in efforts to recover money.