ELK COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)– Thousands of dollars worth of unfinished work for home improvement has landed a Ridgway man charges, according to police.
The homeowner told police that Jeffrey Schatz, 50, of Schatz Hometown Masonry signed a contract in July 2019 for home improvement repairs totaling $24,200 at a home at the 500 block of Fourth Avenue in Johnsonburg, according to the charges filed by Johnsonburg police.
Police said that the homeowner paid $6,000 that was a 25 percent deposit, ahead of time for labor and supplies but Schatz ended up leaving the work of the home unfinished. Schatz agreed to make repairs to the garage, repoint the bricks and also lay new top soil and seed for the yard in September or October of 2019.
When October came, the homeowner said he made multiple calls to Schatz without any response. It wasn’t until July of 2020 that he heard back from Schatz who claimed he was busy with COVID and would begin work in September 2020
When Schatz showed up to start the work, the rest of the money owed for the project was then paid to him, however, according to police, November 2021 was the last time he was at the property and left the work unfinished.
The concrete work of the sidewalk wasn’t replaced, the repointing of the bricks was not finished, the garage wasn’t sealed properly and water is getting in, and the top soil was full of rocks and weeds, police noted.
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On June 2, 2022, the homeowner came to the police station and said that he just wanted the rest of the money back for the unfinished work and labor fee, which was $3,150, police noted. On July 2, police contacted Schatz who reported told them that he would pay the homeowner but he never did.
Schatz faces charges of for receiving advance payment for services and failing to perform as well as theft by deception along with similar ones.
Schatz has preliminary hearing set for August 17.
