Ohio Attorney General Sues Lorain County Contractor Over $140,000 in Unfinished Roofing and Siding Jobs

Published Oct. 15, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

Nine Ohio homeowners paid a combined $140,000 for new roofs, siding and gutters. According to a lawsuit filed by Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, the work was never finished.

Wilson's office sued Journey Home Restoration and its owner, Jason Kaczur, in Lorain County Common Pleas Court, the attorney general announced on Oct. 14, 2026. The suit alleges the company accepted the money for "roofing, siding and gutter projects that were not completed" and cites multiple violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act [1].

"When Ohioans pay for contractors to repair their homes, they trust those contractors to follow through," Wilson said. "Not doing the work is not acceptable" [1].

Important: This is a civil lawsuit, not a criminal case. Its claims are allegations that the state must prove, and no court has ruled on them. Neither Kaczur nor the company has been charged with a crime in connection with these complaints, as far as we could find. News 5 Cleveland reported that Journey Home Restoration did not respond to a phone call or email seeking comment [2].

What the lawsuit alleges

According to the attorney general's office and News 5's reporting on the complaint [1][2]:

1. Payments taken. Nine consumers reported paying a combined $140,000 to Journey Home Restoration for roofing, siding and gutter projects.
2. Work not delivered. The lawsuit alleges the company failed to provide contracted home-improvement goods and services to some consumers and failed to provide refunds.
3. An abandoned roof. In one case, the company allegedly began a roofing project and abandoned it before completion.
4. A warranty not honored. The suit also alleges the company failed to honor a 10-year warranty when a roof leaked less than three years after installation.
5. Out of business. The lawsuit alleges Journey Home Restoration is no longer in business or entering into home-improvement contracts.

The lawsuit seeks financial relief on behalf of the nine consumers [1].

The attorney general's office noted that Kaczur and Journey Home Restoration "have maintained a high public profile in northeastern Ohio, including appearances on local TV programs promoting the company's home-improvement work and community involvement" [1]. A visible local brand is not, on its own, evidence that a contractor is financially sound.

The Better Business Bureau's view

Ericka Dilworth, vice president of operations at the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Cleveland, told News 5 that Journey Home Restoration has an F rating with the BBB. "Starting in about April of this year, we started receiving complaints that the business has chosen not to respond to," she said. "It wasn't a surprise to us when we learned from the AG that they had decided to take action" [2].

The people and company sued

Journey Home Restoration LLC (Lorain County, Ohio) [1][2]

• Claims: violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (civil).
• Court: Lorain County Common Pleas Court. The case number was not included in the announcement.
• Status: lawsuit filed (announced Oct. 14, 2026); no ruling reported. The lawsuit alleges the company is no longer in business.

Jason Kaczur, owner [1]

• Claims: named as a defendant with the company in the civil suit.
• Status: civil defendant; no ruling reported. No criminal charges reported. His age and city were not given in the announcement.

Cleveland 19 also reported the lawsuit, citing the attorney general's news release [3]. The same day, Wilson's office filed a separate lawsuit against a central Ohio metal roofing company; that case is not covered here.

Wilson told News 5 that many consumers try to resolve these problems themselves: "they call the company, the company blows them off, the company gives them excuses, and there's really nowhere to turn except for us" [2].

Red flags

• Large down payments for roofing or siding before materials are delivered. The FTC lists contractors who "ask you to pay for everything up front" among common scam tactics [4].
• A job that starts and then stops, with crews no longer showing up.
• Warranty claims that go unanswered.
• A pattern of unanswered BBB complaints or a poor rating.
• A company that suddenly stops answering calls or appears to have closed.

What to do if your contractor took your money

1. Write to the company. The FTC recommends following up phone calls "with a letter you send by certified mail" and requesting a return receipt [4].
2. Keep everything: the contract, receipts, canceled checks, photos of unfinished work and warranty documents.
3. File a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General at OhioProtects.org or 1-800-282-0515. The office is asking anyone who paid Journey Home Restoration for work that was not performed, or who received defective or substandard work, to contact it [1].
4. Before hiring, do your homework. Dilworth advises checking that the contractor is approved to work in your community, asking neighbors about their experience and checking BBB complaint history. "Ask questions and don't be rushed into making a decision," she said [2].
5. Don't pay in full up front. The FTC says to "never make the final payment until the work is done and you're satisfied with it" [4].

Case status (as of Oct. 15, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 15, 2026	Source
Journey Home Restoration LLC	Lorain County Common Pleas Court (civil)	Sued by Ohio Attorney General under the Consumer Sales Practices Act (announced Oct. 14, 2026); no ruling; company alleged to be out of business	[1], [2]
Jason Kaczur, owner	Lorain County Common Pleas Court (civil)	Named as civil defendant; no ruling; no criminal charges reported	[1], [3]

Statuses can change. Lawsuit claims are allegations, not findings of liability.

Sources

1. Ohio Attorney General's Office, "Wilson Sues 2 Home-Improvement Companies Accused of Taking Consumers' Money, Failing to Deliver," Oct. 14, 2026. https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/October-2026/Wilson-Sues-2-Home-Improvement-Companies-Accused-o
2. Sarah Buduson, "Ohio Attorney General sues 2 home-improvement companies, including Lorain County business," News 5 Cleveland (WEWS), Oct. 14, 2026. https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-lorain/ohio-attorney-general-sues-2-home-improvement-companies-including-lorain-county-business
3. Julia Thyret, "Lorain County contractor sued by Ohio Attorney General," Cleveland 19 (WOIO), Oct. 14, 2026. https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/10/14/lorain-county-contractor-sued-by-ohio-attorney-general/
4. Federal Trade Commission, "How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam," July 2022. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam

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