contractor took $24k deposit and disappeared — kitchen is half done

signed a contract march 4 for a $48k kitchen reno. paid $24k upfront. demo started march 18. they got cabinets installed (wrong color) and stopped showing up april 8. owner won't return calls or texts. i'm cooking on a hot plate in my living room and have small children.

their google reviews mention this happens regularly. they're an LLC in ohio. i don't know what to do first — call the cops? small claims? mechanic's lien? i'm overwhelmed.

licensed GC here. i'm sorry, this is the worst feeling. priorities in order:

1. document the current state. photos of every room, every detail. video walkthrough.

2. file a complaint with the ohio construction industry licensing board if they're licensed. board complaints can result in license revocation and force settlement.

3. send certified demand letter for return of unearned deposit + cost-to-complete differential. specifically reference contractor's abandonment of the contract.

4. if you suspect they took deposits from multiple homeowners and won't perform, that crosses into fraud territory — file with ohio AG consumer protection division.

also if there's a surety bond on their license you can file a claim against the bond. ohio commercial contractors are required to maintain bonds for exactly this reason.

get a new contractor in there ASAP to assess the work done so far and quote completion. that gives you the "cost to complete" damages number for your demand letter. don't let the project sit longer than necessary or it gets harder to prove what was unfinished.

I'm Sergei Tokmakov, California attorney (Bar #279869). I'm not Ohio-licensed but the framework is consistent. The advice above is right — three parallel tracks:

(1) Documentation and assessment by a successor contractor (gets you damages number), (2) regulatory complaints to the OH licensing board and AG (these often produce faster results than civil suits because revocation/penalties motivate settlement), (3) civil demand letter and lawsuit if needed. Likely damages are the unearned portion of the deposit plus cost-to-complete-minus-original-price differential.

Mechanic's lien is generally a subcontractor or supplier remedy, not yours as the homeowner. But you may need to file a release if subcontractors lien YOUR property for non-payment by the GC who took your money. Watch your mail.

For demand letters at this dollar amount and with abandonment facts, I draft on attorney letterhead at $575 flat. Often gets a response when text/calls don't. Informational only.