South Fayette family getting dream home addition for the holidays after contractor nightmare

SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — A Christmas wish is coming true for a South Fayette family devastated by a contractor nightmare.

The Curtis family is getting a finished home for the holidays after a contractor they hired never finished their dream addition, even though they paid him tens of thousands of dollars to do the job. KDKA-TV’s Jessica Guay visited the family to learn about the Christmas construction gift their lawyer is organizing with help from the community.  

Lauren and Brandon Curtis were expecting their third child and wanted to make their South Fayette Township home more spacious for their growing family.

“Our plan was to have a bedroom for all of our kids and give us a master bedroom,” Lauren Curtis said. 

That dream turned into a nightmare that they hadn’t been able to escape for two years. The couple found contractor John McDonald, owner of Brother’s All Around Service. They said they got a bank loan in July 2022 and paid McDonald more than $72,000 to build their home addition.

“We did our research, we looked at reviews, we found suggestions, that’s how we came to him. Seemed like he was going to come in and make our life wonderful and build what we needed,” Lauren Curtis said.

“In September, he was supposed to start work, started getting delays,” Brandon Curtis said.

They said after delays, McDonald’s crew eventually tore down their deck and left a pile of wood with nails sticking out. Then an excavation crew dug out the foundation, and the footer was poured.

They were left with a giant hole in their backyard where their kids and dogs love to play, and the couple kept receiving excuses and broken promises from the contractor. 

“He would string us along just enough to get our hopes up. Then we’d get to that date, and he’d fall through,” Lauren Curtis said.

The project was expected to be completed by November 2022. By the end of the year, their water line was exposed and froze twice. They said McDonald fixed the frozen line.

But then things got worse, and the huge hole eventually started to collapse.

“We never heard from him again. We told him that you need to come out here and fix this. This is unacceptable. And that’s when he disappeared,” said Brandon Curtis. 

That’s when they knew it was time to find a lawyer. They reached out to attorney Fred Lietchi for help, and he’s been fighting tooth and nail for them.

The Curtis family wasn’t McDonald’s only victim. He didn’t finish home improvement jobs for several other families. McDonald was arrested and charged in January 2024. He recently pleaded guilty to numerous charges, including home improvement fraud and theft by deception. 

“We paid him. Currently paying the loan for that, plus our regular mortgage. It’s taken an emotional toll with us. Just financial stuff, just trying to figure out how we go on, what we do with this,” said Lauren Curtis. 

Their attorney isn’t done fighting for them. Lietchi never billed the Curtis family, and now he’s about to make their life a lot merrier.

Lietchi runs the non-profit organization West Allegheny Charities, and he’s organizing a life-changing holiday present for them. Several people and businesses are donating the materials and labor to fix McDonald’s mess.

“I was blown away in tears when I was reading what he has done for us. He hasn’t stopped fighting for us. We’re forever grateful for his help and the community that’s stepping up to help us,” Lauren Curtis said. 

The materials and supplies will be delivered on Christmas. Volunteers want to have the Curtis family’s dream home done by New Year’s Day. To them, it feels like a Christmas miracle. 

“We’re incredibly thankful for everything that Fred and the community’s been able to do. Our kids will be very happy as well. They’ll get some more space.” Brandon Curtis said.