Complaint Review: Henry Schach Natalie Schach Construction Services Dennis Rae Fine Art PSA Imports

David Schach has stated that he never meant to involve Dennis Rae Fine Art in the events described herein. David Schach and I have agreed to resolve our dispute, and I have no complaints regarding Dennis Rae Fine Art.

When Henry abandoned my project, he left to help his son, David, and David's partner, Rossanna, build their architectural, modern, wonder-of-a-house in the San Francisco area. . . Henry's wife and David's mom, my Assistant Principal who hooked me up with this man, who I regret letting in my life, emailed a copy of the Architect's 3D model of the home to me about the time that Henry became suddenly available to "help" with my place. Most honorable the way she turned her back on me, stating that she "isn't involved" and "doesn't have a key or checkbook for the place," after it was her referral and she continued offering up his name to school district employees, even after he made a complete mess of my place and finances . . . This is the same son, David, who supported his father in his unlicensed contractor fraud by creating and submitting fake documents and false statements to American Express after I disputed the $20,000.

Henry called me at the school where I working, yelling and tremendously angry that I had disputed the $20,000 he placed on my American Express, never calling me prior to any charges, making some charges, without notice, immediately after I left his "workshop" and charging my card to the limit after he became angry when one of his employees came by on a weekend to help me clean up the mess at my place. Also refused to provide any supporting paperwork, and failed to finish anything that he promised. Later he called back and yelled at the school secretary. This was followed with email notes threatening me with all the things he'd do to me if I didn't immediately release the $20,000 back to his "son's account." An obvious attempt to intimidate me because he has no legal standing since he's been working illegally.

Henry left me with not even the smallest part of the job complete and my place completely torn apart. There is absolutely no excuse. This is a one bedroom, one bathroom, approx. 750 sq. ft place with a small yard. Total collected $35,000.00 cash, $20,000 on American Express Optima, sold things that came out of my place and kept the money and refused to return personal property and things that came from my place, even after multiple requests. Makes excuses for everything and it's always someone else's fault.

The last day that I saw Henry, I went by his "workshop" to collect things that I'd ordered and paid for myself that were stored there, waiting to be installed at my place, as well as personal property that he suggested I store there when I moved out of my apartment. Since then, Henry's spent over a year in San Francisco, helping David and Rossanna build their house. Well, except for leaving the lower 48 to attend his daughter, Natalie's beach wedding in Hawaii last June.

Among other memorable statements, Henry mumbled, "I don't suppose anything legally can be done," just before I left his "workshop" that last day. Here's another one. When I asked Henry to help me haul two screen doors and one window screen to my place, he stated, "We make everything ourselves because we don't trust anyone." I not sure why it was so hard to pick-up a few screens at Home Depot or Lowe's and help me put them in. Same statement was received in response to the cat fencing that I found online and asked him to order and install.

So, shortly thereafter, my charming kitty got out and over the wall and was killed. I'm guessing that he likes to "make" everything so he can keep charging and drag out the job. The winner statement was telling me that I got "good value" for my money. Completely delusional. Henry tried to belittle and manipulate me by stating multiple times that he had reduced my job to "non-profit" status at the same time as he charged me double what he paid his workers and kept the rest for himself. A licensed contractor stated that, while legal contractors may do that, the rest goes mainly goes to taxes, workman's comp, etc. Remember, both he and his wife refer to his work as "high-end" and, at school, she would talk about his employees by name. In fact, a smarmy, unlicensed contractor.

One day at school, his wife had blurted out, "He's supposed to be working on his contractor's license so he can help his son with his house." That's how I found out that he's unlicensed. Later, his wife stated that he usually works under the "owner/builder" arrangement, which, according to the guidelines I've seen, he must have worked illegally under that arrangement, too.

When I left my condo paperwork at the work-site for Henry to fill out, no one showed up at my place for days. I'd emailed him and told him about it. Finally I spoke with Henry and he told me his guys were working at his "workshop." Later they told me that he'd been terribly worried when confronted with the paperwork. His excuse to me for not filling out the paperwork was that he doesn't carry workman's comp on jobs "this small." Failed to mention that the real reason was that he doesn't have a contractor's license and it asked for his license number. He further stated that "they don't seem to be bothering us, so let's go quietly about our business." Mr. Illegal.

Later learned that he pays his employees in cash, a week behind and, according to his workers, has refused to pay people when he's gotten mad at them. A personal public records search turned up a disappointing pattern. Remember it's always someone else's fault with this guy and his son, David, seems like a chip off the block. Who in the world would make up a clearly fake invoice and write obviously false statements and submit them to American Express, even adding to the false statements when I disputed the charges multiple times??

Well, David Schach, Henry's son, even using a Dennis Rae Fine Arts invoice on which he listed various broad categories of construction materials, omitting a date, invoice number, etc. Dennis Rae Fine Art sells the work of noted artists. Who knew?? Amazing what people will do!

Text of comments to American Express follows:

'The following charges were made in agreement with the client. We have a no refund policy clearly stated at the bottom of each slip. The most we can offer is inhouse credit toward future items. All items were ordered directly with Dennis Rae Fine ARt and subcontracted for delivery with Henry Schach in Los Angeles. The contract (or) and merchant are the same and correct. In addition, all slips were signed and her card was returned at that time. I have tried to offer her credit in house but she won't respond.'

The fake invoice that David and Henry concocted listed broad categories of construction materials (most that I either had paid for in the first $35,000 cash that I gave Henry or ordered myself) and states that charges are for 'materials only.' (Hoping unlicensed contactors don't have to return money for materials. Sorry. They have to return it all. Read the law. Plus they lied in the things they listed.) CA business code states that, because Henry's unlicensed, I can sue him in court for every penny back, which I will, along with David Schach and Dennis Rae Fine Art for fraud. And distress. I disputed those charges numerous times and David added another falsehood to it each time. Amazing! The Contractor's Board and the Courts will see right through what they have done.

First, I made a reasonable offer, asking for half the money back. Henry finished nothing and nothing was remotely close to finished when he charged my American Express Optima to the limit, collecting a total of over $55,000 (This is a one bedroom, one bath condo) and left to go to San Francisco to help David build his fabulous house. According to California law, I don't even have to prove that Henry did crummy work, which he did. Or that he handled things unethically. Which he did. He's unlicensed so he has to return the money. And, he involved his son, David and Dennis Rae Fine Art. Sounds like conspiracy to me. Conspiracy to defraud, in fact. First they received a generous offer. Then a few attorney letters. Their attorney said, "Sue." Now on to other things. David even continued to dispute things with American Express after receiving letters from my attorney informing him and his attorney of CA Business Codes related to unlicensed contractors. Apparently he thinks that the Contractor's Board and Courts will think that I ordered a toilet 'directly from Dennis Rae Fine Art' as he claimed on the statements to American Express.

I've disputed the charges that Henry and David placed on my American Express several times. Each time, Dennis Rae Fine Art (David Schach acting as their agent) adds an additional false or misleading statement or bogus information to the response that they submit to American Express. American Express forwarded copies of everything. It will be interesting when the Contractor's Board and Courts get to dealing with their shockingly obvious fraudulent actions. I'm still amazed by what people will do.

When Henry's telling a whopper, he squares his body in his chair and looks you straight in the eye before he lays his whopper on you. Twice he went through this routine before declaring, "You received good value for your money."

Henry Schach