The company's state home improvement contractor registration was suspended last summer for multiple violations, but construction continued at several sites, according to surveillance footage and town permit records. Under state law, contractors cannot perform home improvement work with a suspended registration.

"It's millions of dollars and he's not slowing down," said Jonathan Lococo, a Melrose homeowner who hired Cutting Edge Homes. "And no one is doing anything about it."

The Lococos, who had just welcomed their first child, purchased a fixer-upper in Melrose after being outbid on move-in-ready homes. They were drawn to Cutting Edge Homes by its social media presence and what they described as Sean Cutting's charisma. "He was super charismatic," said Myla Lococo. "He established trust."

After demolition began, progress stalled. By August 2025, when the couple had to vacate their condo, the home was gutted to the studs with no electricity or running water. The breaking point came when subcontractors stopped showing up because they hadn't been paid. The Lococos eventually finished the project with other subcontractors and family help, moving in a year late at an estimated cost of $100,000.

In Newton, Aaron and Ashley Roffel hired Cutting Edge Homes for an extensive renovation of their historic home. They had saved for years and put "every last penny" into the property. After growing suspicious of delays and payment issues, they cut ties with the company. Their home sat exposed to the elements over the winter while they lived in temporary housing with their four children. "We were in an absolute panic," Aaron said. The Roffels ultimately hired another contractor to complete the work, with costs exceeding half a million dollars.

Lisa and Richard Patten of Wayland hired Cutting Edge for their "empty nester" townhome. They said they were told a significant deposit had been used to order kitchen cabinets, but when they contacted the vendor directly, they learned nothing had been ordered. "It was betrayal and devastation," Lisa said. "We felt like we'd been robbed." The couple also discovered that the portable toilet in their garage had not been serviced because the invoice was unpaid, leaving a stench that overwhelmed the property. "They abandoned us and literally left their waste with us," she said.

The pattern extends beyond these families. A Westwood couple ended up with three mechanic's liens from unpaid subcontractors. A Weymouth family expecting their third child lived in a camper in their front yard after deadlines passed. In Sherborn, a homeowner alleged she paid nearly the entire $2.5 million contract price while the project remained less than half complete; a judge awarded her a $450,000 attachment on Cutting's Hopkinton property.

Jeff Boyer, an electrician for more than 20 years, is one of roughly 40 subcontractors who took Cutting Edge Homes to court for unpaid work. Unable to afford an attorney, Boyer won a $7,400 judgment in small claims court. He had to leave his small business and return to work for a previous employer to pay bills for his family. "It put a lot of stress on me," Boyer said. "If we didn't have as strong of a relationship, I could see me and my wife getting divorced."

Court records tallied more than $700,000 in legal judgments, not including 15 open lawsuits with claims totaling millions. Another 33 complaints were settled or voluntarily dismissed for undisclosed amounts, and some plaintiffs pursued new litigation when settlement payments were not made. Vendors, including lumber companies and a lending firm that sued over a $300,000 loan, are also among the litigants.

Cutting Edge Homes still lists its main office at a commercial building on Waverly Street in Ashland, but the property owner, Robert Seta, said the business has not occupied the space since 2025. Seta provided a cease-and-desist letter he said Cutting has ignored. He added that other tenants, including a child-care business, complained about strangers showing up at all hours looking for Cutting. "There were people waiting in the parking lot because they were owed money," Seta said.

The state's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) suspended Cutting Edge's registration following complaints from homeowners, including the Roffels and Lococos. A suspension order took effect June 12, and a subsequent complaint extended it until October 2027. An OCABR spokesperson confirmed that active projects should stop when a registration is suspended. However, surveillance video gathered over several months showed work continuing at homes in Milton and Wellesley after the suspension date, with workers in company-logo clothing and a branded trailer on site. Once, a drone captured Cutting walking around the backyard of the Wellesley property with other workers.

In a video posted weeks after the suspension, Cutting told followers, "We're here and we're happy to help." OCABR spokesperson Michele Campbell said the office has not received complaints about unregistered work since the suspension. If credible allegations arose, she said, the agency would work with the Attorney General's Office or district attorneys. The relevant statute allows for fines, imprisonment, or both for operating during a suspension.

Cutting declined an on-camera interview, citing advice from his attorney due to ongoing legal proceedings. In an email, he said his business has designed and built more than 100 high-end residential projects over 15 years and won awards like "Best of Boston." He wrote that as circumstances became "increasingly difficult," he continued working with homeowners on revised schedules, alternative payment arrangements, and phased construction plans. "Not every proposed solution was accepted or successful, but we continued looking for a path forward," Cutting wrote. "We did not voluntarily walk away from a single project and continued working toward completion unless a homeowner or their representative instructed us not to return. We remain proud of the homes we built, the people who helped build them, and the efforts we made during extraordinary circumstances."

The homeowners who spoke out say they are still digging out of financial holes. The Pattens hired another contractor and paid double. "It's taking money away from my children's inheritance," Lisa said. The Roffels' monthly mortgage is now much higher than budgeted, and their finished basement holds beach chairs instead of a new couch. "The cost was exceptional," Aaron said. "It is certainly more than a half-million dollars."

For the Lococos, the emotional toll remains raw. "It's super emotional, knowing that we both worked hard to get to that place and we'll likely never see it again," Myla said, wiping away tears. "It's money that we would've spent making memories for our family. It's years and years of savings that is just gone."