Kitchen counter tops, the home’s paint, rain gutters and window fixtures were some of the things Cesar Oliva and his wife wanted to remodel at their Brownsville home.
Oliva showed Action 4 News the receipts that prove the contractor was paid in full.
He claims Cesar Castilleja of C & L Remodeling and Construction allegedly never completed the work and did not refund the money paid for materials and labor.
The Olivas filed a civil case against the contractor and the judge ruled in their favor. According to court documents, the contractor was to refund Oliva $5,000 plus interest for each year it took to pay the money back.
Oliva said it’s been an year and he’s gotten no money back and no work was done.
"This person is outside on the streets, stealing money and doing things like that (to) the community,” Oliva said. “I don’t think that is fair because we work hard to get the money we make."
Oliva said he and his wife are fortunate to both have jobs and adds they will recover from the money lost. However, the plans for remodeling, are now on hold.
Oliva said he wants to expose the contractor and save others from a similar nightmare.
"He has no business office, the office phone that he has on his card, is actually his wife's phone number and his wife is a teacher,” Oliva said. “I believe that is a shame because I don’t think the wife knows what her husband is doing."
Over the phone, Castilleja tells Action 4 News that he did not complete the work because he claims Oliva was rude to him and aggressive.
Castilleja adds the working environment led him to leave the job – a job he's willing to complete in the next few weeks if the family would like.
As for their $5,000 refund, Castilleja said it will take him some time to gather up the money.
"He, as a criminal, must be prosecuted and put him in jail if he has not the money to pay back," Oliva said.
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