The city’s response is civil, not criminal
San Antonio has told KABB that Garza’s dispute with her remodeling contractors is a civil matter. That classification does not resolve the unfinished work or establish what either contractor may owe her. Garza says she has spent nearly $200,000 and cannot afford to hire another crew to complete the home, according to KABB’s report.
For Texas homeowners generally, the legal guides cited here describe potential consumer claims when a contractor makes a misrepresentation, and a notice process for certain residential construction defect suits. Those procedures do not establish that Garza has brought a claim or that any particular remedy applies to her circumstances, according to Milk Wick Law and Flash Justice. Flash Justice says Texas Justice Court handles disputes up to $20,000; Garza’s reported spending is higher, though that figure alone does not determine recoverable damages.
Two contractors have left work unfinished
Garza’s family has owned the Carolina Street home for generations. She hired Albert Olveda Jr. of A & A Remodeling in August 2024 for a renovation that included a bedroom bathroom, electrical changes and updated appliances. The agreed payment was $9,000 a week, and Olveda estimated the project would take about nine weeks, KABB reported.
The work continued for more than nine months. Garza said delays and incomplete work led her to involve the city, which required corrections to some areas before she fired Olveda. Olveda disputed that she had paid for work he did not complete. Afterward, he offered to provide labor to help finish the house and gave dates for the work, but it had not begun by December; KABB reported that he did not answer its follow-up messages.
Garza later hired Frank Castilla of Castilla’s Construction. He completed much of the renovation, but about a year after he was hired, some of his work remained. Castilla told KABB that electrical and HVAC work were outside his responsibility and estimated that his remaining work would take about two weeks. The station said he did not respond to its later messages.
A & A Remodeling is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Garza’s reported outcome remains unresolved: the home is not fully complete, and she says she cannot pay another contractor to take over, according to KABB.
