Elvia Wilson says she and her husband Jerry hired Pete Martinez Remodeling ‘before’ Hurricane Harvey last August to remodel their house on Tiger Lane.
She says Jerry’s owned it for some 40 years and they plan to live in it again once it’s fixed.
Total cost for repairs ? $35,000.00 dollars. Elvia says she’s already paid Martinez approximately $22,500.00.
And adds that Martinez always insists being paid in cash.
Yet today there are big holes in the floor. And none of the walls are covered.
The job’s nowhere close to being done, and that’s why Wilson says she called us, even tho she admitted she’s afraid of Martinez because of how she claims he’s treated her.
"I’m afraid he’s going to hurt me or he’s going to force me to do something, that’s why I called you so you can be witnesses in case something happens to me," she told the Troubleshooters.
Yet last week, after Wilson says Martinez hadn’t done any work on the house since October, she claims he asked her for more money.
When she refused, he told her he wanted out.
"He said I don’t want to work for you anymore. Release me. I don’t want to have anything to do with you. Why ? Because I wouldn’t give him any more money."
Wilson also questioned the quality of work done by the electrical, framing, and plumbing sub-contractors Martinez hired.
And the order in which the work has been done.
Martinez told us by phone "she don’t understand that everything works in sections when you do something like this."
The Troubleshooters asked Martinez about Wilson’s other concerns.
He said all work was approved by the city.
"The city of Corpus Christi told me go ahead and insulate it and sheetrock it Pete."
And as far as wanting more money from Wilson, Martinez said "there’s another draw to be given, but she don’t want to release it either."
Martinez insists he’s willing to work with Wilson and finish the job for the balance due, roughly $13, 000.00.
They just have to come to an agreed upon amended contract.
