Good Semaritan Contractors Help Scammed Woman

Jackie Salinas paid $30,000 for work never completed

By Brian Mylar, KSAT 12 News, 3/01/2010
http://www.ksat.com/news/22702972/detail.html

SAN ANTONIO -- Some local contractors are volunteering their services to help a woman who needs a rehabilitation room built for her son who was hit by a car.

Watch Brian Mylar's Report

Early last year, Jackie Salinas hired Ralph Estrada, a contractor, to build a rehabilitation room for her 13-year-old son, Aaron, who was injured in October 2008. Aaron was hospitalized for more than a month. Since he has gotten out of the hospital, he has had to endure rigorous rehabilitation therapy designed to get his motor skills back to normal.

Salinas said that she paid Estrada nearly $30,000 from money she had saved and raised from a benefit barbecue. But Estrada never finished the job, Salinas said.

"It's a big mess," said Aaron while looking at a messy back yard and a room with broken concrete and no walls.

Salinas called the KSAT 12 Defenders, who searched for Estrada but couldn't locate him.

Since a Defender's story aired in December 2009, some contractors have volunteered their services -- free of charge -- to finish the room.

Roger Delgado of Turdminator Plumbing, who was one of the first contractors to lend a helping hand, said that he found fitting joints unglued that wouldn't have passed inspection.

"She's just paying for all the material and I'm doing all the work," Delgado said.

Alex Banda, his brothers and their father are also helping out by staining the concrete floor and applying wallboard.

"We could offer her some help in getting it done, being that I do floors and my father does finishing work," Banda said.

After being left with such a big mess, Salinas said that it's gratifying to know that there are good people in San Antonio willing to help out.

"There's a lot of good folks out there," Salinas said. "The community responded. I mean, it's been overwhelming."

Aaron agreed with his mother.

"Thank you, everybody, for helping me and my family out," he said.

[HOT: We're always happy to report positive stories like this, showing that there are many good and reputable contractors, but until Texas laws are changed to protect homeowners, there will always be unscrupulous ones too. The bad builders and contractors need to be put out of business and/or put in jail.]