Painter

Alex Lerma was recommended to me for a home remodel. He started work in May 2018. After the start of the project, I saw work was getting done and was initially pleased. He'd contracted with a number of trades people. As I saw work being completed, I had paid him what seemed reasonable amounts, and had asked for specific back up as to what each draw was being directed towards. Two months into the project, I was told by a sub that Alex wasn't paying them for the work they were doing. After speaking with more subs, found this to widely be the case across my project. Alex was given the opportunity to make it right and pay people for the work they had done, but refused. I'd given him ~80k, and from what I found he paid for some work done, pocketed the remaining 40k of that that wasn't put towards my job. I believe he's essentially running a contractor ponzi scheme and also has a drug problem. He had done the same thing to another client around the same time as me, and in searching Harris County court records, has done this to someone else a number of years back, and even with a favorable court judgement, haven't been able to get the money back they are due. Alex also does business as Vintage Custom Remodeling - I would absolutely avoid working with him at all costs.