
San Antonio Strike Team: Protecting Homeowners
The Strike Team is the City of San Antonio's enforcement unit that investigates and penalizes unlicensed contractors and unpermitted construction work. Hiring a licensed contractor is your best protection.
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What Is the San Antonio Strike Team?
The Strike Team is an enforcement unit within the City of San Antonio Development Services Department (DSD). Led by the Strike Team Building Chief, this team actively investigates construction sites across San Antonio for unpermitted work, unlicensed contractors, and building code violations. Their mission is to protect public safety by ensuring all construction work meets the standards set by the International Residential Code (IRC) and Chapter 10 of the City of San Antonio Building-Related Codes.
The Strike Team focuses on four critical life-safety areas: electrical, plumbing, mechanical (HVAC), and structural/building. When violations are found, the consequences are severe — for both the contractor and the homeowner.
Strike Team Enforcement: By the Numbers
The following statistics from the City of San Antonio DSD demonstrate the scale of the unlicensed contractor problem in San Antonio and the Strike Team's enforcement activity:
Source: City of San Antonio Development Services Department — Strike Team presentation to the Greater San Antonio Builders Association, January 2023.
What the Strike Team Investigates
Work Without Permits
Contractors who have a building permit but fail to pull the required trade permits for electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work. The Strike Team checks that all required permits are in place for every trade involved in the project.
Work Outside Scope of Permit
Contractors who use a minor repair permit to perform a full remodel or renovation, or a doors-and-windows permit to gut and rebuild an entire home. The Strike Team compares the actual work performed against the scope listed on the permit.
Expired or Missing Licenses
Contractors operating with expired trade licenses or no license at all. Texas requires active state licenses for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work. The Strike Team verifies license status through TDLR records.
Consequences of Getting Caught
When the Strike Team finds violations, the penalties are serious. Both the contractor and the property owner face consequences that can cost thousands of dollars and months of delays.
Administrative Fines
Fines escalate with each offense under Chapter 10 of the City of San Antonio Building-Related Codes.
Enforcement Actions
Enforcement can require removal of all fixtures, sheetrock, and concrete to expose and re-inspect underlying work.
Public Record: Under Chapter 10, Article II, Section 10-25 of the City of San Antonio Building-Related Codes, the Building Official maintains a public record of all sanctioned contractors. This record — including contractor names, registration numbers, violations, and sanctions — is available online for anyone to search.
What Happens to Your Home
When the Strike Team discovers unpermitted work at a residential property, the homeowner bears the consequences — even if they were unaware the contractor was unlicensed. The DSD has documented actual cases across San Antonio where homeowners faced devastating outcomes:
- Occupied homes where finished remodels were torn apart — sheetrock removed, fixtures pulled, concrete broken open — to expose and inspect the underlying electrical, plumbing, and structural work.
- Homes listed for sale where beautiful renovations were flagged as unpermitted, stalling or killing the sale entirely until all work was brought up to code.
- Accessory structures (guest houses, ADUs) built without permits that required complete re-permitting and code corrections before they could be legally occupied.
- Scope violations where contractors used minor repair permits to perform full-scale remodels — kitchen and bathroom renovations discovered during Strike Team inspections.
How C.S.W. Power Solutions Protects You
Hiring a licensed, insured general contractor is the single best way to protect yourself from Strike Team enforcement actions. Here is exactly what C.S.W. Power Solutions does on every project:
Licensed in All Trades
We hold active state licenses in Electrical (#TECL31793), Plumbing (#RMP46592), and HVAC (#TACLA26479R). Every trade on your project is performed by a licensed professional.
Permits Pulled Correctly
We pull the correct permits for every aspect of your project — building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical. The scope of work listed on each permit matches exactly what we perform.
Inspections Scheduled & Passed
We schedule and pass all required city inspections at every stage of construction. No shortcuts, no skipped steps. Your project has a complete inspection record.
Fully Insured
We carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. If anything goes wrong on your property, you are protected — not personally liable.
Code Compliance Guaranteed
All work meets or exceeds the International Residential Code (IRC) and City of San Antonio building codes. Your project will pass inspection the first time.
Unpermitted Work Corrections
If a previous contractor left you with unpermitted work, we can assess the situation, pull the correct permits, bring everything up to code, and coordinate all required inspections.
Keys to Staying Compliant
The City of San Antonio DSD recommends these steps for every construction project. When you hire C.S.W. Power Solutions, we handle all of this for you:
DSD Customer Service: 210-207-1111 · View the Official Strike Team Presentation (PDF)
Licensed In-House Trades
Unlike unlicensed contractors who subcontract trade work to unverified workers, C.S.W. Power Solutions performs all electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work in-house with our own licensed technicians. Whether your project involves a full remodel, damage restoration, or insurance claim repair, every trade is covered under one roof with proper licensing and permits.
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Don't risk a Strike Team violation. Contact C.S.W. Power Solutions at 210-504-9796 for a free estimate from a licensed, insured, veteran-owned contractor.
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