Hello, and sorry to read about your troubles with this person who had hired you. First, what county in Texas did this work take place? I only ask as Texas fees on filing a small claim and the type of services they offer vary from county to county. Also, you don't want two years to pass by, so keep that in mind while you get as much info as possible to file a successful claim. Another important question is, did you and this person file a contract for the work you did? If so, you got up to 4 years to file at a supreme court and may be awarded substantially a lot more than a small claim. Was the person a proprietor, partnership or corporation? You need to file it correctly and to the party responsible, if not it will be thrown out. As for attornies, most charge a retainer fee at around $3000 just to start and it goes up from there! Not worth it if you go via small claims. If you decide to go beyond small claims court, you may request the superior court to waive the fee according to your financial situation or hardship.
FYI, I'm not an attorney or legal professionals and can only offer aid via remote online research and from personal experience in the matter of filing suit.