0:00:05 > 0:00:08We're crossing the UK in search of more cowboy builders.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13And I'm scared! I'm frightened that, if I bring in another builder,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16it's going to be for something that I can't afford to have done.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21Cowboy builders don't discriminate. They don't care whose home they destroy.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23I feel as though I've made a really bad decision.
0:00:23 > 0:00:29Obviously it makes me feel that I'm no good a judge of character.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I've lost confidence.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34My team and I are here to right the wrongs
0:00:34 > 0:00:37and to prove there are good guys out there.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Look at that!
0:00:40 > 0:00:42So much better!
0:00:42 > 0:00:45If you take on board all my advice and top tips,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49together we can prevent you from falling into the Cowboy Trap!
0:00:57 > 0:01:00On today's Cowboy Trap, we're meeting the mum
0:01:00 > 0:01:04who wishes she'd checked her builder's references
0:01:04 > 0:01:07before she let him wreck her dreams and her home.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Wherever I go in the car, any white van that comes towards me,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15I'm looking at it to see if it's him, because I haven't seen him since.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19After falling into the Cowboy Trap, she's not only in debt - she's in doubt.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23She's not sure she'll ever believe any builder again.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I believed this guy for so long. I believed everything he said to me.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32And he pulled the wool over my eyes totally.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37And I'm too frightened now to hand over my money to anybody else.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I hope our team can restore Karen's confidence
0:01:40 > 0:01:43when we show her there are plenty of good guys out there.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46WOMAN SOBS I'm glad you were here.
0:01:49 > 0:01:56We're in Oxted, Surrey. Pre-school teacher and child-minder Karen Carr moved here three years ago.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00She has two boys, Charles, aged 15, and Alex, 12.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05Karen decided the small mid-terrace modern house would benefit
0:02:05 > 0:02:10from some extra space, and would give her the opportunity to do child-minding at home.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15I felt that, in staying at home with the children, my own children,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18the best way was to look after other people's in my own home.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24So I started off by looking into doing child-minding after school
0:02:24 > 0:02:28and so on. I felt then that an extension would be a good idea.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30I can move the kitchen to the back
0:02:30 > 0:02:35and turn the old kitchen into a downstairs toilet and a playroom.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Karen hadn't been in the new house long.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42She had some money left over from the sale of her previous property,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45and she was anxious to spend it wisely, improving her new home
0:02:45 > 0:02:49for her and the boys. Her friend's husband is an architect,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53and he advised it would be easy to transform her little house into a dream home.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58The plans were to have a four-metre-square kitchen
0:02:58 > 0:03:00with a vaulted ceiling,
0:03:00 > 0:03:05there to be a downstairs toilet in the old kitchen,
0:03:05 > 0:03:11um, plus a little room, um, for my mum to stay in.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15'That was it, really. That was it. It was a dream, really.'
0:03:15 > 0:03:20All Karen had to do now was find someone to make her dream come true.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I'd gone round and had three quotes from different builders,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28and this guy was one of them,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31so, um, I...
0:03:31 > 0:03:36He'd come round, had a look, took a look at the plans and everything, and I said I'd be in touch.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40He said to me that he would be able to do it for the price.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The difference between him and the other builders were,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47he said that he would do my bathroom upstairs
0:03:47 > 0:03:50as a... you know, added into the cost.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55So it was a couple of thousand, perhaps, that I was gaining that way,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59in having the bathroom done as well. It was a bonus, really.
0:03:59 > 0:04:05The promise of a revamped bathroom as well as the extension made all the difference.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Karen knew this was the builder for her.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12So I knew exactly what I was going to do.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I decided to go with this particular builder rather than the others,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and he seemed, you know... His famous words were,
0:04:19 > 0:04:23"Trust me, it'll look great." Um, and I did.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26But then Karen had to delay her building plans
0:04:26 > 0:04:29because there were more pressing issues on her mind.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34I then had an appointment to go into hospital for a major op,
0:04:34 > 0:04:39um, in the August, so it was a difficult situation.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44I was thinking, "It's not urgent. It's not something I need to do tomorrow."
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Karen sensibly told the builder she'd decided to put the new kitchen extension on hold.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I went into hospital,
0:04:53 > 0:05:00um, and at the same time, like the day I came out of hospital, my dad...
0:05:00 > 0:05:03My dad went into hospital the day I came out.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Um, and the following day he died,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and it was so totally unexpected,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and I still find it very hard to talk about.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16But he...he went in with pneumonia,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and the following day he died.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24So because of that, I couldn't think of anything else.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28I certainly wasn't even considering going into building an extension.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It was furthest from my mind.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34In her darkest hour, Karen knew not to go ahead.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Building projects can be very stressful,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39so take my advice.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42If there are other significant events going on in your life,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45building work should be the last thing on your mind.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Some people will exploit your inability to make big decisions.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56As the weeks went by, Karen's builder became more persistent.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01Eventually he persuaded her the extension would help bring the grieving family together.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05As the weeks went on, he called me back, and he came round,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08and he said, "Well, you know, it would be good."
0:06:08 > 0:06:11"You could have this done for Christmas."
0:06:11 > 0:06:16And I thought, "Well, it would be good. I could do it for Christmas."
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And I had a change of thought. I thought, "My mum's now on her own."
0:06:19 > 0:06:23"It would be nice if she could come and stay."
0:06:23 > 0:06:28So, if we did have a downstairs loo, a little washbasin,
0:06:28 > 0:06:33and I could make the room into, you know, a downstairs bedroom for her,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37so that she had her own privacy. And actually it was quite uplifting.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I thought, "Well, she's on her own now all the time,
0:06:40 > 0:06:44and I'd love her to come and stay sometimes with me."
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Karen paid her builder 35 grand for the new kitchen extension,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53complete with fitted kitchen. He would convert the old kitchen
0:06:53 > 0:06:57into a downstairs guest room, utility room and toilet,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00fit new central heating, level the garden
0:07:00 > 0:07:05and construct a soakaway for the rainwater, and there was to be a revamped bathroom too.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So let's see the kitchen extension and garden Karen got for her money.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13This is the extension our builders built for us.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17It wasn't quite like this, um, when he left.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20There was no rendering on the walls.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24We had that done because of keeping it watertight.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28The roof wasn't finished either. The electrics weren't finished off.
0:07:28 > 0:07:34Er, there's another one here, which is a huge cable.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38I've no idea what that's for. I think these are obviously for the lights,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42but apparently they're not live, I've been told.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48There's plenty the smooth-talking builder didn't finish before he scarpered.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Another of his great ideas was to save on skips
0:07:51 > 0:07:55and level out Karen's garden with the soil from under the new foundations.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00In actual fact, this is relatively good compared to what it did look...
0:08:00 > 0:08:04My neighbour and I... It was piled high with rubbish,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06bits of old bricks.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11There was old timber left over from the extension, the roof...
0:08:11 > 0:08:15It was absolutely piled high, and we've had two bonfires,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and we got a load back in the skip.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23If you can imagine, this looks really good compared to how it did look.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28If you consider this bad, it wasn't as bad as it was when he left.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Inside, the new kitchen extension doesn't look as bad as the garden -
0:08:32 > 0:08:35that is, until you take a closer look.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39We could start with, er...
0:08:39 > 0:08:43CREAKING ..basically, the floor creaking
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and basically moving, and it moves...
0:08:46 > 0:08:50It also slopes and dips in the middle,
0:08:50 > 0:08:55and, if I stand and bounce... FLOOR CREAKS RHYTHMICALLY
0:08:55 > 0:08:58That has made it worse, you know!
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Rather than plasterboarding behind the units,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06he's, you know, just plasterboarded round it.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Um, you can also see that from round here...
0:09:10 > 0:09:16..which you can see the unit actually goes in the plasterboard,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19so the unit goes back. He didn't even finish it off.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23On top of that, there are things just...aesthetically,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27things like the tap and underneath it.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32I don't know whether you can see, but it's... It's a good movement.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36The bodges aren't only inconvenient, they're dangerous too.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Above the gas hob, the builder has hung cupboards
0:09:39 > 0:09:44which could heat up and catch fire. He should have fitted an extractor hood.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Actually, here should have been an extractor fan
0:09:48 > 0:09:52that had an outside airflow, and obviously that didn't happen.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55But for some reason he's put a wire in there for it.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Um, well, I assume it's for that.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02A plumber told Karen her cooker hasn't been connected properly.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06You can put one on like that... IGNITION CLICKS REPEATEDLY
0:10:06 > 0:10:10..sometimes, when it works. But if you go round and put them all on,
0:10:10 > 0:10:15then one goes out. He pulled this back and tipped it up,
0:10:15 > 0:10:21and he said, "That looks like you have a water pipe for a gas feed to your cooker,
0:10:21 > 0:10:27which means that it is not big enough to take the amount of gas needed to the cooker."
0:10:28 > 0:10:30So it won't work!
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Is there anything else wrong with Karen's kitchen,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37apart from a bouncy floor, the missing extractor hood
0:10:37 > 0:10:42and the water pipe for the gas feed? Yes, of course there is! This builder was clueless.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46The surfaces all run quite significantly downhill.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Now, I did speak to the builder about this,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53and he swore blind that nothing...
0:10:53 > 0:10:56That the floor was absolutely level.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00But he must have been fibbing again, because Karen has proof.
0:11:00 > 0:11:06When you're cooking in the oven, all the cakes or...everything end up
0:11:06 > 0:11:09like, really thick one end and really thin the other.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The builder left the gas and electrics dangerous, too.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16He bodged the plumbing upstairs, which caused the ceiling to collapse.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19The work was all started so Karen's recently widowed mum
0:11:19 > 0:11:22could come and stay - but she can't.
0:11:22 > 0:11:27The idea was that this would be the bedroom, and, as we go in,
0:11:27 > 0:11:32that she would have her own downstairs toilet.
0:11:32 > 0:11:38So this was going to be a downstairs toilet and sink.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Now, in here, it just... Nothing got done.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Coming up - an independent chartered surveyor thinks this builder
0:11:45 > 0:11:47may have lost more than his spirit level.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50When it comes to the floor, he's lost his marbles, too.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52I've done a marble test on it,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55and the marble runs quite dramatically downhill.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04We're in Oxted, Surrey, trying to restore single mum Karen Carr's faith in builders.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Karen decided to extend her mid-terrace townhouse
0:12:07 > 0:12:12to create a new kitchen extension for her and the two boys, Charles and Alex.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15The old kitchen area would be converted into a guest room
0:12:15 > 0:12:18so her recently widowed mum could come and stay.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22The garden would be levelled with the soil dug from the foundations
0:12:22 > 0:12:25and then landscaped, but the builder bodged the job.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28The entire project requires remedial work to make it safe.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31The gas is dangerous, the electrics aren't certified,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35the kitchen floor is unstable, the units aren't level,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38the downstairs toilet and utility room lay abandoned,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41and the garden is a demolition site.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45The extension was supposed to bring the family closer together,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49but due to a cowboy builder's actions, that just didn't happen.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Time for me to meet mum Karen and find out what's gone wrong.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Hi. I'm Clive from Cowboy Trap. How are you?
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- Hello, Clive. Come on in. - Thank you.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Karen really has lost all faith in builders.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06She had to extend her mortgage by ten grand,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10but she doesn't know who to turn to to sort out all the problems with her home.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I wonder what we can do to help!
0:13:13 > 0:13:17What can we do for you that would make you smile again,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19make you have a bit more confidence,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22make you realise that there are good guys out there?
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- What would make you happy? - What would make me happy?
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Um, bringing in...somebody that knows what they're doing,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32especially with the electrics.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34The electrics, the gas...
0:13:36 > 0:13:41I'd like for the build to be signed off, just signed off that it's safe.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- OK.- That... That, you know,
0:13:43 > 0:13:49to...to be able to have all of that would be the main thing...to have.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53The floor isn't level, and it squeaks like mad and bounces around,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57and every time I walk into the kitchen I walk downhill,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01so actually to have a level floor in the kitchen would be fantastic.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Leave that with me, right? I really hope we can step forward
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and learn from the mistakes we've made,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10because eventually you will need more people in,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- a plumber, electrician or whatever. - Probably all of those.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16It's time now to help you go forward.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Karen has some money to put towards getting everything sorted,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23which is great, because making safe the gas and electrics,
0:14:23 > 0:14:28removing the kitchen, fixing the floor and re-levelling all the units
0:14:28 > 0:14:31is a big job. We'll also help to get the guest area safe
0:14:31 > 0:14:35so Mum can come and stay, and we need to transform the garden
0:14:35 > 0:14:38into a space Karen and her boys can enjoy.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Karen really needs to get this mess sorted, both inside and out.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45I think it's time to bring on the good guys.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Before the team get stuck in, I want an independent chartered surveyor
0:14:58 > 0:15:02to go over this builder's work and give us his verdict.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04With regards to the kitchen extension,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07there are a lot of issues with that,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10the main one of which is the floor is totally out of level
0:15:10 > 0:15:13and creaking. I've actually done a marble test on it,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and the marble runs quite dramatically downhill.
0:15:16 > 0:15:22Um, the kitchen units have been fixed directly to the brickwork and plastered round.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27The electrical installation, part of that isn't working.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32'The gas cooker has been installed, but it's very intermittent
0:15:32 > 0:15:35'in terms of the gas output from it.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39'The walls are not square on the extension.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43'The roof was leaking and the owner's had to have that re-clad,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48'and the actual render on the extension was poorly executed
0:15:48 > 0:15:51'and that's had to be redone by the owner.'
0:15:51 > 0:15:55I think I would just about scrape it through to a two out of ten,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and even that's being pretty generous.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00What a terrible score!
0:16:00 > 0:16:04It's bottom of the class for this bonehead builder.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Coming up - I'm going to have to find out where Karen went wrong,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12and how she ended up paying 35 grand to a guy who didn't have a clue.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- Did you tell them how much money you'd got?- Yes, I did.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19- OK.- And with hindsight, I shouldn't have done that.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24We're in Surrey, hoping to prove to mum Karen Carr
0:16:24 > 0:16:27that there are plenty of good builders out there,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30if you just go the right way about finding them.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33We've got two teams of good guys on our job today.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Richard is outside, transforming the garden and dealing with the drainage,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41and Lee is looking after all the work inside.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45He'll be dealing with the gas and electrics and that terrible kitchen.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47So what's the plan to sort out that bouncy floor?
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Our plan is obviously to rectify the problems with the kitchen,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54to remove the kitchen first. I'll need to get the floor up,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58because it's terribly out of level. I don't think it's been constructed
0:16:58 > 0:17:02with the right materials, but until we remove the boards,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05I'm not going to know what I'm dealing with until we expose it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09While the good guys get stuck into this mammoth task,
0:17:09 > 0:17:15I want to track back with Karen and find out why she trusted her builder so much.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- Did you tell them how much money you'd got?- Yes, I did.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- OK.- And with hindsight, I shouldn't have done that.- No.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27- No.- Because the moment you tell them how much you've got to play with,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29they will make sure - a cowboy builder will, anyway -
0:17:29 > 0:17:34that they eke that out of you regardless. They know that pot of money is there.
0:17:34 > 0:17:40I'm a chatty person, so yes, probably my mouth does run away with me a bit.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- So when people do come round... I do trust people.- Yeah.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48You know? And I don't think that's a bad thing on the whole.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- No, it's not. - But it's let me down in this case.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54This guy was recommended by a friend's husband...
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- Yeah.- ..if I'm right.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Cowboy builders have all the dialogue, all the bunny as I call it.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05And they know exactly how they can milk you. This is the thing.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08His favourite words were, "Trust me, this'll be great."
0:18:08 > 0:18:12- And "trust me" seemed to be his middle name, almost.- Right.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- So you had four quotes.- Yeah.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- What made you go for this builder? - He offered, on top,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22to do my bathroom upstairs, so that was the clincher.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27All of the other builders had given me a price just on the build itself.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- Right. OK.- Um, but he'd said...
0:18:30 > 0:18:36He knew what a state the place was in when I moved in, so he'd seen it all,
0:18:36 > 0:18:41and maybe, you know, I'd mentioned the bathroom was awful upstairs,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44it was leaking and so on. And, er, he said,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- "Tell you what, we'll do your bathroom as well."- OK.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51And the others hadn't. Maybe I hadn't mentioned it to them. I don't know.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56But that was the clincher, that I'd get a new bathroom upstairs
0:18:56 > 0:18:58as well as what was down here.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00- So the first day he starts work... - Yep.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- ..everything was running smoothly. - Yeah. He brought two guys in
0:19:04 > 0:19:10that started to dig out the footings, and that lasted for over a week,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12a week and a half, digging out those footings,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15probably getting on for two weeks.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19But, um, that was probably...the better time.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24Within that two weeks, he then asked me for the first payment of 5,000.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Um, he... - Did you feel comfortable with...
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Well, I didn't know any better.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35He was saying I've got to pay the guys for digging out the footings.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38I've also then got to pay for the guys to come in
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and start doing the structural work.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Karen agreed to pay in equal instalments before the work was done.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It's a very common mistake. Take my advice -
0:19:49 > 0:19:54you don't get paid before your first day at work. Nor do builders.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Karen made her payments in equal instalments of five grand
0:20:06 > 0:20:09regardless of how much work had been finished.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12The two... The bricklayers left,
0:20:12 > 0:20:17and then he had one guy to do the roof, um, and himself.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22- So they started on the roof. - The first time he started work?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- Until then he was just the project manager?- Yeah.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27He had other jobs going on at the same time.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29How much had you given him by this stage?
0:20:29 > 0:20:33About 20,000, I think. Probably 25. I'm not too sure.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- OK. A lot of money, though. - Yeah. A lot of money had gone.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40I was already in for about 25,000,
0:20:40 > 0:20:45and in actual fact, at that point you don't want arguments to start.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48You're scared that someone's going to walk off the job,
0:20:48 > 0:20:53and you haven't got enough money left to employ someone else to finish it.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55And that was all the money I had.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- Now, you're getting close to Christmas.- Yeah.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02When does it all come to a head,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and you say to yourself,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08"It's not happening. I've got to speak to the builder"?
0:21:08 > 0:21:12SHE SIGHS The funny thing is, the week before.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Probably the week before. But he's putting the kitchen in by this stage,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and he's put magnolia on the walls,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and the lights switch on,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and actually it didn't look too bad from a distance.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Um, so...probably then.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32When was the realisation that you knew you weren't...?
0:21:32 > 0:21:36The week of Christmas, when he walked off.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- He walked off? Why did he walk off? - He just disappeared one day.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- You rang him? - Yeah. Couldn't get any response.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Karen trusted her builder, but she made a common mistake -
0:21:47 > 0:21:52she didn't do her research. You can only put your trust in a builder
0:21:52 > 0:21:55after you've ticked all five boxes on my checklist.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Hiring a good builder is a lot easier than you might think,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03so follow my Clive's five top tips to find the good guys.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06There are just five steps to builder heaven,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08but you must follow them all.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Ask a friend or work colleague for any builder recommendations -
0:22:12 > 0:22:15but remember, that's only step one in the process.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18You've got to do your background research.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23Check your builder's skills by searching the government-backed Trustmark website
0:22:23 > 0:22:25and other skilled-trade associations.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Do an internet search on their company to check their reputation.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Draw up a list of your top-three preferred builders
0:22:33 > 0:22:36and remember, always get a written quote.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Step two...
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Compare the itemised costs side by side.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Remember to check out the references for all three builders, and don't go on price alone.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Step three...
0:22:58 > 0:23:04Take your time. There are still two more steps to hiring a good builder for your job.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Go sight-seeing and check out your builder's previous completed works.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12A good bona-fide builder will be happy to show off his skills.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Step four...
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Cowboys rarely finish their work.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27..his timekeeping, and whether they would hire him again.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Insist on a written contract and a schedule of staged payments,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and never pay money upfront - and no cash, ever.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Step five...
0:23:45 > 0:23:48..only payable after each stage of work is complete.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07Follow my top tips, and you won't go falling into the Cowboy Trap.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13Coming up - Karen's mum describes the effect the builder has had on her daughter.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15She said, "Mum, I can't talk about it,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18"because I'm going to start crying and I won't stop."
0:24:21 > 0:24:25We're in Surrey, helping restore Karen Carr's faith in builders.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Her builder said he could have her kitchen extension built by Christmas
0:24:28 > 0:24:32so Karen decided to invite the whole family so they could be together,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37because her dad had recently died. But Christmas was ruined
0:24:37 > 0:24:40when the builder disappeared leaving the job unfinished.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43We've got the good guys in now, and there's a lot to do.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Outside, Richard is leading the team
0:24:46 > 0:24:49digging the soakaway to comply with building regulations.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Inside, Lee's team has to strip out the entire kitchen
0:24:53 > 0:24:57and make the floor secure. And there are some nasty surprises in store.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02Yeah. We've removed the wall units to find the old kitchen window,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06which hasn't been made good very well at all.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Looks like it's been constructed out of leftovers.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12So we're going to have to try and reinstate a piece of wall here
0:25:12 > 0:25:16to safely fix the units to. As you can see, it's still bare brickwork
0:25:16 > 0:25:20to the right-hand side, so we're going to have to plasterboard that.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24It's been made good afterwards, fitted around the kitchen
0:25:24 > 0:25:27rather than the kitchen fitted to the finished wall.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32To find a few bits like this early on is a bit worrying, but I think we can overcome.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35This builder really left Karen in the lurch.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Once he'd had all the money, he walked out on the unfinished job.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Karen had to cancel Christmas.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45He just downed tools and left, and didn't come back.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51And that was the end of the dream. It was two days before Christmas. I had to put everybody off.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Well, I cried. You know, I didn't have my mum here,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05you know, with the plans that we'd had, you know.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09I suppose they were my dreams, but my mum was in there with me,
0:26:09 > 0:26:16you know, and we basically... as a family wanted to be together because my dad wasn't there,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and seeing as I was meant to have had the biggest house
0:26:20 > 0:26:24with the new extension and everything, it was ideal.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29But, er... I don't know. It just all crumbled.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Of course Karen's mum understood,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35but she couldn't believe the danger the builder left Karen in.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39It's been absolutely awful to see what Karen has gone through
0:26:39 > 0:26:42with the building work of the extension she's had done.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47It wasn't finished properly. The walls weren't rendered,
0:26:47 > 0:26:52the floor was uneven, the tiles on the roof were wrong.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55They were letting the water through.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59The electrics, they were left... Found bare wires.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05And quite honestly, I don't know how Karen has coped with the mess.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07There was no garden left.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11It was absolutely awful, and the workmanship was shocking.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Karen had to have urgent remedial work done to the extension
0:27:15 > 0:27:17to make it watertight and weatherproof.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22The render had to be redone, and the roof was a right mess.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Karen found her own good-guy roofer to do the repairs,
0:27:25 > 0:27:29and he has some professional advice for the original bodging builder.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33If I met the builder who'd carried out the original works,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35um, I would, um, I think basically advise him
0:27:35 > 0:27:39not to carry out any building works in the future
0:27:39 > 0:27:41because of the poor standard
0:27:41 > 0:27:45and, obviously, the stress he has caused to the client as well.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Karen's builder left without completing essential work.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52One of the remaining jobs is to construct a new soakaway.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Many local authorities insist on a soakaway
0:27:55 > 0:28:00to stop rainwater from the roofs of new buildings going into the overworked sewer system.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05When it does rain, hits the roof the water goes into the gutter,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and down the downspout. But where does the water go after that?
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Let's find out.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Richard, lots of people have heard about soakaways. What does it do and where does it go?
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- A soakaway is an empty chamber... - Yeah?
0:28:18 > 0:28:22..that takes water in, and slowly, over a period of time,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27that water will empty out of the soakaway into the surrounding ground.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- Why do we need it?- Because we don't want to be irresponsible
0:28:31 > 0:28:36and tap into the main sewer or to discharge water onto the highway.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38What we're trying to do is keep the water on-site
0:28:38 > 0:28:41and allow it to gently percolate into the ground.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Tell us what you've got here. This is the chamber?
0:28:44 > 0:28:48For a typical soakaway you might need four or five of these,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52- and you'll need to dig a large pit in order to fit them in.- Yeah.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55So here in this garden, it's just out there. You can't see it.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59- It's all hidden away. - It's doing its job.- That's correct.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02- So dress that over the top. - That goes over the top.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05So that fully protects it, stops any weedage, rootage, whatever,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09- trying to get in, and keeps that nice and clear.- Absolutely.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12- Now, you've got the pipe there. - That's right.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16- Where does that go?- Through one of these circular areas at the front.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20- Little knock-out? - Yeah. Knock that out. Pipe goes in.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24And then it does its job. It just sits there and happily percolates.
0:29:24 > 0:29:29- All day long.- Perfect! Now we know exactly what a soakaway does.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- Yes.- Cheers, Richard.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36'It's another important step towards Karen getting her completion certificate from the council,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40'and it's kind to the environment, because soakaways take pressure
0:29:40 > 0:29:42'off the sewers and help prevent flash flooding.'
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Coming up - what would Karen like to say to her builder now?
0:29:46 > 0:29:49I don't particularly want him back and doing any work.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- No. I'll be honest with you, neither do I.- No.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59We're in Surrey, where Karen Carr's faith in builders has been badly shaken
0:29:59 > 0:30:03by a series of serious mistakes her builder made
0:30:03 > 0:30:05when he built a new kitchen extension.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09The roof leaked, the walls weren't weatherproof, the floor is unstable,
0:30:09 > 0:30:14and there are numerous faults with the gas and electrics and the fitted kitchen.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19The soil from the foundations was dumped all over the garden.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23We're helping Karen get the remedial work done, and, in the process,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26hoping to prove to her there are plenty of good guys out there.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Karen's builder walked off the job two days before she was meant to host a family Christmas.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36But when the holidays were over, he pulled another surprise -
0:30:36 > 0:30:41he came back! But the standard of his work was as bad as ever.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45His dad had died, then his nan died, so he wasn't around again.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49And by that time I was begging him to come round.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53I was leaving him emails, and said, "Look, even if you come round
0:30:53 > 0:30:57"just one, two days a week, that'd be fine."
0:30:57 > 0:31:00"It gets something done, something finished."
0:31:00 > 0:31:04But the work was so substandard, cos he was doing it himself,
0:31:04 > 0:31:08that actually it got to the stage where I don't think it was worth him doing it,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12because I knew that I'd have to take it all apart.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16The builder kept promising from January to March.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Finally Karen realised he would never finish the job,
0:31:19 > 0:31:24even though she had paid him almost all of the money - £35,000.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28The last I heard, um, was,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31in the March 2009,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34was he'd drilled a hole through his hand,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37and that he was at the hospital and that he couldn't drive
0:31:37 > 0:31:43and that he couldn't work. And obviously I've got the emails
0:31:43 > 0:31:46saying, "Oh, I'm really sorry", you know, "How's things going?"
0:31:46 > 0:31:51and all the rest of it. And there was just £500 left in the kitty.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Um, I then started to find out he hadn't paid anybody.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00So the gas guy came and knocked on the door asking for his money.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03There was a skip outside,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07and they wouldn't take it away until I'd paid them.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10It's time this builder gave us some answers.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Let's see what he's got to say for himself.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17When was the last time you had any conversation with your builder?
0:32:17 > 0:32:19A year and a half ago.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22A year and a half back. Can you remember how that conversation went?
0:32:22 > 0:32:26- The last conversation was via email. - Right.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30It went backwards and forwards. I no longer had his phone number,
0:32:30 > 0:32:34um, that replied, so I tried email,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and the last email that I had from him
0:32:37 > 0:32:42basically was saying that he was going to see his accountant
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and that he was going to take legal advice against me,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48saying that I owed him money still.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- Right.- So...
0:32:50 > 0:32:53If you had an opportunity to speak to him,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57what questions would you like to ask him?
0:32:57 > 0:32:59How does he sleep at night,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03knowing that he's left me in such an awful position?
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Not just me - the two children that I have.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09It's the safety aspects, the electrics, the gas,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12you know - all of that.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15I don't particularly want him back and doing any work.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18No. I'll be honest with you, neither do I.
0:33:18 > 0:33:24- No, because it's only going to be... Well, it was substandard anyway.- Yes.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- So...- I think he's best away from it. - Yeah.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30We've got a telephone number for him. We'll make the call,
0:33:30 > 0:33:34um, and we'll listen to what he's got to say.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- If you want to just dial that up... - OK.- Then put it on speaker-phone.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45"This person's phone is switched off.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48"Please try later, or send a text."
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Right. So I can't speak to him, even.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- No.- No.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57Now, he's gone to great lengths here, because if he's a builder,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00he will rely on people ringing him to leave messages to say,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03"Could you come round, give me a quote" or whatever.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08He's actually contacted his service provider to ask them to remove it.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Now, there's only one reason you'd want to remove it,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- and that's if anybody was trying to get hold of you.- Yeah.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18I've got a message for cowardly cowboys everywhere.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21You know who you are, and now we know who you are.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26And by revealing your tricks and techniques, we'll prevent others from falling into your trap.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30Fortunately we've got the good guys inside and outside,
0:34:30 > 0:34:36restoring Karen's faith in builders, and we're getting ready to show her what the professionals can do.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40Just talk us through what you've done, what you've got left to do,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43and how long in terms of time you've got left.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47We've straightened up all the floors, had to renew all the timbers underneath.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50- What was that like, under there? - It was horrible.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54He'd used the wrong size timbers for the span, so we had to upgrade them.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57In terms of the kitchen, cabinets, doors...?
0:34:57 > 0:35:01Kitchen's refitting, rejigging, a few infill panels
0:35:01 > 0:35:03and some new end panels we've had to buy.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06There was a problem with the gas, as well. How did you address that?
0:35:06 > 0:35:10I actually found a copy certificate from the guy that had signed it off,
0:35:10 > 0:35:14so I phoned him and gave him the opportunity to come and rectify the problems.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Anything else electrically? Problems there, have they been resolved?
0:35:18 > 0:35:21No problems - just things that were left unfinished, really.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24- How long do you think you've got left?- Probably an hour or so.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28OK. Listen, mate, you've done a great job, and I think Karen's going to love this.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33She's been hit hard by cowboy builders. This is going to lift her spirits big style.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Coming up - I can't wait to see the smile on Karen's face
0:35:36 > 0:35:40when she sees just how much we've achieved in such a short space of time.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Oh, look!
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Look at that!
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Our work is almost done in Surrey. We've been hard at it
0:35:52 > 0:35:57by bringing in the right builders to get Karen's kitchen extension up to building regulations.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Our team of good guys have been busy inside and out
0:36:00 > 0:36:03making everything safe, and by the time we're done,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06the council will be able to sign off the work.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Richard has been leading the team outside, reclaiming Karen's garden
0:36:10 > 0:36:13so she and her two boys can enjoy it.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16- What was this like to deal with? - Well, it was a nightmare, Clive.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20All that was here was the rubbish the builder had left lying around,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23all his old tools he couldn't be bothered to take away with him,
0:36:23 > 0:36:27and a thick layer of clay that he'd dug out to make his foundations
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and spread it all over the top of the garden, and it had baked hard,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35- so it was like rock.- Wow! And so you had to dig all that rock up!
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Dig it all up! Of course, underneath all of that
0:36:38 > 0:36:43is a new soakaway and drainage run from the two downpipes
0:36:43 > 0:36:46from the extension, because that hadn't been put in
0:36:46 > 0:36:49- when the original building was done. - Which is critical!
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- What's left to finish off? - Finish off?- You're just about there?
0:36:52 > 0:36:56Yes. Bit of a sweep-off, bit of a tidy-up, and we're there.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59- Bit of titivation. - Bit of titivation.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01That's what we want. Well played, son!
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Karen has been through a hell of a time with this extension,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07but before I show her what we've done,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09I want to find out what she's learned from this.
0:37:09 > 0:37:15I think firstly I would make sure that I got plenty of references,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18to go and visit the work they've already carried out,
0:37:18 > 0:37:23um, and talk with the people that they've carried the work out for.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27- Brilliant.- Never, ever give cash,
0:37:27 > 0:37:32especially not upfront or halfway through. Always wait till the end.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36Do your background checks. Really important.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39And don't forget, if you have any doubt whatsoever
0:37:39 > 0:37:42that that build's going wrong, stop it there and then.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- Yeah.- And then seek advice. Seek professional advice,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- just in case things are going wrong. - I think it's not to be frightened
0:37:49 > 0:37:52to speak up for yourself
0:37:52 > 0:37:55and to stop it when things are not going how you think they should.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57- Great.- Yeah.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01And that way, I think you won't go falling in the Cowboy Trap again.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04I really don't. You're very savvy, very switched on.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06There was lots going on in your life - lots,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09and I can really understand how it all went so wrong.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Um, just remind us what it was like before we arrived.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17Oh, there was so much wrong! You know,
0:38:17 > 0:38:20the garden, the kitchen, the electrics,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24the floor in the kitchen was sloping...
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- A complete disaster zone... - Yep.- Everywhere.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30- Yeah. Absolutely. - So, what are you hoping for?
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Oh, what am I hoping for?
0:38:34 > 0:38:36For it to just...
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Just to have a straight floor!
0:38:40 > 0:38:45Unusually, I would be happy with a straight floor!
0:38:45 > 0:38:50After walking across a bouncy, springy, creaky floor
0:38:50 > 0:38:55that went downhill, even that would be a good thing to have.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58And the garden. Obviously the garden would...
0:38:58 > 0:39:02It would be great just to be able to sit out there and relax.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Um, any of that.
0:39:05 > 0:39:10- I think it's time we should go and see what these guys have done.- OK!
0:39:10 > 0:39:15With two teams on the job, inside and outside, there's a lot to see,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18starting with the guest area with the toilet and utility room.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Look up!
0:39:20 > 0:39:23SHE GASPS That's brilliant.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28'We've fixed the collapsed ceiling and prepared the downstairs toilet.'
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Check this little baby out!
0:39:32 > 0:39:36Oh, look! Look at that!
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- It's so much better! - Now, listen.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44- Brilliant!- Mum has arrived, right? I'm going to go get her.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- Go on, then.- Cos this will be your mum's room. I'll fetch her.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49You have a look round.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Mum! Come and have a look at this. Come on!
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- This is going to be your room, by the way.- Wow!
0:39:56 > 0:39:59- SHE LAUGHS - Oh, it's lovely, isn't it?
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- Yeah.- Yeah?- It's perfect.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05- We've started the ball rolling. - I can't believe that!
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- Brilliant, Karen!- Yeah.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- When am I staying? - THEY LAUGH
0:40:11 > 0:40:16In the kitchen, we've worked more wonders to banish the bouncy floor.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Come and check this out! Come on.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- Come in. - Oh, wow!
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Mum?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- Wow, Karen! - SHE LAUGHS
0:40:29 > 0:40:32- It's good, isn't it? - Look at it! Look at the tiles!
0:40:32 > 0:40:35MUM LAUGHS And the floor!
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- Oh, I like the floor, too. - You like the floor?- Yeah.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Have you noticed something about the floor?
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- It doesn't bounce! - No more spring.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- No. No squeak.- No!
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- No squeak at all! - Oh, done a brilliant job!
0:40:49 > 0:40:54- A show-room kitchen.- It does look just like that, doesn't it?
0:40:54 > 0:40:57And finally, there's an even bigger surprise outside.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00The garden is unrecognisable!
0:41:02 > 0:41:03# Da-daaaah! #
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- Wow! - KAREN AND MUM LAUGH
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- I don't believe it! - What do you reckon?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Absolutely lovely!
0:41:14 > 0:41:16I love the decking. You've actually got grass!
0:41:16 > 0:41:20It looks too nice to walk on, doesn't it?
0:41:20 > 0:41:23- It looks like a carpet. - It does.- It does. It does.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25It's absolutely lovely.
0:41:25 > 0:41:31The guys have worked wonders here, inside and out, to restore Karen's faith in builders.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35The guest area is almost ready, with all the plumbing in place in the toilet,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38and the electrics and gas are certified.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42We've completely remodelled the kitchen. The bouncy floor is history
0:41:42 > 0:41:46and the units are now all level. Above the cooker,
0:41:46 > 0:41:50we've installed the extractor hood Karen needs to meet building regulations.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Outside, the required soakaway has been buried under the garden,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58and what a transformation we've worked here, with new fencing all round,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01a large expanse of lawn, new decking,
0:42:01 > 0:42:05and we've finished off the outside lighting. What a great job!
0:42:05 > 0:42:07Even better, Karen now has everything she needs
0:42:07 > 0:42:10to get a completion certificate from Building Control.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Finally she can put this episode behind her.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17- You look after yourself, Jill! - Thank you.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Take care, girls. Enjoy the garden. Enjoy the kitchen.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23And you enjoy your nice new little room! All right.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26- Take it easy. See you soon. Bye! - Bye.- Bye!
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Hey!
0:42:28 > 0:42:32- It's gorgeous! - I'm glad you were here.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- Really?- Yeah.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Well, I think Karen and her family are right back on track.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43But remember, if you're having building work done, check out the references!
0:42:43 > 0:42:47That way you won't end up falling in the Cowboy Trap.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd