0:00:03 > 0:00:06Cowboy builders and rogue traders cost UK homeowners
0:00:06 > 0:00:09tens of millions of pounds every year.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12And they keep getting away with it.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Just knowing that I've paid out a lot of money to someone I trusted
0:00:16 > 0:00:21and not been able to get hold of him to come and finish it.
0:00:21 > 0:00:27I'm so appalled at the level of bad building practices that go on up and down the country
0:00:27 > 0:00:34and the total lack of respect that cowboy builders have for homeowners' dreams and their cash.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38It's unsettling because you can't see how you're going to fix it.
0:00:38 > 0:00:44We're not rich. We can't just go to another builder and ask them to carry on.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I can't bear to see these so-called builders getting away with it.
0:00:48 > 0:00:54It's time to lend a helping hand to those who have fallen foul of their dirty tricks.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58- Oh, it's lovely.- It really does look beautiful.- It does.
0:00:58 > 0:01:04If you take on board all our advice and top tips, we can prevent you from falling into the cowboy trap,
0:01:04 > 0:01:09and swing the balance back in favour of you, the homeowner.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Today on Cowboy Trap we're in the London borough of Greenwich
0:01:21 > 0:01:27where time stands still for a family left with a horrible mess instead of a house extension
0:01:27 > 0:01:33- and an absent builder who needs to learn a lesson. - I would love to look him in the face
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and just ask him how you can do that.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39- Because I feel sorry for him in that sense...- Yeah.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42But he needs to be stopped.
0:01:42 > 0:01:48When Janna and John were expecting their third child, they decided to build a new extension.
0:01:48 > 0:01:55They booked a builder to do it for £38,000 in three months, but they were left with a nightmare.
0:01:55 > 0:02:02We were left with no garage, a kitchen the size of a large larder or a small downstairs toilet
0:02:02 > 0:02:07and then we had blockwork walls, which was one wall at the front
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and basically these walls at the back.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16Later, we'll meet Carol Alley in Redditch with her daughter Kirsty.
0:02:16 > 0:02:22Carol is about to go into hospital for some serious operations that will leave her immobile,
0:02:22 > 0:02:27so she desperately needs a new en suite bedroom, wheelchair-friendly,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31but all Carol got was a botched job and a builder who just didn't care.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34You don't want them to leave because you want them to finish
0:02:34 > 0:02:37but you don't want to be spoken to that way.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41In the end, I did say to him I wasn't going to be held to ransom
0:02:41 > 0:02:48or give him any more money until I could see things were moving on a bit better.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52He just turned his back on me and walked off.
0:02:52 > 0:02:59But first we're in Greenwich where local evangelical pastor John Watson and his wife, Janna,
0:02:59 > 0:03:05live with their three children. When Janna was eight months pregnant with their youngest, Benjamin,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09they decided to extend their property for extra space.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14We envisioned us where I'd be in the kitchen
0:03:14 > 0:03:19and the children would be playing and rather than a separate room, we'd all be together.
0:03:21 > 0:03:28Janna and John planned to build an extension and convert the garage into the extra rooms they needed,
0:03:28 > 0:03:35but then it became clear the garage wasn't good enough to keep. Their builder suggested they knock it down
0:03:35 > 0:03:40and build a whole new two-storey extension at a cut down price
0:03:40 > 0:03:45in exchange for some publicity shots of the finished job.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49If we agreed to some photos and some things, just to make an effort,
0:03:49 > 0:03:56he would do the garage as well and he would put in some fancy concertina doors that were special.
0:03:56 > 0:04:03Janna and John would get a brand spanking new extension including a new kitchen and a playroom.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09Everything they needed for their two kids and the one on the way for just over £38,000.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14He basically offered to do everything that we wanted to do,
0:04:14 > 0:04:20which originally we didn't think we could afford, but he was doing this special deal for us.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25We were really overwhelmed by that and went for it all guns blazing.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Hang on a minute. Warning bells should be ringing.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Beware of special deal offers.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36They are most often a ruse to get a large sum upfront.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Good builders get work from a number of satisfied customers.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44So no need for promotional deals.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49However, John did book the builder and within two months
0:04:49 > 0:04:54work had halted and the cowboy had disappeared off with 38 grand,
0:04:54 > 0:05:01leaving John and Janna, their two kids and tiny new baby Benjamin in an uninhabitable building site.
0:05:01 > 0:05:09It was just a mass shock. It still is. I don't think we'll ever get over the money he's taken from us.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14It seems that Janna and John were really taken for a ride.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19They kept their end of the bargain, but a bargain they didn't get.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23A year after hiring their builder for their dream extension,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27all they had was a big hole in the garden and a bigger one at the bank.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Time for me to take a look at the evidence for myself.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- Hello, John.- Yes, Clive. - How are you?
0:05:35 > 0:05:41- I hear you've had cowboy builders. - We have, yeah.- Want to show me around the damage?- Come on in.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- The kitchen.- So this is where it's all been happening.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55Just looking at that blockwork, it catches my eye.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- That is a real mess.- Yeah.- You're looking at it now and can see
0:05:59 > 0:06:02a lot of this work is really quite poor.
0:06:02 > 0:06:09- Yeah.- It must have been frightening. There must have been a stage where you thought this isn't going right.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12It looks a mess to the naked eye.
0:06:12 > 0:06:18At the time, you don't know what it is you should expect. It's only because we've had others come round.
0:06:18 > 0:06:25To me, I just thought they haven't finished it and maybe they do something afterwards.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30- So when they left on that day, you thought, "They'll finish that off." - Well, yeah.
0:06:30 > 0:06:36'The brickwork may be well dodgy, but the roof has actually been built to a good standard.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40'That's because it wasn't built by the cowboy builders.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43'They left it completely open to the elements.'
0:06:43 > 0:06:48- So was all this exposed for nearly a year?- Yeah. Absolutely nothing.
0:06:48 > 0:06:54We were stuck in a cupboard that was a kitchen for, well, two and a half years.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00'Those heartless builders just didn't care, but luckily John's dad Terry did.'
0:07:00 > 0:07:03We were having a coffee and I said to John,
0:07:03 > 0:07:07"Why don't we do a week? I'll come round one day a week."
0:07:07 > 0:07:11So we agreed that every week we would do a day's work together.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15It was quite challenging when you haven't done it for some time
0:07:15 > 0:07:21and vowed many years ago that you wouldn't want to do it again, being now retired.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25But anyway we did and we began to do the work together.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31'It took them two years, but John and Terry have done an amazing job of putting the roof on.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35'Now this family needs some help with the next stage.'
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Just to get you started, what would you like us to do?- We set some goals
0:07:39 > 0:07:43and the main goal was we wanted this insulated by the winter.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47All the walls need insulated and that was our goal.
0:07:47 > 0:07:53- That, really, would be amazing if you could do that for us.- OK.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59'That's no easy task, but when good people call for help we're here to do just that.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:06I can't believe the mess this builder left behind. It took almost two years just to get it to this.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11But the good guys are here. Time to get the show on the road.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24'Coming up. What does John want to say to his cowboy builder?'
0:08:24 > 0:08:30So where did the money go, then? I know from us you received about £30,000.
0:08:31 > 0:08:38'Meanwhile, in Redditch, Carol Alley desperately needs a wheelchair-friendly bedroom
0:08:38 > 0:08:42'and bathroom because of serious long-term health problems.'
0:08:42 > 0:08:49I was born with club feet and started to develop a lot of pain when I got to about 40.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I've got degenerative arthritis.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56'Carol has two imminent major operations on her feet,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59'which will leave her wheelchair-bound for a year
0:08:59 > 0:09:04'so she planned to convert her garage into a bedroom and bathroom.'
0:09:04 > 0:09:10I'd got a garage I didn't use and thought I'd have my bedroom and an en suite there.
0:09:10 > 0:09:16I talked to the council and they said I could have a grant, but it wasn't until April, 2010.
0:09:16 > 0:09:22That was halfway through my operations and I needed it before then.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26So I remortgaged and talked to quite a few builders,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29picked a builder to start work.
0:09:29 > 0:09:36'Initially, work started well. It seemed the builder would complete the job properly and on time.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Week one was digging footings for the extension
0:09:40 > 0:09:44and I was happy with that so I paid at the end of the week.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49And it seemed fine up until, say, week three
0:09:49 > 0:09:53when I started noticing things he said he'd do, but hadn't done.
0:09:53 > 0:09:59'The builder made a catalogue of errors, including a wrong-shaped door in the wrong place
0:09:59 > 0:10:07'not wide enough for a wheelchair, and floors finished at different levels, making problems for access.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:12You have to step up into it rather than flush level with the rest of the house.
0:10:12 > 0:10:19I was told that was how it would be, that it would be all one level and I'd be able to move round it
0:10:19 > 0:10:23in a wheelchair without any trouble if I needed to.
0:10:23 > 0:10:29'Carol became increasingly worried and called in a building inspector who put his concerns
0:10:29 > 0:10:36'to the builder in question and in writing, but this bully builder didn't take criticism well.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:40When I asked him about any issues he swore at me.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45And said that if I didn't shut up he was going to walk off anyway,
0:10:46 > 0:10:53which worried me because I needed it finished for my next operation which was due in October last year,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56which I cancelled because I wasn't ready.
0:10:56 > 0:11:02In the end, I did say to him I wasn't going to be held to ransom or give him any more money
0:11:02 > 0:11:06until I could see things moving on a bit better.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08He just turned and walked off.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13With Carol's surgery only days away, this job has become an emergency
0:11:13 > 0:11:19and there's no time to waste, so I'm going in to survey the damage for myself.
0:11:19 > 0:11:26- I hear you've had bad builders.- I have.- Do you want to show me around? - Yeah, come on in.- Thank you.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33- This door doesn't shut unless you jiggle it about a bit. - Jiggle your door about?- Yeah.
0:11:33 > 0:11:40- The ramp is because you need your wheelchair?- It was supposed to be all one level.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45My only other concern is... See how wide I am? I'm about 750mm.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49- Shoulder to shoulder.- Can you get through?- Well, let's have a look.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Yeah, I'm about 750mm, shoulder to shoulder. That tells me...
0:11:53 > 0:11:58- I don't think you're going to get a wheelchair through there.- No.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- No without catching my hands on the doorframe.- Yeah.
0:12:02 > 0:12:08- It goes narrower as it goes down. - Right. It should be at least another 100mm wider, for sure,
0:12:08 > 0:12:14- to take your... Did he not realise that?- He did know. He knew all about my wheelchair.
0:12:14 > 0:12:20He knew that I needed the flat level. He said that was what I'd get and my doors would be wide enough.
0:12:20 > 0:12:26'When Carol comes back from her operation, she won't be able to walk for some time,
0:12:26 > 0:12:32'so she'll need to get in and out of this door as easily as possible and with her knuckles intact.'
0:12:32 > 0:12:38- Don't forget you've got a real high ramp there, too.- A ramp to get down and then to stop myself.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42You're definitely going to catch your knuckles on that door.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48- This is very close.- It is. I don't want you to go any further now.- OK.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53'There's a standard measurement for internal door widths for a wheelchair.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55'That's 850mm.
0:12:55 > 0:13:03'Any builder worth their salt should know this. And inside the bedroom there's another problem.'
0:13:03 > 0:13:07What happened with the sill? He's used plasterboard.
0:13:07 > 0:13:13This hadn't been sealed, so I had to get a company out to seal it. Some of these were broken.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18- I had to pay them to put those in. - He fitted them broken?- He did.
0:13:18 > 0:13:24- 'The bathroom door's not looking much better, either.' - He did go out and buy this door,
0:13:24 > 0:13:30- but it didn't fit the frame. - Dare I have a look behind here? - I don't think you ought to!
0:13:30 > 0:13:34- It's nice.- ..No, it's not.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36- No, it's not.- No, it's not!
0:13:36 > 0:13:42We know the plumbing doesn't work properly. It's been mended a few times.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47- The water has to come up before it goes out.- How? That's hideous!
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- Who dreams these things? - I don't know.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57- So the water would have stayed in that pipe. - It stays in that pipe.- The stink!
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Something else I've noticed there. That light fitting is a no no.
0:14:01 > 0:14:07That baton holder there, it has to have an IP rating, it has to have weather protection
0:14:07 > 0:14:10because of the steam and moisture.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Get safe lighting for bathrooms.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18Electricity and water don't mix so special rules apply.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Light fittings needs to be protected from moisture, so no light switches,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27only pull cords. And no plug sockets. Only shaver points.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I have to also mention one thing that bothers me.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37Because the door opens inwards, if anyone falls behind that door,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41- slip out of the shower... - I'd not thought of that at all.
0:14:41 > 0:14:47You can't get to anybody if you're trying to push that door. I'd like to see that door reversed.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Step inside there a minute.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54The thing is, I can always check that you're all right
0:14:54 > 0:14:58by saying... how many fingers can you see?
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Four! I can see four.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- It's mad! - Is that to let steam out, is it?
0:15:06 > 0:15:11If you asked your builder that, he would definitely say yes.
0:15:11 > 0:15:17In real terms, what would you like us to do to make life better for you?
0:15:17 > 0:15:22- What would you like us to do? - I go into hospital in 14 days' time.
0:15:22 > 0:15:29- OK.- And I'll be off my feet for 12 weeks, to finish my right leg before my left leg is done.
0:15:29 > 0:15:35There's another 32 weeks for that. I need to know I've got a year and a half that I can be in here
0:15:35 > 0:15:42in my bathroom, in my loo and bedroom...just finished, so I haven't got to worry any more.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47'With the first operation just days away, time is of the essence.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51'We need to get this place working for Carol ASAP.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57'Her abusive builder botched every area where access and function were an issue
0:15:57 > 0:16:03'and piled a load of stress onto poor Carol. And for all this she forked out £8,500,
0:16:03 > 0:16:08'plus an extra £2,500 in remedial work since.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14'So 11 grand later, Carol is no closer to getting the downstairs en suite bedroom
0:16:14 > 0:16:19'she'll desperately need when she comes out of hospital.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:25I can't believe this shameful builder would leave someone so vulnerable in such a state.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31Carol has suffered a lifetime of pain and this builder has only added to it,
0:16:31 > 0:16:37but it's time to bring on the good guys and put a smile back on her face.
0:16:41 > 0:16:49'Coming up - I discover that Carol's daughter Kirsty has her own ideas to make her mum's new bedroom perfect.'
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- Got any idea about wallpaper? - I've got some.- Oh, good!
0:16:54 > 0:17:02'Back in Greenwich, John and Janna Watson are still living with a 32 grand breezeblock shell
0:17:02 > 0:17:06'where there should be a fantastic new kitchen and family playroom.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'John and his dad have worked on it, but they still need help.
0:17:10 > 0:17:16'Before our good guys really get stuck in, we've invited an independent building inspector
0:17:16 > 0:17:21'to get his view on this woeful extension.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:26Out of level. That is significantly out of level.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30If you had been a trainee bricklayer, yeah.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- A trainee couldn't be proud of that. - No, he wouldn't be.
0:17:34 > 0:17:40The one thing that really concerned me was exposed electrical fittings,
0:17:40 > 0:17:45which I understand were being used to power the site tools.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Totally unacceptable and dangerous.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55As our independent chartered surveyor, I'd like you to give it a mark out of ten.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Being generous, I'd give it ten.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00We'll give him four for turning up.
0:18:00 > 0:18:06'I think Arnold's being very charitable. There's been a lot of building work and materials used,
0:18:06 > 0:18:13'but not to any reasonable end. Remember the roof, windows and doors which are in place
0:18:13 > 0:18:17'are remedial work done since by John and his father Terry.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23'How did these good people get into such a bad mess with their cowboy builder?'
0:18:23 > 0:18:27John, how did you go about finding your builder?
0:18:27 > 0:18:33I used the internet and looked for local companies, read a bit on their website.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38As they were local, I thought they've got an office, best place to start.
0:18:38 > 0:18:44OK. Did you do any background research on the builder before you accepted the quote?
0:18:44 > 0:18:48No, I didn't, actually. It started by him coming round.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51He did a model and showed us what he could do.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57And the price was good. The price fitted within our budget.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02What made you feel confident in this particular builder,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05made you feel he was the right guy?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09It sounds really silly, but it was just the way that he was.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12It was the way that he...
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Erm...
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- He seemed a nice guy.- Yeah. - He seemed reliable.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22He was in a pinstripe suit, he talked about his family.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25He saw that we had a family.
0:19:25 > 0:19:31In a sense, you kind of feel like there's something... you're getting on with someone.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35That's where maybe you let your guard down a bit.
0:19:35 > 0:19:41They tend to be great with the dialogue, but I can see you're really upset, Janna.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46I do not want to upset you. What people don't see is that emotion,
0:19:46 > 0:19:53bringing back those memories of, "Why did we decide on this builder?" I can understand that.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Research your builders!
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Friendly banter, a smart suit and a cheap quote do not make
0:19:59 > 0:20:01for a reliable professional.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Research their previous work, get references
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and check he is qualified to do the jobs.
0:20:08 > 0:20:15'John and Janna took far too much on face value. They clearly liked this cowboy's smooth manner
0:20:15 > 0:20:19'and his offer to give them their dream at a knockdown price.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'Luckily, our team of good guys, led by Martin Houghton,
0:20:23 > 0:20:28'have a rescue plan to get this home extension back on its feet.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- The plan is to make it liveable. - Yeah. I agree with that!
0:20:32 > 0:20:37Plasterboard up, ceilings, all the walls, then plaster skim it.
0:20:37 > 0:20:43- Have you seen any potential problems?- Yeah, we've got a few. I can't see the rafters on the ceiling.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49So fixing plasterboard to it is going to be a bit tricky, but we'll get there.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I've got markings for them.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57'Our good guys are getting stuck in where the cowboys struck out.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03'We're going to pick up where John and his dad left off to make this feel like part of the house,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07'insulate the roof and give those walls a smooth finish.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11'Meanwhile, I want to find out what their cowboy has to say.'
0:21:11 > 0:21:17If I was to say to you have an opportunity to speak to him now,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21- you've got his number, would you be happy to do that?- Yeah.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27The phone's there for you, John. Just stay calm, keep it nice and succinct
0:21:27 > 0:21:34and ask those questions, and hopefully you'll get some much-needed answers.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's ringing.
0:21:39 > 0:21:46'Amazingly, the builder actually answers his phone and John's not afraid to take him on.'
0:21:46 > 0:21:53The reason I'm calling is to ask you a couple of questions. You know things ended quite badly.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58We're now taking it on ourselves and the only way we've been able to do the build
0:21:58 > 0:22:02is because friends and family helped us and have given us money.
0:22:02 > 0:22:08And we're finding problems with the build. So where did the money go?
0:22:08 > 0:22:12I know from us you received about £30,000.
0:22:12 > 0:22:18'The builder claims that all the money paid by John and Janna is accounted for in the work done,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'but it's hard to see where exactly.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27'Pastor John, ever the man of peace, wants to find out if this cowboy has learned and moved on.'
0:22:27 > 0:22:32My biggest question is for you, one, have you learnt from it
0:22:32 > 0:22:38- and, two, are you doing things differently or doing the same thing with others?- 'It worked!
0:22:38 > 0:22:46- 'This cowboy was surprisingly willing to talk - until I wanted to talk to him.'- He won't.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50This is Clive Holland from BBC's Cowboy Trap.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53We're here to try and help...
0:22:54 > 0:22:56The phone's gone dead.
0:22:56 > 0:23:02Basically, what he's saying is that he's not a cowboy.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05That guy is a cowboy. No two ways about it.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10'Fortunately for this cowboy conman, our pastor is a more forgiving guy than me.
0:23:10 > 0:23:17'John and Janna have decided to limit their stress by not pursuing him for money
0:23:17 > 0:23:20'and to concentrate on the future.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24'I can't resist a little sneak peek to see how we're getting on.'
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- Is that the right consistency? - Perfect.- It looks good.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33You've been really cracking on. Just tell me what the plan is.
0:23:33 > 0:23:39- OK, what we've been doing is we've secondary insulated the ceilings and plasterboarded it.- Yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44We've done it to the walls as well, so yeah, we're doing well.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50- In terms of days, how long is it going to take?- A couple of days. A good couple of days.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- To get it sorted.- Finished. - OK, cool. I'll catch up with you.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59- Carry on the good work and thanks very much.- Cheers.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05'Coming up - John, Janna and the kids finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
0:24:06 > 0:24:12'Up the motorway, Carol Alley and her daughter, Kirsty, are stuck with a wonky extension
0:24:12 > 0:24:17'that Carol won't be able to use after her operations. Worse still,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21'she's 11 grand out of pocket thanks to a careless cowboy.
0:24:21 > 0:24:29'Independent building surveyor Nigel Mason can't believe the wheelchair access blunders the builder made.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:35Particularly with the lady's disability, the door frame is not put in square for a start.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40There's 10mm difference from top to bottom. It doesn't close properly.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And it should be another 100mm wider.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48It's 750. For wheelchair access it really should be 850.
0:24:48 > 0:24:54I'm also a little bit baffled by the fact that the original garage floor would have been lower.
0:24:54 > 0:25:00- Yes, it would have been. So what happened to all that? - Why is it higher? God only knows.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04'Nigel's even less impressed with the bodged en suite plumbing.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09'Surely every builder knows waste water won't flow uphill.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:13The shower tray being raised up -
0:25:13 > 0:25:20- ironically, there's the waste from the shower.- Which means the water is not going to go anywhere.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25- No, it's going to stop in the pipe. - It'll stop in the pipe, stink.
0:25:25 > 0:25:31My final question to you, then, Nigel, would be if you were giving this guy a mark out of ten
0:25:31 > 0:25:35for the work he carried out, what would your score be?
0:25:35 > 0:25:40Particularly having seen the money that the owner shelled out so far,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44- I would give it three out of ten. - I think that's really generous.
0:25:44 > 0:25:51'So Carol's been left with an extension where the doors are too narrow for her wheelchair,
0:25:51 > 0:25:56'there's an unnecessary ramp, no windowsill, a door's too short
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'and the shower won't drain.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04'Did Carol make any avoidable mistakes when she picked this guy?'
0:26:04 > 0:26:07How did you find the builder?
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Er, I went on the list from the council.
0:26:11 > 0:26:17- Yeah.- And went down the list and picked out a few builders, phoned them up.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- How many builders?- Three.- Great.
0:26:20 > 0:26:26The fourth builder, the one that I chose, was recommended by a friend.
0:26:26 > 0:26:32- He'd seen his work before and he'd been recommended by him. - Wow!
0:26:32 > 0:26:36And the pair of them sat down with me and talked, went over the project,
0:26:36 > 0:26:41and this builder seemed to know exactly what I needed.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44And the price was £10,000.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48I went out to look at his work. They wouldn't let me in the property,
0:26:48 > 0:26:52but they did say he'd worked on that project and they had no problems.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55- Wow!- I thought I got it right.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59You know, you're ticking all the boxes.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04'Carol did pretty much everything by the book. She was just very unlucky.'
0:27:04 > 0:27:08If you're worried about the state and progress of the job,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11contact Trading Standards for help.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Your cowboy may be a serial offender.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20Alerting the authorities could protect other potential victims.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23'Carol's job initially began well.
0:27:23 > 0:27:29'Work promised for the end of the first few weeks was completed, so Carol paid a further instalment
0:27:29 > 0:27:34'but then her builder started going off plan.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:39I wasn't happy with where the door had been cut through. I'd spoken to the builder.
0:27:39 > 0:27:46I said, "I think you've put the door in the wrong place. You've moved my radiator and put it there."
0:27:46 > 0:27:51And he told me I was talking a load of rubbish, that was where he had showed me
0:27:51 > 0:27:57and I wouldn't have had my sockets put anywhere else if that's where the door was going to be.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03I phoned the building inspector and he came out and looked over it. He said he wasn't happy.
0:28:03 > 0:28:11- He gave it the thumbs down, big style.- He said, "I'll come out tomorrow and talk to the builder."
0:28:11 > 0:28:18'Luckily, our cracking team of good guys are hard at it already. Rob Keen is in charge.'
0:28:18 > 0:28:22What is the plan to put this all right?
0:28:22 > 0:28:27- OK, what we're going to do first is take the doorways out.- Yep.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30The building inspector is going to come back.
0:28:30 > 0:28:37We're going to take the frame out. Obviously, the door has to be wider to get a wheelchair through the door.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43- Critical. It's only 750 at the moment and it needs 850 minimum. - That's it.- OK.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47There was no evidence of a lintel put into the brickwork,
0:28:47 > 0:28:51so we'll strip that out, get the inspector so he can have a look
0:28:51 > 0:28:56and once he okays it, we'll see the bearings are OK.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01- Yep.- If we can, we'll extend it. If we can't, we'll put new lintels in.
0:29:01 > 0:29:06'And, of course, our guys are going to sort out Carol's dodgy bathroom,
0:29:06 > 0:29:12'get that door opening safely outwards, install correct light fittings, get it tiled and sealed
0:29:12 > 0:29:17'and a waste pipe that's fit for flushing purpose.'
0:29:17 > 0:29:22Just shut the old wibbly-wobbly door. I love it when the good guys are in town.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27I can't wait to catch up with them later to see how well they're doing.
0:29:27 > 0:29:33'Carol's been under great stress. She really didn't need her new en suite bedroom to be botched
0:29:33 > 0:29:40'and she certainly didn't need abuse from her cowboy builder after complaining about very poor work.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45'I want Carol to try one last time to contact her cowboy builder.'
0:29:45 > 0:29:51- Carol, if you could speak to your builder, what would you say? - Why did he leave me in such a mess?
0:29:51 > 0:29:53And unsecure.
0:29:55 > 0:30:01- Why did he think he could do for the money...- All of that work for the figure he quoted.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- So there's the phone.- Yep.
0:30:04 > 0:30:10If you'd like to dial the number and put it on speakerphone, we can listen to what he has to say.
0:30:12 > 0:30:19'I'm sorry. The person you called is not available. Please leave your message after the tone.'
0:30:19 > 0:30:25Hello. It's Carol Alley. I would like you to get a hold of me. Can you give me a ring back?
0:30:25 > 0:30:27Thank you.
0:30:27 > 0:30:33Since he's moved on from you, he's probably on another number. That's my guess.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- OK.- So what I would say is this -
0:30:36 > 0:30:40to anybody watching today - take a landline telephone number
0:30:40 > 0:30:46and in your contract always have the address where the builder lives.
0:30:46 > 0:30:52- And, if necessary, do your sleuthing.- Go and visit him. - Visit, see if the wagons are there.
0:30:52 > 0:30:58As long as you've got all that tied up, just in case it ever goes to litigation, ever goes to court,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01you've got all those details.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05'As is too often the case, this cowboy did not return the call
0:31:05 > 0:31:10'and has still not returned any of the money he took for the botched, incomplete job.
0:31:10 > 0:31:16'Carol's 11-year-old daughter, Kirsty, has been there for her mum through all the bad times
0:31:16 > 0:31:21'and now she's going to help me look forward to the good times.'
0:31:21 > 0:31:25I know she likes the colours that are in her bedroom now.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29- OK.- So that would be good. - Has she recently done that bedroom?
0:31:29 > 0:31:34- Just before she knew we were having downstairs done, she painted it.- OK.
0:31:34 > 0:31:40- She wanted some wallpaper as well. - Yeah.- Have you got any idea what she wanted?- I've got some.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- Oh, have you got some?- Yeah.- Good.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45OK, great. This? Fantastic.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49So this is the wallpaper she'd like as an accent wall. The far wall?
0:31:49 > 0:31:53- Yeah.- OK. We've got some nice colours there.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56Nice powdery blues and autumnal browns, too.
0:31:56 > 0:32:02We're doing our best now to get everything right, but I will need your help. Right?
0:32:02 > 0:32:07- I'm relying on you, Kirsty, to make sure Mum doesn't look.- Yeah.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Brilliant!
0:32:09 > 0:32:11'It's all hands on deck downstairs.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16'Our good guys ripped open that skinny doorway and are cutting back the brickwork
0:32:16 > 0:32:22'to increase the width of the door for Carol's wheelchair. The bathroom has been stripped back
0:32:22 > 0:32:26'to sort out that pathetic plumbing and terrible tiling.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31'Our guys have got their work cut out to undo this cowboy's building,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35'but they know what it will mean to this lady and they care.
0:32:35 > 0:32:42'Coming up - Carol and Kirsty are overwhelmed by the good work our builders have done for them.'
0:32:42 > 0:32:43Ohhh.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46We're so glad you're pleased.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49'Back in Greenwich, London,
0:32:49 > 0:32:55'John and Janna Watson are coping well after losing £38,000 of their hard-earned money
0:32:55 > 0:32:58'to a cowboy conman.
0:32:58 > 0:33:05'They're hopefully coming to the end of a nightmare chapter as our boys make good in the family room.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10'I hope these good people have grown stronger from their bad experience
0:33:10 > 0:33:12'and perhaps learned some lessons.'
0:33:12 > 0:33:16I lost all objectivity. I just got so much into the dream...
0:33:17 > 0:33:24..and the only thing... The reason I'm so angry... I'm more angry at myself.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- Why?- Because I think it was greed.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32I speak personally. I wanted it and I wanted more for what I wanted.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36I was so blinded by this desire. "Here it is, it's coming."
0:33:36 > 0:33:39And I lost objectivity.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42I lost sense, I lost reason.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46I probably wouldn't use that term, but that's so refreshing.
0:33:46 > 0:33:53There are people out there thinking, "I want to get..." Not something for nothing, but bordering that.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56It just doesn't exist.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
0:34:08 > 0:34:14'Of course, our guys are as close to being too good to be true as you can get
0:34:14 > 0:34:21'and they've been hard at it for a few days. They've done a cracking job by taking this extension
0:34:21 > 0:34:26'and turning it into a fully plasterboarded, smoothly plastered airy living space.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30'With Janna on her way home with young Benjamin,
0:34:30 > 0:34:38'the family are poised to see what good work these builders have done in their extension.'
0:34:40 > 0:34:45- Oh, wow. That is incredible. - That is unbelievable. - It's fantastic.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50It's completely different. It's now become a room,
0:34:50 > 0:34:54somewhere we actually think... We're seeing it now.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57I think it's given it more volume, don't you?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00That's what is the most thing.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04- It actually looks...bigger. - It does look bigger.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09- It really does.- With a fantastic finish. They did a brilliant job.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13It's plaster, but underneath it you've got the wall boards,
0:35:13 > 0:35:19insulation. They've done such a great job. It's almost like glass. It's a real art.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21It is smooth.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23It's incredible.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25This is just the beginning, guys.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30You so, so deserve it. Big style. Just remind us,
0:35:30 > 0:35:35- Janna, what it was like in here. - It was breezeblocks,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40- it was a mess, it was cold, it was...- Freezing.- It was freezing.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43It wasn't a good look.
0:35:43 > 0:35:48- What about you, John? - Well, it was grey!- Yeah!
0:35:48 > 0:35:54Now it looks so close to finishing. You can see the end of the tunnel with this phase.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59It feels more feasible that we could actually do this, we could actually finish this now.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02This is just...great.
0:36:02 > 0:36:08This is the kind of thing that I can't do. This kind of plastering is incredible.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12And all the boarding and insulation. I could never do that.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16- That's where you need money.- Yes. - Which we haven't got.
0:36:16 > 0:36:23This is something I never even thought we would be doing in a matter of weeks or...
0:36:23 > 0:36:27- You've learnt a lot of skills with your dad's help as well.- Yeah.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Your attitude has been immense.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34All I'm going to say is fantastic pastor, brilliant plaster!
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Thanks, Clive.
0:36:38 > 0:36:44'The good guys have done it, turning this into a fully sealed and secured family room.
0:36:44 > 0:36:52'We've insulated the ceiling, put plasterboards up and finished off with smooth plaster.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56'The Watsons' home still needs work to complete their dream extension,
0:36:56 > 0:37:03'but now they've got a huge proper room they can use and space for the kids to play indoors.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06'No wonder they all seem so happy.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10'And from one happy family to a brave lady in waiting.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15'Up in Redditch, Carol Alley is only two weeks from a serious operation,
0:37:15 > 0:37:19'which will leave her in a wheelchair for about a year,
0:37:19 > 0:37:24'but now she's in for a treat and I can't wait to show her.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27'But first a few finishing touches.'
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- Clive?- Yeah? - I need a hand with my mum's stuff.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- Has she got loads?- Yeah, loads.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36OK.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Now this is Mum's old room.
0:37:38 > 0:37:44Her old bedroom. What do you think Mum's going to want from this bedroom down in the new bedroom?
0:37:44 > 0:37:50The bedside table, the lamp, the mirror and the big wooden thing.
0:37:50 > 0:37:56- I don't know what it's called. - It's so important. We must make sure we take it.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00No problem. You carry on. I'll make the tea!
0:38:01 > 0:38:06'Once everything's finished and in place, all we need is Carol.'
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Here she is.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Surprise! You all right, Carol?
0:38:13 > 0:38:15I couldn't get in the door!
0:38:15 > 0:38:21Kirsty and I can't wait to show you what we've done inside what was the garage.
0:38:21 > 0:38:27You've had loads of grief, lots of trouble, but can you remember - before we go in -
0:38:27 > 0:38:29what it was like before we arrived?
0:38:29 > 0:38:34It was a mess. It was uneven and unfinished.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- Unfinished.- Yeah.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40- What were the doors like? - Narrow and wide at the top.
0:38:40 > 0:38:46With that massive gap at the top as well. What were the other problems in the bathroom?
0:38:46 > 0:38:52The plumbing didn't work and the tiling was unfinished and the floor wasn't finished.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55OK, so...what are you hoping for?
0:38:55 > 0:38:59Something I can just move into and use straight away.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04- I go into hospital in the morning. - OK. You take Mum's hand, then.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06You take Mum's hand that side.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11I'll take Mum's hand this side. All right? I'm going to say
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- are you ready?- I'm ready.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16OK, here we go.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Oh, my God! Oh, wow.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- What do you think?- It's beautiful.
0:39:25 > 0:39:31- It's absolutely beautiful.- It's all painted, we've got carpet down,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33the bed's here. It looks great.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36It's got lovely clean lines.
0:39:36 > 0:39:42- Oh, it's lovely.- It looks fantastic. - It does.- Do you remember that door as well?
0:39:42 > 0:39:46It's been widened so it can take your wheelchair.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49- It's beautiful.- A great finish.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- Your TV is in as well.- Telly's in!
0:39:52 > 0:39:59'The unfinished shell that was here before has been replaced by a tidy bedroom,
0:39:59 > 0:40:06'with Carol's favourite wallpaper and furniture, creating a truly comfortable space to recuperate.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11'That skinny door has been widened to properly accommodate Carol's wheelchair.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16'And the windows have been fixed and painted and the sill replaced.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21'That's the bedroom sorted. Now what will Carol think of her new bathroom?'
0:40:21 > 0:40:26- One thing you'll notice straight away...- I haven't got a gap!
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- And the door used to open... - It used to open...- ..inward.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35Like you rightly said, if you ever had a slip or fall,
0:40:35 > 0:40:39nobody could get in properly to get to rescue you.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44- Now that door opens...out. - Oh, brilliant.- How's that?
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- Look at that.- Lovely.- Step inside.
0:40:48 > 0:40:55- Oh, it's gorgeous! - Fantastic. All finished off. Again, lovely clean lines.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- It's a shower room to be proud of. - It's beautiful.
0:40:59 > 0:41:05All the tiling is finished. All the trim has been done as well.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10- That's all been finished off nicely. Really all it needs is you.- It does.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15And you've got the extractor fan, so when you switch the light on...
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- your light comes on. - That's lovely.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- All in all?- It's great.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26'This is the bathroom that Carol wanted and desperately needs.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31'The good guys have got rid of that shoddy, unfinished bathroom and given Carol
0:41:31 > 0:41:37'a beautifully-fitted en suite, fully tiled with safe lighting.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40'The new outward-opening door is more accessible,
0:41:40 > 0:41:46'plus the plumbing's been fixed so that anything flushed away will never be seen again.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50'And the shower unit has been properly fitted and sealed.
0:41:50 > 0:41:55'There's no better finish for a good builder than a big smile.'
0:41:55 > 0:41:57I hope you really do enjoy it.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00You all right? Ohhh...
0:42:00 > 0:42:04'The great news is Carol's had her first operation and it went well.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08'So much so that she's gone back to work.'
0:42:08 > 0:42:11You've been a great help.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18Wow! Finally, Carol has got her fairy-tale ending.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23Now she can recover from her surgery and the building nightmare in comfort.
0:42:23 > 0:42:29We've proved there are some top tradespeople out there. Just search for them
0:42:29 > 0:42:32and hopefully you won't be falling into the cowboy trap.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk