0:00:07 > 0:00:10I'm here to uncover some really dodgy building work.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Now, these cowboy builders may be able to hide their dodges from you,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18but there's no way they're going to hide them from these eyes!
0:00:18 > 0:00:21I've never had such feelings of anger towards anybody
0:00:21 > 0:00:23in my entire life as this guy.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25I'm going to arm you with some top advice and tips
0:00:25 > 0:00:30on how you can spot the telltale signs of the cowboy builder.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33I just want it back to how it was.
0:00:33 > 0:00:38My team will put right the wrongs those cowboy builders leave behind.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Been camping in this place for so long,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43I can't remember what it's like to live properly.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Today, I'm going to show you some real building blunders.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49In fact, you won't believe your eyes!
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Today, Cowboy Trap has come to Norfolk,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04home of the breathtaking Broads, the fabulous Fens and miles
0:01:04 > 0:01:06of stunning of stunning shoreline.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Today, I'm in the village of Swardeston, just outside Norwich.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14I'm here to meet fine art student Gillian Bexfield
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and her partner Robin Watson,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19who has recently retired.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22They've lived in this 19th-century semi-detached cottage
0:01:22 > 0:01:26in this quaint village for 21 years.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Now, it was Gillie's passion for art that led them to dream
0:01:30 > 0:01:33of having a conservatory built on the back of the property.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Then she could paint in peace and quiet and not disturb Robin.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40They were both really looking forward to it.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I'd just embarked on an access course
0:01:43 > 0:01:48and I end up having so many books and lots of stuff and I was, like,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50taking over the house with everything.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54So I really felt that I needed a space myself.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Gillie had given up her career as a retail manager to pursue
0:01:58 > 0:02:00her fine art degree.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03She took on a part-time job in a local bakery
0:02:03 > 0:02:05to keep some cash coming in,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08but when a long-term saving plan matured,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11she finally had the money to invest in her dream studio.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13She had an ISA,
0:02:13 > 0:02:17and there seemed to be, now, just enough in the fund
0:02:17 > 0:02:22to cash it in and buy this studio building.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Before Gillie even considered going ahead with the studio,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31she and Robin needed some odd jobs doing on the outside of their house.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Just by chance, she got talking to a builder in her bakery
0:02:35 > 0:02:39and she asked him to quote for the exterior maintenance work.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44The next morning, he came round to look at the house, and I just,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46off the top of my head,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49cos I'd been at the weekend looking at garden rooms, sort of studios,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53and thinking with a view of having it as an art studio...
0:02:53 > 0:02:58And so I was just chatting to him, just, you know, like you do,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and he said to me, "Oh, I can build you a studio,"
0:03:01 > 0:03:06and he said, "You've got a place here that's ideal, and I could build one attached to your house."
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Gillie thought that the free-standing studio she'd looked at
0:03:10 > 0:03:14would be far cheaper than building an extension onto the house.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I said that to him, you know, "I wouldn't be able to afford that."
0:03:17 > 0:03:21And he said, "Oh, I can do you one for the same price!"
0:03:23 > 0:03:25In a matter of minutes, the silver-tongued builder
0:03:25 > 0:03:28had managed to manipulate Gillie,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31so the work increased from a few outdoor odd jobs
0:03:31 > 0:03:34to building her conservatory-cum-studio.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37He offered to show her an example of a similar job,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41so she went along the next day, thinking it was good research.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45So he picked me up out of work that afternoon and he took me
0:03:45 > 0:03:48to look at a cottage a couple of villages down the road,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50and which he said he'd done the work on.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It was a dining kitchen extension.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And it was an old cottage and it was very sympathetic to the building,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59so I just felt he was on the right wavelength.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03So I took photographs of the cottage to show my partner.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05So, in effect, I felt I'd checked him out.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Gillie's dream was to have a stunning studio
0:04:09 > 0:04:12attached to the front of her home and knocked through
0:04:12 > 0:04:13to their living room.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16This would provide a creative space to paint
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and study, overlooking her garden.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22And somewhere to store her art supplies and books.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26The smooth-talking builder quoted £8,200
0:04:26 > 0:04:29for a brick-based oak and glass-topped structure,
0:04:29 > 0:04:34fully plastered and insulated with oak doors and pine floorboards.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Gillie and Robin knew it was a bargain price,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39but they believed it was because the builder
0:04:39 > 0:04:43would be getting some added benefits.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47He did say that he would like to use it as an example of his work,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51maybe, in, oh, I don't know, Homes And Gardens magazine
0:04:51 > 0:04:53or something like that.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56And he was going to use it in advertising and things like that.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00So one thought that as he was getting a little extra something
0:05:00 > 0:05:03out of it, that maybe this was why he was prepared to do it
0:05:03 > 0:05:04a bit cheaper.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Gillie was told the work would take four weeks
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and believed she was getting a good deal,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13so didn't think twice when the builder said they'd only do the job
0:05:13 > 0:05:15if he started straightaway.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18He said that we would have to have it done immediately,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22that he'd got a six-week slot between doing a windmill
0:05:22 > 0:05:25in Little Melton, which is somewhere locally,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27and we thought, "That sounds pretty impressive."
0:05:27 > 0:05:31This arrangement should have set alarm bells ringing,
0:05:31 > 0:05:32so take a tip from me...
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Good builders are usually booked up for weeks -
0:05:39 > 0:05:41if not months - in advance.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Make sure you see at least two examples of previous work
0:05:45 > 0:05:48before you contract any builder.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58Gillie was so pleased with the conservatory she was shown,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00she went ahead with the job.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04She agreed to hand over £4,000 up-front for materials
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and the rest at weekly intervals to cover labour costs.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10She had no plans and no written contract,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and within half an hour of turning up,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17the builder's team was already causing chaos.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22The first thing that went wrong was one boy was left to remove
0:06:22 > 0:06:25a Boston ivy, had this huge creeper all over the house.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28He was only supposed to remove it from the front elevation,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31but he cut the whole thing down, thus killing it instantly.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Well, we knew we had a problem, because it's an old cottage
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and we knew the end wall, at some point, would need repointing.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41But when the creeper came down, of course, that exposed lots
0:06:41 > 0:06:45of blown-out bricks and pointing that needed doing.
0:06:45 > 0:06:46So he immediately said,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49"Don't worry about that, don't worry about that."
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Gillie had already handed over half the agreed quote up-front,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57so felt she had no choice but to carry on.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01The builder's team dug up the foundations, built the brick walls
0:07:01 > 0:07:05and began constructing the oak framework for the roof.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10But without a proper set of plans, arguments soon arose.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15I said I wanted a brick wall so far down to allow for shelving
0:07:15 > 0:07:19and a sort of cupboard area for storage, for my art stuff.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22And he wanted to demolish part of the brick wall
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and make it narrower. And I said, "Well, no,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28"because I won't be able to use the room for what I want it for."
0:07:28 > 0:07:30With no drawings of the build,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32it's no wonder these disagreements started.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Gillie and Robin had made a massive rookie error.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Take my advice...
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Gillie wasn't happy with the quality of the work she was seeing,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58but she ignored her instincts to put a stop to the build.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02She allowed the persuasive builder to talk her into going ahead
0:08:02 > 0:08:04with the job.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Then they wanted to do the plastering,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10to which my partner said, "It's absolutely crazy, there's no glass in it."
0:08:10 > 0:08:15But every time he talked to me, I got somehow manipulated
0:08:15 > 0:08:18into doing things that I knew weren't right, by him.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22He assured me that the glass would go in the next week.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Next week came and went, no glass.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Six weeks later, still no glass.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Fed up with their bungling builder's excuses,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Gillie and Robin got in touch with Trading Standards,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39who advised the couple to lay out their concerns in writing.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41The builder ignored this letter,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43but his appearances became few and far between.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Then he had the cheek to ask for more money.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48The problem was
0:08:48 > 0:08:55he'd had all but about £1,500 of his labour costs.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59And I said that we couldn't afford to give him any more money
0:08:59 > 0:09:00until he'd finished.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04He said he couldn't come to work for nothing,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06and that's basically when he stopped coming.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09By the time this cowboy scarpered,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Gillie and Robin had handed over nearly eight grand,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16plus additional payments for hidden extras like a step,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19drainage and the repointing work required after the builder
0:09:19 > 0:09:22had killed the creeper.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Four months after the job should have been finished,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28winter was fast approaching, and the couple were left
0:09:28 > 0:09:32with a newly plastered conservatory with no roof, no glass
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and a shoddy structure.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39The main problems were the corner posts, which weren't square,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41so they couldn't be glazed.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43The doors are totally unfit for purpose
0:09:43 > 0:09:47and weren't thick enough to take regulation glass
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and no way would be watertight.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54The skylights, um, nobody could see how they could be watertight at all.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58But there's an issue with the archway.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03The metal plinth that he proposed to use as support,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06where the window was coming out and the doors were going in,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09is totally unsuitable.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Now they've been left with a shattered dream,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13they're financially worse off, and to top it all,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17they've got no usable conservatory or studio.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22It's been three years since this cowboy made a run for it,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26leaving Gillie and Robin bitterly disappointed and annoyed.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31I've never had such feelings of anger towards anybody in my entire life as this guy.
0:10:31 > 0:10:36He... Well, he change my personality, almost, when I was in his presence.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41Emotionally, it's been very stressful...
0:10:41 > 0:10:46um...and, well, the money aspect of it very worrying,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50because I just felt I couldn't let this chap just walk away.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57Robin has seen the stress this has caused poor Gillie.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02She's been very upset, very depressed.
0:11:02 > 0:11:09She's had a lot of headaches and neck problems and a lot of sleeplessness.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13And I think it's all of these things that...
0:11:13 > 0:11:16things like that that have affected her the most.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19I'm here to see what we can do to help
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and get this build back on track.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30- I'm guessing you're Gillie, to start off with.- Yes, I am.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- This must be Robin.- This is Robin. - You'll be Clive, I take it.
0:11:33 > 0:11:39- Any chance we could see what damage these cowboy builders have done? - Yeah.- Sure.- Fine, let's go.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'I want to check out the state of the incomplete studio,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'which is at the front of the house, overlooking the garden.'
0:11:45 > 0:11:50In terms of the tarpaulin, it's been put on pretty neat. Did he do that?
0:11:50 > 0:11:55- No.- No.- And it's been like this for how long, though?- Three years. - Three years it's been covered up.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00Is there any chance we can sort of get a feel of it and get inside?
0:12:02 > 0:12:03Ta-da!
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Right.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Well, it's not what I was expecting.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Um...
0:12:13 > 0:12:16OK, let's have a look. Room for a slim one.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23- OK. Whoa. It is definitely not finished.- No.- That's for sure.- No.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28OK, give us a rough idea of what the plan was
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and what you've been left with.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34We didn't actually have a plan, because it said, "Plan to follow",
0:12:34 > 0:12:38and we requested it for about six months, and one never appeared.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43Only a few scrappy little drawings on a piece of paper with no detail or measurements.
0:12:43 > 0:12:44Wow.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Hence the problem, cos he was building it as he went along, out of his head.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54The oak rafters are a different oak to the mullions. This is...
0:12:54 > 0:12:57somebody called it fell oak, and it's prone to splitting.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- You can see it's splitting all over the shop.- Yes.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05- And big knots and stuff in it. - I'm also intrigued as well about plastering up.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08I tried to get Gillie to stop him doing that.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Why would you plaster up before you've actually made it watertight?
0:13:11 > 0:13:16He talked me round and assured me that the following week,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18the glass would go in.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Right. This is not the way it's done.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25A quality plaster would have never come in and said, "I'm going to plaster this wall before,"
0:13:25 > 0:13:28because the heavens can open at any time. This is the United Kingdom.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32It doesn't matter what time of year it is. It must be freezing in there.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- We don't use it.- We can't use the room. We don't use the room.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40What a shame! It could have been a great addition to the property.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45The skylights...nobody could see how they could possibly work.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Well, it looks as though he's just made them out of a bit of rough-cut timber.
0:13:49 > 0:13:55I think, for now, I've certainly seen enough. It's...really horrible.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56No two ways about it.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00It looks as though he's been doing the job,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04as you say, from whatever idea he had in his mind,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08but he hasn't been able to transmit that into a real good finish
0:14:08 > 0:14:09and a real good job.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Gillie and Robin have been badly let down.
0:14:14 > 0:14:20I don't know how they've coped with having this constant reminder of their awful situation.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25What a mess! I'm not happy with the concrete base, for a start.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29It's all over the place. At least we know the footings are OK,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33but when you look around, a plastered wall when there's no glazing in...
0:14:33 > 0:14:36it's just ridiculous! Timber not fit for purpose.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39And of course you've got doors that won't take or fit
0:14:39 > 0:14:42the right-sized glass panelling.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47But in terms of the quality of the work, the builder just had no idea.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Just looking around, it's such a waste.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54And finally, those skylights, they really are poor.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56It is just not a good job, full stop.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00And yet, when you think about it, so many thousands of pounds have been thrown
0:15:00 > 0:15:05towards this conservatory and possible artist's room for Gillie...
0:15:05 > 0:15:09it's worthless - absolutely worthless - as it stands.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13If you're planning on building any wooden structure for your home,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17there are some basic rules for getting it right. Here's a top tip.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20You remember Gillie and Robin's timber conservatory.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24A lot of the timber that had arrived for that job was already
0:15:24 > 0:15:26twisted and bent and warped.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29That's always good to happen, to a certain degree.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32But you've got to keep your eye on it. And I've got a top tip for you.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35If you go into the DIY stores, pick up the timber,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37no matter how big or small,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41and just wink...give it the wink and look down.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46And this particular piece of timber here, beautiful as it may be,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49is more akin to a banana. So what I'll say to you is this...
0:15:49 > 0:15:54give it the wink to check for kink. If it straight, you're "all raight".
0:15:57 > 0:16:02For three years now, this poor excuse for a studio has been haunting Gillie and Robin.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Their neighbour, Ian, has watched them go through this ordeal.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12They say everybody needs good neighbours, and, Ian, you live next door to Gillie and Robin.
0:16:12 > 0:16:18Tell us what your opinion was of how the build was going.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21All I could see was that it was taking a very long time,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and that work on it was erratic,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26didn't go on all the time.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28And the end result
0:16:28 > 0:16:31has just been really very cruel,
0:16:31 > 0:16:36because it's obviously not been properly done.
0:16:36 > 0:16:43Well, everybody's done a bad job in their time - that's not exceptional.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46But it's dragged on and on and it hasn't been put right.
0:16:46 > 0:16:53It's been very cruel for them, you know, because they've not just had it hanging about,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56but it's also affected their use of the rest of the house.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01And so, not only are they no further forward than they were, they're back.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06And I just think it's very unkind to behave like that.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- Ian, it's been great to talk to you. Thank you. - You're more than welcome.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Coming up...I call upon the expertise of a chartered surveyor
0:17:17 > 0:17:20to assess the carnage of this botched build.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25You can see that whoever started this work just did not have a clue.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30'And Gillie and Robin reveal more about the terrible tale.'
0:17:30 > 0:17:32What, you told him you'd got 10 grand?
0:17:32 > 0:17:37- Yes.- Yeah.- And I said I couldn't afford...that is what I had.
0:17:39 > 0:17:44Gillie Bexfield had a dream to work and study in her own art studio,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47overlooking the garden.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52It would also provide a quiet spot for her partner, Robin, to enjoy his retirement.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56After shelling out almost all of their eight grand quote,
0:17:56 > 0:18:01plus more for hidden extras, their hopes - and their home - were left in ruins.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05The ended up with the newly plastered but shoddily built structure,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09with no roof and no glass.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14Gillie and Robin have had to live with this building bomb site for three years now.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19So it's essential we help them to get their home back.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24'But first, I want to find out just how they landed themselves in this cowboy trap.'
0:18:24 > 0:18:29So he came in. He didn't do a quote. There was a reason for that. Why?
0:18:29 > 0:18:35Well, I happened to be just be...in general chatting...
0:18:35 > 0:18:39to mention that I'd been looking at garden rooms, independent studios.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42He replied that he could build me one attached to the front
0:18:42 > 0:18:46of my house for the same price as I could buy an individual one.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- A freestanding one? - Yes, in the garden.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Had you saved up enough money? Had you got enough collateral?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Well, I actually did have £10,000 savings that I thought
0:18:56 > 0:19:00I would use for this, for a studio.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03- Cos it's a long way... - I did happen to say that...
0:19:03 > 0:19:06What, you told him you'd got 10 grand?
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- Yes.- Yeah.- And I said I couldn't afford...that is what I had...
0:19:10 > 0:19:12for the studio.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17And he then said he could build me one for the same amount of money.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21OK. Well, look, if we are sitting here playing poker now...
0:19:21 > 0:19:25we've got our poker faces on, we've raised 10 grand,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27it's in the middle of the table...
0:19:27 > 0:19:30do you think I'm going to flash my cards and go, "Have a look"?
0:19:30 > 0:19:31No.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36Now, under those circumstances, he knew exactly how much you'd got.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- So you showed your hand early doors.- That's the trouble.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44If you'd have said to him, "I've got seven grand," what would he have said?
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- Probably the same thing.- He would indeed have said the same thing.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52It would have mattered what amount of money you were talking about.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55He was going to make sure he extracted it from you.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57This is what cowboy builders do best.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02This is an easy way to fall into the cowboy trap, so take note...
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Put the onus on them to quote you a realistic cost.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Gillie's builder had persuasive skills down to a fine art.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26She'd become so swept up by his patter
0:20:26 > 0:20:30that he'd even convinced her to pay labour by the hour.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I'd look out the window, and they'd be on their mobiles
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- or sitting on the trestles or having a smoke. - And you're paying for that?- Yeah.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40You're paying for them on their phone, having a smoke.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42We complained that they weren't working -
0:20:42 > 0:20:45every time he went off the job, they stopped work, basically.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49We realised that the time he was putting down, he wasn't actually here.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I mean, he never came in the morning, early,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54and left late and done a full day's work.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58He'd usually come, like, a few minutes before I'd go...
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Or he'd say he'd be here at 11, I'd have to go to work
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and I wouldn't know when he arrived,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06and then he'd be gone when I came home, quite often.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08And a few times, we thought,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11"Are they actually here the time they're saying they are?"
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Cos it was just going on forever on this hourly rate.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16And Robin came home a couple of times at lunchtime,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and there was nobody here at all.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22The chaps that he left on the job, you know,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24weren't making the most of their time.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26A lot of the time, he was having to come back
0:21:26 > 0:21:28and correct what they'd been doing.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32And also, you know, were they really here?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35So we were really, really worried about the money.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42Paying by the hour is always a mistake, so take a tip from me -
0:21:42 > 0:21:46set your budget in advance and stick to it.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Agree a payment schedule, alongside a plan of works...
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Gillie and Robin had asked their builder
0:21:58 > 0:22:01to do a couple of other outdoor jobs.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06So, along with all the hidden extras this crooked cowboy had added,
0:22:06 > 0:22:11this meant costs had shot up from their initial eight-grand quote.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Where are we right now? And how dark has it got for you guys?
0:22:15 > 0:22:17You're out of pocket by how much?
0:22:17 > 0:22:23We've now... About £13,000 we've spent, altogether...
0:22:23 > 0:22:24um, with him.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27And we'd only got part of the house decorated
0:22:27 > 0:22:29and the garden wrecked and just...
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Ooh, just a mess everywhere - a room I then couldn't use and...
0:22:33 > 0:22:36He's refusing to come back and carry on with the work?
0:22:36 > 0:22:40No, he was coming back for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43just to more or less say he was still on the job.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44- A token gesture?- Oh, yeah.
0:22:44 > 0:22:50'It wasn't long before this bad-boy builder stopped coming at all.'
0:22:50 > 0:22:52How are you feeling?
0:22:52 > 0:22:56To be honest, the money is the real worrying thing, because we've...
0:22:56 > 0:22:59You know, this is our home, we don't want to live in this state forever,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03and I feel that I instigated the entire...
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- Do you feel responsible? - Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And Robin - this is where I get upset, because I'm really upset -
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Robin was about to retire, he'd worked out all his pensions
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and his money and everything, and because it was on the house,
0:23:15 > 0:23:21that then involved him, so he's had to draw on money that he'd set aside,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25and obviously the first year of his retirement,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27when he thought he'd be gardening and doing things...
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Every window, driving up to the house...
0:23:29 > 0:23:33everywhere we are, there's actually no escape from this mess.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Even if I see one brick with a bit of...
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Any evidence I see of him, I just try to dismiss it,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I just want it back to how it was.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46What I need to desperately do now
0:23:46 > 0:23:49is to get this builder from under your skin,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53so in the short period of time that we're here, what can we do for you?
0:23:53 > 0:23:55If that extension could be habitable,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58so we could move everything back in there that should be in there,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and everything else put back in its place so we can use the house again.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05OK. Well, I tell you what, what we're going to do for you, then,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07is we're going to get a team of guys in
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and we're going to put that right for you. How's that?
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Brilliant.- All right? Is that a deal?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- It sure is!- Glad to hear it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Gillie and Robin launched a legal action against their builder
0:24:20 > 0:24:23and called in chartered surveyor Christian Mountney
0:24:23 > 0:24:27to compile a report on the condition of their conservatory.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30So I've asked him to share his findings with me.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Hey, Christian.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- Clive.- Tell you what, it's good to see you again.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Nice to see you, yeah.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Now, just tell us, stage-by-stage, what you've seen that you do not like.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43You can see that whoever started this work
0:24:43 > 0:24:45just did not have a clue what they were doing,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47particularly in terms of the joinery.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52This has been carved out of square pieces of oak, on site,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55with hand tools, and meets no sort of accepted standards
0:24:55 > 0:24:59of traditional workmanship by any stretch of the imagination.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Quite apart from some bizarre thinking with the doors,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05the doors aren't thick enough to take double glazing.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10With oak, you shouldn't use mild steel fixings for a start - it should be stainless steel.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11What sort of mark out of ten
0:25:11 > 0:25:14would you give for the work that's been carried out?
0:25:14 > 0:25:17It's got to be completely redone, so it can be nothing more than a zero.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Christian, always crucial to get your input.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25- I'll let you carry on making copious notes.- Lovely. Thank you. - I'm off for a cup of tea.- Cheers.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29I don't know about you, but in my mind, this is a rubbish job,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31so I'm going to seal it off as a no-go zone,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33get the good guys in and put it right!
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Now, this is the bit I like, boys - that's introducing the good guys.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- I'm Clive, by the way.- Yeah, Chris. - All right, Chris?- Sean.- Sean.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Obviously, I see loads and loads of dodgy building going on,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59and lots of dodgy building work.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Fortunately, with this particular job, the base seems
0:26:02 > 0:26:04we can get away with, but what is the plan for the rest of it?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06They've been like this for three years!
0:26:06 > 0:26:11What we're planning on doing is taking down the existing structure,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13taking it to the factory.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16And trying to reuse as much as we possibly can,
0:26:16 > 0:26:17salvage as much as we can.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21How much of this timber do you think you're going to be able to salvage?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25At this stage, we're hoping an awful lot.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27If you can't, it'll having to be replaced.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31It'll have to be replaced, and if it's not so old as what we're using,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34then we have to give it a coat of ammonia.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36- To age it?- To age it.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39What about the roof, though? What's the plan for that?
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Originally, she wanted a glass roof.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Yeah, she wanted a glass roof.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- Since then, we're now going to use the imitation slate.- Yeah.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48Lightweight.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50So, again, it'll look in keeping with...?
0:26:50 > 0:26:55Look in keeping, a rustic conservatory with a slate roof.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56- Yeah.- Insulated.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Nice and cosy - probably the warmest place in the house!
0:26:59 > 0:27:03Especially with these old properties. Boys, great to have you on board,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and I can't wait to see the finished article.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08We've got a big job on our hands.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Thanks to input from the experts, Gillie and Robin
0:27:11 > 0:27:14now have a clear idea of what they want for their studio.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19That includes fitting a tiled roof instead of a glass one,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22which will make the studio warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26The couple are now so desperate to get the studio finished
0:27:26 > 0:27:29that they're contributing to the overall cost of the work.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32They're thrilled to have Chris and his team on the case
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and they have another surprise in store
0:27:34 > 0:27:39when they receive some welcome news from their solicitor.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Happy birthday.- What?
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- It is a result?- Yeah, it is.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- Whoa!- He never turned up.
0:27:47 > 0:27:48- You're kidding!- No.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Following a claim against their cowboy builder,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53the judge has found in their favour.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56What a day!
0:27:56 > 0:27:58- All in one day!- I'm pretty...
0:27:58 > 0:28:00- Conservatory down and now a result. - Yeah.- Double result.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04- Can you believe it? All on the same day.- Yeah, happy birthday!- Cheers!
0:28:04 > 0:28:09Gillie and Robin won't get all their money back, but they have been awarded costs.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Despite not attending the court hearing,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15the builder intends to appeal the judgement.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21'Coming up...I put the cowboy builder's version of events...'
0:28:21 > 0:28:26Well, I'm just flabbergasted, because that's just so untrue.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28'..and I just can't wait to show Gillie and Robin
0:28:28 > 0:28:31'the results of the good guys' hard graft.'
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- Wow!- Oh, my God!- That's amazing!
0:28:36 > 0:28:40In the East Anglian village of Swardeston, Gillie Bexfield
0:28:40 > 0:28:44and her partner, Robin Watson, fell into the cowboy trap
0:28:44 > 0:28:46when they hired a bodging builder.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48They wanted a brick-and-oak-framed studio
0:28:48 > 0:28:52for Gillie to pursue her new vocation in art.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57But after taking £13,000 from our couple, the builder bolted,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01leaving them devastated, with an incomplete and inadequate structure.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07Chris and his team are pulling out all the stops
0:29:07 > 0:29:11to turn this messy mishap into a stunning, state-of-the-art studio.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15The main thing that was wrong with it was the fixings.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21Again, because of the tannin in the oak, everything's just rotten.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Gillie and Robin are overjoyed
0:29:23 > 0:29:26that the job is finally up and running again.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31I'm back on the vision, I'm back on my vision and the dream again.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Yeah, which made me come round today.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38- The nightmare's turning into a dream again.- Yeah. Yeah, it's excellent.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41'While Chris and the boys work their magic,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45'I want to help Gillie and Robin get some answers to those questions
0:29:45 > 0:29:48'they've been asking themselves for the past three years.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51'I've got some surprising news for them.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Now, your original builder, that you're in dispute with,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57was given a chance of right to reply,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59and he has replied to our office.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Now, he's saying that,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04"I totally dispute the report that the work is substandard.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07"I have a report from a chartered surveyor,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10"which says that my work was fine.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13"It was a bog-standard conservatory, and I did it properly."
0:30:13 > 0:30:15This is the builder talking.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18"There is no problems with the conservatory as it stands.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23"In fact, it is stronger than the house." This is in his opinion.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27"I wrote to her," being Mrs Bexfield, Gillie.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30"I wrote to her solicitor to have a carpenter go there
0:30:30 > 0:30:32"and have the joinery finished,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35"but she would not allow me on the property,
0:30:35 > 0:30:37"so this is why I could not finish it."
0:30:37 > 0:30:43So if you don't mind, I'll start with you, Gillie, on that one.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48Well, I'm just flabbergasted, because that's just so untrue. Um...
0:30:50 > 0:30:55We did suspend him from working here, which we were told, you know,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58that that was the procedure and what we should do,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02and when we received the report, condemning the building,
0:31:02 > 0:31:07obviously we, at that stage, didn't have him come back.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11We were then advised that we should give him every opportunity
0:31:11 > 0:31:15to come and rectify things, which we have done for the past year,
0:31:15 > 0:31:19and we've had letters going backwards and forwards to him,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21from my solicitor.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26And each time, he's come up, saying, "Yes, I'll have joinery doors made,
0:31:26 > 0:31:28"I'll have this done, I'll have that done."
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Then months have gone by, we haven't seen him, heard from him,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33nothing has happened.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36So another letter has been sent, and this has been going on now
0:31:36 > 0:31:39for an entire year of him promising that he would come
0:31:39 > 0:31:41and rectify things, and he just never came.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46The second question that we pitched, this is his answer -
0:31:46 > 0:31:50"I gave her the price as quoted, and Mrs Bexfield was really happy about it.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53"She was really happy in the beginning and then, all of a sudden,
0:31:53 > 0:31:57"she couldn't afford to pay me, and that's where it all went wrong."
0:31:57 > 0:32:02I had paid him for goods he never delivered. I'd paid him in full for the materials up-front,
0:32:02 > 0:32:04in the very first week. That was part of the deal.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07I'd paid him about £7,000 at that point,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11bearing in mind the quote was £8,200.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14And I could see we hadn't got the glass,
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and there was still a lot, lot more work to do,
0:32:16 > 0:32:20plus he owed me £1,400, and that was at the point
0:32:20 > 0:32:24I did say, "Well, you know, I can't pay you any more at this point."
0:32:24 > 0:32:28This is always the problem when you've not got a contract,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32a proper, written contract, and signed between the two parties.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36And that's something that, I think, needs addressing for future reference,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39because we'd be able to look back on that and go,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41"Well, look, here it is - this is what we signed
0:32:41 > 0:32:45"and agreed in the first place," so there's no dispute there whatsoever.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And if changes are made, you make another contract to go with it.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52But for now, Gillie and Robin, thank you.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56'Thank goodness for the good guys.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59'Chris and his team have created a mini masterpiece
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'with this sensational studio.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'As they add the finishing touches and pack up their kit,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07'I want to take a crafty look around.'
0:33:10 > 0:33:11My word.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18That's amazing.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Come on!
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Oh! This is...
0:33:24 > 0:33:25Well, it's just...
0:33:27 > 0:33:31I've got the word for it - it's craftsmanship, that's what it is.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Now, first of all, we haven't got the glass roof,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37so obviously, we've got a slate roof on there,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41thermally insulated as well, so it's got U-value, great for wintertime.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43But the quality of this wood...
0:33:43 > 0:33:47You know, the thing is about this as well is that a lot of people would use pine,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51and at the moment, oak actually works out cheaper than pine,
0:33:51 > 0:33:52and doesn't it look better?
0:33:52 > 0:33:56It just looks fantastic - all the knots in it and everything.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59It just feels a million dollars.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02HE LAUGHS
0:34:02 > 0:34:05I'm absolutely gobsmacked with this job.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08We've got a wooden floor,
0:34:08 > 0:34:13whereas before, it was all horrible screed that was down.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Oh, come and have a look at this - come and visit the knots.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20This is the beauty. This is the beauty of this sort of wood.
0:34:20 > 0:34:21The oak is just fantastic.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26You've got huge, great knots in it, and it gives it a fantastic feel.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28There's a huge one in the door as well.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31I mean, yes, Gillie wants a place like this so she can retreat
0:34:31 > 0:34:35and do her artwork, but this is also a place to entertain.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38And as you notice, look, you've got a great view out there -
0:34:38 > 0:34:40it's almost bringing the outside inside.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43It's just got a fantastic feel to it.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46That is a job and a half.
0:34:46 > 0:34:47And when you do your research
0:34:47 > 0:34:49and you get the right guys for the job,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52this is what you're likely to get.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55I can't wait to show them - they are going to love it!
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Before I reveal this beauty of a build
0:34:59 > 0:35:03and get Gillie and Robin's reaction, there's a man I need to thank.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Hey! What a top job. How are you, Chris?
0:35:07 > 0:35:09- Not bad. - What a difference this is,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12compared to the last time I was here, some weeks ago.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14- From what we had.- Definitely.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18- That's something to be proud of. - Oh, yes.- That's a top, top job.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23We used 85% of the original timber.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26You've used 85% of that timber that looked a real mess?
0:35:26 > 0:35:28That looked a mess.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- You took all of that off site, worked on it.- Yep.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Tell us how long you worked on it, because this has taken an age,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36but it was well worth it.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38That was down the workshop for about four weeks,
0:35:38 > 0:35:43but you can see from the finished product...
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Basically, what we've got here
0:35:45 > 0:35:47is a rustic, bespoke conservatory, handmade.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50I'll tell you what, I'll go as far as to say,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53I think this is one of the best jobs I've ever seen on Cowboy Trap.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56- Thank you.- I'll be honest, it is a cracker of a job.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58It takes some intricate work,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00to take the timber off site and re-work it,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03to get it in the state it's in now, is just amazing.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Chris, it's been a brilliant job.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10I can't wait to show the guys just what the good builders can do.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14Brilliant, mate, I'll let you carry on inspecting.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17I'm so impressed by this transformation,
0:36:17 > 0:36:18but it's not about me -
0:36:18 > 0:36:22it's time to find out what Gillie and Robin think.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23Boy, oh boy.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28I've actually seen the finished article you've got now
0:36:28 > 0:36:30attached to the back of your property.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32I know you've seen little bits and bobs of it,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36you haven't seen the completed works, the job fully finished.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41- How excited are you?- Very, yeah.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Before we go and take a look at it, remind me, first of all,
0:36:44 > 0:36:49what it was like before we arrived, when we arrived.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52What were we looking at in those dark and dismal days?
0:36:52 > 0:36:55You were looking at the tarpaulin,
0:36:55 > 0:36:59over a wooden structure flapping about in the wind.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02A very crude wooden structure with lots of splits
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and gouges in it, woodworm, rusting screws,
0:37:05 > 0:37:11because it had been tosh-screwed, I believe it's called, and glued...
0:37:11 > 0:37:19the mullions into the wall plate and the sill, and it was rickety,
0:37:19 > 0:37:25warped and pretty horrible, worrying-looking structure.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27It wasn't fit for purpose, that's the key.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31OK, let's waste no further time. Let's go take a look.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35What I want you to do is I'm going to take Gillie's hand.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Gillie, if you take Robin's hand.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41What we'll do is, if you look down, so we can't see it,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44we're going to go out the back. Let's go.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51OK, keep looking down. Stand there a minute, stop, keep looking down.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55I'm going to turn you round. Robin, you come over this side.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Keep looking down.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Have a look.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09- Oh, my God!- Wow! That's amazing.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16Wow, I had no idea it would turn out quite as good as that.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18That's just fantastic.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22That's the bit we saw in the workshop, the front bit.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26When the glazing beads are in, it completes the pattern.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30Oh, that does look like everything
0:38:30 > 0:38:33that I personally would've hoped for.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Amazing.- It is amazing.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41It looks as if it's been there forever,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44it really does suit the property.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Absolutely fantastic.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48The only thing that's changed slightly from the plan
0:38:48 > 0:38:51is we were going to have a glass roof, that was your original plan.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Now you've got a thermal lined roof,
0:38:54 > 0:38:57which means you've got great new value there.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02It can be great in the wintertime as well as in the summertime.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Keep you nice and cool in the summer but great in the winter.
0:39:05 > 0:39:06Keep that warmth in.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08It's a bit like stepping into Narnia.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11It's so good, it is so good.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Let's go take a look. Come on. Let's take a look at it.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Wow!
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Look at the threshold for a start as we're here now,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23look at the detail on these doors.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27I love it. Isn't that fabulous?
0:39:27 > 0:39:32It's good, they've kept the rustic charm like an old barn or building,
0:39:32 > 0:39:36something like that, and yet it's properly made
0:39:36 > 0:39:37properly put together.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Let's go inside, come on.
0:39:39 > 0:39:45You've got real wood floor as well, all your electrics in too.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Look at this, the ceiling.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Those are amazing, those tie bars. I can't get over that.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54We'll be able to hang stuff off there.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58It's almost like vaulted, the ceiling, it's got that feel to it.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04As you look out into the garden, this is what I was amazed by,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07because you've got all the beautiful greenery all around.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- It brings the outside in. - That's right.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12It's a proper garden room.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14When the weather's not good, which it often is,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17you feel you're in the garden even in the warm.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19- Brilliant.- It is just so superb.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Look at that door. Look at those doors.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26- They're fantastic. - They're just something else.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30I can't believe after 2 1/2 years of having it under tarpaulin,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33in the space of not even two months, that's done.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36I could never ever visualise it ever
0:40:36 > 0:40:40- like walking through doors here and it being done.- Being completed.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I can't tell you.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Before we brought in the good guys,
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Gillie and Robin's dream was in tatters.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Their conservatory was criminal -
0:40:50 > 0:40:54nothing more than a collection of splintering oak framework
0:40:54 > 0:40:59and peeling plaster, all covered in a giant green tarpaulin.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02This transformation is just sensational.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I'm sure it's going to change their lives.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- What's the plan for in here, Gillian?- The plan is,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10I've bought a big table that I'm going to have here,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14my work table, with some lamps,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17and then the carpenter who's made this,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20has said he's going to build me some bookshelves.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24I'm going to have bookshelves here, to put my books in,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27and cupboards to put all my art stuff in on that side.
0:41:27 > 0:41:28That will be all neatly...
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Are you allowed in here?
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- I will have to ask very nicely. - For permission?- Yes.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Instead of having all that mess and junk and stuff everywhere,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40it'll be neatly in cupboards.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45All of the rest of the house will be all nicely organised again.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47I can't imagine it being any better.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49I can't see how it could be any better.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52They've just worked so hard. They're absolutely mega.
0:41:52 > 0:41:58I can't stress any harder how brilliant Chris and the team are.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02An absolute pleasure. Great to see you, Robin.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05Good luck, you. Really good luck.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Way-hey!
0:42:08 > 0:42:09You take good care.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Really enjoyed this. It is a fantastic place.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16OK, guys, I'll let you have a look around,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18enjoy this wonderful, wonderful building.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22- See you soon. Take care. - Thank you.- Thanks again.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- Excellent.- Oh, goodness!
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- It's just fabulous. - Isn't it just?
0:42:27 > 0:42:29It's just amazing.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Do you know, I'm so pleased
0:42:32 > 0:42:36that we've helped Gillie and Robin finally realise their dream.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38That conservatory is fantastic, and all it took
0:42:38 > 0:42:41was a bit of research to find the good guys,
0:42:41 > 0:42:45and I have a message for all cowboy builders out there -
0:42:45 > 0:42:49don't look over your shoulder, because we're right behind you.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51If you've had a problem with builders
0:42:51 > 0:42:55and you'd like to tell your story on Cowboy Trap, please call us.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Help us round up the cowboys.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd