0:00:09 > 0:00:12Cowboy builders are the scourge of Britain's homeowners.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Ripping off people for profit.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I'm on the road to uncover some truly awful building work.
0:00:18 > 0:00:25There was no plaster on the walls. It was just brickwork and a bowing roof.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I've come across some of Britain's worst builders in my time,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31but I'm still shocked at the hideous work they try to pass off!
0:00:31 > 0:00:36I shook a man's hand. That was his bond. It hurts a little bit.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41But with help from some local good-guy builders,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44I'm hoping to get this unfortunate family's dream build
0:00:44 > 0:00:48back on track as well as their lives.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Gutted. We've already been through so much mess and upheaval for it.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54And along the way,
0:00:54 > 0:01:00I'll give you some tips to help you from falling into the cowboy trap.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Today, I'm in Nuneaton in Warwickshire which is named
0:01:14 > 0:01:19after a 12th-century Benedictine convent situated at nearby Eaton.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Nuns at Eaton, Nuneaton, get it?
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Nuneaton was home to Victorian novelist George Eliot
0:01:26 > 0:01:29who wrote The Mill On The Floss,
0:01:29 > 0:01:34the heart-wrenching tale of brother and sister Tom and Maggie Tulliver
0:01:34 > 0:01:36who drown in an embrace.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40It's a similarly tragic story that brings me to Nuneaton
0:01:40 > 0:01:44to meet Lisa and Lee Summers whose dream of an extension
0:01:44 > 0:01:46ended in disaster when they encountered
0:01:46 > 0:01:50the villain of the piece in the shape of a cowboy builder.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53You couldn't make this stuff up, could you?
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Lee is a production engineer and Lisa works in a warehouse.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01They met as childhood sweethearts and have been married for 15 years.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05About 13 years ago, they moved into their home,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08but with their growing family of three children,
0:02:08 > 0:02:14things were cramped, so Lisa and Lee decided to extend the house.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18In August 2010, they decided to build a conservatory extension
0:02:18 > 0:02:20including underfloor heating,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24all electrics and with walls boarded and plastered.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Outside, they wanted a garage built and a slab pathway laid
0:02:28 > 0:02:30from the back gate to the garage,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32so Lee could get his motorbike in and out.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Like most middle-aged men,
0:02:35 > 0:02:37I needed somewhere to get away from the children.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39I'm a keen motorcyclist
0:02:39 > 0:02:43and I wanted somewhere where I could put the bike under cover.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Keep it safe and dry and I could go and mess around
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and be away from the madness of three children.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It sounds like an Eliot classic - a beautiful Midland setting,
0:02:55 > 0:03:00and a cast including a family intent on a fairy-tale home makeover.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05What could possibly go wrong? Read on.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Lisa and Lee couldn't wait to get cracking.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13They put out an appeal for a builder on a social networking site.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17A friend of ours came back and said that her fella was a builder,
0:03:17 > 0:03:22and he was starting and he could give us a quote on what we wanted.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26I'm not sure if George Eliot was a fan of social media,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29but I'm sure I'd remember if she'd mentioned it.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33But if you like to tweet or post news of recent events, good on you.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37But if you're going to try and find a builder on the internet,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40please, remember to carry out the necessary checks.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44When the builder came around,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47he said the job was more than he normally took on.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51But he would sub-contract the brick and block work to expert brickies.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55He was confident in laying the garage foundations though
0:03:55 > 0:03:59and quoted 16 grand for the whole job.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03The Summers were delighted with the figure and shook hands on the deal.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07I'm old-fashioned. For me, the handshake is the deal.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10I've changed a lot since then.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13This is a classic mistake.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14When it comes to contracts,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18mere words aren't worth the paper they're not written on.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21If you don't get building works formally agreed,
0:04:21 > 0:04:26you've got no chance of getting any money back if things do go wrong.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32But the Summers' project got off to a good start in September 2010.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35He sub-contracted to brickies,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38they come in, did what they were meant to do.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42So that was quite a fast process. But, he seemed to know.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47It seemed to be going how it should do, or how I would expect.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50But then, the project took a turn for the worse.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52The builders stopped turning up
0:04:52 > 0:04:56and started leaving the work to unskilled labourers.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I've come across loads of cowboy builders,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02but when it comes to quality workmanship
0:05:02 > 0:05:04and skilled labour, they're sadly lacking.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07But when it comes to excuses,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09well, they've turned THAT into an Olympic sport.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14And the Summers' builder was definitely a medal contender
0:05:14 > 0:05:17when it came to making excuses.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20He said the job would take six-to-eight weeks,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24but it went on for months and he found imaginative reasons why.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30He must have the most unreliable van in the country.
0:05:30 > 0:05:36The spring's broke, the steering's gone, the DVLA have impounded it.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38It's just...a nightmare.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44Some builders will say anything to get out of finishing a job,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46however far-fetched it may sound.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49I've heard every excuse going.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52I'll be back on Monday. Me phone's broke. Me alarm didn't go off.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Your contract's in the post. Oooh, you wanted me to do THAT?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Me brother's got me ladder. I can't put me jeans on today.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02I've got a problem with me eye...
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Frustrated by the builder's absence and the slow progress of the job,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Lee started to lay the tiles himself.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15But he soon noticed they weren't going on flat.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19I stuck with it and carried on and finished the tiling downstairs.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22And I grouted it, and a few days later,
0:06:22 > 0:06:28we noticed the grout was cracking, right in the middle of the floor.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30The builder blamed the tiles
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and suggested pouring grout onto the cracks.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37It seemed to work, but soon, they started cracking again.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Lee pulled some tiles up and couldn't believe what he saw.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The screed underneath had turned to sand.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49It seemed the grout was sinking back out to a different end.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51So it was pouring more grout into the gaps.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It looked good for a couple of days,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57until we walked over it again and then the grout was gone again.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59And then again.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02He just said, he didn't know what do with it.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06The problems weren't just confined to the floor.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09When the windows for the conservatory arrived,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12they were the wrong ones, and they were scratched.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14And the roof was unsupported.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17When it rained, the roof would bow and collect water.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22I could reach up and push the roof up and down six inches
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and it just sort of bowed away and sagged.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Lisa and Lee insisted the builder fix it.
0:07:30 > 0:07:36To raise the pitch on it and put these wooden beams in.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Eventually, it was time for the electrics
0:07:41 > 0:07:43to go into the extension and the garage.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48The builder told them they've been done, but they hadn't.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- Lisa was devastated.- Gutted.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55We'd already been through so much mess and upheaval for it,
0:07:55 > 0:08:00expecting it to be two months. It was disgusting.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07It had got to Christmas and Lisa and Lee had handed over 15,500,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10but had little to show for it.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And then, the builder stopped coming altogether.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18For all the havoc a bumbling builder can cause to your property,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21let alone the dent they can cause to your wallet,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25the real damage can be caused to your relationship.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Lisa and Lee had been together for 15 years and over that time,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30they've hardly had a cross word.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34But lately, they've been doing nothing but argue.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37It was horrible.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40The kids getting shouted at for nothing.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43We never fall out. We've almost got the perfect relationship.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Just because of mess being left and cleaning it up,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49it's back there again, cleaning up, it's back there again.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51It was just constant stress.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I have the stress of my job and I was coming home
0:08:54 > 0:08:59and having the stress of the work not being completed here.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Lisa and Lee's house was falling apart
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and their relationship was feeling the strain too.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07It was a story straight out of a novel.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13But hang on, is that a tall, dark stranger coming to save the day?
0:09:13 > 0:09:17No, it's big, old, bald me, but you know I'm going to do me best.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Time to tell the Summers that the good guys are in town.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29- How are you? You must be Lee. - I'm Lee, nice to meet you.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34- Lisa?- Yup.- I'm Clive from Cowboy Trap. Can I have a look around?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- By all means, come on in.- Thank you. Nice to see you.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39While they make me a nice cuppa,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I'm going to have a sneaky peak at their domestic disaster.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46OK, so here's the offending article.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51These joists here have not been treated and in a conservatory,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55when the sun's out, the heat is monster in here.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58And timber is a living, breathing thing,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00so it will swell and it will shrink,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and there's big visible signs of it cracking here.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05They need treating.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Ooh, and I tell you what, just looking at the floor here,
0:10:10 > 0:10:15that's got a deflection on it, which means it's got a curve.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17I'm not liking that at all.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22And because of the curve here, you can see a tile has cracked.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27I'll lift that out. Oh, that's horrible, look at that.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31What the heck is going on?! Look at this!
0:10:31 > 0:10:35There's no way you're ever going to be able to lay on that!
0:10:35 > 0:10:40I'll tell you one thing already - this floor is coming up!
0:10:42 > 0:10:47Another thing, the position of the external doors is all wrong.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49You want them in line to the doors out of the lounge
0:10:49 > 0:10:52so you can walk straight through to the garden.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56There's a window hole between the lounge and conservatory,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58but no window.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Fails building regs BAD.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Let's have a gander outside.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11OK, from the outside, here's a good top-tip for you as well.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15This protective coating that's on the doors and the windows,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19is there for a reason when it's first being built.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22It protects the surface and stops any splashes
0:11:22 > 0:11:27of any mortar mixes going on it. But don't leave it on.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29The reason for that, if you look at this...
0:11:31 > 0:11:34That's been on for a year or more,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38and there is a slight gluing effect on the back of the plastic.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40It can affect the plastic extrusion.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44Once the build's complete and it's finished,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47rip that off and rip it off the doors.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52Ah, look at this straightaway. Why has that drain stopped there?
0:11:52 > 0:11:56That should be going all the way along the frontage.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Why they finished it there, I haven't got a Scooby Doo.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Time to have a look at the roof.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Ah, OK. A couple of things straightaway again here.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10The flashing right at the back, the upstand isn't high enough.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15I needs to come another brick high. And the joints look pretty awful.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18That'll allow water in there and creepy crawlies.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The roof is polycarbonate.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25At the far end, the last piece that's been cut and put on,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27there's no end cap, so again, moisture getting in.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30It's going to look pretty ugly
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and you'll get a lot of creepy crawlies getting in.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38And where the joint pieces are, there's no end caps on those,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42and they need finishing off. It looks pretty ugly from up here.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Oh, how lovely. A play area for the kiddies.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52A slide, a swing, a...rubbish tip?
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Good housekeeping is essential when it comes to builders.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Keeping the place tidy.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04I can see sand, bags of cement, blockwork, brickwork,
0:13:04 > 0:13:11old plastic extrusion, insulation bits, bits of paving and flag stone.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15All just thrown here. I don't know if they'd organised a skip or not,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17but this needed taking away.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23One of the worst things is what looks like a garage door.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26It's all bent up and has got sharps all over it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29That is not a safe area for children.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32In fact, this needs cordoning off.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37Cordoning off and clearing before one of the little ones gets hurt.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40On to the garage and things aren't getting any better.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Where this UPVC window has gone in, which is second-hand anyway,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48there's a huge gap all the way around there.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52He's tried to mastic it and mastic's about that wide.
0:13:52 > 0:13:53It's way too wide.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58You've got weatherboard as the fascia, that could've been UPVC.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00It would've been a lot better.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Now, Lisa tells me Lee is in the garage, half-built as it is.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Let's find out what he's doing. Lee? How are you, mate? Come on out.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- Hello, mate?- What have you been up to?- I'm in my shrine, hiding.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Hiding in your shrine? This is your escape.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23I can see why Lee would want to escape this grim reality.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25It's a disaster.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30This doorway looks a bit too big for the doors.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Again, it's just in a state of being incomplete really.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40- It needs painting, yeah...- Let's go back down to that conservatory.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45My heart really goes out to Lee and Lisa.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50A young family trying to improve their lot and look what's happened.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53A chaotic conservatory, a ghastly garage
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and a danger zone for the kiddies.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Time for a chat to get the inside story.
0:15:04 > 0:15:10Why did this job take so long to do when he quoted six to eight weeks?
0:15:10 > 0:15:15He'd turn up at 7am, get us out of bed on the weekend
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and by 12, he'd be gone.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23- Why weekends? Why not in the week? - He never turned up in the week.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28How did it all break down and why hasn't he been back to...
0:15:28 > 0:15:32- I wouldn't want him to come back from what I've seen.- No, nor me.
0:15:32 > 0:15:40- We got to June. We were where we are now.- From when the previous year?
0:15:40 > 0:15:45- September.- Yeah.- The kids had just gone back to school.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50That's like nine months' difference to six-to-eight weeks. Oh, no...
0:15:50 > 0:15:55You can see why we got to the point where we didn't care.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00Just get it finished. Get gone. That's where we got to it in the end.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- I don't know how you put up with it for that length of time.- We didn't.
0:16:04 > 0:16:10- No.- You seem to have a really good solid bond as a couple.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Take me to the real dark times of what it was like
0:16:13 > 0:16:17when it started to drive a wedge between you guys.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21You basically said, "You get this sorted or I'm moving out."
0:16:21 > 0:16:27It was the mess more than the completion, cos I'm a mess freak.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I don't like it. It was just constant.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32And from that, it was, "I can't keep doing this".
0:16:32 > 0:16:35It seemed to be simple stuff, I mean, the window.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Just blocking the window up
0:16:37 > 0:16:40so we didn't get the dust in the kitchen from outside.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44They put a ripped sheet up and it didn't stop anything.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49Looking at this botched job, it's no wonder the marriage turned frosty.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54But no fear, the good guys are here. What would you like us to do?
0:16:56 > 0:17:02If you guys could come in, if you could sort that floor,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06so we've got a nice floor to put furniture on, it would be brilliant.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- And just make the garden safe for the kids.- It's been lovely to catch up.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15- I need to crack on with our guys and get this party started.- OK.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22But there's one more thing I need to do before we swing into action.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24That's get a second opinion
0:17:24 > 0:17:27from independent building expert, Paul Brown,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29who has been having a nose around.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34What have you found that's not to your liking?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37When you look at it, you notice the garden runs up a long way
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and that water is going to end up in front of the conservatory.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44There's a small linear drain and that isn't really big enough
0:17:44 > 0:17:46and we don't know where it drains to,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49but we suspect it may not drain into any system at all.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53If that's the case, water from that could wash away the ground
0:17:53 > 0:17:56around the foundation and that could cause structural problems.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59It's important that we get that sorted.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- Inside, what about the floor? - If you look at the floor,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06there are areas of screed, the layer of concrete under the tiles,
0:18:06 > 0:18:12and it's supposed to form a good layer for tiles to sit on.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15That has disintegrated. The tiles won't stay where they are.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16That's another big area of concern
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and we're yet to find out the full extent.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22In terms of the roof tiles, the end caps are missing...
0:18:22 > 0:18:26It's poor detailing. They're not adequately fixed.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28They could be pulled off in high winds.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32There'd be a fair bit of wind-lift on this and it could get sucked off.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36The sealant around the windows, it just gives you the impression
0:18:36 > 0:18:38that there hasn't been attention to detail.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42In terms of a score you'd give this guy out of ten,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46- What would you give? - Not very high. It's a three.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49If you ask me, three's quite generous.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Especially taking into account that flawed flooring.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57We've got a family living in this property and I have to say,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59in the conservatory, the floor is dodgy
0:18:59 > 0:19:03and there's a tripping hazard with those broken tiles.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I'm going to declare this area a no-go zone
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and only myself and the good guys are allowed in.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13And talk of the devil, here they are.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18Expert builder, exotically named Konrad Skubala, wastes no time.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21He heads straight for the conservatory
0:19:21 > 0:19:24to get that floor up and start again.
0:19:24 > 0:19:31Konrad has his work cut out fixing this catastrophic conservatory.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33The floor's weak in certain areas
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and as you can't determine which areas are weak,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38we've got to remove the whole lot.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42First, we've got to remove all the skirting and everything first,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45remove all the tiles and then start removing the screed.
0:19:49 > 0:19:55A skip to remove dangerous building materials - what a good idea(!)
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Shame that didn't occur to our cowboy builder!
0:19:58 > 0:20:03So, can Konrad come up with a solution to the Summers' discontent?
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Only time will tell.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17I'm back in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, where Lisa and Lee Summers'
0:20:17 > 0:20:20dream of a much-needed new extension turned to dust,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24when the builder they found via a social networking site
0:20:24 > 0:20:27turned out to be a clueless chancer.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29But luckily, Lisa and Lee called us in,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and I've come to find out if our good guys have saved the day.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Before I talk it through with the Summers,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I want a sneaky peak for myself.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41First up, the conservatory.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Well, as usual, what a difference, straight away.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52First thing that comes to my mind before I even look at the floor,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56and that is now we've got the doors directly with the doors
0:20:56 > 0:20:59that go into the lounge, so you've got a proper flow through.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02If you remember last time, we came in, we had to do a bit of an L,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05get down to the bottom of the conservatory to get out.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Now it all flows through nicely into the garden.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12One of the most important things was the floor was pretty poor,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15it was uneven. The sub-base was terrible.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17You look at it now - fantastic flooring.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20It really does look the part,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22but above all else, superflat.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Window in.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I was saying before, to meet building regs
0:21:27 > 0:21:29we had to make sure that that window was in place,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34so this was a totally separate area from the main property.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36That job has now been done.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39And the outside looks good too.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Drainage sorted. The down spout's properly connected at last,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and the missing trim on the roof is fixed.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Hallelujah!
0:21:47 > 0:21:52The good guys even found time to clear up the garden,
0:21:52 > 0:21:53and lay down a pathway,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57so Lee can easily get his motorbike into the garage.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00This is what tells me that these are the good guys,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04is just the way that they've actually done this turn here.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06It's just absolutely perfect.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11The way they've cut the flags themselves give it a nice flow,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13and of course it goes from the gate to the garage,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16which means now, it doesn't matter what weather it is,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Lee can bring his bike from that back shed,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22bring it down to the garage,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25tuck it away, lock it up - fantastic.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Before I bring Lisa and Lee out,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I want a pow-wow about their cowboy builder.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34We've been in touch with him, to hear his side of the story.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37I want to find out what the Summers have to say
0:22:37 > 0:22:39about his version of events.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41He says some of the work -
0:22:41 > 0:22:45and I'm assuming now he means the tiled floor
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- was completed by the customer,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- and I'm guessing he says that's you, Lee.- That's correct.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Tell us your story on that.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59Was it completed, or did you do the whole thing?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03I did the majority of the tiling myself.
0:23:03 > 0:23:09But I trained to be a tiler with a friend of mine, who's a good tiler,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12so it was not beyond my abilities to tile that floor.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- So I didn't have a problem. - But it was the sub-base.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18The problem was the floor wasn't good enough.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22That's right. It wasn't Lee's handiwork that was to blame,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26but the poor quality of the screed sub-base laid by the builder
0:23:26 > 0:23:29that caused the tiling travesty.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Then he says that he couldn't complete the job
0:23:32 > 0:23:34because - stand by your beds -
0:23:34 > 0:23:39because Lisa's attitude and behaviour over that floor
0:23:39 > 0:23:42meant that he wasn't prepared to deal with you any more.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Now, tell me, if this was the case, were you hostile to him?
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Did you feel you overreacted, and if you did, why?
0:23:50 > 0:23:54No, I didn't overreact.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57I said the floor needed redoing. Completely redoing.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Did you just get frustrated?
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Yes, cross, for the amount of time it was taking.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Take my advice. If you have disagreements with your builder,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09try to stay calm.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11If you lose your temper,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15they can use it as an excuse not to deliver what they promised.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Write down a list of problems.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Go through it one by one,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and agree on action points to resolve them.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26Luckily, the good guys have resolved the Summers' problems.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Lisa and Lee have been living here
0:24:28 > 0:24:31while our boys have been weaving their magic.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34But they have resisted the temptation to take a look.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38They're about to see the finished work for the first time.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- OK, shall we go see?- Yes. - You ready? Come on.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Come and have a look.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49What do you think?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- Wow.- Fantastic.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- What a difference.- Fantastic.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56What's the thing that jumps out at you most, first?
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- It's level.- It's level.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Put it there. It's level.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04That's the main thing. It's level.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08And it's got a great floor as well. It looks superb.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Window obviously in now,
0:25:10 > 0:25:15so it means we have met the criteria for building control.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17So that's been done.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22SO it's now classed as a separate dwelling from your home,
0:25:22 > 0:25:27but in terms of the way it looks, flooring-wise, just superb.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32So in real terms, we've got the table and chairs in.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35What do you foresee, what you going to use this room for?
0:25:35 > 0:25:37This room will have two functions.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41It will be our dining room,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44but it will be an area for the kids
0:25:44 > 0:25:48and their games consoles to play, and a bit of extra space.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Yes, the kids and grown-ups will have a great time in here.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Now let's have a look outside.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57It's basic building this is,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59but we've got the box guttering at the front,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02because you have to remember that your garden is stepped,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06and with all the rain, even in the summer we have been having,
0:26:06 > 0:26:11it could easily have washed over and into the conservatory.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14But now, with that box guttering, much better.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17There was end caps missing off the roof,
0:26:17 > 0:26:18that's all been treated and done properly.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21The roof actually looks like a roof.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25A roof that looks like a roof. Lee's nailed it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Shame his cowboy builder couldn't.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The flashing on the roof still needs sorting,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32but as far as the conservatory is concerned,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35we've got them well on their way.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Now it's time to check out the path to the garage.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40And as we make our way there,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43it's great to see the garden has been tidied
0:26:43 > 0:26:44so the kids can play safely.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Kids love having fun with their toys,
0:26:49 > 0:26:50and so do dads.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53What does that mean to you, first of all, Lee?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That to me is a high speed bank curve.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58I could do 80 out of there and out the gate.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00That's spot on.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- It might be illegal! - It might.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Mind you, it's private land.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09I'm loving the banking, but the way they've gone about it,
0:27:09 > 0:27:11it's a smooth, flowing run.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Rather than just, you know, somebody might have built it,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and just done a right angle.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I wouldn't be able to get the bike in.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- So it's easier for you, isn't it?- Yes.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26- Overall, your feelings now, conservatory sorted out?- Yes.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- Pathway sorted out?- Yes.
0:27:28 > 0:27:34- Do you think it has put you on the right path to success?- Definitely!
0:27:34 > 0:27:36- You think so?- Yes.- Brilliant.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40I think we've made the Summers' day.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42See what I did there?
0:27:42 > 0:27:44A classic conservatory,
0:27:44 > 0:27:45drains to die for,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47and a banked motorbike track.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50We've raced through the chequered flag in style.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Well, you know what, that's the bit I really love,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59seeing the big smiles back on the beleaguered homeowners' faces.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03As far as the Summers are concerned, their dream is back on track.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07As for Lee, he can now garage his bike safely.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Of course, where the good guys are concerned,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12it's another one in the back of the net.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15As for those cowboy builders out there, look over your shoulder
0:28:15 > 0:28:17because we're right behind you.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd