0:00:08 > 0:00:09All over the country,
0:00:09 > 0:00:14cowboy builders are riding roughshod over homeowners' dreams.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It looks more like a greenhouse than a conservatory.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22No job is too big or small for these unscrupulous jack-of-no-trades.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27I can't stand it. It makes me think of him and his lies.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30But we've got the good guys in our posse,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34ready to turn these dens of disaster into happy homes. Yee-ha!
0:00:34 > 0:00:40Having this new conservatory will change her whole life.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44So, get your pen and paper handy to take down the top tips
0:00:44 > 0:00:46that could keep you out of the cowboy trap.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Today, Cowboy Trap is in the Welsh Valleys.
0:00:59 > 0:01:05A landscape so magical, it inspired the great poet Wordsworth.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08The region's also seen massive urbanisation
0:01:08 > 0:01:11since the Industrial Revolution.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15These days, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty still survive,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19but the once famous Welsh coal mining industry is gone,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23and that has meant hardship for huge numbers of people.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26This is Cwmbran, a so-called "new town",
0:01:26 > 0:01:30that was expressly created to generate jobs for people
0:01:30 > 0:01:33that were affected by the decline in the mining industry.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38And although you can see the rolling hills behind me of the South Wales coalfields,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Cwmbran boasts a population of almost 50,000 people.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46One of the town's biggest employers is the local biscuit factory,
0:01:46 > 0:01:51and I'm on the trail of a cowboy builder who does takes the biscuit.
0:01:51 > 0:01:57He carried out a terrible bodge job on this three-bedroom house in autumn 2010.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01His unwitting victim was 69-year-old Barbara Peacock,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04who has lived in Cwmbran for nearly 50 years.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09She bought this house with her husband, Tommy, in 1976.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13We liked the house very much. We did like it.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19We were hoping to make a home here, you know, for the family,
0:02:19 > 0:02:20and that was that, like.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27But Tommy died in 1995, and Barbara was left on her own.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31She's had frail health most of her life.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Barbara suffered two near-fatal blood clots on her lungs,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40and now she's crippled by arthritis, which affects much of her body.
0:02:40 > 0:02:46The arthritis is in my spine, my hands, feet, knee, everywhere.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Some days it's worse than others. In good weather, it's not too bad.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Sometimes you can't walk very far. It's difficult, you know?
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Other times, you think, "Oh!" I can feel much better.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02I suffer with my chest. I get breathless, very breathless.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04- ALL:- Snap!
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Barbara never lets her physical problems get down.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12She's one of those people who always tries to see the sunny side of life.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16She loves spending time with her four grandchildren.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Life today is lovely, with the grandchildren.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It's been really enjoyable while they've been growing up.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29Unfortunately, they are getting older now and I am getting more redundant.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35But it's not just two-legged family members Barbara has a soft spot for.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Sam means everything to me. He's my companion.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I tell him everything. He never says a word.
0:03:42 > 0:03:43Sit.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48Barbara's father, Robert, lived with her in the house for five years while she cared for him.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51After he died, he left her a little money,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54which she decided to spend on a new conservatory.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Something her dad always wanted, and something she could remember him by.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02How cruel, then, that a cowboy builder turned it into something
0:04:02 > 0:04:04she'd now do ANYTHING to forget.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07He used to love to sit out all day long.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13After he'd gone and he left me some money,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I thought I'd get one in his memory.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Also, to remind me where he used to sit all the time.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Soon after Robert died, a glazing company came to the area,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30refitting windows in all the council properties.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Barbara approached one of the fitters,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and mentioned her conservatory dreams.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37The man said Barbara's timing was perfect.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40He was looking to branch out on his own,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44and he could build Barbara's conservatory as his first job.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47When the builder showed her some photographs of how
0:04:47 > 0:04:51the conservatory would look when it was finished, Barbara was sold.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55So much so, she gave him a hefty three-grand deposit
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and waited for the work to begin.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03This would be the start of a litany of lies, excuses and delays.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07The estimated time to completion was six to eight weeks,
0:05:07 > 0:05:12and the total quote was for £4,580.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14On September 1, 2010,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Barbara handed over the three-grand deposit upfront.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21For me, that was a big mistake.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26If your builder asks you to pay a deposit, check what it's for,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29and only pay up if you think it's justified.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Reputable builders don't need a big wedge of cash upfront
0:05:33 > 0:05:36because they have accounts with their suppliers.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39If it's a deal breaker for your builder and you're suspicious,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41let him go!
0:05:41 > 0:05:44It could be the best thing you ever do.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Having paid her deposit,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Barbara looked forward to her new conservatory being completed.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54In late October, a labourer came and put the base down.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55But after that, nothing.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Barbara waited...
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and she waited.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04And she waited.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09I went on and on and on, kept phoning and asking...
0:06:09 > 0:06:14You know, gave it the time, and then asked how long it was going to be.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18He said he was having some difficulty with one thing and another.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23And the "one thing and another" became gradually more extreme.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26The builder told Barbara he had been rushed into hospital with
0:06:26 > 0:06:30a suspected heart attack, and that he'd either refund the money
0:06:30 > 0:06:33or undertake to complete the conservatory in time for Christmas.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36And although she was frustrated with all the delays,
0:06:36 > 0:06:41she decided to get the job done. And who would blame her? But guess what?
0:06:41 > 0:06:43She never laid eyes on him ever again.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45So it came to New Year.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49My son-in-law tried to get hold of him, and he eventually did,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52because he had changed his phone number.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56It was texting, it was no actual speaking, you know.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Even though it was a simple text message,
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Barbara's son-in-law contacting the builder seemed to do the trick.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07He finally sent some labourers to complete the job.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13But completing a job is one thing - doing it properly is quite another.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18They worked on the conservatory and...then one day he came.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21A few times, he had been back and forward,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25and he came and he said, "I've come to do the floor."
0:07:26 > 0:07:29As with most things, when it comes to laying a conservatory floor,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31preparation is everything,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36but these cowboy labourers didn't seem to realise that.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39It was soaking wet. I said, "Well, you can't do the floor.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42"Where's the guttering?"
0:07:42 > 0:07:44"Oh, no guttering.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47"And any other jobs you want doing, you have to pay for."
0:07:47 > 0:07:52I said, "I'm not paying any more money until this is finished."
0:07:52 > 0:07:56So, he went away and he phoned me to say that the builder
0:07:56 > 0:08:00would be getting in touch with me very shortly,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04and I haven't heard anything from that day to this.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05So there we have it.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Barbara was left high and dry with a conservatory floor
0:08:09 > 0:08:11that was low and wet.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16Her friend Sharon saw the emotional turmoil Barbara was going through.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22This whole conservatory mess affected Barbara very badly
0:08:22 > 0:08:27because of the length of time it's been going on,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31the fact that she had lost £3,000
0:08:31 > 0:08:36and she had absolutely nothing to show for it.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And it's...
0:08:39 > 0:08:44constantly on her mind, obviously, because she looks at it every day.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Barbara called in a couple of builders to look at the work.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57They told her that it would take a staggering six to seven grand to put things right.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02At her wit's end, she decided to go to the small claims court, and won.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But by this time, her builder had ridden off into the sunset.
0:09:09 > 0:09:15I do not understand how people can do this to other people.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Especially an elderly person that's on a pension.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24They know full well there's no way they can ever recoup that money.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30But I'm here to tell Barbara there's light at the end of the tunnel.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41- Hello.- Hello.- You must be Barbara. - I am.- I'm Clive from Cowboy Trap.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- How are you?- How do you do? Fine, thank you.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- I hear you've had problems with cowboy builders.- I have.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48- Do you mind if I come and take a look at the damage?- Not at all.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Great, thank you, Barbara.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Now, it's lovely to meet Barbara, but I want to have a look
0:09:54 > 0:09:56at this calamitous conservatory.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59OK, straightaway, things that jump out at me here.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00We've got a polycarb roof.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03These trims don't look like they are on properly, and the end caps,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06one missing there, one missing on the other end.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09The glaring miss, I have to say, is we have no guttering.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11So where is the water going to go?
0:10:11 > 0:10:15I'll tell you where - either inside here, where it's actually...
0:10:15 > 0:10:18That's a waste of space, for a start.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Water's just going to get straight in there anyway.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23And down below - I'll show you that in a second -
0:10:23 > 0:10:25the water is going to scoot under there too.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27The upstand at the back, where the flashing is,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31that needs to be at least another brick-height.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's generally a poor fit all round.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38I wouldn't use this as a greenhouse, let alone a conservatory.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40And then, down here... Let me show you.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44When I look at the ground here, what they should have done
0:10:44 > 0:10:47when they poured concrete, they should have shuttered it up.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49So what they do is, they make a timber frame,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53so that when you pour it, it stays nice and neatly in there.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54Here, they've just poured it
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and let it flow right up to this boundary wall here.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00It really is quite poor. And then they've just sat it straight on top.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Now, imagine this.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05You've got all the rain falling directly from the main roof
0:11:05 > 0:11:08onto this roof, and the water is just going to go whoosh!
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The only place it's going to go is inside these gaps here
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and then in underneath there, too.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17It may not rain much in Texas, Mr Cowboy,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19but it certainly rains in Wales.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24This conservatory is about as un-rainproof as you can get,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and I've seen tents in a ten-force gale that are more stable.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Oh, look at that! This is madness.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37If this guy builds conservatories for a living, I'm a ballet dancer.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39I tell you that right now.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44This is not for real, but yet, I can touch it and I can feel it,
0:11:44 > 0:11:45so I know it's here.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47But, looking at the gap through there,
0:11:47 > 0:11:51the rain is just going to pour in, which it obviously has been doing.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56You can see all the mould and mildew that has gathered on this base.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00The thing is, for me, what person in their right mind is actually
0:12:00 > 0:12:03going to place a conservatory on a surface like this?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06It's so uneven, it's not finished, it's all over the place.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Looking in here, too, there's no cavity tray. And...
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Well, what the heck? I just don't get it.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Talking of ballet,
0:12:16 > 0:12:21a spot of rain would turn this conservatory into Swan Lake.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26I've got to be honest with you - it's a bad, bad, bad build, this.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33check out those electrics.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35They are shocking!
0:12:35 > 0:12:37They've just taped off the cables.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39It's just unbelievable, the way they've done it.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42And I hope they were qualified to do that work.
0:12:44 > 0:12:45And I'll tell you something else,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49if the rest of this chaotic conservatory is anything to go by,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52they are barely qualified to build a sand castle.
0:12:52 > 0:12:58'I want to ask Barbara what her impressions were of these bungling builders.'
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Did they look like they knew what they were doing?
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Not particularly, no.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08But, you see, somebody tells me they are a workman
0:13:08 > 0:13:11and they work for these people, I accept it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Of course. I understand that. You're not alone. You're not alone.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17But you need to know, when these people are at your property...
0:13:17 > 0:13:20- Remember, you don't know them from Adam.- No.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25This is what worries me about good people like yourself who are
0:13:25 > 0:13:30so trusting, they are actually not just on the outside of the property,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34there's every chance they are coming in and out of your property.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35Take my tip...
0:13:49 > 0:13:52If you're not careful, they could rob you blind, which,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56in my opinion, is exactly what Barbara's builder did.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00I was so annoyed, I contacted Trading Standards.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01OK.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04The gentleman from there came,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- and he also brought a building engineer with him.- OK.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11And he said, "Pfft, got to come down."
0:14:11 > 0:14:17Wow! So, you're talking six, seven months on from paying £3,000.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22What were you like then when you heard that? How bad was that?
0:14:22 > 0:14:26It was dreadful. Dreadful. I was really upset.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I don't want to think about it.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34This was something you wanted to remember your father by.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36And they just ripped that to shreds.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37Didn't care, did they?
0:14:37 > 0:14:45They might not care, but we do. The good guys are coming to the rescue.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48What would you like us to do for you?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I'd like it just to be put right, you know.
0:14:51 > 0:14:57Just something you could enjoy, you could sit in and think,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- "Well, this is nice," you know?- Yeah.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02And then you've got your memories, haven't you?
0:15:02 > 0:15:05I mean, I'll always have my memories, but...
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It would be great to just sit there...
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- And say, "We got there, Dad." - Yes.- They didn't get it after all.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Wouldn't it be great to be out there, going, "We got there, Dad"?
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Yep, for Barbara's sake, and her dear dad,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21we're going to put this right.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23But before the good guys arrive, I want to hear
0:15:23 > 0:15:27what independent building expert Tony Owen has to say.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Problems, as I see it, start from the base up. The base is all wrong.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32It's not going to stop the water coming in.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35There's no upstand wall, it's not sealed,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38there's no guttering on there, so it increases the amount of water
0:15:38 > 0:15:41that will come off the roof, putting more water inside the conservatory.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- It's fairly flimsy.- You're not joking. It's awful, isn't it?
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- The slab is wider than the conservatory.- Yeah.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51The water is going to go into that and just run back underneath.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- That's why the green staining is everywhere inside there.- Yeah.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58We've also got electrics in there that haven't been completed.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02What sort of mark out of ten would you give this guy for the work you've seen so far?
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Basically, because the base is all wrong, the whole thing is wrong.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08So, to me, it's probably a big fat zero.
0:16:08 > 0:16:14Yeah, a big fat zero. I concur.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18By the way, I love a good detective story, and it wasn't the butler
0:16:18 > 0:16:22what did this, it was a builder of the cowboy variety.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26But this dastardly villain left a crucial clue behind.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31Markings on the glass have helped me track down the local supplier,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33'and their man, Lloyd Pugh,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36'has agreed to come to the scene of the crime.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:42Anybody can phone your company up, order certain sizes,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46doors, windows, a conservatory if they wanted to,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48and just place the order,
0:16:48 > 0:16:54and you wouldn't know if these guys can do the job, to fit it well.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56We wouldn't know if they were FENSA registered.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00- They can come in with a window size, we just wouldn't know.- Yeah.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03And in terms of the Kitemark on there, just talk us through that.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Well, the Kitemark, obviously, when the glass gets tempered,
0:17:06 > 0:17:11- there's a Kitemark put on it to state this is current regulations, which is British Standards.- Yes.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15Which you can see in the corners. So we complied with everything.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Unfortunately, as you can see...
0:17:17 > 0:17:21- The guy who installed it didn't comply with ANYTHING.- No.
0:17:21 > 0:17:27Lloyd is as horrified at the misuse of his company's products as I am,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and he's agreed to help us fix this travesty.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33But there's one thing Inspector Clive has to do,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35and that's seal off the crime scene.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38It's for Barbara's health and safety, first and foremost.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41The floor is very uneven in there, so it's not safe. And also,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44where the electrics are concerned, just hanging all over the place.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48And this isn't secured well at all, to the wall or to the floor,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51so I'm going to put up my Cowboy Trap tape, and I'm even worried that
0:17:51 > 0:17:54that might cause a bit of a stir with the conservatory.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58But I tell you what, the only people allowed past this warning tape are myself and the good guys.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And talking of which, it won't be long before they are here.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06And it's not just Barbara who's excited about the imminent arrival.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Her friend Sharon is also thrilled on her behalf.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13It was Sharon who called us in the first place.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16A friend in need is a friend indeed.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21Having this new conservatory will change her whole life.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26It'll stop her worrying about money, how she is going to get it done.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31'Her and her little dog will spent many a happy hour out there.'
0:18:31 > 0:18:33And me!
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Hello! Here's Barbara's knight in shining armour -
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Steve "Conservatory King" Cottrell.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45What he doesn't know about conservatories isn't worth knowing.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Within microseconds of arriving,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52he's worked out how he is going to make Barbara's dream come true.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58The plan, Clive, is literally to take the whole conservatory down.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03Literally start again. Take the old base up. Well, what base is there.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Yeah, I think that'll be easy!- Yeah.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Dig new footings for the conservatory, damp course,
0:19:09 > 0:19:14- DPC course, let's put a new slab down, concrete slab.- OK.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Then we'll literally build a new conservatory,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20put new openings into it, change the door design,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22nice panels in the bottom,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- so it'll look totally different to what's there.- So the only thing...
0:19:25 > 0:19:29I mean, that's quite exciting for me, cos it's a whole new world.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- Yeah, exactly.- Changed completely.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Having said that, I need to try and keep this a big secret from Barbara,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38so I need it to be screened off,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41certainly from where it goes into the lounge area,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44so that she doesn't get to see it until the day I come back and go,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46- "Barbara, check this out." - Yeah, yeah.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Steve's team wastes no time in getting started.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57First up, the easy job - taking this ramshackle disaster down.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Next, it's time to sort the base.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06That slab was so sloppy.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11This lean-to roof is destined for the dump,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and that's the best place for it.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Stage one complete - catastrophic conservatory cleared.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24But can Steve's squad create the new conservatory of Barbara's dreams?
0:20:24 > 0:20:29A fitting tribute to her much-loved, dearly departed dad.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Only time will tell.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40I'm back in Cwmbran in the Welsh Valleys,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44where 69-year-old Barbara Peacock's dream was to have a beautiful new conservatory,
0:20:44 > 0:20:49but it was shattered by a complete bodge artist.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53But luckily, our good guys came on board,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57and I'm here to find out if they've saved to the day.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Before Barbara sees it for the first time, I want a sneaky peek.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06You know what, if you're having a conservatory built,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09this is the example. This is your template.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14This is what it should be like. I'm just loving that.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18I like the detail where they've put some frosted glass there
0:21:18 > 0:21:21so that the neighbours can't have a nosey in.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Cos you're right next to the neighbour's fence there,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27so you're right on the boundary.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30But in terms of the way this looks... Of course, look,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33you've got the sockets in place now. Properly put on.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Twin socket either side. It just looks so good.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Leaded finish in the glass openers, pitched roof rather than flat,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46special glass to keep the temperature balanced all year round.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Come on!
0:21:48 > 0:21:51The good guys clearly took pride in their work.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Look at the steps on the flashing.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59Beautifully furnished, fantastic job, it really does look super.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02She is going to absolutely love it.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04And then, of course, the flooring.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07We've got laminate flooring down.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10What conservatory wouldn't have a floor like this?
0:22:10 > 0:22:15I mean, it just looks so good. And it's level. It's nice and even, too.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19The whole thing just screams class.
0:22:19 > 0:22:25And I mean top-class, not bottom of the class like it was before.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Time to look outside.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30The transformation is astonishing.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33We've got decent guttering on now,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35got the downspout running away, and look at this.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37We've now got these stones here.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Remember before, you've got the overspill of the slab where
0:22:40 > 0:22:43they just poured the slab and it had spilled out everywhere.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48But if you look at that now, the finish, sandstone pebbles there, looks fantastic.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52The man behind this triumph, Steve Cottrell,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56has popped round for a chat with yours truly.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Barbara hasn't seen it yet,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01and I know she is going to love it when we show her what you've done.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05- How long did it take you to put together?- With the weather...
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- We've had a lot of rain since we started this job.- No(!)- Yeah.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11So, I would say, all together, it's been about two weeks.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I tell you what, you boys...
0:23:13 > 0:23:16You know, I haven't seen all the guys, but if I don't get to
0:23:16 > 0:23:18see them later today, will you thank them on our behalf?
0:23:18 > 0:23:20It's been a pleasure, Clive, yes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24You've done an absolutely top, top job, and I'm sure she'll love it.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- We hope so.- Thank you, sir. - Pleasure.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32Before I bring Barbara out, I'd like a powwow about her cowboy builder.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36I wanted to hear his side of the story about how this mess unfolded,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and he took some tracking down, I can tell you!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41But we finally traced him,
0:23:41 > 0:23:46and I can't wait to hear Barbara's response to his version of events.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51He said he couldn't finish the job, because you refused him access.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- Is that true?- That's a lie.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57I refused them to do any more work
0:23:57 > 0:24:01because they wanted to lay a floor on a soaking wet floor.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05And I asked about the guttering, or was there anything else,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09and I was just told point-blank that if I wanted anything else
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- I'd have to pay for it.- OK.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15He says, if you had given him the opportunity, he'd have sorted it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:21If he'd come to me and said, "I'll do what I can to put things right,"
0:24:21 > 0:24:23then I'm sure we could have come to some agreement.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26But I have not seen sight nor sound of him.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Right. He said the problem was he was in hospital with a heart problem
0:24:30 > 0:24:32and you knew that.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Well, that's why I give him more time to put the conservatory right
0:24:37 > 0:24:39in the first place.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43OK. Have you ever heard of somebody called "Clive what's-his-face"?
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Clive who?
0:24:44 > 0:24:49Well, I think he's referring to me. I think he's referring to me.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52He's also said that Clive what's-his-face
0:24:52 > 0:24:55"absolutely has no idea what he's talking about."
0:24:55 > 0:25:01Funny, I often hear that, and it's always from cowboy builders.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04As far as building knowledge is concerned, I would be happy
0:25:04 > 0:25:08for a shoot out at sunset with any of them, I can tell you that.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10But somehow, I think that when it came down to it,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13they would run for the hills.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Now the bit I've been waiting for -
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Barbara is about to see her new conservatory for the first time.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Come on.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Now, we've got a bit of a step, so keep coming.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30Right, there's your step, step out. That's it, lovely-jubbly!
0:25:30 > 0:25:35OK, now, keep coming round. Trust in me. All right? Stand right there.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- OK. You ready?- Mm-hm.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Open those lovely eyes.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42SHE GASPS
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Oh, my God! It's lovely.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49- What a fantastic conservatory - that is. It's lovely!
0:25:49 > 0:25:52It's fantastic. It's really lovely.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- That's got to be beyond your wildest dreams now, hasn't it?- It is, yes.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Can't believe it. Can't believe it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- It makes a massive difference to your house, doesn't it?- It does.
0:26:04 > 0:26:09Now let's see what Barbara thinks when she takes a closer look inside.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- How beautiful is that? - It's lovely, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19- Now...- It is beautiful. - If you think as well that...
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- It's big!- It's massive! - It is massive.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25But you look at the floor, you've got your sockets on now,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27it's all nicely painted.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29Oh, it is lovely.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Honest to God, I never expected anything like this. Never.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- This roof here, it's quite a special glass.- Is it?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38They've coated it with self-cleaning as well,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42so you won't have to get up there with your mop and bucket.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46The other thing is, in wintertime, it keeps the warmth in,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50and in summertime, it keeps it at a nice, even temperature.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52It's absolutely beautiful.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I never expected anything like this.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It's got to be a ten out of ten, hasn't it?
0:26:56 > 0:27:00- Oh, God, 11 out of ten. - 11 out of ten, even!
0:27:00 > 0:27:0311 out of ten.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06That's my kind of score!
0:27:06 > 0:27:10'Before I go, I just want to show Barbara her new conservatory
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'from the top of her garden.'
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- Ta-dah!- It's lovely, isn't it?
0:27:15 > 0:27:16It's absolutely fabulous.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21I can't believe it. I really can't believe it. It's beautiful.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24And a final surprise for Barbara.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Sharon, her friend who called us in the first place,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31is waiting in the wings, and she isn't the only one.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Come on, Sharon and the good guys, Come on! Come in.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Hey, Sharon!
0:27:38 > 0:27:42- It's lovely, isn't it?- Beautiful. - No wonder nobody told me anything.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Well done, Sharon, for giving us the call. Well done, Barbara.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49- It's fantastic. Enjoy that conservatory.- Thank you, I will.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- I'll thoroughly enjoy it. - Thanks very much.- It's my pleasure.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- Thank you, Clive.- See you soon. I love it when a plan comes together!
0:27:55 > 0:27:57THEY LAUGH
0:27:57 > 0:28:02- Are you pleased, Babs?- I am. I never expected anything like that at all.
0:28:02 > 0:28:03You know what?
0:28:03 > 0:28:07It's at times like this that I absolutely love this gig.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12Our guys have quite literally brought a ray of sunshine into Barbara's life.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Did you see her face then we showed her the brand-new conservatory?
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Now she can put this sorry saga behind her.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22And as for our good guys, I think that's another triumph.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Oh, yeah, and as for those cowboy builders out there,
0:28:24 > 0:28:28remember one thing - we're on your trail!
0:28:52 > 0:28:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd