0:00:07 > 0:00:09We're travelling all over the UK
0:00:09 > 0:00:12to meet the homeowners forced to live with the grim consequences
0:00:12 > 0:00:14of employing a cowboy builder.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16It was so distressing and so upsetting
0:00:16 > 0:00:21to have lost all that money on a building job that was never going to be right.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Whether shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains
0:00:26 > 0:00:29who not only destroy dreams, they wreck lives, too.
0:00:29 > 0:00:35No external doors, so it was very cold when he put them on the wrong way round and they didn't shut.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37- He's a builder?!- He put them on backwards!
0:00:37 > 0:00:41We've rounded up the good guys to help turn these helpless homeowners
0:00:41 > 0:00:43into merry mortgagees.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48Everything here looks as it should look in a finished job.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53- It's nice to see there's a good end to this story.- Yeah. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58It's thought cowboy builders cost Britons over £700 million each year.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01So if you think you know how to spot one, think again.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Make no mistake, the next 45 minutes could help keep you
0:01:04 > 0:01:07out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:16 > 0:01:22'On today's Cowboy Trap, a phoney builder whose so-called kitchen extension
0:01:22 > 0:01:25'left a young family living in chaos.'
0:01:25 > 0:01:31I was a little surprised he was fitting the cabinets and the sink without putting the roof on.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33'And three years after we rescued them,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37'we catch up with some cowboy builder victims in Devon
0:01:37 > 0:01:39'to see how they're doing now.'
0:01:39 > 0:01:43- Your house looks fantastic.- We feel indebted to the good guys.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I know how bad it looked before they started.
0:01:48 > 0:01:54Our first Cowboy Trap saga revolves around a home in picturesque Barrow upon Soar in the Midlands.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57The village is famous for its fossils
0:01:57 > 0:02:00and a scientifically important find in 1851,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04when a prehistoric plesiosaur was excavated from a lime pit here.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07The specimen, known locally as "The Barrow Kipper",
0:02:07 > 0:02:10is now on display at a museum in Leicester.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Plesiosaurs, of course, were giant sea reptiles
0:02:14 > 0:02:16that lived at the same time as dinosaurs.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I live for the day when the scourge of the cowboy builder
0:02:19 > 0:02:21is consigned to history books and museums, too!
0:02:21 > 0:02:24But right now, we're on the trail of a present-day reptile
0:02:24 > 0:02:28who's very much alive but whose work was a dead duck.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32His victims live in this four-bed semi.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34It's home to 47-year-old Natalie Mackenzie
0:02:34 > 0:02:38and her four children, George, Cora, Louis and Ruby.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44Oh, and we mustn't forget the real bosses round here, Jifar and Sinbad.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Five years ago, Natalie's marriage broke down
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and she was forced to move out of the family home.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51At the time, she was devastated.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55When the relationship came to an end,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I was in quite a scary place.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00I hadn't been independent in any way.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04I'd been at home with a young family
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and it was a little like jumping off a cliff.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09These were tough times for Natalie.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12As well as coping with the heartbreak of divorce,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16she found herself facing life on her own with four children under 12 to support.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Her husband had always been the breadwinner,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21so now, in addition to finding a new home,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23she had to find work, too.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Natalie's always had a passion for cooking,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28so she got a part-time job in a local cafe.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30When it came to finding a new home,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32she wanted somewhere nearby
0:03:32 > 0:03:35to minimise disruption for her children.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39So she was delighted when a small but pretty 18th-century semi
0:03:39 > 0:03:42came on the market, just 50 yards from her old home.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46The house was perfect, bar one thing.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49The previous owner was elderly and hadn't touched it for years,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52so there was an enormous amount of work to be done.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55But Natalie went into it with her eyes open
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and what she could see was the potential of the place.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03It needed complete renovation, it needed gutting, rewiring, replastering.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06It had been covered up, and things were hidden,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08but it had great potential.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Natalie moved in, intending to live in just a few of the rooms
0:04:12 > 0:04:15while she refurbished the others as quickly as her small budget would allow.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20They made do like this for a couple of years, but there was one thing there was no getting away from.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24The busy mum with a passion for cooking and a family to feed
0:04:24 > 0:04:26desperately needed a proper kitchen.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32Natalie decided the answer was to build an extension to make space for a kitchen diner.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36A friend recommended an architect, and she had him draw up plans.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Natalie applied to extend her mortgage and got a green light.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Now all she needed was a builder.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47And her architect said he knew just the man.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50He said that it was well within his capabilities.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53He could do a really good job. And he seemed very honest.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59You might think the thumbs up from an architect
0:04:59 > 0:05:01means you're on to a safe bet.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04But you'd be wrong. And we see it time and time again on Cowboy Trap.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08This sort of thing is no more reliable than a word of mouth recommendation
0:05:08 > 0:05:11to be taken with a hefty pinch of salt.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Natalie's builder quoted £8,000 for the extension
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and a further £2,000 for the new kitchen and drainage,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21coming to a grand total of £10,000.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25He wanted a hefty down-payment in cash
0:05:25 > 0:05:28which Natalie duly handed over.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34The builder promised the job would be completed in six weeks and work commenced.
0:05:34 > 0:05:40But his idea of a working day was a bit - how can I put it? - unconventional.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43He never came before ten o'clock.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48And he always left around half past one or two o'clock.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50So he was never available to speak to.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53It was quite difficult to communicate with him
0:05:53 > 0:05:57because he worked quite a short day and I was working.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59A three-and-a-half-hour day?!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02That's not short, it's miniscule!
0:06:02 > 0:06:04The builder put it down to problems at home.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Hmm. I've heard that one before.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11He always had a major trauma with one of his stepchildren
0:06:11 > 0:06:14or something was always going wrong,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18why he couldn't be here, or why he had to leave early
0:06:18 > 0:06:20or why he was on his own.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24I began to suspect things weren't quite as he said.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Take my advice.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01The builder may have been poor at time-keeping,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03but he was great at asking for cash.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Soon another £3,000 had changed hands for supplies and works.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13Talking of which, Natalie was worried about the order in which works were being carried out.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18We didn't have a roof on the utility room.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21He explained to me that the roof and the doors were to be put on later.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24He was doing the internal wall for the loo
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and the tiling and the sink and fitting some of the cabinets.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33I was a little surprised he was fitting the cabinets and the sink without putting the roof on!
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Not kidding!
0:07:35 > 0:07:40Without the roof on, there was no protection for the fittings or the electrics underneath.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Madness!
0:07:42 > 0:07:44And there was another worry.
0:07:44 > 0:07:51As the build progressed, it became apparent that the builder wasn't following the architect's designs.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55He didn't put in the window that was supposed to be on the drawings.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59He had a reason. Everything had a reason why he couldn't do that.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Oh, the drawings were a bit wrong, or he couldn't do that because of this.
0:08:03 > 0:08:10I did get a bit concerned at that stage that he wasn't doing exactly what had been requested.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Things came to a head in November,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16a full five months after this so-called six week job got underway,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19when the cowboy had a row with the building control inspector.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Shortly afterwards, he simply vanished.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27Natalie could forget about the family Christmas she'd planned with a turkey cooked in her new kitchen.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Because despite call after call,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32this so-called tradesman never got back to her.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Natalie's dreams were in tatters.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41She can't believe the shocking state her home's been left in.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45The roof leaks in five places.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47The bathroom window doesn't exist.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49The doors don't close.
0:08:49 > 0:08:55The bubble wrap is unattractive, which is stuffed between the door and the feature wall
0:08:55 > 0:08:59which was supposed to be a feature with a lovely old granite wall,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01but it's just been left.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03And that's not all.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05The plasterwork is pathetic,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07the tiling terrible
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and the rendering risible.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Not surprisingly, Natalie is devastated.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16She doesn't know where she'd be without her kids to take her mind off it.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20They have tried to jolly me along and cheer me up
0:09:20 > 0:09:22when it's got to me, and got me down,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and the rain's coming through the roof.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28They have made an effort to make me feel better about the whole thing.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34You know, bricks and mortar might sound a bit humdrum,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36but they're the foundations of many a dream come true.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39That's why it's so upsetting when you see those dreams
0:09:39 > 0:09:41dashed by these rank amateurs and charlatans.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46And one thing these charlatans are good at is covering their tracks.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49It's often the case on Cowboy Trap that on the surface,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51things don't look too bad.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55But on closer inspection... Oh, dear!
0:09:55 > 0:09:59That's why we asked independent building surveyor Paul Brown
0:09:59 > 0:10:01to inspect the work at the Mackenzies'.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04He's been through it with a fine-tooth comb
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and he's about to fill me in on what he found.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13First item on the agenda, the architrave on the extension's internal door.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16And Paul doesn't mince his words.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19It's terrible, and it shows that the person who did this
0:10:19 > 0:10:23didn't have the requisite trade skills to be doing what they're attempting to do.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26And it's a very amateurish attempt
0:10:26 > 0:10:29that most people would do better. It's quite poor.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33A DIY-er would be gutted if they'd done this.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35I can't tell what's filler and what's glue.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37It's a mess, isn't it?
0:10:37 > 0:10:41It doesn't line up. There are steps. It shows no finesse, no quality.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44And below what is the reasonable expectation
0:10:44 > 0:10:47of almost anybody who is purchasing, and that's the key thing here.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50They've paid for building work to be carried out.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53You expect it at a reasonable standard. And this just isn't that, is it?
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And things aren't getting any better at ground level.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59That skirting isn't sitting in the right place
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and there are joints that aren't joined at all.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04What a mess!
0:11:04 > 0:11:07And when you look up, things...don't look up.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13This damp, this is something to do with the flat roof, is it?
0:11:13 > 0:11:15This is all to do with the roof
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and this is the real major problem that this person has created.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22They've started a job without the technical know-how
0:11:22 > 0:11:25to fit a roof at the correct pitch.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27The pitch of a roof is so key.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31The materials you put on a roof will only work above a certain pitch.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34This was on at about eight degrees.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38That's technically a flat roof, so only certain materials can be used on it.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Now, there were tiles on this roof.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44At that pitch, those tiles aren't shedding water as they should do.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Those tiles are made of concrete.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Not clever on what is practically a flat roof
0:11:50 > 0:11:52because the gradient is so shallow.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Everywhere you look, there are potential causes of damp issues underneath.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The roof window they put in shouldn't be at that pitch.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04It should have a minimum pitch of 15 degrees for all the flashing to work
0:12:04 > 0:12:07so none of the waterproofing, including the lead flashings,
0:12:07 > 0:12:12tiles, the roof window, again, are going to achieve what they should do, which is keep water out.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14'Right. Into the utility room.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16'Perhaps things are better in there.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19'Well, what do you think?'
0:12:19 > 0:12:21That looks abysmal.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Those tiles, it's...
0:12:23 > 0:12:25They're going to be ruining that work surface as well.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28But they look like they've been thrown on!
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Very, very poor workmanship in terms of the way the tiles sit relative to one another.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37They should be neat. They should have even joints which are grouted in.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39It should look pristine. It's virtually new.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41And the other problem we have
0:12:41 > 0:12:44is we have electrical items which are relatively close to the sink.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48Most builders will employ a competent electrician to do their work.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Electricians don't do this sort of thing.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55This is alarming. Why have we got electrical items next to a sink?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Did that mean the builder didn't employ somebody who was competent? It's a safety issue.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02'Plugs close to the sink?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05'As my favourite James Bond, Sean Connery, would say,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07'"That's shocking!"
0:13:07 > 0:13:10'And the electrics aren't just at risk from tap water.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14'Rainwater's bound to get in under the bottom sill of those external doors.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17'And they're single rather than double glazed.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21'That contravenes building regs as well as being draughty.'
0:13:22 > 0:13:24This looks like a sinking ship!
0:13:24 > 0:13:31Yes. It will just allow possibly even vermin and insects,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34everything that comes around that door, ants, that sort of thing,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36but most important probably water.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39And that, in the long term, will cause the bottom of the door to decay.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42It'll probably affect the adhesion on the tiles around the door.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45It's going to fail and start to look shabby very quickly
0:13:45 > 0:13:47which you can see in the photo.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'And the builder didn't put a damp proof course in.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53'Natalie's going to need flippers and a snorkel at this rate!
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'It's as clear as day.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58'Bodge, bodge, bodge.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04'And the garden path was supposed to be done, but the builder never got round to finishing it.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07'Tripping hazards with kids around? Not good.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10'Well, it's make your mind up time for Paul.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:17Someone has left a lady bringing up four children on her own in this house, in this state.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18But in your professional opinion,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22what would you give this builder out of ten?
0:14:22 > 0:14:26I could only suggest that this is a one.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30He arrived and the fact he was present for part of this work,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32I'll give him one for that.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34But other than that, the work itself, appalling.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38It breaches every standard virtually going. So nothing beyond that.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40The message to him is, "Give up your day job."
0:14:40 > 0:14:44I think this isn't his day job. He should go back to what he was doing before.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47'Hmm. I wonder what that was!
0:14:47 > 0:14:50'Herding cattle in a Stetson and stirrups, perchance?
0:14:50 > 0:14:53'Because there can be little doubt this guy's a cowboy.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55'Check out the evidence.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01'A wonky architrave, shambolic skirting,
0:15:01 > 0:15:05'pitiful plastering, terrible tiling
0:15:05 > 0:15:07'and poorly placed plugs.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11'And let's not forget those dreadful doors,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13'the risible rendering, the precarious path
0:15:13 > 0:15:16'and that rubbish roof!'
0:15:16 > 0:15:21'Having this guy in charge of a build is like having Count Dracula in charge of a blood bank.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24'Bad news.'
0:15:24 > 0:15:27In short, we're talking a building horror story
0:15:27 > 0:15:28with only one chance of a happy ending.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Time to bring in our good guys.
0:15:31 > 0:15:38And here's our head good guy honcho, the exotically named Konrad Skubala.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43If anyone can sort all this out, Konrad can.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47So much needs doing, Natalie is chipping in.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53No hanging about. The Skubala squad swings into action.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56They terminate the old tiles,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59and do away with the dodgy window.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Then they cut the timber frames...
0:16:04 > 0:16:06..and place the new plywood in position.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12It's a great start. But can Konrad get Natalie's dreams back on track?
0:16:12 > 0:16:14Only time will tell.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23I'm in the Midlands, in the pretty village of Barrow upon Soar,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26where busy mum Natalie Mackenzie
0:16:26 > 0:16:27hoped that by building an extension,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31she'd finally get the kitchen diner her family badly needed.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33But her dreams turned to dust
0:16:33 > 0:16:36when she hired a builder who didn't know what he was doing
0:16:36 > 0:16:38and who, eventually, just vanished.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Now, instead of a disappearing trick,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44with a bit of luck, our good guys have worked a different kind of magic.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45Let's see how she's getting on.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- Hi, Natalie.- Yes, that's right. - I'm Jonnie.- Hello, Jonnie.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56- You're smiling!- Yes, I am!
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- Good news, good times? - Yes, very good.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- Can we have a look?- Come on in. - Hello, cat!
0:17:00 > 0:17:06'It's "Hello, cat", but is it "Goodbye flawed extension?"
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'As soon as I cross the threshold, I can't resist a quick peek.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15'Remember, before, the interior was a cornucopia of catastrophe.
0:17:17 > 0:17:18'Check it out now!
0:17:20 > 0:17:24'And our good guys were faced with a woeful exterior
0:17:24 > 0:17:26'and rank awful roof.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31'Now, it's a whole new ball game.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35'Before I take a closer look at the good guys' efforts,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39'I want to ask Natalie how she got caught in the cowboy trap in the first place.'
0:17:40 > 0:17:42When did you realise things were going wrong?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The first issues, I think, would have been in the utility area.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49They were problems which seemed to escalate.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53And he had a reason or an excuse every time
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and I started to get a bit niggly.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59He didn't put any roof on, nothing was waterproofed,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01nothing was covered.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- What time of year was this?- It was getting into autumn and it was getting late.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09It was getting wet. I had exposed electrics. I was concerned about that.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11He assured me that wasn't a problem.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17But I was concerned and the time schedule was lapsing and lapsing and lapsing.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20You've got winter fast approaching. This is a concern.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Yes. And no external doors.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26So it was very cold. He told me that they would be fitted
0:18:26 > 0:18:29and unfortunately he put them on the wrong way round
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- and they didn't shut.- He put them... - Yeah.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- He's a builder!- I know. He put them on backwards.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'He put the doors on backwards?!
0:18:38 > 0:18:42'Door-fitting clearly wasn't part of his builder's skill set.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45'Maybe he should have opted for a career in escapology instead!'
0:18:46 > 0:18:50In early December, he told me he'd got a much bigger job on
0:18:50 > 0:18:54and he was travelling to this job and it was a huge deal for him.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58I accepted that and said, "As and when you can, please come back
0:18:58 > 0:19:02"and give me half a day or a day to do the final bits and pieces."
0:19:02 > 0:19:06He absolutely assured me that that would be the case. He would do that.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08And he never did.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12You've been very understanding here. Do you think you were a bit soft with him?
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Yeah, I think I was very soft with him.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18I think that was probably a big, big mistake.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22'And an expensive mistake it was, too.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27'By this point, the cowboy builder had taken Natalie for £10,000.'
0:19:27 > 0:19:30He'd had the money. I couldn't afford then, on the loan I'd taken out,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32to get anybody else in.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34- Did you try and get him back? - Yeah, I did.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Even though I was uncomfortable with that,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- I didn't think he was coming back. - It's a rock and a hard place.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- You want him back, but you're uncomfortable.- I knew he wasn't coming back. In my heart, I knew.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47He had no intentions. You could see that.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49- So he spent all your money.- Uh-huh.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Left you with a...
0:19:51 > 0:19:57Well, we can't call it an unfinished job. A botched job that hasn't been finished.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01It's almost a blessing he didn't finish the job because there'd be more botching done!
0:20:01 > 0:20:04But you must have... You'd been through a divorce, yourself,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- raising four children on your own. - Mm-hmm.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09You must have been at the end of your tether!
0:20:09 > 0:20:11It was so distressing and so upsetting
0:20:11 > 0:20:15to have lost all that money on a building job that was never going to be right.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18I was never going to be able to afford to repair it.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22It leaked everywhere, the plaster was falling off, it was a disaster zone.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27'Disaster Zone with a capital D and a capital Z, too.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Looking better now, though,
0:20:29 > 0:20:34and the other good news is that despite the trauma of her encounter with a cowboy builder,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Natalie is wiser for the experience.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I should have done more research.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42I should have been more careful. I shouldn't have accepted these excuses,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I shouldn't have believed the stories.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46I should have stopped him earlier.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I shouldn't have let him continue.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53When the warning bells were ringing, I should have done something sooner, basically.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Yep, listen to those warning bells, my friends,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59they could save you lots of money.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Right. Time for me to take a closer look at the good guys' handiwork.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Well, the door's not sticking, which it must have done before.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17The architraving, it looks perfect.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Not a word I've used before.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Everything here looks as it should look
0:21:24 > 0:21:26in a finished job.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30This gap is uniform all the way down the reveals of this door.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32It looks fantastic.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34And the whole place feels good.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Let's think about the problems that were here before.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Remember the skirting board? It was a joke, as much as anything else.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45I can't see a join, which is how it should be.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47This skirting board here looks absolutely fantastic.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51The walls. It's been plastered, finished. Look at the coats here.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53People are using this
0:21:53 > 0:21:55as part of their home.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57It feels warmer. It feels like a space you'd want to use.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Now, here we go.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Here, if you remember,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07there was - I don't think "dodgy tiling" does that awful job justice.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Here, you've got something that marries up with the worktop.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14They've done very well. It's not botched. It looks like a finished product.
0:22:14 > 0:22:20But all this was in danger of being flooded out if the roof collapsed
0:22:20 > 0:22:22which, in time, it probably would have done.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24But look what we've got here.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26'A water-tight roof at last.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29'The wet stuff is no longer penetrating.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31'The evidence is clear to see.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Consider what was here before.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37There was damp all the way across the corners of the ceiling.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Now, the walls are dry, it's finished.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43It's a top job.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47'Top job inside. Right, onto the exterior.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'Remember the back-to-front single-glazed external doors the cowboy left behind?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'The good guys' doors are spot on.'
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Well, they feel solid, they look solid.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03And most importantly...
0:23:04 > 0:23:07..they're double-glazed and comply with building regulations,
0:23:07 > 0:23:12which, let's face it, is to look after the people who have the projects done.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15This, not only does it look solid,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17it's going to save heating bills in future.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22And they've got draught excluders here. It looks the part.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27And the smart fascia and new gutters the good guys installed are perfect.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30'Let's get a better view of the roof.'
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Funny, isn't it? Beforehand, there were concrete tiles on that roof.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40But the concrete tiles were ones you'd put on a pitched roof.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43But it's almost a flat-roof gradient on there.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Now, the builders we've had in, the good guys,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49they've seen what needs to be done.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52The slope of the roof is basically a flat roof,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55so they've put a flat roof covering on it. Makes perfect sense.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Looks like they've also done something clever with the skylight.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I'm chuffed to bits. It looks great, doesn't it?
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'And the man responsible has popped back to give me the inside track
0:24:04 > 0:24:06'on the challenges he faced.'
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Straightaway, you've made a decision that an experienced builder makes.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I can see a stack of concrete tiles over there.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18And you thought, "We've essentially got a flat roof. Let's put a flat roof covering on it."
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Exactly. When we'd stripped it off and got to where the water had collected on the felt,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25there was a sink's worth of water we had to take out.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28The felt is semi-permeable,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31so it will leak if water's sitting on it. It's not designed for water to sit.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Hence the reason we had all the damp issues inside.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- That was a bigger problem waiting to happen.- Exactly. Massive.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42'Inside, Konrad and his team had a lot of making good to do.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45'And what a great job they did.'
0:24:45 > 0:24:48There were a lot of damp issues on each part of the ceiling.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51We had to dig all that out and then replace and put back.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Re-done this door. Re-hung it.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57It wasn't a working door. It had a big hole in the bottom
0:24:57 > 0:25:00where they just cut a hole to let the cats in and out!
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- What?!- Exactly.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I shouldn't laugh, sorry. But what?!
0:25:04 > 0:25:09Some strange ideas from people. Obviously all the woodwork, redecorated everywhere.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11You've got almost a farmhouse feel.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- This suits what she's trying to replicate throughout the kitchen. - Exactly.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18'Yes, very tasteful.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22'Before Natalie reveals what she thinks to her new utility room,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24'there's a sensitive issue to discuss.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26'Her cowboy builder's version of events.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30'Or, to be more precise, his lawyer's.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32'I kid you not.'
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Now, we always give our builders the right to reply.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Your builder has declined the opportunity to give his side of the story.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- Right.- Now, through his solicitor,
0:25:42 > 0:25:48he did say he "didn't intend to waste any more time and effort on this matter."
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- They were his words from his solicitor.- OK.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53How does that make you feel?
0:25:53 > 0:25:56That's the strangest response.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59"He didn't want..." Could you repeat that?
0:25:59 > 0:26:04He said he "Did not intend to waste any more time and effort on this matter."
0:26:04 > 0:26:06That's unbelievable.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09That's unbelievable!
0:26:09 > 0:26:10- Almost blase, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:26:10 > 0:26:16It is. It's very cold and, um, it's shocking, really.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- I think. That's quite a shocking thing to say.- Yeah.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22His solicitor also went on to say
0:26:22 > 0:26:27that you "have clearly given us an inaccurate account
0:26:27 > 0:26:29"of both the money and the work done."
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Well, you've seen the work done
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- and you can judge that for yourselves.- Yep.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The money was exactly that.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- That was the loan.- Yes.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42- You spent the loan that you got. - Yes.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46You've been throughout this process pretty understanding.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49You cut this guy some slack.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52He had "trouble at home" apparently.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56You let him come in after half nine and leave after lunch.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01Now, knowing that he's said he doesn't want to spend any more time on this, or effort...
0:27:03 > 0:27:06How does that make you feel about how much slack you cut him?
0:27:06 > 0:27:09It makes me feel a bit foolish, really, to be perfectly honest.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Because I was very understanding.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14And also very gullible.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Really, at the end of the day, very gullible.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20But that's when you start taking the blame yourself
0:27:20 > 0:27:23- when it's someone else that's ripped you off.- Mm.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25I should have seen it coming, I think.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I should have been more aware.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30'Well, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32'But whatever the why's and wherefore's,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34'one thing is for sure.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37'The good guys have totally transformed this place.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42'It's time for Natalie to tell me how she feels about her new kitchen extension.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:49- So now we're all finished.- Yep.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Look at it. It's...
0:27:53 > 0:27:55- It's good, isn't it? - Yes, it's all done.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58This is basically your main entrance to the house, in and out, isn't it?
0:27:58 > 0:28:00It is. And the animals, the dog going in and out.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03And the kids coming in from school. Yes, it is.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05So walking through here before,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08you must have been constantly reminded of the disaster.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Absolutely. There were doors that didn't shut,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14it was just, oh, just a mess, a nightmare.
0:28:14 > 0:28:20- So now we're looking at straight lines.- Yes.- There's nothing sticking out.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25Your skirting board was sticking out, your architrave was falling off.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29And an external door that I can shut properly without having to wrench the key
0:28:29 > 0:28:33and support it. It's brilliant. It all works, and it's how it should have been.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37You look relieved and happy at the moment.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Absolutely. It was a lot of money at the time
0:28:40 > 0:28:42and it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I was only ever going to be able to do it once.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46And I was hoping for this!
0:28:46 > 0:28:50'Natalie's hopes have now been realised.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52'Better late than never.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54'What does she think to the exterior?'
0:28:55 > 0:28:58- It looks very different!- Yes, it does. It does look very different.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01And the skylight is the correct skylight.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04It's the correct roof covering for the fall of the roof.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07The correct skylight and the kind of roof covering.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11It's just what a competent good builder would do, isn't it.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14It's what should have been put in place initially.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16So now it's done.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- Are you sleeping at night?- Yeah!
0:29:19 > 0:29:21- Yes!- You're grinning. You're smiling.
0:29:21 > 0:29:22Definitely.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27- It's nice to see that there's a good end to this story.- Yes. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
0:29:29 > 0:29:30'From bad guy building bodge
0:29:30 > 0:29:33'to good guy building brilliance.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35'What a great note to end on!
0:29:36 > 0:29:38'Time to leave Natalie and the children
0:29:38 > 0:29:43'to enjoy their new super-smart, highly-tasteful, damp-free home!'
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Our next Cowboy Trap saga
0:29:48 > 0:29:51revolves around a couple we first met three years ago.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Like Natalie's, this story features a cowboy builder
0:29:55 > 0:29:58who built an execrable excuse of an extension.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03His unwitting victims, Rachel Ballamy and her husband, Simon,
0:30:03 > 0:30:07live in Newton Abbot in Devon with their boisterous pooches, Alfie and Molly.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11In 2010, the Ballamys moved in to a new house
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and were looking forward to putting their own stamp on it.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19It had a really lovely sized garden. You could see a potential
0:30:19 > 0:30:21in what the garden could look like.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23And then a potential with the house.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26To make it into a lovely home.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28It had stayed in the same family.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31In the same family, I believe, since when it was built.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Passed through the generations.
0:30:34 > 0:30:35You could feel that.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Rachel and Simon believed they'd found their ideal home.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44One they knew right away they could transform into the perfect house for them.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47When I say transform, I don't mean a lick of paint here and there.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50The couple had big plans for the place.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Rachel and Simon wanted to extend the bungalow
0:30:54 > 0:30:57from a two-bedroom to a four-bedroom home
0:30:57 > 0:31:01with two extra bathrooms, a kitchen and a utility room.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05And that's not all. Their plans also included a huge decking area
0:31:05 > 0:31:07across the back of the house.
0:31:08 > 0:31:09This project meant a lot to the couple.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14Rachel wasn't able to have children, following an operation eight years previously.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17She and Simon were hoping to foster instead.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20They thought a large family home and play area
0:31:20 > 0:31:22would help with their application.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26The lady came round and said, "Yes, you're perfect candidates.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28"As soon as you get your house built,
0:31:28 > 0:31:33"the red tape will be done and you can have some foster children."
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Rachel and Simon found a builder
0:31:35 > 0:31:39who said he'd do the job at a discounted price of £50,000.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41They gave him the green light
0:31:41 > 0:31:44but things didn't get off to a good start.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48There was a catch. The builder didn't actually do much building.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51All he seemed to do was demolish.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54Knocking down walls, that's easy.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57They got a jack hammer in, there was dust flying everywhere,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59all the ceilings were coming down.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Windows were being pushed out.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04That was great. They were having a whale of a time!
0:32:04 > 0:32:07But nothing was being put back in.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10The walls came down, the floors came up
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and the roof came off.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16But after that, there was little sign of progress.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19The build may have been on a go-slow
0:32:19 > 0:32:22but the builder was quick to reassure his worried clients.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26He'd have the conversations and have the chat with us.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31He would make it sound very good. He was very much a charmer, from that point of view.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35And he made it very believable what was going to happen, what is happening.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39And every time we did have a good chat with him,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41things would happen for a week or so.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45All of a sudden, your confidence was back. Things started to happen.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47And then it would just lapse again.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Even though Rachel and Simon weren't happy with the work,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55they were still handing over money left, right and centre.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59That's because of the terms of the contract they'd agreed with the builder
0:32:59 > 0:33:01at the start of the project.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Rachel and Simon did at least have a proper contract with their builder.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08But it was absurdly in his favour.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11He received £10,000 just to start the job,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15then another £5,000 every two weeks throughout the build
0:33:15 > 0:33:17no matter how much work he'd done.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Of course, as you've already guessed,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23if this guy had been going any slower, he'd have been going in reverse!
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Do I not like the sound of that contract! Take my advice.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51But only if you're 100% happy with the final product.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58And the Ballamys couldn't see a final product happening any time soon.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02The builder kept sending young, unskilled labourers to do the job.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Except they clearly couldn't.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07They didn't seem to know what they were doing.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09It was taking three of them to do a single job.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11They also never had any materials.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15It was a case of thinking, "What are they going to do?",
0:34:15 > 0:34:17because there was nothing there for them to use.
0:34:19 > 0:34:26Not surprisingly, the couple decided they needed to take their minds off their flaming building project.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30For three years, Rachel and Simon had been planning a tenth anniversary second honeymoon
0:34:30 > 0:34:33to Florida and Jamaica to renew their wedding vows.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36So now the builder made a promise of his own.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37Whilst they were away for a month,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40he would completely transform the project.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Of course he would(!)
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Course he wouldn't.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48The Ballamys couldn't believe their eyes when they returned from their hols.
0:34:50 > 0:34:55We walked in. There were still no floors going towards the bathroom.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57Some of the walls had been plastered.
0:34:57 > 0:35:04He'd ripped one floor up that we'd agreed not to. That was to stay as it was.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07The kitchen, I walked straight into the kitchen,
0:35:07 > 0:35:12and I went into a state of almost shock.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Straightaway I said to Simon, the kitchen won't fit in. The door's in the wrong place.
0:35:17 > 0:35:22By this point, Rachel and Simon had spent £41,000.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25And because of the bungling builder's bodges,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28they had no hot water, no electricity,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31a rubbish roof, a flawed floor,
0:35:31 > 0:35:33a kaput kitchen
0:35:33 > 0:35:35and no outside deck.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38And guess what? No builder, either.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40He'd walked off the job.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Rachel and Simon's hopes of becoming foster parents had been dashed
0:35:44 > 0:35:47by a builder who promised them a discount extension,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but delivered them a demolition job.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51Instead of a safe haven for foster children,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55the couple were left with a dangerous building site.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01But the Ballamys weren't going to let their dream be demolished.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04They hired new builders to make the inside of the house safe.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09And our good guys swung into action outside.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Head honcho Matt Walker and his team
0:36:12 > 0:36:14set about their task with relish.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19It was out with the spades, saws and drills.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23And soon the transformation was complete.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26What was a rubble-strewn danger zone
0:36:26 > 0:36:28became a tranquil oasis of calm.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32The decking was beautifully clad in feather-edged timber
0:36:32 > 0:36:35with handrails and steps to comply with building regulations.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40The change from what the cowboy left behind was striking.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42But with their dream back on track,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44it's now over to them.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46The cowboy's bodge was history.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49But there was still much to do to create their perfect home.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Would Rachel and Simon finish the job?
0:36:53 > 0:36:54Only time would tell.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05It's been almost three years since we helped get Rachel and Simon's plans back on track.
0:37:05 > 0:37:10When we left them, they were a step closer to achieving their dream of becoming foster parents.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11Let's see how they're getting on.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16Hopefully our good guys spurred them on to even greater things in their home.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- Hello, Rachel. How are you? Simon? - How are you.- Good to see you.
0:37:21 > 0:37:27- You, too.- New door?- Yeah, we needed one.- Yeah? It looks fantastic.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31I guess our fellas revived the Ballamys' belief in builders.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35Soon after they left, Simon and Rachel had a new drive laid.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37And that was just the start.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41Once they'd done the drive, it incentivised us to do this bit
0:37:41 > 0:37:43because it was sort of different.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47So what we did is, we had sleepers around before because it was makeshift.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52So we've used then and now created a nice level garden in the front.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54'Time to look around the back.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56'Remember how the cowboy left it?
0:37:56 > 0:37:59'The good guys helped bring it back to life.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04'And now the Ballamys have added their personal touches. Great to see.'
0:38:04 > 0:38:08- Who put these slabs down, then? - I have to say that was Rachel.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- She did all of that. - Been getting hands on?
0:38:10 > 0:38:12I enjoy being out in the garden.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14I have to say this is lovely now.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18You can see why the garden's so important to you. It's beautiful.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's greatly improved, without a doubt.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26'On to our good guys' piece de resistance, the decking.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30'I'm not surprised the Ballamys love to show it off.'
0:38:30 > 0:38:33It's fabulous for entertaining, cos it links the three rooms.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36We've had nearly 30 people on here in an evening,
0:38:36 > 0:38:42with the fire pit going, and the day's heat just glowing on through to the evening.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44It's very, very sociable.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49'I'm not surprised the Ballamys are in the mood for throwing parties.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'The transformation from before...
0:38:52 > 0:38:54'to after is striking.'
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Your house looks fantastic.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59We're pleased with it.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02I know it's a credit to the good guys, but it's a credit to you as well.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03It's lovely. Well done.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- We feel indebted, actually, to the good guys.- Yeah.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08We work out here because we love it,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12but I know how hard they worked putting all this in.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I know how bad it looked before they started.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19To let it go to rack and ruin would be a discredit to them and everyone that worked on it.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21It was a big pick-me-up.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23'Right. Let's look inside.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29'Rachel and Simon used this splendid spare room to host lodgers from all around the world.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33'International students coming to study English at the local college
0:39:33 > 0:39:36'love staying here. I'm not surprised.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- Students have this room.- Yes. - It's nicer than my hotel room!
0:39:41 > 0:39:44When I was a student, I won't tell you the sort of accommodation I lived in,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46but it wasn't anything like this. Amazing.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Well, we took a lot of time and effort.
0:39:48 > 0:39:55'Crikey, with accommodation like this, I'm surprised the students ever want to go home!
0:39:56 > 0:39:58'The transformation is astonishing.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02'Remember what this place looked like after the cowboy builder left them in the lurch?
0:40:03 > 0:40:05'When our good guys rode to the rescue,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08'the outlook improved massively.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10'Garden and decking transformed.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14'But there was only so much our fellas could do
0:40:14 > 0:40:17'and it looks like the Ballamys have finished the job with aplomb.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20'Outside and in.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22'Nice one.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26'Time for a heart-to-heart with Simon and Rachel.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30'As you might have guessed, they never realised their dream of becoming foster parents.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32'And they're in no doubt who's to blame for that.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36'The emotional impact of having cowboys in the house took its toll
0:40:36 > 0:40:39'much more than they expected.'
0:40:39 > 0:40:42We're really still very upset
0:40:42 > 0:40:44because all the plans which we'd put in originally
0:40:44 > 0:40:47for the adoption and the child side of things
0:40:47 > 0:40:49that's gone now.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51It's wiped four years of our life away
0:40:51 > 0:40:53plus that chance
0:40:53 > 0:40:56to do what we wanted to regarding this house.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59You're saying the cowboy builders have influenced you so much
0:40:59 > 0:41:02that you've given up on that dream of adoption?
0:41:02 > 0:41:08Yes, because we couldn't put ourselves through another emotional upheaval
0:41:08 > 0:41:14and the whole fostering and adoption process, emotionally is so difficult
0:41:14 > 0:41:18that we would just, you know, you know in yourselves what you can and can't take.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22And I think the building side of it just pushed us to a limit.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24It was emotionally and financially.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28We wanted to make sure we were financially stable to look after a child
0:41:28 > 0:41:30and we still haven't got to that point yet.
0:41:30 > 0:41:35It's so sad that the trauma of being caught out by a cowboy builder
0:41:35 > 0:41:38wrecked the Ballamys' fostering dreams.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41But by opening up their home to foreign students,
0:41:41 > 0:41:46they've ensured there will never be a shortage of youngsters around to appreciate their transformed home.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48And that's not the only positive.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50The lessons Rachel and Simon had learnt
0:41:50 > 0:41:54were well used when it came to contracting builders to do the drive.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57We made sure that everything was written down
0:41:57 > 0:42:02and the drawings were done so we knew exactly what was going on.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05There weren't going to be any extras, no corners cut,
0:42:05 > 0:42:08it was a case of we know what you're going to do and we'll pay you for the job you've done.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11That's the perfect strategy.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15Payment for results tends to focus any builder's attention.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Lastly, where do you think you would be
0:42:19 > 0:42:22if the good guys and Cowboy Trap hadn't come to the rescue?
0:42:22 > 0:42:26We were pretty much broken when Cowboy Trap came originally.
0:42:26 > 0:42:31And I don't know where we would be if they hadn't.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Well, enjoy your house, your home.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35- And good luck for the future. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38'And what a transformed home it is
0:42:38 > 0:42:41'for the Ballamys and their guests from all over the world to enjoy.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46'Lucky things! When I was a student, I lived in a shoebox at the end of the motorway!
0:42:46 > 0:42:49'Listen to me going all Monty Python!
0:42:49 > 0:42:51'Time for me to leave them all to it, eh?'
0:42:52 > 0:42:55Well, what a lovely couple. What a lovely house!
0:42:55 > 0:42:59It's great to see how a leg up at the right time
0:42:59 > 0:43:01has given them the confidence to finally complete
0:43:01 > 0:43:04their huge plans for this place.
0:43:04 > 0:43:09Of course, it's a real shame they've had to give up on their dreams of becoming foster parents.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13But they've managed to find other ways of making this a real family home from home.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17You know what? No cowboy builder can take that away from them.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd