0:00:08 > 0:00:14We're travelling the length of Britain on a mission to rescue homeowners from cowboy builders.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20He's just destroyed everything, everything we worked for, everything we wanted.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25It's impossible to overestimate the damage these guys do.
0:00:25 > 0:00:32Whether blatant amateurs or simply crooks, they not only mess up homes, they ruin lives, too.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37What emotions would you say you feel towards the cowboy builder?
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- To be honest...- Really hate him. - Do you?
0:00:41 > 0:00:47- I don't understand what's going on. - I don't think the builder does, to be honest.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52We've got the Good Guys to help turn these houses from hell into heavenly homes.
0:00:52 > 0:00:58That looks absolutely fantastic. There was no guttering across the whole span of this.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02The felt was hanging off. Now it's one long length of guttering.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07We're planning now for the future, which is what we didn't have before.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13Anyone can call themselves a builder, so it's crucial to know how to spot a wrong 'un
0:01:13 > 0:01:19and the next 45 minutes could help keep you out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:28 > 0:01:35On today's Cowboy Trap, an extension which became the mother of all building bodges.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37We just wanted a nice house.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40And it didn't happen.
0:01:40 > 0:01:46And two years after we rescued them, we catch up with cowboy builder victims in Shropshire
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to see how they're doing now.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Hello, what's going on here? You've not got any more, have you?
0:01:55 > 0:01:59- You what?! Are you joking with me, Donald?- No.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04'Our first cowboy trap saga takes place in a house in Southampton.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08'Now Southampton has a number of claims to fame -
0:02:08 > 0:02:14'its thriving port, its historic football team and, of course, its intense rivalry
0:02:14 > 0:02:21'with neighbouring town Portsmouth, which Sotonians remind you is the second-largest city in Hampshire.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:25The late, great Benny Hill was born here in Southampton
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and his early days as a milkman
0:02:28 > 0:02:32inspired his number one hit Ernie, The Fastest Milkman In The West.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37Love him or hate him, these days his humour is somewhat out of style,
0:02:37 > 0:02:42unlike your cowboy builder, the national joke that never seems to go out of fashion.
0:02:42 > 0:02:50The unlucky cowboy builder victims in this three-bedroom end terrace certainly aren't laughing.
0:02:50 > 0:02:56It's home to Dave and Denise Francis. Dave is an ambulanceman and Denise is a hairdresser.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59No wonder Dave's hair is so well trimmed!
0:02:59 > 0:03:04Dave and Denis, who both have previous partners, married in 2007.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09We knew each other years ago and we met up when we both worked in the bakery.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12We stayed as friends for a long time
0:03:12 > 0:03:16and then when both relationships went wrong, we met up for a coffee
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and it just went from there.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Two or three years later, we married in 2007.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25And then we both realised
0:03:25 > 0:03:29we both had a crush back in those days, but never did anything.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34But we're together now, so I got the girl in the end.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Between them, Dave and Denise had one big family, which made for a happy, high-spirited home,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43but one it soon became clear wasn't roomy enough.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49The couple set their hearts on building an extension, perfect for when their grandchildren stay
0:03:49 > 0:03:53and Denise would be able to work from home.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59We had a big garden. So we'd extend to have a base for Denise to have an office
0:03:59 > 0:04:05- to do her books et cetera. - We wanted a drying room big enough for two washing machines,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08one for my hairdressing.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12The middle part of the room was to increase the family area
0:04:12 > 0:04:15so the kids could play safely outside
0:04:15 > 0:04:19and the adults could stay in the middle here.
0:04:19 > 0:04:25- Dave and Denise appointed an architect who drew up some plans. - He was very, very good.
0:04:25 > 0:04:31He did all the measurements for us and we asked him generally
0:04:31 > 0:04:35what sort of price would you expect for this sort of building?
0:04:35 > 0:04:41He was quite happy to say, "The money you're looking at is around £22,000 for what you want."
0:04:43 > 0:04:49Planning permission was granted and the couple borrowed money to finance their exciting project.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54The next stage was finding a builder and a friend of Denise's suggested her boyfriend
0:04:54 > 0:04:57who's in the construction business.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59He came up, we showed him the plans.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04And he said it would be at cost price. We wouldn't pay much over it.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09He seemed to know what he was talking about. That was a good thing.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15He also said he'd done a few other extensions this size and a few others that were a bit smaller.
0:05:15 > 0:05:22The builder quoted £18,000 to create a single-storey extension to the back of the property,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26which would include three separate rooms. That was for labour only.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31The Francises agreed to pay for materials. Because he was a personal contact
0:05:31 > 0:05:38and they were tempted by a cut-price deal, Dave and Denise went ahead without making the proper checks.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Take my advice.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53That's no better than hearsay.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Dave and Denise's builder assured them it would take eight weeks
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and work started in November 2007.
0:06:13 > 0:06:19The Francises hadn't put a payment plan in place and it didn't take long to realise that was a mistake,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24especially bearing in mind they were paying for materials.
0:06:24 > 0:06:31He was asking my husband for £500 here, £500 there. It seemed to be every other day.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35It wasn't just regular demands for cash that were a concern.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39The project was proceeding at a snail's pace.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44The builder was rarely on site and he always had an imaginative reason why.
0:06:44 > 0:06:50One thing's for sure, Dave and Denise's builder had more than his fair share of bad luck.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Either materials hadn't arrived or he had accidents on other jobs,
0:06:54 > 0:07:00his girlfriend was kicking off, his mother was taking over the business or his father was desperately ill.
0:07:00 > 0:07:07He might have been a poor excuse for a builder, but when it came to making excuses, he was a master.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12And the little work the builder was getting done was really shoddy.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17They could see their dream project rapidly going downhill.
0:07:17 > 0:07:23We got to the stage where we had the footings dug, walls built, the roof was on
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and that's when the problems really started.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32The extension wasn't being left secured or weathertight and rats got into the attic
0:07:32 > 0:07:37because the cavity wall hadn't been sealed up. Dave and Denise wanted to point this out,
0:07:37 > 0:07:42but that's not easy when your builder is as elusive as Lord Lucan.
0:07:42 > 0:07:48He would say he'd be here at 7.30. 9 o'clock would come and he wouldn't be here.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52We'd have rung him a couple of times, answerphone on.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55He would then not appear for a whole week.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00They started to get suspicious about where their cash was going.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06They were getting invoices for materials that weren't turning up - at their house, anyway.
0:08:06 > 0:08:12We paid for the bricks with a cheque, the cement was paid for with a cheque,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but the receipts were in other names.
0:08:14 > 0:08:22We did hear through the grapevine that he was actually working on a couple of other projects.
0:08:23 > 0:08:29Dave and Denise's worries continued to mount. The roof didn't seem up to scratch
0:08:29 > 0:08:35and it was way behind schedule. The builder said he couldn't spend as much time as he'd like
0:08:35 > 0:08:39because his critically-ill father had taken a turn for the worse.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43He agreed that he'd taken on too much...
0:08:43 > 0:08:45with his dad being ill.
0:08:45 > 0:08:52His dad's still alive. He gave him three months to live. That was 2½ years ago.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57A new completion date was agreed for August, 2009 -
0:08:57 > 0:09:0220 months after the job started. I thought he said eight weeks?
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Take my advice.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27That should focus his attention.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Dave and Denise's problems went from bad to worse.
0:09:34 > 0:09:40A Building Control officer turned up and said the roof wasn't right and needed completely re-done.
0:09:40 > 0:09:46The roof might have been dodgy, but the builder's gift of the gab was in fine shape.
0:09:46 > 0:09:53"It'll be done, it'll be done. Don't worry. Just need a bit more time. We'll be finished in a few weeks."
0:09:53 > 0:09:57But, of course, that was just another lie.
0:09:57 > 0:10:03Weeks came and weeks went and there was still no finishing line in sight.
0:10:03 > 0:10:10The whole thing had become a mess. It felt impossible to get to the bottom of what was going on.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16One thing was crystal clear - this so-called builder was completely out of his depth.
0:10:16 > 0:10:22He had no idea how to complete the extension he'd promised to build in a couple of months,
0:10:22 > 0:10:27but he'd never have to because, not surprisingly, one day he just disappeared.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30He's never shown up again.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34I've spoken to people. He moved house, changed his phone number.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41He's just destroyed everything.
0:10:42 > 0:10:48Everything we worked for, everything we wanted. We just wanted a nice house.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50And it didn't happen.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55It built up a big, big pressure. I'll be honest, it built up
0:10:55 > 0:10:58to where we thought about leaving each other.
0:11:00 > 0:11:08As if the Francis family hadn't been through enough, Denise went for medical tests
0:11:08 > 0:11:12and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
0:11:12 > 0:11:18About two years ago, I started getting pins and needles, numbness in my legs and feet and hands.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24Basically, it got a little bit worse and it crept up to my torso.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28They were doing tests and I had a couple of MRI scans
0:11:28 > 0:11:33and though everything was going to be OK, but they've actually...
0:11:39 > 0:11:44When Mum got her diagnosis we kind of bantered and joked,
0:11:44 > 0:11:49but when she wasn't there, it was quite hard.
0:11:54 > 0:12:00The terrible news meant that Denise desperately needed the extension to be completed.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04It's more important than ever now for that to be fixed.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08There is a time where I will be in a wheelchair later on
0:12:08 > 0:12:15and I will need to be downstairs. I'll not be able to make it upstairs to go to sleep or to the toilet.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23It's hard to know what to say. It's got to be one of the saddest stories we've ever come across.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26How much misery can one family take?
0:12:26 > 0:12:32If ever you needed proof that cowboy builders wreak havoc with lives AND homes, well, this is it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:40But exactly how much havoc has this guy caused? What's the full extent of the bodge to be righted?
0:12:41 > 0:12:47To find out, we sent independent building surveyor Ged Malloy to inspect the work.
0:12:47 > 0:12:53He's been through it with a fine toothcomb and is about to fill me in with what he found.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58I suspect they did this roof and thought, "Oh, bit of a problem here."
0:12:58 > 0:13:02First item on the agenda, the dodgy roof.
0:13:03 > 0:13:10- This roof is all over the show. - It's an interesting roof, one I've not seen the likes of before.
0:13:10 > 0:13:17- Basically, the joists are undersized. - These joists, these timbers here, these are undersized?
0:13:17 > 0:13:22They can't span the complete length of the room. It would just sag.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26So what the builder has tried to do to alleviate that sagging
0:13:26 > 0:13:33- is put in a multi-beam arrangement. There's three or four beams there, crossways.- Let's take a look.
0:13:33 > 0:13:39Look, he's got four beams going across to help support...
0:13:39 > 0:13:45- I don't understand what's going on. It's a mess.- I don't think the builder understands it!
0:13:46 > 0:13:51'What an unbelievable bodge. It's all different levels
0:13:51 > 0:13:57'so when it comes to fixing plasterboard on to make a ceiling, it'll be a total mess.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'Plus two lots of joists reduce the height of the room to 2 metres.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05'That will feel claustrophobic.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:12Sticking with the roof, the plywood on top of these joists, it's already rotting, isn't it?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16You can see the mould growth there, due to all the water ingress.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20A real problem. You can see closer here.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The size of the joists - undersized.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30'That ply is saturated. It'll need to come off. Not surprising -
0:14:30 > 0:14:32'the roof is leaking like a sieve.
0:14:32 > 0:14:39'But it's not just high up that there are problems. Where's the floor screed on that?
0:14:39 > 0:14:41'And check out the timber.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:45They formed the opening, then started to measure it up.
0:14:45 > 0:14:52"Oh, whoops! We've made the opening too big." So they've toshed in bits of timber around the edge,
0:14:52 > 0:14:59with all gaps and not fixed properly, then fitted a frame to it. You can see bits of timber cut out.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03- This is what I don't understand. - Bodged.- They've built it too big,
0:15:03 > 0:15:08but even to the point of cutting the timbers, they didn't realise even then?
0:15:08 > 0:15:15They cut the timbers for a normal-sized door without measuring how wide the door is.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18What are you doing?!
0:15:18 > 0:15:23Being a cowboy, that's what. The patio doors aren't even there.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27This isn't secure, vermin can get in. It's an unsafe building site.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It's not a happy building site, no.
0:15:31 > 0:15:39Not happy? Blooming miserable, if you ask me. The bricks and mortar are also in a sorry state
0:15:39 > 0:15:43and, inside, the electrics look really dangerous.
0:15:43 > 0:15:49There are exposed wires all over. And the blockwork defies belief.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Blockwork cracked at the top. Is there an uneven load on it or...?
0:15:53 > 0:15:58I think it's probably just been laid, someone's hit it and left it there.
0:15:58 > 0:16:04- That... You need to chop that out and stick another one in. - Yes, a simple job,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06- but you just don't leave that.- No.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10I think this builder was a bit cracked if you ask me.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Right, it's make your mind up time for Ged.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Looking around this whole site, you can see outside, inside.
0:16:17 > 0:16:23From what you've seen here, Ged, how would you mark this builder out of ten?
0:16:23 > 0:16:26The roof, I would give it no marks.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31The internals, at best, five out of ten.
0:16:31 > 0:16:37We can salvage some of the general structure. There's a lot of work, but the roof, in my opinion,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40needs taking off and replacing.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45Well, in a previous life I was a surveyor and my philosophy was if the lid wasn't right,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49everything underneath was pretty much doomed.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54Based on what Ged's just shown me, I'd give this a big, fat zero.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57I mean, check out the evidence.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Loose cables, pathetic plastering,
0:17:00 > 0:17:05a risible roof, bungled blockwork,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09ugly slab floors, a wonky doorframe,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13bodged beams, seriously compromised ceilings,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16missing doors... Need I go on?
0:17:16 > 0:17:23And Dave and Denise had handed over £23,000 to the builder and paid for materials.
0:17:23 > 0:17:24Ouch.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29A crime against building with victims that are only too apparent.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32If ever we needed the Good Guys, this was it.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38And here's head honcho Tim Bumstead and his merry men entering the fray.
0:17:38 > 0:17:45So much needs doing just to make this place watertight and secure, Dave and Denise are chipping in.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50First things first, dodgy beams removed.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Not forgetting even dodgier blockwork.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59How nice - a builder who seems to know what he's doing.
0:17:59 > 0:18:06The external wall is attended to, as are the internal walls. It's a great start,
0:18:06 > 0:18:13but can they get Denise and Dave's dreams back on track? Only time will tell.
0:18:17 > 0:18:24I'm in Southampton where a cowboy builder left Denise and Dave Francis with a wreck of an extension.
0:18:24 > 0:18:30Something they hoped would improve their quality of life has almost destroyed their marriage
0:18:30 > 0:18:35and now Denise is struggling to cope with having Multiple Sclerosis.
0:18:35 > 0:18:41All the more vital then that our Good Guy builders have been able to help rescue this catastrophe.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Let's see how they've got on.
0:18:43 > 0:18:50'There was an incredible amount that needed fixing. I do hope they've got them back on track.'
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Hello.- Hello.- Denise? I'm Jonnie.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57- Hi. And you must be Dave.- I am.- You both look in pretty good spirits.
0:18:57 > 0:19:03- We are, thank you.- Good. Excellent news. Can I come in?- Come in. - Thank you very much.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05'I can't resist a quick peek.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08'I'm not surprised they feel chipper.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12'Remember what that extension looked like?
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'Like something from a post-apocalyptic disaster movie.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18'Now check it out.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23'And inside, the cowboy left behind a cornucopia of calamities.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28'Looks different now. Nice work, Good Guys.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32'Before I take a closer look at the Good Guys' efforts,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36'I want to find out how the Francises got caught in the trap.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40'Ambulanceman Dave's had a call-out so Denise will fill me in.'
0:19:40 > 0:19:45- When did you start thinking things were going awry? - Once the brickwork was done,
0:19:45 > 0:19:50it seemed that he was making excuses not to come.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Then it was his dad was ill, then it was something else,
0:19:54 > 0:20:01then the materials hadn't been delivered, then it was another excuse. Things never got done.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05When he did start doing things, they didn't look right.
0:20:05 > 0:20:12I'd say, "This isn't happening. You've got things that need to be done." "I'll come back tomorrow.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16"The thing with the doors was we couldn't get the doors."
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Then it was something else. It just went on and on.
0:20:20 > 0:20:26When you started hearing all these excuses, when you didn't see him on site,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30- did that ring any alarm bells? - Straight away.- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34But when we confronted him, "It'll be fine. Don't worry about it."
0:20:35 > 0:20:41'But looking at this monumental bodge, it was never going to be fine, was it?
0:20:41 > 0:20:49'Dave and Denise had handed over £23,000 and the cowboy had strung them along for well over a year.'
0:20:49 > 0:20:55How were you and Dave coping when a job that was supposed to take a matter of weeks
0:20:55 > 0:21:00or months at best, was taking over a year? What happened to family life?
0:21:05 > 0:21:07We were arguing. Sorry.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12- We were at each other's throats all the time.- I bet you were.
0:21:12 > 0:21:19Trouble is, it was in your own home. This disaster was happening to you here and now, wasn't it?
0:21:19 > 0:21:25This has been one of the worst stories we've seen because of all that's gone on.
0:21:25 > 0:21:32And on top of this, I'm so sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- You just kept getting trouble put on your shoulders.- Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- More and more and more.- It just felt like we were being beaten down.
0:21:40 > 0:21:46'Poor Denise. My heart goes out to her and her family at this tough time.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51'And it's extremely gratifying that we've been able to do something for them.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'I want to take a closer look at our good guys' handiwork
0:21:55 > 0:21:57'and I've got to say I like what I see.'
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Well, this room, this whole building project was all about the roof,
0:22:02 > 0:22:07but the first thing I'm looking for is water on the floor and it's not here, it's dry.
0:22:07 > 0:22:13That's because, as you can see, you've got a properly fitted roof system above us.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17It's like night and day, the difference between this job and the last.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22First of all, these timbers, there's no gaps, no nail sticking out that's been missed.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27These fit absolutely perfectly, but also they've used proper roof fixings here.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Look!
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Joint hangers.
0:22:31 > 0:22:37Because you've got joint hangers and these timbers are all flush, you can put plasterboard straight up to it.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41But also, do you remember? The roof had been fitted with smaller timbers
0:22:41 > 0:22:44which wouldn't take the whole weight
0:22:44 > 0:22:50and so the cowboy decided to reinforce that by putting another set of joists perpendicular to it.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Unfortunately, that was also impacting on the ceiling height,
0:22:54 > 0:23:00but now we've got an extra four to six inches, it feels bigger in here, doesn't it?
0:23:03 > 0:23:08'The good guys have also used bolts to tie the joists together for extra stability
0:23:08 > 0:23:11'and they've strengthened the wall supports too.'
0:23:11 > 0:23:17There was gaps here. You could see daylight almost. There was wires spilling out of everywhere.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20These joists are sat on proper padstones.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24The builders obviously had to chop out all the mess that was here
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and then re-lay these blocks to put the new roof on.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30This looks fantastic.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34'Everywhere I look, I see the tell-tale signs of a builder
0:23:34 > 0:23:38'who knows how to put up and secure a roof.'
0:23:38 > 0:23:43These are tying the roof system down. Wind can get under these roofs and almost blow them off.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47This is tying everything into the fabric of the whole building.
0:23:47 > 0:23:54'That Spaghetti Junction of wires spinning out of the walls is also a thing of the past.'
0:23:54 > 0:23:58The sparky has taken a look at these and ripped them all out,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02right back down to the chasing, ready to start again from scratch,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06and they can do that now because it looks and feels watertight.
0:24:06 > 0:24:12'And remember that polythene sheeting masquerading as patio doors? It's history.'
0:24:12 > 0:24:16They've got some brand-spanking-new patio doors which...
0:24:17 > 0:24:20..secure the house, of course, and look great.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24You can imagine these in the summer wide open, bringing the garden in.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27This is all cleared out, isn't it?
0:24:28 > 0:24:31'The exterior brickwork is now dry as a bone.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'The more I see, the better it gets.'
0:24:34 > 0:24:37That looks absolutely fantastic.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40There was no guttering across the whole span of this.
0:24:40 > 0:24:46There was not much fascia boarding going along it and the felting was hanging off.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Now you can see one long length of guttering.
0:24:48 > 0:24:54The fall of this roof is sufficient for all the water to come right on to that guttering,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58right across and down that drainpipe. It looks fantastic.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03'Nothing excites an old surveyor like me more than a lovely roof. Ah, yes!'
0:25:04 > 0:25:09It looks so much better and it's safe, secure and watertight.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12More than job done.
0:25:12 > 0:25:18'And the man responsible has come to talk me through the challenges he faced turning this project around.'
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Tim, what were your thoughts when you first turned up here?
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Well, there wasn't no common sense at all involved.
0:25:25 > 0:25:30As you're aware, they've achieved the slope on their ceiling
0:25:30 > 0:25:35by sloping the ceiling joists with the consequence being it was pushing against the outside wall
0:25:35 > 0:25:37and all the blockwork cracked.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42We couldn't redeem the situation, so we basically had to start again.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47It's almost harder to do that way. The common-sensical approach would be, as you've done,
0:25:47 > 0:25:52put joists flat and then build a slight slope with extra timbers, surely?
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- You would have thought so. - Which is what you've done.- Yes.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57'And done with aplomb.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02'Now, before I do the grand tour with Denise and Dave who has now returned from work,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06'I'm going to chat to them about their cowboy builder.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09'I wanted to track him down to hear his side of the story,
0:26:09 > 0:26:14'but unfortunately, he's proved just as impossible to trace for us as he has for them.'
0:26:14 > 0:26:18If you had the opportunity to speak to him, what would you say?
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Why us? He was a friend.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26We gave him business which we expected to be delivered on,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28but he's left us high and dry.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30- Well, wet.- And wet.- And wet, yeah.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35So we just wanted to know why. That's what everybody needs to know - why us?
0:26:35 > 0:26:39What emotions would you say you feel towards the cowboy builder?
0:26:39 > 0:26:44- You don't want to know. - You don't want to know. To be honest...- I really hate him.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48- Do you?- Yeah.- It put such a rift between us.- It did.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52I mean, it's going to take a long time to... I mean, we're closer now.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55But we were going to go our own separate ways.
0:26:55 > 0:27:01- Were you?- Yeah.- Yes. - It's still not great, but this has helped a lot.- Yeah.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05When the good guy builder Tim turned up, what were your thoughts?
0:27:05 > 0:27:10- You've got another guy on site. Are you thinking, "How is this going to turn out?"- No.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It was like a weight lifted off your shoulder.
0:27:13 > 0:27:19Before, if he did turn up, you'd wonder what you'd come home to - two bricks laid or four bricks laid?
0:27:19 > 0:27:25To give you an example, the first day that he turned up, half past seven, knock on the door,
0:27:25 > 0:27:30quarter to eight, scaffolders arrived, eight o'clock, the roof was being ripped apart.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35- Proper job.- Whereas before, that would probably take about a month.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- Denise, you're smiling.- Yeah.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Your face has turned from scorn talking about the cowboy builder
0:27:41 > 0:27:45to smiling talking about the good guy which is brilliant to see.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49'Right, it's time for the bit I've been waiting for, the grand tour.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56'I'm looking forward to hearing what Dave and Denise think to the good guys' work.'
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Well...
0:27:58 > 0:28:01It must certainly be a lot drier in here than it was.
0:28:01 > 0:28:07- Definitely, definitely.- From what we had before, it was insecure, cold, damp, inhospitable...
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Now at least we've got the start of something that we can work on.
0:28:11 > 0:28:17The thing is, for the rooms, we had no idea of what to finish them off with
0:28:17 > 0:28:21because we didn't know whether we'd have to knock them down completely,
0:28:21 > 0:28:26based on what people told us, which would have meant even more distress,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29but now the roof is all done, it's secure.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33We're planning now for the future which is what we didn't have before.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40'That future includes them taking the project on from here. We've done the work that was too big for them.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44'Now they can do the fun stuff like fitting it out.'
0:28:44 > 0:28:47- Look at it, it looks fantastic. - Lovely.- Yeah.
0:28:47 > 0:28:52- It's a really tidy job. - We can come out into the garden and not look back into a hole.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56Just like an abyss, to be honest, because it was dark, it was dingy.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59The hole that was there was just bleak.
0:28:59 > 0:29:05You've got more than the foundations to press on. You have a watertight, good-looking shell here.
0:29:05 > 0:29:11- The first fix isn't a million miles away here.- No, exactly.- No. - So you've got plans...- Yeah.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Here we go. Have you got plans you both agree on?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16Hmm...
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- LAUGHTER - We'll come back to you on that one.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22- Who's in charge of design here...? Yeah.- Yeah.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25You should be able to have it however you want.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27- Yeah.- Pink spots, flowers?
0:29:27 > 0:29:32That was the original plan. We needed somewhere we could get Denise an office
0:29:32 > 0:29:36and everything else like that, so you can do what you like.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39'That's more good news for Denise.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44'Like all good husbands, Dave is leaving the design choices to the boss. Good thinking, mate.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46'Time to leave them to it.'
0:29:48 > 0:29:53You know, it's quite hard to imagine that after Dave and Denise had hit such a low ebb
0:29:53 > 0:29:59when their cowboy builder upped and left their extension in such a catastrophic state
0:29:59 > 0:30:05and then the devastating diagnosis of Denise's condition, they'd find anything positive in their lives,
0:30:05 > 0:30:10but the turnaround is quite staggering, due in no small part to the good guy builders
0:30:10 > 0:30:16who, after just two weeks, as opposed to 18 months, of hard, honest graft,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20have restored Denise and Dave's faith in the trade,
0:30:20 > 0:30:26but they have also put their lives back on track and finally given them something to plan for.
0:30:27 > 0:30:33For our next Cowboy Trap saga, we revisit two brothers we first met two years ago -
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Donald and William Pearce.
0:30:36 > 0:30:42Just like with Dave and Denise, a cowboy builder left behind a disastrous extension.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47The botched build was so unsafe, Donald and William pulled it down with their bare hands.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51Donald had an unusual hobby. He collected miniature trucks and lorries.
0:30:51 > 0:30:57There's no official term for this, so I'm going to call him the "truckologist"?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59That is my pride and joy.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02It took a few years to collect them.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05And it took quite a bit of money
0:31:05 > 0:31:07to get them.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12And because of his burgeoning collection, Donald needed to find even more cash.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16Not for trucks and lorries, but for bricks and mortar.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21Donald's collection had grown so large, he could no longer squeeze it into his bungalow,
0:31:21 > 0:31:25so he decided to have an extension added to his ground floor bedroom.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29This would give him more space to display his precious collectables.
0:31:29 > 0:31:35He looked for a builder and as luck would have it, bad luck that is, one was advertising in the paper.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40The builder came round and initially quoted £10,000 for the job,
0:31:40 > 0:31:46but when Donald said that was too much, he came back later and reduced his estimate to £7,000.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51He also said he had no other work on and could start straight away.
0:31:51 > 0:31:57Donald gave him the green light and looked forward to his dream extension coming to fruition.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02Within a fortnight, the walls were up, but the quality of the work was terrible.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07You could see the wall wasn't level. We went and leaned against it.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11You could just feel it give. There were no wall ties or nothing at all in it.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15When Donald complained to the builder there were no wall ties,
0:32:15 > 0:32:20the cowboy just upped and left, never to return, but this wobbly extension was so dangerous,
0:32:20 > 0:32:26Donald was forced to take the heart-breaking decision to knock it down himself. Unbelievable!
0:32:27 > 0:32:31It took me about three parts of a day to knock it down.
0:32:31 > 0:32:37I'm not surprised Donald demolished his fundamentally flawed extension so easily.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41No wall ties? If the third little piggy had hired this builder,
0:32:41 > 0:32:46he and his mates would have been butty fodder for the big, bad wolf after just one puff.
0:32:46 > 0:32:52Now, being a retiring type, Donald wasn't keen on reporting the builder to Trading Standards,
0:32:52 > 0:32:59but luckily for him, he had some helpful neighbours who were worried about what they saw going on.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03We went on holiday. We come back and Don said he'd had the builders in
0:33:03 > 0:33:05and he hasn't seen them since.
0:33:05 > 0:33:11So we come round and I thought, "What a load of...dodgy building going on!"
0:33:11 > 0:33:15We made some enquiries as to who the builder was and where he lived.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19I wrote a letter and it was delivered by hand,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23asking him, would he please come and finish the job,
0:33:23 > 0:33:27and if not, could we have some money back that had been paid.
0:33:27 > 0:33:34I don't think he answered that. He might have rung Don and said he would come back, but then he didn't.
0:33:34 > 0:33:40Trading Standards revealed there were ten county court judgments against the builder,
0:33:40 > 0:33:45so it's no surprise he put up an unsafe and unstable excuse of an extension.
0:33:45 > 0:33:51This guy was such a cowboy, he should have worn stirrups and a Stetson.
0:33:51 > 0:33:56If Donald had checked with Trading Standards, he'd have found out this guy was a wrong 'un.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Take my advice...
0:34:16 > 0:34:20It's down to you to ensure you're spending your money wisely.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25With no less than ten county court judgments against this cowboy already,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Donald was forced to accept that he'd never get his money back.
0:34:29 > 0:34:35Dave and Wendy witnessed the impact all this had on their unlucky neighbour.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Don is obviously very trusting.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Although he probably had an inkling that things weren't quite right,
0:34:41 > 0:34:47he probably thought, "I'll give him a chance," and this builder just took advantage of him.
0:34:47 > 0:34:53This was a heart-breaking story of two retired gents who were taken in by a cowboy builder
0:34:53 > 0:34:58and how a man with a simple passion for trucks and lorries was cruelly robbed of his dream.
0:34:58 > 0:35:05But alarm bells should have rung for Donald when the builder dropped his quote from £10,000 to £7,000.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08And the bells should have rung even louder
0:35:08 > 0:35:14when the builder said he was available at the drop of a hat because he had no other jobs on.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Here's another tip...
0:35:32 > 0:35:37And because Donald was well and truly duped, all he was left with was a pile of rubble.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41But you know the plot.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Our good guys came to the rescue -
0:35:44 > 0:35:49Steve Bebb and his sidekick Luke Burgess.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54They were determined that Donald's extension would rise like a phoenix from the ashes,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58so it was out with the drills, hammers and trowel...
0:36:00 > 0:36:03..so they could build the walls brick by brick.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Bebb and Burgess certainly didn't hang about.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Donald was no slouch either.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16He grafted away in his own workshop creating a special cabinet for his lorries
0:36:16 > 0:36:21to fit into his new extension as soon as it was ready.
0:36:21 > 0:36:28The good guys pulled out all the stops to build an extension worthy of Donald's crafted cabinet
0:36:28 > 0:36:32and its treasured contents. And this was the final result.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Unlike what went before...
0:36:38 > 0:36:41..this was an extension guaranteed to stay up.
0:36:41 > 0:36:46The walls were properly tied together using wall ties.
0:36:46 > 0:36:51There was a new timber-framed window and a new fascia and guttering.
0:36:51 > 0:36:58And without Donald knowing, the good guys installed the cabinet he'd crafted into the new extension.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03And the entire project now had official sign-off from the local building control. Result!
0:37:04 > 0:37:06From Wrekin Council, that is.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Certificate of completion.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14He's satisfied with this. So am I.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Mission accomplished.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20From before...to after.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24There can be little doubt the good guys played a blinder.
0:37:27 > 0:37:33It was truly a cause for celebration and loyal neighbours Dave and Wendy came to join in the party.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36This was indeed one happy truckologist.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Donald's new domain was a wonder to behold,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45but would it be a fitting home for his rapidly expanding collection
0:37:45 > 0:37:52and had our good guys' efforts restored Donald's faith in the building fraternity?
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Only time would tell.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00It's been almost two years since those quite emotional scenes
0:38:00 > 0:38:03when we helped Donald and William out of the cowboy trap.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09With all those wonderful model trucks to display, that extension really was Donald's dream project,
0:38:09 > 0:38:15so I'm looking forward to catching up with the boys to see how it's all worked out for them.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19'And I'm looking forward to enjoying Donald's amazing collection.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23'I've never seen a fleet of miniature trucks before.'
0:38:23 > 0:38:27- Hi, Donald. How are you doing? - All right, thanks.- Good to see you.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31- Are you all right?- Yeah, good, thanks.- Come on in.- Thank you.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35'As soon as I step inside, I'm almost lost for words.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37'Truck-tastic!'
0:38:37 > 0:38:41- It's this bit, isn't it? This is the main event.- That's right, yes.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43But this is, I mean...
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Goodness me!
0:38:45 > 0:38:52'600-plus trucks, Donald's pride and joy, all beautifully laid out and presented.
0:38:52 > 0:38:58'And he's been a busy fella. He's built and hung loads more cabinets since we last saw him
0:38:58 > 0:39:01'when only one cabinet was in pride of place.'
0:39:03 > 0:39:07- You've worked so hard all your life and this is your passion.- Yeah.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09And so, you know...
0:39:09 > 0:39:15when that guy, the cowboy ripped you off, you knocked all this down before, didn't you?
0:39:15 > 0:39:19Yes, all that wall there. That was all gone.
0:39:20 > 0:39:25'And gone for good reason, knocked down before it could fall down.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28'Now Donald's trucks are as safe as well-built houses
0:39:28 > 0:39:32'and because of that, Donald has had the confidence to complete his work,
0:39:32 > 0:39:37'showcasing his extraordinary collection in a glorious way.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:42You know that all this work you've put into these models is safe.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47- They're not going to get damaged by water.- No.- This is staying put. - That's staying put.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52How does it make you feel, knowing that all this time, 16 years' worth of collecting,
0:39:52 > 0:39:58- you can now display it where it's supposed to be? How does that make you feel?- Great.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:39:58 > 0:40:04Unfortunately, it's putting fuel to the fire. It means you now want to go and get some more.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Oh, hello, what's going on here? You've not got any more, have you?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10JONNIE LAUGHS
0:40:10 > 0:40:12You what?!
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- Are you joking with me, Donald?- No.
0:40:16 > 0:40:22'Crikey! As Cilla Black might have once said, that's a lorra, lorra lorries!
0:40:22 > 0:40:26'It looks like Donald's going to need to build another extension soon!
0:40:26 > 0:40:31'It's hard to believe that before our fellas arrived, this extension looked like this.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36'Calling that an extension is pushing the boundaries of the English language,
0:40:36 > 0:40:42'but after our good guys got involved, it became a construction to be proud of.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45'And two years on, hey presto, it's still up.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50'No need for Don to demolish this one and in the years since,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54'he's adapted it to accommodate his rapidly growing collection superbly.
0:40:54 > 0:41:00'Right, I want to sit down and chat with Don and William to find out what they learned
0:41:00 > 0:41:03'from their cowboy builder encounter.'
0:41:03 > 0:41:07You were left with a very unsafe bit of construction.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11- That's right.- William, I understand you helped out here.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14You took it apart with your bare hands, didn't you?
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Just rocked it, didn't I?
0:41:17 > 0:41:22He wouldn't come. We just got down and knocked them.
0:41:22 > 0:41:28You just knocked it down. There's knocking walls down and knocking walls down. Was it difficult?
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- No.- Then you've got no extension? - No.- No.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35What were you going to do? What was your next step?
0:41:35 > 0:41:40- Just forget it. That was what I was going to do.- So why did you get in touch with Cowboy Trap?
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Trading Standards asked me if I wanted to.
0:41:43 > 0:41:49- They recommended you, did they? - Yeah. I said, "Well, I'll try and see what they're like."
0:41:49 > 0:41:51I wasn't sure.
0:41:51 > 0:41:57- What do you think of the job that the good guy builders did?- Great. No problems at all with them.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01'Donald and William are such a lovely pair.
0:42:01 > 0:42:07'How could anyone take them for £5,000 and leave them with an unsafe building?
0:42:07 > 0:42:12'I can't help wondering how many other unwitting victims this cowboy has ripped off.'
0:42:12 > 0:42:17So what would you do differently if you were to hire a builder now?
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I'd look round for somebody decent.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23You'd have to look very hard or go further afield, I suppose.
0:42:23 > 0:42:28You've got to try and get recommendations and look at their job,
0:42:28 > 0:42:32- speak to people that have had a finished, completed job.- Yeah.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36'Wise words, Donald. Wise words.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40'Right, it's time for me to say my fond farewells.'
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Best of luck. Well, keep on buying.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48We'll maybe come back in five years and see if we can sort you out some more builders.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51LAUGHTER
0:42:51 > 0:42:54'It's great seeing Donald and William so happy.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59'Hopefully, when he builds his next extension, he'll know who to call.'
0:42:59 > 0:43:04You know, it's so gratifying seeing Donald thoroughly enjoying his hobby,
0:43:04 > 0:43:11although if he carries on collecting those trucks at his current rate, he'll run out of space again soon,
0:43:11 > 0:43:17but it's been wonderful to come to Telford and meet a thoroughly charming couple of brothers.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Long may they keep on trucking!
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd