0:00:08 > 0:00:10We're on a mission to rescue homeowners across the UK
0:00:10 > 0:00:14from the misery left behind by cowboy builders.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I was brought up to trust people and you can't anymore.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21He took me for everything I'd got.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24With their shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains who not only
0:00:27 > 0:00:30destroy dreams, they wreck lives too.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31It's been very stressful
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and that has taken a toll on my health as well.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36When you see this shoddy approach to finishing, then you think,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38what else haven't they done?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40And when you look around the rest of the job, everything,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42they haven't done everything right.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45We've got the Good Guys in our party to help turn these botched builds
0:00:45 > 0:00:47into ideal homes.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55- Oh, my goodness. What a beautiful job.- What a difference.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00- How different does your garden feel now?- 110%.- Does it?- Yeah.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03It's just opened everything up now. It just looks so much better.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06You know, even the smartest people forget basic common sense
0:01:06 > 0:01:10when they have the builders in, which is why the next 45 minutes
0:01:10 > 0:01:13is the cautionary tale that can help keep you out of the Cowboy Trap.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Today's Cowboy Trap is a stern lesson in trust,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30or rather how when it comes to building work, trust no-one.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Both our stories are proof that if you take your builder at face
0:01:33 > 0:01:37value and let them get on with it, you'll live to regret it later.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39He started to get very nasty.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41I said, "You know, I'm beginning to wish
0:01:41 > 0:01:44"I'd never even had this job done."
0:01:44 > 0:01:47He said, "I wished I'd never set eyes on you."
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Cowboy builders prey on vulnerable people.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56And that is how they get away with doing the shoddy work that they do.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Later, we tell the story of a homeowner who paid a friend's son
0:02:00 > 0:02:03to build her patio with distressing consequences.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06But first, a Cowboy Trap saga featuring a house in Romford,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08a large town in Greater London.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Romford is famous for its market, the 1980s band, Five Star,
0:02:12 > 0:02:14and its thriving nightlife.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17But there can be little doubt that its main claim to fame
0:02:17 > 0:02:19has a grittier feel... greyhound racing.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23The greyhound stadium here is the last remaining
0:02:23 > 0:02:25dog track in East London but even today,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28there are still six race meetings here every week.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Now believe it or not, back in the 1930s,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33they tried racing cheetahs here.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36They shipped the animals in especially from Kenya,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40but for some reason, cheetah racing never really took off.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41I suppose it went to the dogs,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45a bit like today's building project which ended up a right dog's dinner.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The unlucky victims live in this end terrace.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53It's home to Margaret Sutton, her daughter, Tracy, their puppy,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Millie, and believe it or not, a host of chickens.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Tracy is Margaret's carer and they've always been close.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Tracy's support has been especially important over the past year
0:03:03 > 0:03:06because Margaret has had to cope with the loss of her much
0:03:06 > 0:03:08loved husband, Charlie.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Charlie was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2007
0:03:11 > 0:03:16and he finally passed away on New Year's Eve 2012.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21We did everything together. We were a very devoted couple.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23We did everything together.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27We made decisions together as it should be.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31My dad was the best dad in the world. Sorry.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35He would spend hours playing finger mouse with me as a child.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40That's my first memory of my dad. He taught me to play cards and win.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Until you lose somebody,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47you don't realise how much your family mean to you.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Six years ago, when Charlie was still in good health,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56he and Margaret decided to invest some money on the house.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59They needed a drive for Tracy's car and that's not all.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Charlie had long dreamt of having a decent garage.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05The one they had was so small, it was completely unusable,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08as more than one smashed wing mirror vouched for.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11So, when Charlie's brother left them some money in his will,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:04:13 > 0:04:15to make that dream come true.
0:04:15 > 0:04:21We've never had a lot of money, we never have been financially well off.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22We've struggled.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24When he did get a little bit of money,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26it was left to him by his brother.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30We then wanted to do something else to improve the house.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The Suttons set about finding a suitable builder.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Margaret's sister had hired someone to do some work and she was
0:04:36 > 0:04:40happy with it, so that builder was their first port of call.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44He came and gave us a quote because we went round
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and looked at his work and were quite impressed with it.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52The builder quoted £13,525.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56That was to pay for the front drive, replace the side fence
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and dismantle the old garage, building a new one in its place.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02The Suttons didn't get any other references.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06There was no written contract and no schedule of works.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09The builder just said the job would take as long as it takes.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10Oh, dear.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Take my advice, before giving your builder the green light,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18always draw up a detailed contract.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It should include a payment schedule and state you'll only pay
0:05:21 > 0:05:24if you're happy with the work at each stage.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And it has to have a fixed completion date
0:05:27 > 0:05:29with a lump sum paid at that point
0:05:29 > 0:05:32if the work's been finished to your 100% satisfaction.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Margaret and Charlie's builder and his team started work in December 2007.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42They seemed a really friendly bunch
0:05:42 > 0:05:46and the whole family were excited about Charlie's dream coming true.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50But sadly, that excitement was short-lived.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Soon after the build started, the Suttons were dealt a terrible blow.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Charlie was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and as his condition began to worsen,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00the build had to take second place.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02The Suttons felt they had such a good relationship
0:06:02 > 0:06:05with the builders, they could trust them and leave them to it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07How wrong they were.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10The Suttons' garage and drive were finished in February 2008
0:06:10 > 0:06:14and on the surface, it looked like all had gone well.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17But first impressions can be deceptive.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21We were pleased because they did the path, the front drive
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and all looked really nice and it looked like they'd done a good job.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29However, it didn't take long for problems to emerge.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34The first problem we had was the front drive started sinking
0:06:34 > 0:06:36under one of the cars.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41We phoned him up to ask him to come back and he didn't come back.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43He said he was going to come and he didn't.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45And that wasn't all.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Margaret noticed mould growing on the ceiling
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and there was notable frost on the walls too.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Charlie's health was deteriorating fast
0:06:52 > 0:06:56so there was no way he could use the garage in that state.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57Margaret phoned the builder.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01"Don't worry," he said, "I'll get the boys and we'll come down and jet-wash it."
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I said, "Jet-washing's not going to do any good." He went, "No, it will."
0:07:05 > 0:07:08No, it didn't.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13Then in March 2008, the garage roof started to leak like a sieve.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The Suttons tried to get the builder to come and have a look, but to no avail.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Every time we rung, we got a different excuse.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24He was in hospital, that he'd be round the next day,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26and he'd never turn up.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28But this cowboy builder's no-shows
0:07:28 > 0:07:32were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to his bad manners.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35With Charlie so poorly, it was down to Margaret to track him down,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and when she did, she got short shrift.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Phoned him several times,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43it got to the end that he was putting the phone down on me.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Margaret and Tracy did their best
0:07:45 > 0:07:47to protect Charlie from all the bad news
0:07:47 > 0:07:50because his health was deteriorating so rapidly.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Tragically, he'd never get to enjoy his dream garage,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56because within weeks, he had to move into a nursing home.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00As if the family didn't have enough to contend with,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Margaret had to find and pay someone else to fix the drive.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Then she asked the builder to check out the garage roof.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11When he inspected the roofing felt, he couldn't believe his eyes.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16He picked it up and he said, "This is like tissue paper, this isn't right."
0:08:16 > 0:08:21And then he got under where he'd put battens around the roof,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25and he said, "I'm going to take a piece of that off because I need to look underneath it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27When he took the batten off, he lifted it up and said,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29"There's only one layer of felt on here.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33He said, "He's only put one layer of green mineral felt under here
0:08:33 > 0:08:36"and that's why you're getting all the problems. That's not right."
0:08:38 > 0:08:40There should've been six layers of felt
0:08:40 > 0:08:45and the roof supports weren't strong enough either. And that's not all.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48One morning, Tracy spotted a massive crack in the garage wall.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52I could see sunlight streaming through the crack
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and I came in, in tears to Mum, whispering to her
0:08:56 > 0:09:00that we had problems with a big crack in the garage.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05For Margaret, it was the final straw.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10I was brought up to trust people and you can't any more.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15And he did, he took me for everything I'd got.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20The Suttons were at their lowest ebb,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and then, the moment they'd been dreading.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Charlie passed away in winter 2012.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28In the months that followed,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Margaret and Tracey decided to find a different use for the garage.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Even with all the problems,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36they thought it could function as a hatchery for their chickens.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41But it soon became apparent the chickens would need to be strong swimmers.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45I went in the garage one morning and found, like, the Nile.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50I had to bail it out and sweep it through
0:09:50 > 0:09:54to the front of the garage to get the water to go out.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55When I saw it, I couldn't believe it.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58She said, "But, Mum, I've swept that out
0:09:58 > 0:10:00"and it's coming in as fast as I sweep it out."
0:10:02 > 0:10:05The water was gushing in through the cracks in the walls
0:10:05 > 0:10:09within feet of electrical sockets. That's life-threatening!
0:10:09 > 0:10:13This was the moment when the penny finally dropped for Margaret and Tracy.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16The builders they'd trusted to do a good job for them
0:10:16 > 0:10:20when they had so much on a plate were callous cowboys on the take.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23Here's a tip.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26If you can't be present when your build is happening,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29ask a friend or relative to keep an eye on it for you.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Get them to take photos of the work in progress,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34and give you regular updates.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38If things do start going wrong, ask them to alert you straightaway.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40And if it all possible,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44try to avoid undertaking building work at times of family strife.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46It's bound to affect your decision-making ability.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53And the poor Sutton family couldn't have been in a more stressful situation,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55with Charlie's health failing in front of them
0:10:55 > 0:10:59and their building project falling apart at the same time.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03All cowboy builders prey on vulnerable people.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08And that's how they get away with doing the shoddy work that they do.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11It was Charlie's money.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13And I've wasted it.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15What a desperately sad story.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18And, you know, bodged building work is bad enough,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21but you can't help feeling these builders cold-heartedly
0:11:21 > 0:11:23took advantage of Charlie's illness by cutting corners
0:11:23 > 0:11:26when the Suttons' eyes were off the ball.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31But exactly how many corners did these guys cut?
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Cowboys have a habit of hiding their bodges beneath the surface.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38So, we asked independent building surveyor Simon Levy to investigate.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Simon's been through it with a fine-tooth comb
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and is about to fill me in on what he found.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47First item on the agenda, the frankly awful floor.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52This looks like where Stig of the Dump would live.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55One of the major problems with this garage construction
0:11:55 > 0:11:58is that the floor to the garage has been set at the incorrect level.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01As a result of that, water from the outside
0:12:01 > 0:12:04has got over the threshold of the pedestrian door
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and come straight in with mud and...everything else.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09When you say, "everything else"...
0:12:09 > 0:12:12- Chicken? Right.- Yeah.- Not eggs.- No.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Something else they lay.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Lovely(!)
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Fancy laying the garage floor at the same level as the ground outside!
0:12:20 > 0:12:24It should be higher to prevent the interior from ending up like this.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And these photos taken by Tracy and Margaret
0:12:27 > 0:12:30capture how their garage has become a indoor swimming pool
0:12:30 > 0:12:33because of all the water getting in.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36I know it's just a garage, but this is a garage that's failing.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42Yes, it is. It's completely unusable as a garage, even as a storage space.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- Is not wind and water tight.- It's disgusting, to be honest with you.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49And that's putting it mildly!
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Everywhere you look, it's bodge, bodge, bodge.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56When is an airbrick not an airbrick?
0:12:56 > 0:12:58When it's heavily deformed like that.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01That is... They've either put it in wrong and broken it,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04or it's got some load that's misshaped it.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08- That looks like a lorry has driven over it.- Doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I've heard of cowboy builders' materials falling off the back of a lorry,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15but being driven over by a lorry, that's a new one!
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Crikey, look at the base of the garage!
0:13:18 > 0:13:21If the walls of Jericho had a base like this, a toot of a trumpet
0:13:21 > 0:13:25would've been quite sufficient to bring it all down.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29That's footing brickwork that's so poorly jointed and put together.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31The space in between the bricks, so irregular
0:13:31 > 0:13:35and the mortar pointing is non-existent between the vertical joints.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38They've just been placed there, by the looks of it.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40That's unbelievable really, if you look at this.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- It looks like it's been thrown together.- Yes, that's right.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46It's very poor quality construction.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Not kidding. And check out this damp proof membrane.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It looks like some of the render has bridged the gap.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54That's going to cause damp penetration inside
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and this roof doesn't look too healthy either.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59That's the edge of the roof that's peeling away.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02The felt roof is peeling away and it's only going to get worse.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05The wind will get underneath it and tear the felt.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08There are so many ways for water to get inside this garage,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I'm surprised Simon didn't need a snorkel when he inspected it!
0:14:11 > 0:14:14There are two cracks inside the building, one on the end wall
0:14:14 > 0:14:16and one on the side wall of the garage.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20It's caused by the presence of too strong a mortar in between the joints,
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and as a consequence, the concrete blockwork has fractured.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27You're supposed to use a soft mortar
0:14:27 > 0:14:30to allow for the natural shrinking of the concrete blockwork.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32The cowboys clearly didn't know how to mix the mortar.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35That's page one stuff! Well, I think I know what he's going to say,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37but it's make-your-mind-up time for Simon.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41How would you mark this out of ten?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's a one or two really.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- One or two? That low? - It's appallingly poor.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49One or two out of ten?
0:14:49 > 0:14:54I can see why Simon is unimpressed. Check out the evidence.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58The garage is precariously propped up on bricks, there is
0:14:58 > 0:15:02extreme water ingress, cracks in the walls, badly fitted damp
0:15:02 > 0:15:08proofing, a suspect roof, a rubbish render and buckled air bricks.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13In short, if there was any hope for Tracy's chickens,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15it was time to hatch a plan.
0:15:15 > 0:15:16Enter our Good Guys.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Here's head honcho, Gary Fenn, leading his posse into the fray.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23So much needs doing,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27the Suttons are chipping in to make their garage fit for purpose.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30First job, a good clean out, so a proper membrane
0:15:30 > 0:15:31and floor slab can be laid.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Then it is time for some serious hammering and chiselling
0:15:37 > 0:15:41so those interior walls can be sorted once and for all.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43And when those tools can't get to the root of the problem,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45the big boys' toys come out.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Outside, it is time to get busy on the external wall, too.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Those cracks need sealing pronto.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Gary and his team have clearly made a great start,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01but will their efforts give Margaret
0:16:01 > 0:16:05and Tracy the dry-as-a-bone garage they so desperately want?
0:16:05 > 0:16:06Only time will tell.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14I'm in Romford, where a cowboy builder left Margaret
0:16:14 > 0:16:17and Tracy Sutton with a soggy excuse for a garage.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Well, our Good Guys have now finished their work, so let's see
0:16:20 > 0:16:23how the girls are getting on.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27I do hope Margaret and Tracy's garage woes have been rectified.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30If not, their chickens are going to need webbed feet.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- Good morning, ladies.- Good morning, Jonnie.- Are you Tracy?
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I am, yes, nice to meet you.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- And your sister, Margaret(!) - I'm Margaret, nice to meet you.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Lovely to meet you both. Lead the way, ladies, thank you very much.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43While Margaret and Tracy put the kettle on,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47I can't resist taking a look at the Good Guys' handiwork.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Right, the first thing you notice, well, it's still pretty mucky
0:16:51 > 0:16:55outside, that's a job for another time, but you step out of that
0:16:55 > 0:16:58muck up into the garage, which is the right thing to do.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The muck from outside isn't pouring in here,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04do you remember before, it was all, well, it was almost slurry,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07wasn't it, all pooling into the garage itself?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09'And that was revolting.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12'When you compare what it looked like as a result of the cowboy's
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'bodge to how it looks now, I know which I prefer.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18'Our Good Guys clearly know what they are doing,
0:17:18 > 0:17:23'and they take pride in their work. A crucial combination.'
0:17:23 > 0:17:25They have put a concrete floor down.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Now, what they have to do, is essentially,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30order a load of concrete in, and then two guys will get a long
0:17:30 > 0:17:34bit of timber with levelling along the side, and just tamp it down.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38It's no small job but it is a job that any builder can do
0:17:38 > 0:17:41if they're committed to doing a proper job.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43As well as the raised floor,
0:17:43 > 0:17:44the Good Guys have fixed another
0:17:44 > 0:17:46source of the moisture ingress issues.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Remember the cracks? Well, the cracks are no more.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55And, actually, you know what? You could skim that.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57That's a good plastering job.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00'Well, I wouldn't expect anything less.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04'This place has gone from soggy as a swamp, to dry as a desert
0:18:04 > 0:18:06'in one fell Good Guy swoop.'
0:18:07 > 0:18:12Absolutely bone dry, so, the electrics will be safe, thankfully.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15And it becomes more than just a garage then,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17this is another storage facility - who knows what it could be
0:18:17 > 0:18:19used for now, which is great.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23But, to get access to it, obviously,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25you've got to get through these doors.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30There's a researcher.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32'And what a lovely researcher she is, too.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'Well, our fellows have played a blinder.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'The ramp outside the garage is spot-on.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41'The man responsible, Good Guy Gary,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'couldn't believe the disaster zone the cowboys had left behind.'
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Everything about it is wrong, basically.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51It's got one coat render,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54it was built on a shallow strip foundation which caused
0:18:54 > 0:18:58the cracking, and then he cast a slab within the blockwork,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02so, logistically, it was done for speed, basically.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04So they put the blockwork down and then
0:19:04 > 0:19:07they put a slab in the blockwork? That's the wrong way round, surely?
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Well, this type of construction warrants a raft foundation, so,
0:19:11 > 0:19:17it means a foundation is tied in and poured in one into a reinforced slab.
0:19:17 > 0:19:23So, the fundamentals were ignored, or they weren't even known,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25but they just started knocking it out, by the sounds of it.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Absolutely.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Yes, with these guys, it was all about doing
0:19:29 > 0:19:32the job as quickly as possible - as cheaply as possible.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Talk about betraying Margaret and Tracy's trust.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38But our knights in shining armour came to the rescue
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and sorted things properly.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Although their shining armour soon became nothing of the sort.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48So, when you first came to this job, and you opened the door...
0:19:49 > 0:19:53I bet you nearly ran back into your van, didn't you?
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It was a mess.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56It was a complete mess.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01There was mud, smells, all sorts of things going on in there.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05I bet the missus hosed you down when you got home from work, didn't she?
0:20:05 > 0:20:08I mean, it wasn't great, was it?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10I had to get my van cleaned twice.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11I bet you did, yes.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15But, I mean, all the stuff, let's call it stuff, shall we,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18it was all coming from outside in, because the floor was at
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- the wrong level, there was no threshold, was there?- No.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25Not putting a threshold in is either incompetence or calculated
0:20:25 > 0:20:27corner-cutting to save cash.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I reckon it is the latter,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and he endangered Margaret and Tracy's lives in the process.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37It looked to me like somebody has been taken advantage of, and
0:20:37 > 0:20:40whilst we're talking about a garage that was failing, you know,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43you've got leaks in the roof, moisture
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and goodness knows what on the floor, and in between the electrics!
0:20:49 > 0:20:52And it might not have just been the chickens that got electrocuted.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54But now, thanks to Gary and his Good Guys,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57this garage is as safe as houses.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Right, time for a heart-to-heart with Margaret
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and Tracy about their cowboy builder.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05I wanted to find out his side of the story and put it to them,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08but he has proved rather elusive.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Now, we always give the cowboy builders their right to reply,
0:21:12 > 0:21:16to offer their side of the story or their version of events, if you like.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21But, in your case, he has ignored all of our attempts to contact him.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25- He would do.- You're not surprised by that at all?- No.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27He always told me, "Don't worry
0:21:27 > 0:21:31"if anything goes wrong I will be there for you." Where is he now?
0:21:31 > 0:21:36He may well be watching this. What would your message to him be?
0:21:36 > 0:21:38How dare he rip off my parents?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I hate him, I really hate him.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44For what he's done to me.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46And until we'd got this solved,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52we didn't think there was any end to the end of it.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55It's no surprise that Margaret and Tracy were at rock bottom.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57They felt betrayed
0:21:57 > 0:22:00when they were at their lowest ebb, coping with Charlie's illness.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05We trusted him, and we shouldn't, and I've learned that, because if anybody
0:22:05 > 0:22:09comes in here now, I'm behind them on my crutches, I don't trust them.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13And that is the long-term effect cowboys often have on their victims.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18But the most overriding emotion for Margaret is guilt.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20She feels she let Charlie down.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24I had got the builder, I had done the paying,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28and I felt it was my fault because I had spent his money.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- And to this day I still think I spent his money.- It wasn't your fault.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35I know it wasn't, but that's how it makes you feel.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39You know what, you can tell it wasn't your fault
0:22:39 > 0:22:43because you have seen how good builders act.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Yes, I have now, I have now.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I'm glad the Good Guys have got involved,
0:22:49 > 0:22:53just to prove to you that there was one rogue individual that
0:22:53 > 0:22:57ripped you off, and it was nobody else's fault but his.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- Callous acts of a man that doesn't care.- Yes.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03And from our Good Guys I wouldn't expect anything less.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Right, time for the bit I have been waiting for.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09The grand tour with Tracy and Margaret.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11First stop, the new ramp. Have you seen this yet?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14No, this is beautiful.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- Oh, my goodness.- Brilliant.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21That is absolutely beautiful. I can't believe that.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26I mean, it's a proper ramp, it's not like it was, it was awful.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Well, the ramp gets a big tick.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Let's hope the garage gets the thumbs up, too.
0:23:32 > 0:23:38- Oh, my goodness. What a beautiful job!- What a difference.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40No cracks in the wall any more.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45But, most importantly, this isn't an ice skating rink any more.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- Beautiful.- Come on in, mind your head.- Yes, I'm all right.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53With Margaret so unsteady on her pins, the idea of her walking on
0:23:53 > 0:23:57this slippery floor doesn't bear thinking about, does it?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Now, though, a much different story.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- Brilliant job.- It is a good job, isn't it?- Brilliant job.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06What do you think Charlie would say when he saw this proper job now?
0:24:06 > 0:24:10- Oh, he'd be pleased.- Would he? - Yeah.- Yes, I bet he would.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Now the Good Guys have weaved their magic,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Margaret and Tracy think their garage could be
0:24:15 > 0:24:16more than just a hatchery.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20It's going to be a toolshed for the tools, the mower.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Somebody's coming at the weekend to put my shelves up
0:24:23 > 0:24:26and put some stuff back in that got taken out.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- Right, OK. - Then it'll be all straight.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Ladies, I'm so happy that you're happy.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34So am I. Thank you so much.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36The next time I'm driving past, I'll remember to collect my eggs.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- OK.- All right?- Call in.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40- Lovely to meet you both. - BOTH: And you too.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43- Take care.- Thank you so much. - All the best. Bye-bye.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44- Bye.- Bye-bye.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47The chickens are happy too.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Their chicks will be hatched in a nice warm garage
0:24:50 > 0:24:52before you can say boo to a goose.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57'Time for me to bid the chickens, Margaret and Tracy a fond farewell.'
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Well, it just goes to show, doesn't it?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Even simple jobs done badly by cowboys, in particular,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06can have a huge impact on people's lives.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Emotions here are still very much raw.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11But thanks to our Good Guy builders
0:25:11 > 0:25:14and after the splendid job they've done,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Margaret and Tracy can start planning for the future
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and start thinking about doing something more positive
0:25:19 > 0:25:21with that garage of theirs.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Margaret and Tracy found out the hard way
0:25:24 > 0:25:27not to put their trust in a builder they barely knew.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Our next cowboy victim had better reason to trust her builder,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33but still lived to regret it.
0:25:33 > 0:25:34And it's also a salutary tale
0:25:34 > 0:25:37that cowboys don't always go for big-money jobs -
0:25:37 > 0:25:39they can strike on smaller projects too,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41with equally upsetting results.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47We are in Cheadle Hulme near Manchester, a town with a history.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It got a mention in the Domesday Book in 1086,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52and there is evidence of settlement in the area
0:25:52 > 0:25:54going back to the Bronze Age.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Wonder if they had cowboy builders back then?
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Perhaps it's the second oldest profession.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Behind me is Stockport viaduct,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04just a few minutes' drive from Cheadle Hulme.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07At the time of its construction back in 1840,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10it was the largest of its kind in the world.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13What an impressive feat of engineering it is.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Unlike the focus on today's Cowboy Trap,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18a tiny project that for one particular cowboy builder
0:26:18 > 0:26:21proved...well, a bridge too far.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26His unlucky victim lives in this 42-year-old semi.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28It is home to Sue Harney,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31a sales consultant for an insurance company.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Sue, who is divorced, has one grown-up son
0:26:34 > 0:26:36and two young grandchildren.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The main loves in Sue's life are golf,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42and - surprise, surprise - her grandkids.
0:26:42 > 0:26:43They're too young to swing a club,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46so Sue has to find a different way to spend time with them.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49They do enjoy coming here.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52They like to play in the garden, because they haven't got one at home.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53They like to play football.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56They like to do a little bit of gardening themselves.
0:26:56 > 0:26:57It's really, really good fun.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Sue bought her semi-detached house some 25 years ago,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03and she still loves it as much as she did
0:27:03 > 0:27:06when she first clapped her eyes on it. Back then,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09it represented a fresh start after the breakdown of her marriage.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12There were good schools nearby for her young son Lewis,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14and it was nice and close to the countryside,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17but the thing Sue loved most about the house was its garden.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22And she's spent much of her downtime in it ever since.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Recently, Sue decided to improve her garden
0:27:24 > 0:27:28by adding a patio with a raised flowerbed in the middle.
0:27:28 > 0:27:34What I really wanted out there was a nice, clean, bright patio area
0:27:34 > 0:27:37for a safe playing environment for the children.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40But also an area to just sit and relax.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43One of Sue's friends had a son who was a builder,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and he said he could do her patio.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49He quoted £520 for the job, and said it would take three days.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54To me, it seemed natural to give a friend's son the work
0:27:54 > 0:27:56than just get somebody in that I didn't know,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00so it is probably the only occasion I haven't gone and got
0:28:00 > 0:28:03any other quotes, because I trusted him as a friend.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07That would prove to be a big mistake.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Take my advice.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31And it didn't take long for Sue to have worries
0:28:31 > 0:28:35about her builder's quote. It didn't include VAT,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37so his tax arrangements were clearly suspect -
0:28:37 > 0:28:40a classic sign of a cowboy.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44And another thing - Sue expected to pay after the job was done,
0:28:44 > 0:28:45but guess what?
0:28:45 > 0:28:47On day one, a lorry driver turned up with the patio slabs
0:28:47 > 0:28:50and Sue got something of a shock.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54The builder asked me to pay the driver,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57which I was very confused about, because my contract,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59if you will, was with the builder,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03and expected to pay for everything after the work was completed.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06However, I was presented with a fait accompli,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08cos I had to pay for it there and then.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11The driver wouldn't leave until I had paid.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Not a great start, and things didn't get any better.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19The builder started using the ornate flagstones
0:29:19 > 0:29:21to build the walls of the raised flowerbed.
0:29:21 > 0:29:27I found him cutting up my beautiful flags of sawn Indian sandstone
0:29:27 > 0:29:30to try and reconstruct the wall
0:29:30 > 0:29:33that I assumed was going to be built out of proper walling blocks,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35and it was just horrendous.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39It wasn't only using expensive flagstones to build a wall
0:29:39 > 0:29:43that was an issue - the patio was littered with trip hazards,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45because the flags hadn't been laid properly.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48All Sue could do was hope her dream patio area would be OK
0:29:48 > 0:29:50for her and her grandkids in the end.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54And that end came round a bit quicker than she had expected -
0:29:54 > 0:29:56two days into the build, in fact.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00He said he'd finished, although it didn't look finished to me.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02The whole area was covered with mortar.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04He told me that was quite normal,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and that it would swill off in a couple of days,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08and I was under strict instructions not to touch it at all,
0:30:08 > 0:30:11because there had been problems with it drying.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14So, Sue followed orders, waited two days
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and then set about cleaning the mortar off her precious flagstones.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20I got my hosepipe out,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23soon to realise that it was actually all dried rock hard,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27so the whole surface of the flagged area was just covered in mortar,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29at which point my heart sank.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32I had to go to work, and when I came back,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35I spent two hours cleaning just one flag
0:30:35 > 0:30:36to try and get this stuff off.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39And when she finally did,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42the flagstone underneath was in a dreadful state,
0:30:42 > 0:30:44and so were most of the others.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Sue asked the builder to replace the damaged flags,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49but he told he couldn't find the same type anywhere.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53That was a blatant lie, as far as I was concerned,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56because I'd checked with the supplier that they had them in stock,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59and then he started to get very nasty.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01I said, "Do you know, I'm beginning to wish
0:31:01 > 0:31:03"I'd never even had this job done,"
0:31:03 > 0:31:06and he said, "Well, I wish I'd never set eyes on you."
0:31:08 > 0:31:11And it wasn't just his workmanship that concerned Sue.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15So did his suspect bill and the mysterious missing VAT.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19By now, it was only too apparent that Sue was dealing with
0:31:19 > 0:31:22a bodge artist at best, and one whose tax arrangements were -
0:31:22 > 0:31:25how should I put this? Unconventional.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27The worst thing is she had had misgivings from the off,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30but had ignored them because of who this guy was.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33As our result of this cowboy being her friend's son,
0:31:33 > 0:31:37it's not just Sue's relationship with him that's turned sour.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38She's lost her friend too.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41It seems to have created a massive void
0:31:41 > 0:31:45in a long-standing friendship, and that shouldn't be the case.
0:31:45 > 0:31:46That should not have happened.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50It's been very stressful. It's taken a lot of my time and energy.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52I've not been able to relax very much
0:31:52 > 0:31:56and that has taken a toll on my health as well.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Not only that, this bodged patio has affected
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Sue's quality time with her grandchildren too.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05It is so hazardous, she won't allow the kids anywhere near it.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09There's sharp edges, it's not even,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12and they want to go outside and I'm not able to let them
0:32:12 > 0:32:15go and play in this area that was really for them.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18I really feel for Sue, but this is a firm lesson
0:32:18 > 0:32:21about the dangers of involving friends or family
0:32:21 > 0:32:24in what should be a purely business arrangement.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26At the very least, she should have seen concrete evidence
0:32:26 > 0:32:29of this guy's previous work and then perhaps she would have chosen
0:32:29 > 0:32:32to leave things to the professionals.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Exactly how bad is this amateurish effort?
0:32:36 > 0:32:39To find out, we asked independent building surveyor Euan Elliott
0:32:39 > 0:32:42to inspect the work. He has given it a thorough going-over
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and is about to fill me in on what he found.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49First item on the agenda - those problems underfoot.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53You step out onto the patio, it's got to be safe,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57and this flag you're stepping out onto is uneven.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59It's a mess. It's already breaking up,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02and you don't feel confident stepping out the door.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04It looks like whoever's done this has had another go at this,
0:33:04 > 0:33:08cos look - you've got quite a light-looking mortar,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10or whatever he's using here, and there's a lot more cement
0:33:10 > 0:33:13in this, so this is a completely different mix.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15He's tried to basically bodge over a hash job.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18He's tried to level it out without taking the flag up
0:33:18 > 0:33:20to get it properly level.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23'And that really is a schoolboy error.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25'Right, on to the raised planter.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27'Guess what? Euan ain't happy.'
0:33:28 > 0:33:32The coping flags on that have been hand cut,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34and unfortunately, he didn't use a straight edge,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- so the cuts waver. - Looking along the side here,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41you get to see the inconsistency of cuts.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45You'd hope that anybody taking on this job has got the right tools.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48- Yes.- No one has even bothered
0:33:48 > 0:33:50to run a trowel across the edge of that.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52That just looks dreadful.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55All that's happened there is he's put a layer of mortar on
0:33:55 > 0:33:59and just squeezed the coping flags on the top,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02and the mortar's exuded and he's walked away.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05This is when you start to say, "It hasn't been done right."
0:34:05 > 0:34:09This is now slapdash and literally slap and dash off!
0:34:11 > 0:34:13And here is another reason why he dashed off. In these photos,
0:34:13 > 0:34:18there's clearly an issue with damp patches caused by his shoddy work.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21The slabs have been laid in a way that water falls towards Sue's house
0:34:21 > 0:34:25and her neighbour's, inevitably leading to damp problems for both.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Water's going to pond, it is going to cause damage
0:34:28 > 0:34:30to the brickwork adjacent to there.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33There is also a risk of breaching the damp proof course.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36All it needs is a decent amount of frost on that,
0:34:36 > 0:34:38the face of the brickwork is going to come off
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and you're going to be forced to cut out the bricks
0:34:41 > 0:34:42and replace them eventually.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46So this small job is now making problems for the future elsewhere?
0:34:46 > 0:34:47Oh, yes, yes.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51And I suspect Sue's neighbour wouldn't be happy about that.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54There could be heated conversations over the garden fence
0:34:54 > 0:34:56in years to come. It's not a big patio,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59but this guy somehow managed to squeeze in bodge after bodge.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03When you see this shoddy approach to finishing,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05you think, "What else haven't they done?"
0:35:05 > 0:35:07And when you look around the rest of the job, everything,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09they haven't done everything right.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11You expect when you're paying for something,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13you're going to get at least half a decent job,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15and this isn't half a decent job.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19OK then. You've been here and had a good look around.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21What would you give this job out of 10?
0:35:21 > 0:35:25It only gets 3/10. That's only for providing the flags!
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- JONNIE LAUGHS - Yes, the slabs are worth 3/10.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- And nothing else.- Nothing else.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34'3/10, and I'm not surprised Euan's unimpressed.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36'Check out the evidence.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39'Slabs not laid level, a poor perimeter,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41'neither patio nor flowerbed square.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44'The coping to the walls isn't correctly laid,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46'and serious damp problems are emerging,
0:35:46 > 0:35:50'with significant implications for Sue and her neighbours' homes.'
0:35:51 > 0:35:53So far, so bad.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56But you know the plot - time to bring in the Good Guys.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03Head honcho Paul Hilton strides into action.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06First things first - it's time to rip it up and start again.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09I reckon there's a song in there somewhere.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12They're going to save the flags they can,
0:36:12 > 0:36:14but some are beyond salvation.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18They go at it hammer and bolster.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Then it is out with a spade to demolish that flawed flowerbed.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Quality flags for the walls?
0:36:25 > 0:36:27What was the cowboy thinking?
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Hilton's heroes have made a solid start.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35But can they get Sue's patio project back on track?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Only time will tell.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44I'm in Cheadle Hulme in Greater Manchester,
0:36:44 > 0:36:47where 56-year-old Sue Harney's plans of having a patio
0:36:47 > 0:36:49where her grandchildren could play were kiboshed
0:36:49 > 0:36:53when she was led up the garden path by a cowboy builder.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Well, our Good Guys have now finished their work,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58so hopefully everything is coming up roses.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Let's go and find out.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06Fingers crossed, Sue now has the perfect patio she wanted all along.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09- Hi, Sue.- Hi, Jonnie. How are you? - I'm pretty good. How are you doing?
0:37:09 > 0:37:11- Not bad, thank you. Want to come in? - Yes, please. Thank you.
0:37:13 > 0:37:14While Sue puts the kettle on,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16I can't resist popping round the back
0:37:16 > 0:37:19to take a look at the Good Guys' handiwork.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21Well, I can see why Sue wanted a patio here.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23This time of day, it gets loads of sun.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Now this originally was rocking all over the show.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28There was already a trip hazard there.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30All the mortar had come up, and the drain being there,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32all the water should be going down there,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36all the surface water, but instead, it was ponding around here,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and therefore, all the water would gather there
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and it would become all grimy in the summer
0:37:40 > 0:37:42and slippy in the winter.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43You don't have that any more.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46'No, you jolly well don't.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48'When you consider what they were faced with,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'this is clearly a vast improvement.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56'And there's been a change of design where the patio meets the lawn.'
0:37:56 > 0:37:58This was where the raised beds were.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00They've obviously decided to do something quite different here.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04By the looks of it, our Good Guys have laid some more bricks there.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06These must be a new addition. They look lovely.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09But here's the thing - nice, straight edges.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Machined edges.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Yeah, it looks really, really good.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Sue decided on this design the second time round
0:38:16 > 0:38:18rather than the raised planter,
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and I think her decision was spot on. It looks great.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24'The state of this part of the patio
0:38:24 > 0:38:28'before our Good Guys came to the rescue beggared belief.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30'Now, well, it is finished with aplomb.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33'And they've also added a little bit extra
0:38:33 > 0:38:34'at the back of the garden.'
0:38:34 > 0:38:39It looks like someone has put a bit more of a patio area at the top,
0:38:39 > 0:38:41which, when we look where the sun is, that's probably
0:38:41 > 0:38:43where the sun hits in the evening. It looks great.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Yes, the Good Guys have pulled this patio round.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Head honcho Paul was stunned by what he saw
0:38:50 > 0:38:52on day one of his rescue mission.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Everything about it was wrong, you know? The levels were wrong,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59the lipping on the edge of the flags, you know.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Cement all over it. Just bad edging, bad workmanship.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06It doesn't look like there's any part of the original patio
0:39:06 > 0:39:08that's still there. What did you have to do?
0:39:08 > 0:39:13We took it all up, and it was only laid on just a dry bed of sand,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16so we actually laid them on a bed of sand and cement,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20which makes it a lot more stable with the freeze and thaw cycles.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Paul couldn't believe the cowboy made such a mess
0:39:23 > 0:39:25of the water drainage.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28- The drain was actually higher than the patio.- Was it?!
0:39:28 > 0:39:30So the water couldn't get into it.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34So was just going to be an ice skating rink in the winter?
0:39:34 > 0:39:35It was, yeah.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39'And a serious safety risk for Sue and her grandkids.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42'Time for a chat with Sue about her cowboy builder.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44'I wanted to find out his side of the story,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48'and I can't wait to hear her responses to his version of events.'
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Now, Sue, we always give the cowboy builders a right to reply,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54to offer their side of the story, if you like.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57He says that when he finished the job,
0:39:57 > 0:40:01he asked you if you were happy, and you told him you were.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04- No.- No?- He didn't ask me.
0:40:04 > 0:40:05- Not true?- Not true.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09And he knows I wasn't happy, because I phoned him to tell him.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12He says he's been in the business for 18 years
0:40:12 > 0:40:14and you're the first complaint he's ever had.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17I find that very hard to believe, really,
0:40:17 > 0:40:20looking at the standard of workmanship.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22'I find it hard to believe too.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24'If he's never had a complaint before,
0:40:24 > 0:40:27'his previous customers must have very low expectations.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30'But Sue expected a quality job, and now,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33'thanks to our Good Guys, that's exactly what she's got.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36'But it's such a shame Sue's original choice of builder
0:40:36 > 0:40:39'didn't just cost her money, it also cost her a friendship.'
0:40:39 > 0:40:43What's happened to the relationship with his mother, your friend?
0:40:43 > 0:40:44I've never heard from her.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48She's never given me the opportunity to even put my side of the story,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51so I can only assume that the reason I've not heard from her
0:40:51 > 0:40:54is that she's just going off whatever he's told her.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56- Or she's embarrassed? - She could be embarrassed, yeah.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Have you tried contacting her?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00I tried contacting her straightaway afterwards,
0:41:00 > 0:41:03and had no response, so I've not bothered since.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07'That's the kind of thing that happens when you hire
0:41:07 > 0:41:10'friends and relatives, or relatives of friends
0:41:10 > 0:41:11'to do your building work.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14'In my opinion, avoid at all costs.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16'On to happier matters.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18'Let's hear what Sue thinks to her transformed patio.'
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Tell you what, it's bright out here, isn't it? So what do you think?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- It's good, isn't it? - Absolutely perfect.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30So all in all, how different does your garden feel now?
0:41:30 > 0:41:32110%.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33- Does it?- Yes.
0:41:33 > 0:41:38You basically wanted this built for you for a safe playing area
0:41:38 > 0:41:40- for the grandchildren. It wasn't.- No.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- You'd be happy with them playing out here now?- Oh, definitely.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45- Definitely.- Well, it must be chalk and cheese for you.
0:41:45 > 0:41:51- You step out now onto a paving slab that doesn't rock.- Yes, it's level.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- It's not wet through. - Why no raised bed, then?
0:41:54 > 0:41:55It just didn't work.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59He tried to construct it from the flags, which is not going to work.
0:41:59 > 0:42:00It should've been walling blocks.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02So as this product isn't available in that,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05we've just gone back to the original design,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07but obviously with new flags to match.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10'And it looks great, but perhaps more importantly,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13'Sue can now sleep safe in the knowledge
0:42:13 > 0:42:16'that damp isn't creeping into her home from the patio.'
0:42:16 > 0:42:18- That's where all the moisture was going.- Yes.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20You must have been worried as well,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22because it was starting to ingress into this brickwork.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Exactly, and causing damp problems, which is slippy underfoot.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28'So slippy that in winter time, Torvill and Dean
0:42:28 > 0:42:30'would have struggled to keep their balance on it.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34'But now, it's much safer for Sue and her grandchildren.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36'It's really gratifying to leave her
0:42:36 > 0:42:39'in a better state of mind than the cowboy left her in.'
0:42:39 > 0:42:41This was just depressing me.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44It looked an absolute mess.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46It's just opened everything up now.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48It just looks so much better.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51'And on that happy note, it's time for me to leave Sue
0:42:51 > 0:42:53'to enjoy her new patio.'
0:42:53 > 0:42:56I'm sure Sue thought she was doing the right thing,
0:42:56 > 0:42:58getting a trusted family friend involved
0:42:58 > 0:43:01in what is really a fairly straightforward job.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Trouble is, I think that trust was...
0:43:04 > 0:43:06at best, misplaced.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09But thanks to our Good Guy builders,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11she's now got a patio that really sets the garden off,
0:43:11 > 0:43:14and she can be safe in the knowledge that now her grandchildren
0:43:14 > 0:43:17can come and visit and play there at any time of the year.
0:43:32 > 0:43:33Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd