0:00:07 > 0:00:11We're on a mission to rescue home-owners across the UK
0:00:11 > 0:00:14from the misery left behind by cowboy builders.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16They even drove a wedge between us.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Family kicked off and it started to become a nightmare.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24With their shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains
0:00:26 > 0:00:29who not only destroy dreams, they wreck lives, too.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34- It made us feel ill.- Did it?- Cos we had to live with it and look at it,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38knowing that it could slip into the road and maybe kill somebody.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Here is a shot of the finished job. Doesn't look very finished, does it?
0:00:42 > 0:00:45If I was paying for that, I'd be appalled.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47We've got the good guys in our posse
0:00:47 > 0:00:50to help turn these botched builds into ideal homes.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53We can now actually live in here and be happy,
0:00:53 > 0:00:58not frightened of what the neighbours are saying or people pointing their fingers.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03Even the smartest people forget basic common sense when they get the builders in.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Which is why the next 45 minutes is the cautionary tale
0:01:06 > 0:01:09that could help keep you out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21'On today's Cowboy Trap, this precarious path
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'was supposedly designed for disabled access.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27'It was so cracked, crooked and cack-handed,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'it breached all sorts of regulations.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:33His exact words to me were,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37"If we started using engineers, none of my work would get passed."
0:01:37 > 0:01:42'Three years after we saved her from potentially lethal electrical work,
0:01:42 > 0:01:47'we catch up with a homeowner in Bournemouth to see how she's doing.'
0:01:47 > 0:01:50It just looks amazing! Honestly, it's perfect.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53There's not a thing I can see out of place.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58'Our first Cowboy Trap saga revolves round a home near Whitby,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01'a seaside town in North Yorkshire.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'Whitby's been a fishing port since the Middle Ages.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10'In fact, it's where Captain James Cook learned seamanship.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13'That adventurous fella met a sticky end
0:02:13 > 0:02:18'during a fight with a Hawaiian chief called Kalanimanokahoowaha.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22'Try saying THAT after a pint at one of Whitby's many hostelries.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25'And Cook isn't Whitby's only claim to fame.'
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Bram Stoker stayed in Whitby in the 1890s.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It was here that he found inspiration for his legendary novel,
0:02:33 > 0:02:34Dracula.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Today, you find vampires around every corner and every shop window,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42but I'm on the trail of a blood-sucking parasite of a different kind.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Yes, our old enemy on Cowboy Trap, the cowboy builder.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52'His unlucky victims live in this two-bed semi-detached bungalow.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56'It's home to Richard Harland, his wife Cathy, who's partially blind,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'and their dogs Harley and Toby.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02'Cathy is a muscle energy specialist
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'and Richard makes double glazing window frames.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09'Richard and Cathy met through a mutual friend.'
0:03:09 > 0:03:13We went out a couple of times and we've been together ever since.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16That would be year 2002.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18She were a really nice girl.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23Obviously, she's got problems, but I help her any way that I can.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'Richard and Cathy got married in 2005.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30'Six years later, they sold their four-bedroom house in Whitby
0:03:30 > 0:03:33'because they wanted to move to the countryside.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'Cathy spotted a two-bed bungalow
0:03:36 > 0:03:39'for sale in the nearby village of Sleights.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42'part of the North Yorkshire Moor National Park.'
0:03:42 > 0:03:47I kept looking at this bungalow and the view on the internet.
0:03:47 > 0:03:53Fortunately, when we sold our house, this house was still up for sale.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57'Richard and Cathy's bid was accepted and they moved in,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59'but there was a problem.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03'To get to the front door, Cathy had to climb steep steps from the road.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05'This was tough enough in the summer.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'In the icy Yorkshire winter, it would be nigh on impossible.'
0:04:09 > 0:04:12With Cathy's poor eyesight,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14this house wasn't going to work for her and Richard
0:04:14 > 0:04:17without some sort of disabled access ramp.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Whether it was carrying shopping bags into her home
0:04:20 > 0:04:23or being able to safely take the dogs out for a walk,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28Cathy knew that only by installing a ramp would she have any independence whatsoever.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34'In May 2011, Cathy began to look for someone who could do the work.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37'Her brother recommended a relative who was a builder.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41'When he came to quote, he seemed to know what he was talking about.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44'So Cathy thought he was the right man for the job.'
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Thinking that him being family,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50even though I was paying him for doing the job,
0:04:50 > 0:04:57I thought that I would probably get a better job than going to somebody that I didn't know.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'The builder came up with a quote of £8,500.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'This was for all the materials, labour and the cost of a digger.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08'The Harlands gave him the green light.
0:05:08 > 0:05:14'He insisted on £2,500 being paid up front in cash, and work began.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19'But that 2.5k was just the start of his financial demands.'
0:05:21 > 0:05:26Two weeks in, he asked for another £1,000 for some more materials
0:05:26 > 0:05:32and I think possibly wages for the lad that was helping him.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37'Cathy paid up, but was given no receipt.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40'That's not the only thing. You'd think he might have mentioned
0:05:40 > 0:05:43'the need for structural engineer's drawings,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46'but he didn't.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50'He also didn't suggest they notify the Local Authority about the project.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55'It's not just the fish that smell fishy in this neck of the woods.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00'If you're having works done to the front of your house,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02'you may need planning permission...
0:06:10 > 0:06:14'..but if they don't suggest you do it, that's a surefire sign
0:06:14 > 0:06:16'you've employed a cowboy.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23'Another surefire sign was soon to follow.'
0:06:23 > 0:06:27He brought the digger to do the excavation work,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31and promptly demolished part of next door's wall.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36'Demolishing their neighbour's wall was just the start of it.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40'The tarmac on the ramp was cracked, the flagstones were wobbly
0:06:40 > 0:06:43'and the handrail was horrendous.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46'You'd think the builder, being a relation, albeit a distant one,
0:06:46 > 0:06:51'would mean he'd pull out all the stops to do a good job.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53'Well, you'd be wrong.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:58It always complicates things when family are involved
0:06:58 > 0:07:00in what should be a business arrangement.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Unless you have real evidence of decent work, take my advice and run a mile.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Cathy was obviously unable to inspect the builder's work herself,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12but Richard, who had misgivings from day one,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16felt unable to voice his concerns in case it upset Cathy's relations.
0:07:16 > 0:07:24It is very annoying when you get a builder in to do work, do a job, and he can't do it.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'If wrecking a neighbour's wall wasn't bad enough,
0:07:28 > 0:07:33'this comedic cowboy's next move put the whole street in danger.'
0:07:33 > 0:07:36He did go through a gas pipe
0:07:36 > 0:07:42and the gas people had to be called to stop the gas leak.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46'Just when the Harlands thought it couldn't get any worse, guess what!
0:07:46 > 0:07:48'It did.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51'The builder was finishing up when a National Parks Officer arrived
0:07:51 > 0:07:54'and wasn't impressed with what he saw.'
0:07:54 > 0:07:57He looked at the building work being done.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01He told me that I had to stop him working straight away.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'The ramp the builder was constructing
0:08:04 > 0:08:08'encroached on the public highway - a schoolboy error.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11'You can't do that without special planning consent,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15'and a builder needs street work accreditation to get it.'
0:08:15 > 0:08:18It would be my general opinion
0:08:18 > 0:08:21that if a builder comes to look at a prospective job,
0:08:21 > 0:08:26then he would ask, "Have you got the plans? Have you had permission?"
0:08:26 > 0:08:29That is a professional way of going about your work.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32'Hm! This guy? Professional?
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'Don't think so. Even if it was ultimately Cathy's responsibility,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38'he should have checked she had done it.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41'So, Cathy had to apply for retrospective planning permission.'
0:08:41 > 0:08:46I got some plans drawn up, which cost me £400.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50I then had an engineer's report, a structural engineer's report done,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53which cost me £380.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56'And the final bombshell for Cathy and Richard?
0:08:56 > 0:09:00'The Local Authority said the ramp was fundamentally flawed
0:09:00 > 0:09:04'and needed to be ripped up and started all over again.'
0:09:04 > 0:09:08I rang the builder and told him what National Parks had said
0:09:08 > 0:09:10and what the Highways had said.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12His exact words to me were,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16"If we started using engineers, none of my work would get passed."
0:09:16 > 0:09:21'That would be funny if the situation wasn't so tragic.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24'This guy was clearly a rank amateur.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28'The Harlands asked him for a refund of the £8,500 they'd handed over,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31'but he was having none of it.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34'Cathy and Richard threatened to take him to the Small Claims Court.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'In the end, he came up with just £3,000,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'5,500 less than he'd been paid.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'The dispute has caused a heartbreaking rift between Cathy
0:09:44 > 0:09:48'and her brother, who recommended the builder in the first place.'
0:09:48 > 0:09:53He's the only brother I've got and through no fault of my own,
0:09:53 > 0:09:58I've been penalised through not being able to speak to him.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00What a mess this one is.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03It sounds like an amateur could have done a better job.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Encroaching on a public highway by three feet?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08I mean, this is basic stuff.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I really feel for Cathy - unable to project manage the job herself,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17trying to juggle family loyalties, but ultimately losing everything.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'Heartbreaking stuff.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23'That's why we sent our independent building expert, Karl Tumman,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26'to give the ramp a good once-over.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29'What he doesn't know about ramps isn't worth knowing.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31'Now he's completed his investigation,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35'I'm going to hear his verdict on the builder's efforts.'
0:10:37 > 0:10:41So, Karl, here's a big shot of the finished job.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Doesn't look very finished, does it? - No.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49One of the big issues with it is, aesthetically, it is pretty awful.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52It looks totally unfinished.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55In fact, if I was paying for that, I'd be pretty appalled.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00- It looks like a very, very poor DIY job, doesn't it?- Yeah, it is.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03The way that the flags have been put in place
0:11:03 > 0:11:06to support the structure of the hill,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08it looks as if it's been thrown together.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10'And thrown together in a way
0:11:10 > 0:11:14'that was bound to upset the Highways authority.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:16- There's the road.- Yeah.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21- The pathway encroaches onto the public highway.- It does. Yeah.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24What's the legal requirement here?
0:11:24 > 0:11:29Well, from my perspective, they need planning permission for the ramp.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- Yeah.- I know that they've not obtained planning permission for it.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37The Local Authority can turn up at any moment and say, "Rip this up"?
0:11:37 > 0:11:41They can do, and the biggest issue is it's in the National Park.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The planning requirements are much more stringent.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49'The rules will be more robustly enforced, too.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54'Legal or not, it's questionable whether Cathy should use this ramp anyway.'
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It looks like a death trap.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00When you look at the way that the ramp meets the roadway or driveway,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03it again just looks so unfinished.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07It's uneven and for somebody who is partially sighted,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11it is a bit of a no-no, in terms of getting access up there.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14You could quite easily trip on that ramp.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19'On to the flags. They're supposed to be acting as a retaining wall,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22'stopping the earth behind them falling into the road.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25'There are no weep holes for water to get through,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28'so the earth is going to get saturated,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30'putting irresistible pressure onto the flags.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34'They already look like they could fall at any moment,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36'and that's not the only problem.'
0:12:36 > 0:12:40This tarmac looks like it's been laid like icing over the garden.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42That's right. It's not level.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- The landings aren't level. They undulate.- Yeah.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49And it's starting to slip down the slope into the street.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54At that point, it's seven or eight feet above street level but fairly close to it,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57so you can imagine it being in the street fairly quickly.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03'And the handrail is like something out of a Tarzan movie.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06'The evidence has been examined.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10'It's time for Judge Karl to give his verdict.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:13What would you give the person out of ten who built this?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16At best two, probably one.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- Is that all?- Yeah. It's pretty poor.
0:13:21 > 0:13:27'Pretty poor? No kidding! You've just got to check out the evidence.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31'An encroaching threshold, cracking tarmac,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34'trip hazards galore, a horrible handrail,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'corners too tight for wheelchair access
0:13:38 > 0:13:41'and add to all that the lack of weep holes.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'It's enough to make you cry.'
0:13:44 > 0:13:47In short, on the bodge-o-meter, this one's off the scale.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Time to bring in the good guys.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55'And here they jolly well are - head honcho Richard Attridge
0:13:55 > 0:13:58'arrives at the scene of the construction crime.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'Cathy's desperately hoping Richard and his team can sort the ramp,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'which would enable her disabled friends to visit again,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08'reviving her once-busy social life.'
0:14:09 > 0:14:14Friends who have problems would visit.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Also, I have friends who do have MS,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21who obviously can't get up the steps, they would visit.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25'No hanging about. With relevant planning permissions now sorted,
0:14:25 > 0:14:30'Richard gets the road closed so the Attridge army can swing into action.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34'So much needs doing, the Harlands are chipping in.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38'Yep, it's all systems go!
0:14:38 > 0:14:42'First step, digging out those perilous flags.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47'Next task, removing those rubbish rails.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52'And hey presto! It's time to bring out the big boys' toys
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'and get those foundations sorted once and for all.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03'It's a great start, but can the good guys get the Harlands' ramp back on track?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05'Only time will tell.'
0:15:10 > 0:15:13I'm in North Yorkshire in the seaside town of Whitby,
0:15:13 > 0:15:18where Cathy and Richard Harland were relying on installing a disabled access ramp at their new home.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22But their cowboy builder simply didn't know what he was doing,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25leaving Cathy with an unusable road to nowhere
0:15:25 > 0:15:28and, what's more, in breach of regulations.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32With a bit of luck, our good guy builders have dealt with all that.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Let's see how Richard and Cathy are getting on.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39'Even covered in snow, the ramp is in fine fettle.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44'Before, that handrail was totally unfit for purpose.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46'Now, it's just what is needed.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50'And the path itself? Before, it was a monumental mess!
0:15:52 > 0:15:56'Now, it's just what the doctor ordered. Nice one.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00'Time to check in with the Harlands.'
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- Hello.- Hello.- Cathy?- Yes.- Hi. And Richard?- Hi.- How are you doing?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- I'm Jonnie.- Come on in. - Thank you very much.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Oh, ho! It's icy out there, I tell ya.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15'Before I take a closer look at the good guys' work,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19'I'd like a chat with Cathy and Richard about how they got into this mess.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:24When did you think things were going wrong or awry?
0:16:24 > 0:16:28I suppose, when he put these paving slabs in.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32They didn't really look that safe.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37When the ramp was complete, could you use it? Did you use it?
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- We were told we hadn't to use it. - Who by?- National Parks and Highways.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45So it were just sat there, a white elephant outside.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49'And a pretty dangerous white elephant at that.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54'The ramp had more trip hazards than a British Army assault course.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58'After all that stress and an outlay of almost £9,000,
0:16:58 > 0:17:03'imagine being told you can't use the path outside your front door.'
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- What emotions were you feeling? - Upset.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Angry. It even drove a wedge between us, really.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Because family... Then family kicked off.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18It started to become a nightmare and we've lived it for two years.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23'The nightmare was compounded by feelings of humiliation.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28'The ramp was such a fiasco, it became a laughing stock for the locals.'
0:17:28 > 0:17:30They used to stop, look and point.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35- Really? People were stopping and looking at your house?- I've known them sit on that wall, pointing.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41'What a shame. It's even more of a shame that this poorly executed path
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'has driven a wedge between Cathy and her family.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- The family member that carried out this work, have you spoken to them?- No.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52- Have you tried to contact them? - I don't want to.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55What would you do differently, if you were to do this again?
0:17:55 > 0:18:01- Get a proper builder.- Ideally, the one that we used for the path.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- The good guy?- The good guy, yeah! - Well, yeah.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Anybody watching would like to use the good guy. He's a great builder.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13'He is, indeed, and it's time for me to compare Mr Attridge's handiwork
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'with what went before.'
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- LAUGHING:- This looks absolutely fantastic.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I mean, aesthetics wise, it looks the part.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25It matches the bricks on the bungalow,
0:18:25 > 0:18:30which is probably a requirement for the National Parks.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Let's look at where it is.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34I'm stood on the highway.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38This is now dug out and set right back from the highway.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43This was encroaching on the highway, contravening planning consent.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Now, it looks legal, at least!
0:18:46 > 0:18:48'And here's some more good news.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53'That terrible tarmac has been replaced with fit-for-purpose concrete.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'Cathy's much less likely to slip on this surface.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59'And I like the look of these walls.'
0:18:59 > 0:19:03These are retaining walls. They're carrying a massive load.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08'Before, it was down to those ugly flagstones to hold back that soil,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'and they were teetering under the pressure.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13'The good guys' wall not only looked better,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17'it also has a crucial added feature.'
0:19:17 > 0:19:20See these plastic things? These are weep holes.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22This is a huge retaining wall.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24You've got soil behind here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28You have a huge amount of water and moisture.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33This allows that moisture to escape without an extra load on the wall.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37'As a young man, I spent a lot of time on building sites.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42'The builders I admired most saw things from their customer's point of view.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46'Cowboys don't, but good guys do.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Let's look at it from Cathy's perspective.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Visually impaired, coming up here, the guide rail.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Not going to get any splinters. It's one continual uniform run.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59And it's going nowhere, this bit of metalwork.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03It's non-slip as well. This is properly tamped concrete.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06There's snow everywhere but it feels really firm.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09The other thing we wanted to see, a flat landing area.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12This is perfectly flat.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Why does this feel so solid?
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Because it doesn't have these rubbish paving slabs
0:20:18 > 0:20:20pretending to be a retaining wall.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Behind this stone - that's what's behind it.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Proper hollow breeze blocks.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31This is a really, really good job. I'm chuffed to bits.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35'Yup, ten out of ten on the chuff-o-meter.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37'Good guy Richard's giving me the inside track
0:20:37 > 0:20:41'on the challenges he faced salvaging the situation.'
0:20:41 > 0:20:44I've got to say, Richard, it looks fantastic!
0:20:44 > 0:20:47What were your thoughts when you came up to site
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and you saw the work that had been done?
0:20:50 > 0:20:53It was a nightmare. It was daunting.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56We didn't know what we were going to uncover. We had the gas main,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58but nobody knew where it was.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01It was just dig steady away, a lot of hand-digging.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05It was just very steady until we got the main platform in the bottom.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08We got an engineer to check the steel reinforcement.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Once we got that in, I was a little bit happier.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13'That cowboy was SO sloppy,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16'but our fellas ain't and unlike their predecessor,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19'they don't leave a job until it's complete.'
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Is there anything left to do? It looks pretty good.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27The only thing left is we've got the handrails to paint black.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30We'll give them a rub down, another coat of primer,
0:21:30 > 0:21:32a coat of black and it's all done and dusted.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36'Well played, Mr Attridge.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40'Before the Harlands reveal what they think to their new ramp,
0:21:40 > 0:21:45'there's a sensitive issue to discuss - their cowboy builder's version of events.
0:21:45 > 0:21:51'I wanted to find out his side of the story and I can't wait to hear their responses to what he said.'
0:21:51 > 0:21:54First off, he said it wasn't a ramp.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59It was a footpath he was building for you. What do you think of that?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02No, that's not fair because when we first talked,
0:22:02 > 0:22:07he said he'd done disability work, access which included ramps.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12Secondly, he said he did everything you asked for and what's more,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14you paid him in full for it.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18I paid him in full cos he asked for it,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21thinking, obviously, with him being a family member
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- we were hoping that he'd come right in the end.- Hm.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30This might upset you. He said there's nothing wrong with the work.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- Although it was cracking?- Yeah.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35He said that were just levelling out.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- CHUCKLES - It was levelling out? Oh, right.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43- Outside was going to level out. - Well, it had levelled out - unlevel.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49How does it make you feel now, after all this, that they're arguing that their work was fine?
0:22:49 > 0:22:54I can't see how he can say there was nothing wrong with it,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58when he's got people telling him that there is something wrong with it.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00He says it's simply incomplete.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03He'd have come back and sorted it had he been allowed to.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05That was taken out of our hands.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10National Parks said that I hadn't to allow him back on.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14'Looking at this catalogue of disaster, I can see why.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19'Anyway, the good news is our guys have transformed this place.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23'I can't wait to hear what the Harlands think to their new ramp.'
0:23:23 > 0:23:28Well, I must say, this looks completely different
0:23:28 > 0:23:32- to how it looked before - this is a proper job!- Hm.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- It is.- You're smiling. Both of you are smiling.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- You must have been grimacing before. - Grimacing, yes, definitely.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43The most important things for this, it had to be functional.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- It had to allow you to get from the road to your house.- Yes.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51- Does it?- It does, absolutely. - That's the main thing. Full marks.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'The Harlands' revitalised ramp has given them something priceless -
0:23:57 > 0:23:59'peace of mind.'
0:23:59 > 0:24:02We used to look out of the window on a morning and think,
0:24:02 > 0:24:07- you know, well, it made us feel ill some mornings.- Did it?
0:24:07 > 0:24:12We had to look at it, knowing that it could slip into the road and kill somebody,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16and we'd be responsible for that person's death or injury.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18One reason why it's not going to slip into the road
0:24:18 > 0:24:22is they took so much earth out in order to build this.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26That's the main difference between this and what those cowboys put on.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- This has been "built".- Yes. - It must be a weight off your mind.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34It's a brilliant weight. We can now live here and be happy
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and not frightened of what the neighbours are saying
0:24:37 > 0:24:40or people pointing their fingers when they pass.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45'It's going to be admiring glances from passers-by from now on.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49'There's one more thing I'd really like to do,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52'and that's see Cathy use this ramp with confidence.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:55How would you normally come down here, just...?
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- You get a bit of pace here. - I just walk down with the handrail.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- If we pause here a moment... - STOMPS FEET
0:25:02 > 0:25:07- It's cold. It's icy. You walked down with no problem at all.- Yes.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- Could you have done that before?- No. We couldn't have walked down it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Let's go to this part here. This was another problem.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Beforehand, if you came down that slope, there was another slope here.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- You'd just be doing roly-polys down. - That's right.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26- This is a nice firm footing. It's what's called a landing area.- Yes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- Are you happy with this? - Happy? Yeah.- Very.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32I can bring my dogs out quite safely now.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34It's wide as well, isn't it?
0:25:34 > 0:25:39You could even get a wheelchair up here, if need be.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43'That means Cathy's wheelchair-bound friends can visit
0:25:43 > 0:25:45'and her social life get back to normal.'
0:25:45 > 0:25:49How do you feel now you've got a solid structure?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- Very happy.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55It means my friends can visit without worrying about steps.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Especially when leaves are falling.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01When leaves are on the ground you cannot see edges of steps.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05It's like snow. You can't see the kerbs or the edges.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09So this has given me safe access to my own home.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13'And VIP access at that.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16'This ramp would befit a mansion.'
0:26:16 > 0:26:19I think you should name it! Call it the Whitby Serpentine!
0:26:19 > 0:26:22No, it's the Great Wall of Cath! ALL LAUGH
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Perfect, the Great Wall of Cath.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I'm so pleased there's a happy ending here.
0:26:28 > 0:26:34I know you've been through it, what with the family rigmarole and the money that you lost.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- Now you've got something that sets your house off a treat.- It does.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- And something that gives you some independence.- That's right.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45- That must make you feel pretty good. - Yeah.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47'It makes me feel pretty good, too!
0:26:47 > 0:26:51'The Great Wall of Cath? I love that.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Richard and Cathy have clearly been through the mill with this one.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58They've endured a financial and emotional roller coaster.
0:26:58 > 0:27:04Let's not forget, this is a visually impaired lady who struggled to get into her own home.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07But thanks to the good guys, they've come out the other side.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Cathy not only has her independence back,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13but they both have a home that they're clearly proud of.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19'For our next shocking Cowboy Trap saga,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21'we revisit someone we met three years ago.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25'Like with the Harlands, a cowboy was happy to take a homeowner's money
0:27:25 > 0:27:29'and leave a dangerous disaster in his wake.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32'His unwitting victim was 51-year-old Liz Cutler,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35'a mother of 13-year-old son Jake.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40'And we mustn't forget the dogs, Lily and Ling-Ling.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'Liz had fostered children all her life.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45'After moving to Bournemouth in 2009,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'she wanted to do the same there.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53'Liz was delighted when she found a house for sale that ticked all the right boxes.'
0:27:53 > 0:27:58The property was appropriate for what I needed at the right price.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00It could do what I wanted to do
0:28:00 > 0:28:03to make it appropriate for fostering.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07'Liz made an offer for the house, which was accepted and she moved in.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11'But a lot of important work needed doing if she was to have any chance
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'of achieving her dream of fostering again.'
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Liz's new house needed central heating.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21More importantly, her home-buyer's survey had shown that her wiring upstairs was unsafe.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24She needed an electrician to rewire the property,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27put in a new circuit board and sockets
0:28:27 > 0:28:29and issue an Electrical Safety Certificate.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34Then she could prove to the council that her home was safe enough for foster children.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38'Not surprisingly, authorities set the safety bar high
0:28:38 > 0:28:42'when assessing foster parents' houses.'
0:28:42 > 0:28:47You need fire alarms put in, fire blankets,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50windows have to be secure and able to be locked.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54There's a lot of safety and security that we run through to become a foster carer.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58'Liz's plumber recommended an electrician
0:28:58 > 0:29:02'who said he'd have no problem bringing the house up to spec.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05'He quoted £1,600 to do a full rewiring job
0:29:05 > 0:29:07'and update the circuit board.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11'It also included erecting an aerial and installing sockets,
0:29:11 > 0:29:16'all backed up with a certificate to prove everything was safe.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'Liz gave him the green light.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22'Work started in January 2010 and Liz moved out for the duration.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27'She assumed everything had gone fine when the electrician said the certificate was ready.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30'How wrong she was.'
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Whilst I was away, the electrician went to my son's property
0:29:34 > 0:29:37'to give him the final certificate.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39'My son was able, then,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42'to give him his final payment of £500 on my behalf.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'But the payment was premature.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51'The quality of work by the sparky was - you guessed it - shocking!
0:29:51 > 0:29:55'Liz's heart sank when she returned to her home.'
0:29:55 > 0:30:00Straight away, I noticed things weren't right with the electrics.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03The sockets along the work top were all uneven.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Also, as you come into the main door, the light switch,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09that hadn't been plastered round.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13'As well as the pitiful plastering,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'some sockets weren't properly attached to the wall
0:30:16 > 0:30:20'and the mains cable wasn't earthed properly.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22'Many house fires are caused by faulty electrics.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27'This wasn't just a cowboy trap, it was a death trap, too.'
0:30:27 > 0:30:31Liz was left with loose sockets and potentially lethal wiring,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34putting her and her son in danger,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37and putting paid to her hopes of having foster children in.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40What's more, her brother-in-law was a retired electrician.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45When he looked at the electrical certificate, he knew straight away there was a problem.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47It was not complete.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51A completion certificate is four or five pages.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54There's test results on there, insulation resistance,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58earthing resistance - none of that was there.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02'Liz got the electrician back in
0:31:02 > 0:31:04'and he made some changes while she was at work.
0:31:04 > 0:31:09'When he left, something mysteriously seemed to leave with him.'
0:31:09 > 0:31:13The test certificate was on the side and the list of jobs that needed doing.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18When I returned from work, the test certificate had gone.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Some of the jobs were completed,
0:31:20 > 0:31:24but I don't feel that he did everything he should have done.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29'Not kidding! Sockets were still hanging off the walls.
0:31:29 > 0:31:35'And a socket had been put in behind a dresser that couldn't be reached!
0:31:35 > 0:31:40'If faults on the surface were this obvious, how bad were problems underneath?
0:31:40 > 0:31:43'And the fact that, as Liz's brother-in-law pointed out,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46'the paperwork wasn't legit was the final straw.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49'That would scupper Liz's fostering application.'
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Liz's certificate wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57By taking it away, this cowboy had covered his tracks.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Liz now had no proof that the installation was safe.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06'And that's probably because it wasn't.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10'This electrician was clearly a bungling bodging cowboy.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15'Not surprisingly, all this had a massive emotional impact on Liz.'
0:32:15 > 0:32:21It's a huge effect on me. I can no longer pursue my career as a foster carer.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24And when my grandchildren are here, I have great concerns
0:32:24 > 0:32:28where they're plugging things in, lights and things.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31'Liz was in a terrible situation,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34'but she was partly to blame for her predicament
0:32:34 > 0:32:37'and being £1,600 worse off.'
0:32:37 > 0:32:42Liz made a common mistake. She handed over cash without seeing the finished work.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44That's a schoolgirl error
0:32:44 > 0:32:49and there's an easy way to ensure that it doesn't happen to you...
0:33:17 > 0:33:20'..What happened next for Liz? You know the plot.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22'Enter our good guys.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26'They set about putting right
0:33:26 > 0:33:29'what the cowboy sparky had got so badly wrong.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33'They repaired the reckless rewiring in the kitchen.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37'Not only that, they titivated the tiling, too.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39'The change was dramatic.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42'From worrying wiring...
0:33:42 > 0:33:45'to reassuring rewiring.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47'And non-existent tiling
0:33:47 > 0:33:50'to terrific tiling.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52'Our boys certainly did the business.
0:33:52 > 0:33:58'At last, Liz had the Electrical Installation Test Certificate she so badly needed.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02'Our fellas comprehensively tested her smoke and fire alarms, too.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05'Liz was very much back on track.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09'But would our helping hand help Liz to create her perfect home?
0:34:09 > 0:34:15'And would Liz get over the trauma of being so badly caught in the cowboy trap?
0:34:15 > 0:34:17'Only time would tell.'
0:34:18 > 0:34:20It's been three years since we saw Liz.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22With those dodgy electrics sorted
0:34:22 > 0:34:26and with an Electrical Test Certificate in her pocket,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29we left with peace of mind. I wonder how she's getting on.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34'Word on the street is Liz's life has taken an unexpected twist.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37'She's got married to someone from the building trade.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39'Not one of our good guys, I hasten to add.'
0:34:39 > 0:34:41DOORBELL
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- Hello.- Hello.- Hi, Liz. How are you doing, Kevin?- Nice to meet you.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50You too. First of all, congratulations.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52- Thank you.- Newly-weds, eh?- Yeah.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- Can I come look into the marital home?- Come on in.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01'Before I check out the work Liz has done to the house,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04'there's an even more pertinent issue to address.'
0:35:04 > 0:35:08First of all, I've got to ask - how are you finding married life?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10- Great.- Good!
0:35:10 > 0:35:16- Fun!- Well, it's nice to have fun back in the house after all that's gone on.- It is.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Yeah, definitely.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20So much more for Liz than me.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24When I first met her, I'd seen the state she was in.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Of course, the builder doing what he did to her as well.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33'What he did was put Liz's life and the lives of her family in danger.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38'As you know, our good guys made this kitchen safe to cook in.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42'Thanks to that, it's now seeing a lot of action.'
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- How do you feel now you've got a kitchen back?- Oh, it's great.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50- Yeah?- No worries at all. Before, I was concerned.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Everything you plug in, you're thinking twice - is this safe?
0:35:54 > 0:35:57All the sockets were wonky and loose.
0:35:57 > 0:36:02I was concerned about the wires behind it. I didn't give a thought about the main earth cable.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06Well, you take that for granted. You have a tradesman in your house.
0:36:06 > 0:36:12- You don't think he's going to leave you in a situation where you could get killed!- No.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Obviously, looking round, it's a work in progress, isn't it?
0:36:16 > 0:36:18There's some cosmetic bits and bobs to be done.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- That's right. - You've got a room you can use again.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- It's the heart of the home, the kitchen.- It certainly is.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Especially when the grandchildren come round.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31All they need is food, drinks.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34The washing-up stacks up as they go along wanting, wanting.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36It IS the heart of the home.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41'The heart of the home is in fine fettle,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43'and so is Liz's heart, by the looks of it.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47'The changes to her home have been dramatic. Check out the lounge.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51'When we first met Liz, there wasn't one to speak of.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53'But look at it now.'
0:36:53 > 0:36:57- Wow! Whose handiwork's all this? - Kevin's.- Is it really?
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Yeah. When I first came in it was a disaster zone.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04I've taken all the ceilings down,
0:37:04 > 0:37:09re-plaster boarded them, re-coved it and decorated the whole room.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14Now we've got a lounge that we can actually sit in and enjoy.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Perfect, isn't it? There's not a thing I can see out of place.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20'Kevin needed to ring the changes.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24'It's not just the electrics that suffered the cowboy treatment.
0:37:24 > 0:37:29'A few days ago, the bath got blocked and Kevin uncovered evidence of another cowboy.'
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Took the side panel off...
0:37:36 > 0:37:41..and he's literally got the bath sitting on bricks.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45What the hell is going on there? Look at that!
0:37:45 > 0:37:49The pipework's sitting here off the floor suspended in mid-air.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55'The plumber who did this took out some bath struts to find room for the pipework.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58'The pipework should have been under the floor.
0:37:58 > 0:38:04'Because of that bodge, this cowboy had to do another - support the bath with bricks. Unbelievable!
0:38:04 > 0:38:07'And remember, the cowboy plumber who did this
0:38:07 > 0:38:12'recommended the cowboy electrician in the first place. Crikey!
0:38:12 > 0:38:16'More cowboys than an entire series of Bonanza!
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'Liz and Kevin have given their lounge their personal touches.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24'And Liz's son Jake, who's now 16, has converted his crib
0:38:24 > 0:38:28'into something resembling NASA mission control.'
0:38:28 > 0:38:31Flipping heck! It's like Cape Canaveral in here!
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Now I feel like an old man!
0:38:34 > 0:38:37I don't even know what half that stuff does.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40- This is a tech pit. - This is what it is, a tech pit?
0:38:40 > 0:38:43When you look at all the "tech", look at all the electrics,
0:38:43 > 0:38:48all the plugs and think, "Hold on. This place wasn't earthed."
0:38:48 > 0:38:50I know. Yeah.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54- That's putting a child's life in danger.- Yeah.- Full stop.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57'And that truly is appalling.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01'How the guy that did this can even call himself an electrician is beyond me.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05'Right, time for a chat with Liz. She may have moved on,
0:39:05 > 0:39:09'but she's still feeling the grim effects of the cowboy to this day.'
0:39:11 > 0:39:15What was your lowest point throughout this whole process?
0:39:15 > 0:39:19The lowest point was my concern for everything.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Everything was my responsibility and I'd let everybody down.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25The children, I'd let them down.
0:39:25 > 0:39:30My career as a foster carer, I was not able to pursue that.
0:39:30 > 0:39:36A couple of years down the line and we're still trying to put things right.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40Although the electrics are done, we've found a few other things.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44The house is still not appropriate to be able to foster in.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46'That's such a shame!
0:39:46 > 0:39:52'Because Liz is still sorting the house out and thinks it isn't quite ready, fostering will have to wait.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:55We've got to spend a lot more on the property.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58But the thing is, we're safe.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03We're not worrying about everything going up in flames or one of us being killed.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07'And what a relief that is!
0:40:07 > 0:40:13'I wonder what Liz learned from her unpleasant encounter with the cowboy fraternity.'
0:40:13 > 0:40:19I just thought you could have any electrician in your property that says they're "registered".
0:40:19 > 0:40:23I wasn't aware of the paperwork that needs to be signed off correctly.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27- No.- I parted with money prior to the work being done.
0:40:27 > 0:40:34'Liz also realises she needs to be more careful when it comes to following recommendations.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39'It's no surprise a dodgy plumber suggesting a dodgy electrician.'
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I think I was very naive
0:40:42 > 0:40:46in trusting this person that came into my home
0:40:46 > 0:40:50to go and find other people that could work within the property.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54I do like to go on recommendation at the time.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58But now I know, with my homework, that there are governing bodies
0:40:58 > 0:41:03that I could phone up and find out if these people are registered.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28'Poor Liz didn't do that - and suffered the consequences.'
0:41:28 > 0:41:33When I look back at that particular time for me,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37it's really heart-wrenching to think that, you know,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41I was a single person, on my own with a child.
0:41:41 > 0:41:47£8,000 of my savings, cash, went to these guys
0:41:47 > 0:41:50and I'm left with absolutely nothing.
0:41:50 > 0:41:56I'm trying to, now, still make a nice family home
0:41:56 > 0:41:58and I just haven't got that money.
0:41:58 > 0:42:04When you hear your wife talk about what went on, how do you feel?
0:42:04 > 0:42:09It makes me really angry and makes me wish I'd been there that few months earlier.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15'If Kevin had been on the scene, I somehow think this cowboy wouldn't have tried it on.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18'They never do when someone in the know is around.'
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- This man here has been a knight in shining armour!- Oh, yeah!
0:42:21 > 0:42:23LAUGHING: Very much so!
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Well look, you stuck at it and you've been so strong.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30And mate, Kevin, you've been an absolute hero here.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- Well done, mate. Good for you. - She deserves it.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38'She certainly does. Liz is clearly in a happy place.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40'That's great to see.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44'Time to leave her and Kevin to enjoy their lovely home.'
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Well, fascinating, wasn't it?
0:42:46 > 0:42:50All those problems that Liz's husband found once he'd moved in
0:42:50 > 0:42:54just goes to show it's not what something looks like on the surface.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57In the building trade, it's what's going on underneath.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59This place is moving forward.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03In these last three years, Liz has stepped it up a couple of gears.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08If the house ends up like that living room, it will be a beautiful family home.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13As for marrying a builder? Well, it shows that Liz has her faith back in the trade!
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:22 > 0:43:25E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk