0:00:07 > 0:00:14We're on a mission to rescue home owners across the UK from the misery left behind by cowboy builders.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16He said, "We're the A-Team.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21"You won't get a better fit on anything than the A-Team working for you."
0:00:21 > 0:00:25I'm sorry. If they're the A-Team, I'd hate to see anybody below it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28With their shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:28 > 0:00:34cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains who not only destroy dreams, they wreck lives too.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36It's just heart-breaking.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41It's taken everything, every solitary thing away from me.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43This place is horrendous.
0:00:43 > 0:00:49We've got the good guys in our posse to help turn these botched builds into ideal homes.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55They've gone back to the beginnings of how it should be done, ripped everything out and started again
0:00:55 > 0:01:00which just displays the fact that they really care about the finish of their product.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02This looks like a brand-new home.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07- It really does, doesn't it? - They've done a magnificent job.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I can't say how happy and pleased I am with it!
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Even the smartest people forget basic common sense when they have the builders in,
0:01:15 > 0:01:21which is why the next 45 minutes is the cautionary tale that can help keep you out of the Cowboy Trap.
0:01:30 > 0:01:38On today's Cowboy Trap, a building bodge which was so bad, it left the home owner feeling suicidal.
0:01:38 > 0:01:45I'd really, really had enough. I'd wish I'd go to sleep at night and not bother waking up in the morning.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47- Really?- Yeah.
0:01:47 > 0:01:53'And we revisit some cowboy builder victims who were taken for £27,000 and see how they're doing now.'
0:01:53 > 0:01:58- It must seem like your house has just suddenly ballooned in size. - Yes.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It's amazing how it has now. It was like living in a rather bad bedsit.
0:02:02 > 0:02:09Our first Cowboy Trap location is a small village near the sea - Langley in Hampshire.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13It's an idyllic place, much loved by tourists and locals alike.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18Langley is a village with a history dating back to the Domesday Book in 1086.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22It lies on the site of an old manor house which crumbled many years ago.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26I wonder if cowboy builders had anything to do with that?
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Calshot Castle behind me dates back to the time of Henry VIII
0:02:30 > 0:02:33when it formed part of a chain of coastal defences
0:02:33 > 0:02:36protecting England from foreign invasion.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40They do say an Englishman's home is his castle and if that's the case,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45what a shame we're not all as well equipped as this place to repel the cowboy builder!
0:02:45 > 0:02:50And this two-bed static caravan is the home of yet another defenceless victim.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Meet Jackie Moore and her two-year-old dog Pippa.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Before she retired, Jackie was a shop assistant.
0:02:57 > 0:03:03She's had a tough time of it over the past decade, being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09I was devastated, absolutely and utterly devastated.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13But I was not going to let it beat me
0:03:13 > 0:03:17or interfere with my life whatsoever if I could possibly help it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Jackie underwent intensive treatment which was successful.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27She is now in remission, but the type of cancer she had often comes back.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30They gave me originally seven years.
0:03:30 > 0:03:36I've gone past that now, but it's not a case of I'll never get it back, it's a case of when it will come back
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and I will deal with it when it happens.
0:03:39 > 0:03:44With such a scary prognosis, some people might have given up, but not Jackie.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48She resolved to live life to the full and as time was so precious,
0:03:48 > 0:03:54she set about achieving her life-long dream to live by the seaside in a caravan.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Jackie's health problems made her reflect back on her younger years,
0:04:00 > 0:04:05especially the happy holidays she once had with her parents by the sea.
0:04:05 > 0:04:11It just made me feel as if I was at one with the ocean and with the surrounding area.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17I loved walking and as I grew older, I thought, "When I retire,
0:04:17 > 0:04:22"I want to live in a caravan near the sea and near the forest."
0:04:23 > 0:04:25And that is all I wanted to do.
0:04:25 > 0:04:33And early last year, Jackie decided to stop just dreaming about it and start actually making it happen.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37She moved into her mobile home in summer 2012
0:04:37 > 0:04:43and having sold her previous house and paid off the mortgage, she had funds available to refurbish it.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50It was very dated and I wanted to put my stamp on it because it was going to be my home,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54as far as I was concerned, for a very, very long time.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Jackie had big plans for her new mobile home.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02She wanted to take out the kitchen and remove a partition wall to make it open-plan.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Taking down another wall would make her bedroom more spacious.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11She also wanted to redo the bathroom and install new lights, doors and flooring throughout.
0:05:11 > 0:05:17It was a big undertaking, but Jackie was undaunted because she already had a builder in mind.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Jackie had heard about a company when she was house-hunting and she really liked their website.
0:05:22 > 0:05:28She invited the boss round to quote and he showed Jackie impressive images of his team's work,
0:05:28 > 0:05:34saying he had been in the trade 14 years. The figure he came up with for Jackie's project was £19,898
0:05:34 > 0:05:36to be paid on completion.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42He gave me the impression that it would look like...they were going to use it as a show home
0:05:42 > 0:05:48and it would look like a new home by the time they finished with it and put it in their portfolio,
0:05:48 > 0:05:54so at that stage, I thought, "Yippee, I'm going to have a beautiful home!"
0:05:54 > 0:06:00It's very difficult to spot a cowboy builder. These guys can fool even the smartest of customers.
0:06:00 > 0:06:06A convincing line in patter, unsubstantiated claims about reputation or experience,
0:06:06 > 0:06:11even glossy brochures, none of these things are proof you're not dealing with a cowboy.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Jackie was impressed by these guys or, should I say, taken in
0:06:15 > 0:06:20and gave them the green light without getting any references. Oh, dear.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37..and that their referee isn't their mum.
0:06:39 > 0:06:45And it wasn't long before Jackie started to think she had made a terrible mistake.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51Work was due to start at the end of July 2012, but the builders were conspicuous by their absence.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55The day came, the day went.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Nobody contacted me.
0:06:57 > 0:07:03I tried phoning them and got no response. I just thought, "That's not very professional."
0:07:04 > 0:07:08A new start date was arranged, but that date came and went,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12then another, then another,
0:07:12 > 0:07:18then finally, a month later, some builders turned up and demanded a deposit of £3,760.
0:07:18 > 0:07:24Jackie had been under the impression she would only pay when the work was completed,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27but keen to get things started, she paid up.
0:07:27 > 0:07:34They came in, ripped out the gas fire, took out the shelving, said, "See you tomorrow..."
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Nothing.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Days went by and there was neither sight nor sound of those builders,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47then in early September, some other builders turned up
0:07:47 > 0:07:52and Jackie was hopeful work might finally start in earnest, but her hopes were misplaced.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58From the start, they were very rarely here. They'd come up with all types of excuses.
0:07:58 > 0:08:05They'd been on site for a couple of hours, then they'd go for lunch and I wouldn't see them for two days.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11Jackie phoned the company boss to complain about his unreliable team.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15He said he would let me have free French doors
0:08:15 > 0:08:21as compensation for the fact that it was...for all the inconvenience
0:08:21 > 0:08:25and I thought at this stage things are only bound to get better
0:08:25 > 0:08:28because it had been acknowledged, but I was wrong.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35These guys certainly talked the talk, but they didn't work the work.
0:08:35 > 0:08:41They kept saying, "We're the A-Team. You want to see it... You'll love it when it's done."
0:08:41 > 0:08:44But exactly when would that fateful day be?
0:08:44 > 0:08:48Jackie was bemused by the lack of progress,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52but she was even more so when the builders suddenly downed tools
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and said they had finished with her home still in disarray.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02They finally vacated the site on November the 6th.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06So, the four-week job took four months to supposedly finish
0:09:06 > 0:09:12and it took just four days for Jackie's dream to totally unravel.
0:09:12 > 0:09:18We had torrential rain here and all of a sudden, I had water pouring in my ceiling.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23Jackie tried in vain to contact the builders, but nobody returned her calls.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26She also wrote them letters and no-one replied.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30She was forced to employ another company to carry out remedial work
0:09:30 > 0:09:34and that's when the full extent of the bodged build became apparent.
0:09:34 > 0:09:40I thought the doors looked OK. I wasn't aware of the fact they'd hung them upside down.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44As well as upside-down doors, Jackie was told the boiler was badly fitted
0:09:44 > 0:09:49and the plumbing hadn't been connected to the mains water supply.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54When the builders checked the waste pipe underneath her mobile home, they couldn't believe their eyes.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57The foul waste, it wasn't connected
0:09:57 > 0:10:00and that was supported by a flower pot.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05And I hasten to add, my flower pot from my shuttle trays.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Building work in a mobile home must conform to similar regulations
0:10:10 > 0:10:15to a normal dwelling when it comes to safety, but when Jackie asked electricians to inspect the work,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19they were shocked by the state of the lights and sockets.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23And when a local builder checked out the leaky roof, he was horrified.
0:10:23 > 0:10:30They had just taken the chimney and placed it on top of the plywood that they'd put in my ceiling,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35so in fact, there was nothing stopping the rain coming straight through to my home.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40Jackie has had to spend her life savings on remedial work.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44I haven't got any money left. I've had to pay plumbers to put things in.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I've had to pay to have the ceiling done.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I've had to pay to have the electrics done.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55It's taken me right down now that I'm on my bare pension.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57And...
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I didn't think...
0:11:00 > 0:11:04that I would ever come to that. I really didn't.
0:11:04 > 0:11:11Not surprisingly, all this had a profound effect on Jackie emotionally.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13It's just heart-breaking to think
0:11:13 > 0:11:20that every penny that I've got has been sunk into what should be the time of my life
0:11:20 > 0:11:25when I should be able to sit down and think, "I've got my dream, this is it."
0:11:25 > 0:11:32Instead, I get up in the morning and I think to myself, "What on earth am I doing here?"
0:11:33 > 0:11:35This place is horrendous.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39It's taken everything, every solitary thing away from me.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Having the builders in can be one of the most stressful times of your life.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50There's just no excuse for stuff like this.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52This was Jackie's life-long dream.
0:11:52 > 0:11:58I wish she'd taken up references on these guys. It would have saved a lot of money and heartache.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02'But what is the full extent of this bungled build?
0:12:02 > 0:12:06'Cowboys have a habit of hiding their bodges beneath the surface,
0:12:06 > 0:12:11'so we asked independent building expert Dan Butt to inspect the work.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16'He's been through it with a fine-tooth comb and is about to fill me in on what he found.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20'First item on the agenda, the disorientating doors.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:25The picture's the right way round. The door is the wrong way round.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28They've hung the six-panel doors
0:12:28 > 0:12:32with a smaller panel, which would normally go at the top of the door,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34but the smaller panel here is at the bottom.
0:12:34 > 0:12:41- They've hung the doors upside down? - I've never seen it before. The doors have been hung upside down.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44You would have known if you'd done that.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49Presumably, they did it with one and thought, "We'd better match it," then did it with the rest.
0:12:49 > 0:12:55'Perhaps they were holding the instruction manual upside down, or they were just rubbish.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58'I know which I'm going for. Check out the state of this ceiling.
0:12:58 > 0:13:04'Jackie asked them to remove a chimney flue and this is their attempt at making it good.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06'Sloppy at best, as is the wiring.'
0:13:06 > 0:13:10The surface-mounted conduits weren't fitted properly
0:13:10 > 0:13:15and by the kitchen cupboards there was just wiring exposed, rather than being built in.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Again it's... You have conduits to protect the wiring,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22so it's not being protected there.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- It's half a job.- It's half a job.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29'Jackie took some snaps of the state of her electrics when the cowboys left
0:13:29 > 0:13:31'and to be frank, they defy belief.'
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- This is an older photo that Jackie took before you got involved.- Yeah.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40This terrifies me. This consumer unit, you've got fuses in there,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44so you've got all sorts of power, different voltages, it's...
0:13:44 > 0:13:48The main supply is coming in and from there it should be distributed out safely
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and that is not, in my view, safe.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'It's not safe in my view either.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'Unbelievably amateurish!
0:13:55 > 0:13:59'And the boiler housing was so badly fitted, it had to be condemned.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03'Plus the rank awful wallpapering should be condemned too.'
0:14:03 > 0:14:08They've put lining paper up and used the inappropriate adhesive and it's all coming down.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11'That will need stripping off and starting again.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17'Just look at this photo of how the cowboy builder left the pipework under the mobile home.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20'As they say on the Tube, "Mind the gap."'
0:14:20 > 0:14:23That joint leaves quite a lot to be desired, doesn't it?
0:14:23 > 0:14:28That's a waste pipe from her bathroom sink that runs underneath the mobile home.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34- That joint is terrible and is clearly leaking foul water under her caravan.- That's disgusting.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36'And this photo defies belief.'
0:14:36 > 0:14:39That's a little bit of the outside coming inside.
0:14:39 > 0:14:46That's a soil pipe, so that's taking the foul water from the toilet and that is supported on a flower pot.
0:14:47 > 0:14:53- Not ideal. - 'Not kidding! Right, it's make your mind up time for Dan.'
0:14:53 > 0:14:57How would you rate the standard of work that was originally done?
0:14:57 > 0:15:00It was generally very poor. They had clearly taken the view
0:15:00 > 0:15:07that they would do the minimum amount that they could get away with and the standard of work was shocking.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12- How would you rate it out of ten? - I think it's about three or four out of ten.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16'I can see why Dan is unimpressed. Check out the evidence -
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'leaky ceiling, shocking electrics,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21'upside-down doors,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24'a badly-fitted boiler, dodgy plumbing
0:15:24 > 0:15:30'and a toilet pipe bodge with Jackie's flower pot that really does add insult to injury.'
0:15:30 > 0:15:35Dodgy, bodged, slapdash, call it what you will, this place is a right old mess.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Time to call in the good guys.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43And here's head honcho John Griffiths leading his posse into the fray.
0:15:43 > 0:15:49So much needs doing to make her home exactly how she wants it, Jackie is chipping in.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52First up, dumping those badly hung doors,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56then the walls are sanded and prepped,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58wet wallpaper stripped,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02the roof supports accessed and strengthened,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06and new doors chiselled and hung the right way up this time.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10That's more like it. It's clear they've made a great start.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16But can the good guys get Jackie's dreams back on track? Only time will tell.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23I'm on the south coast in the village of Langley
0:16:23 > 0:16:29where 68-year-old Jackie Moore's life-long dream was to live in a mobile home by the sea,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but the guys she got in to renovate her new property were cowboys
0:16:33 > 0:16:37who left the pensioner living in a shabby, dangerous hole.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42Our good guys have now finished their work here, so let's see how Jackie's getting on.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47'Jackie's had health problems too. I hope she's got something to smile about at last.' Jackie?
0:16:47 > 0:16:53- Hello, Jonnie.- How are you doing? - Nice to meet you. Would you like to come in?- I'd love to come in.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- Thank you very much. After you. - Thank you.- It's your home.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01'As soon as I cross the threshold, I can't resist a quick peek.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05'Remember, before, the kitchen was a bodge-fest. Not now.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'And the living room has gone from shambles to sublime.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13'The bedrooms were in a state of disarray,
0:17:13 > 0:17:19'but our good guys have grasped victory from the jaws of cowboy defeat. Nice!
0:17:19 > 0:17:25'Time for a heart-to-heart with Jackie about what it was like being caught in the cowboy trap.'
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So when they left with £20,000-worth of your money
0:17:29 > 0:17:34and you saw the amount of work to be done and they didn't come back...
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I tried phoning them. I emailed them.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40They would never get back to me. I got more and more depressed.
0:17:40 > 0:17:46I'd got to a stage where I thought... "I just can't follow through with this any more.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50"I can't do anything with it." I'd got myself in such a state.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54- Honestly, Jonnie... - You're on your own as well.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58You know, and I thought, "What am I going to do?"
0:17:58 > 0:18:04'Bearing in mind the terrible impact the cowboys had on Jackie's dream home and her life savings,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08'it's no surprise she was in such a bad way.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:13It had taken every little bit of money that I had and I'd got to a stage where I thought...
0:18:13 > 0:18:19"I just don't want to put up with this any more." I'd really, really had enough.
0:18:19 > 0:18:25- I'd just wish I'd go to sleep at night and just not bother waking up in the morning.- Really?
0:18:25 > 0:18:32- Yeah.- That bad?- Yeah. I said, "I really, really cannot stand the place." I said, "I hate it."
0:18:32 > 0:18:37'And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how cowboy builders turn dreams into a nightmare.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39'Appalling, isn't it?'
0:18:39 > 0:18:45So, after you'd been so badly burnt by the cowboy builder,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48how did you feel when the good guys turned up?
0:18:48 > 0:18:51It took me a while to trust them if that's the right word.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56- Of course it is.- I'd been, as you put it, so badly burnt
0:18:56 > 0:19:01that...I almost wanted to keep checking up on them
0:19:01 > 0:19:04and like that's...
0:19:04 > 0:19:10That's the right thing to do though. I wish you'd checked up on the cowboys a bit more.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14I thought, "You know, they're the good guys. They've got to be OK."
0:19:14 > 0:19:19And they've done... As you can see, they've done a beautiful, marvellous job
0:19:19 > 0:19:23and I'm...I'm so grateful.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28'Well, Jackie sounds in a much better place now, a huge relief!
0:19:28 > 0:19:32'Time for me to take a close look at the good guys' handiwork
0:19:32 > 0:19:35'and compare it to what the bad guys left behind.'
0:19:35 > 0:19:39It doesn't feel like a mobile home or a park home.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41It looks brand-new, actually.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46'Unlike when the cowboys rode out of town - it looked pretty decrepit.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50'Check out what the ceiling was like. Better now, eh?'
0:19:50 > 0:19:54This has been plastered and skimmed and it's a really good finish.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58This is the first job you notice that the good guy builder's done.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03He's not just put some naff lining paper over it. He's done a proper job.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Now, looking around elsewhere...
0:20:05 > 0:20:10The boiler was a huge issue. You couldn't get to it. You couldn't service the boiler.
0:20:10 > 0:20:16The only good thing about it was the fact it was on the outside wall for the flue, but here, yeah,
0:20:16 > 0:20:22you can get to it under the cupboard or through there. Perfect. It's how it should be.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24'So, safety - tick.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29- 'Unlike before, when it was safety...' - "UH-UH" SOUND
0:20:29 > 0:20:35Remember, there was a horrible bit of conduit going up to the wall, then bare wire at the end of it.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39The builders know what they're doing and treated it like any other home,
0:20:39 > 0:20:45so they've hidden all the cable and wiring in the ceiling above the job that they've done. It's great.
0:20:45 > 0:20:51'So, electrics sorted and there's clear-cut evidence that the gas is fully functional too.'
0:20:51 > 0:20:54By the looks of it, the cooker's in use
0:20:54 > 0:20:56because there's been some baking done.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I'm sure she won't mind, will she?
0:20:59 > 0:21:05'So, thumbs up for the kitchen, but that's only the start of what needed fixing.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'Remember the living area before? Deeply depressing.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13'Now it's clearly been given the TLC it should have had in the first place.'
0:21:13 > 0:21:17It's been plastered and skimmed throughout. It looks tidy.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21It looks tidy right up to these kitchen units as well.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I think these must have been taken off and re-hung
0:21:24 > 0:21:30because the edges look fantastic, but also it's right in line with these base units.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34And another thing I seem to remember is this was a right old mess before,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37but it all looks square and in line.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41It just goes to show that they haven't just made as good as they can.
0:21:41 > 0:21:47They've gone back to the beginnings of how it should be done, ripped everything out and started again,
0:21:47 > 0:21:52which just displays the fact that they really care about the finish.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57'For me, that's the major difference between good guys and cowboys - pride in their work.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59'Right, into the bedroom.'
0:21:59 > 0:22:03A little tip for the cowboy builder if you're watching...
0:22:03 > 0:22:07See these small bits on these doors, these six-panel doors?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09They go at the top, not the bottom.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14As you can see, all these doors now are the right way up because they are...
0:22:14 > 0:22:18All the handles work and the doors close properly too.
0:22:18 > 0:22:24Doors that open and close properly - funny how that's beyond some builders, isn't it?
0:22:24 > 0:22:30Not our fellows though. They've clearly gone the extra mile to make Jackie's dream a reality.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36They've decorated the whole place. They've even put a feature wall at the end and they've got blinds up.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41It really feels like a home now. I'm really chuffed they've done this for Jackie
0:22:41 > 0:22:43because who could deserve it more, eh?
0:22:45 > 0:22:48'I've got to say the good guys have played a blinder.
0:22:48 > 0:22:54'Head honcho John was stunned when he saw what he had to contend with on day one of his rescue mission.'
0:22:54 > 0:22:57It was shocking. My heart bled for her
0:22:57 > 0:23:00because she's put all this money into it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- Even the simplest things were a bodge-up.- Yeah.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But when you're dealing with electrics and gas...
0:23:07 > 0:23:13- You can't leave someone living in somewhere with gas and electrics in that state.- Absolutely not.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- It's all certified now.- Is it?- Yeah.
0:23:15 > 0:23:22It's all been tested. It's got a certificate for all the works that have been done, so she's safe now.
0:23:22 > 0:23:28'That's great to hear. Before I take a tour with Jackie, I wanted to hear her thoughts
0:23:28 > 0:23:33'on the cowboy builder's version of events, but that's easier said than done.'
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- I know you struggled to get hold of your cowboy builder.- Yeah.
0:23:37 > 0:23:43We always give the cowboy builder a right to reply, to give us their side of the story.
0:23:43 > 0:23:49- Yeah.- But our attempts to contact him have proved futile. He's not come back to us.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54- Does that surprise you? - Not at all. Not at all.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59How do you feel about them now? Now you've got your home to how it should have been,
0:23:59 > 0:24:05how do you feel about what the cowboy builder did to you now? What sort of emotions do you have?
0:24:05 > 0:24:10I hate them for it. That's a strong emotion because I don't hate anybody.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14- But I hate them for what they did to me.- Hmm.
0:24:14 > 0:24:20What would you say to the cowboy builder if you had the chance to see them in the street again?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- You're a charlatan.- Yeah.
0:24:23 > 0:24:30'There's a few other choice words Jackie could have used, so you've got to admire her restraint.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:35You've been through enough. You've worked so hard to get into remission
0:24:35 > 0:24:40and now you've got your home that you've always had your mind on, haven't you?
0:24:40 > 0:24:46- Yeah, and I couldn't wish for a better area. It's lovely. - You're in a lovely community.- Yeah.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50'Right, time for the bit I've been waiting for - Jackie's grand tour.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55'I can't wait to hear how our good guys' handiwork has changed her life.'
0:24:56 > 0:24:59So...your master bedroom?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02This is my bedroom. I think it's very suave now.
0:25:02 > 0:25:08I wasn't expecting to see this because I thought the guys were just going to make good and make safe,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11but check your feature wall out!
0:25:11 > 0:25:13- Yeah, I chose the paper. - Did you?- Yes.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18'It's wonderful that Jackie is now adding her personal touches.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24'Her dream home is rising like a phoenix from the ashes of what the cowboys left behind.'
0:25:24 > 0:25:29They left it with the strips all off the ceiling, nails hanging out of the ceiling.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34There wasn't anything I could do with it. I had nails coming down all the walls.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- How did you sleep at night?- Badly.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42'But now it's sweet dreams all the way thanks to our good guys.'
0:25:42 > 0:25:48- They've done a really good job and I can't tell you how pleased and happy I am with it.- You look pleased.- I am.
0:25:48 > 0:25:53- It was such a nightmare... - But now?- Now I love it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58If I can hark back, if you'll let me, your childhood dream was to live by the sea.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03This is a long-held, lifetime dream. Is this now being realised?
0:26:03 > 0:26:08It has, yes, in full. Better than I expected.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Better?- Better than I expected, yes.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14'Well, that's music to my ears.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20'And check out this spare room that the good guys decorated and Jackie is kitting out for a special guest.'
0:26:20 > 0:26:24It's beautiful. My little grandson will be so pleased.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29- Has he not seen it yet?- Not as it... Not in its state at the moment. They're coming down next weekend.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33- I bet you can't wait. - He's very excited about it.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38He keeps saying, "We're going down to Nanny's and Nanny's finished my room!'
0:26:38 > 0:26:45'Jackie has banished those dark days when she was too embarrassed by the state of her home to have visitors.'
0:26:45 > 0:26:51- Since I've moved in, I've not wanted people coming in because I've been ashamed of it.- Yeah, I bet.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54But now I think half the park's been in!
0:26:54 > 0:27:00'That's fantastic. No more lonely nights looking at her peeling wallpaper for Jackie.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02'Right, into the kitchen.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06'Before, it was calamitous. Now it's classy.'
0:27:06 > 0:27:11This looks like a brand-new home. It really does, doesn't it?
0:27:11 > 0:27:17They've done a magnificent job and I can't say how happy and pleased I am with it!
0:27:17 > 0:27:22- It's beautiful. - Before, there was lining paper on the ceiling and there's now plaster.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27- You can paint this any colour you want.- That's right. It's gorgeous.
0:27:27 > 0:27:33'That's exactly what Jackie deserves after the tough time she's been through over the last few years.'
0:27:33 > 0:27:37I can see just how proud you are of this home now.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42- Yes.- But also how happy you are after this tumultuous time you've had.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- I wish you the very best in your new home.- Thank you so much, Jonnie.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- It is a new home. - It is a new home and it's my home.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52'Jackie has her dream home at last.
0:27:52 > 0:27:58'It's time for me to leave her and, of course, Pippa, to enjoy it.'
0:27:58 > 0:28:04I don't think anybody would disagree with the fact that Jackie deserved so much better
0:28:04 > 0:28:08than the treatment that she was handed out by her cowboy builders.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12I'm glad to say that after all this time, after hitting such lows,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15and most importantly, thanks to our good guy builders,
0:28:15 > 0:28:21she's finally managed to achieve her childhood dream of having her own little home by the sea.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25And I think you'll agree, she seems pretty chuffed with it.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33For our next Cowboy Trap saga, we revisit a couple just outside Wolverhampton.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38As with Jackie, this story illustrates the importance of getting independent references
0:28:38 > 0:28:42to avoid being caught in the clutches of a cowboy builder.
0:28:42 > 0:28:48This cowboy's victims were Susan and Ian Bartlett, a couple who had big plans for their house.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53The first items on their wish list, a lounge refurbishment and an en-suite bathroom.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58Ian is a nurse for NHS Direct and had always wanted a home office.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01A conservatory was also added to the list
0:29:01 > 0:29:06and finally, a larger kitchen, so Susan could start a cookery business.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09We had wanted to have a bigger kitchen
0:29:09 > 0:29:13and we thought of converting the garage and utility room
0:29:13 > 0:29:15into a kitchen/diner.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19The Bartletts knew that all this work wouldn't come cheap,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23but making their house work for them was central to their business plans.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28It was a substantial investment, but it would reap dividends for them in the long run
0:29:28 > 0:29:33and there was a pressing reason why Ian and Susan needed a dramatic change in their lives.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37Ian had recently had a stroke, so Susan, who's an expert chef,
0:29:37 > 0:29:43wanted to run cookery classes at home to be close to him as much as possible.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48The year before, the Bartletts had used a local builder for small jobs around the house,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52so they decided to get him in to quote.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54He came across as very convincing.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56He had done other jobs as well.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59He was pleasant, he was very polite.
0:29:59 > 0:30:05You just go on trust. When you want to engage a builder, you have to have an element of trust.
0:30:05 > 0:30:11Well, I'm not sure about that. I reckon you need solid grounds to trust a builder
0:30:11 > 0:30:14like positive references from satisfied customers,
0:30:14 > 0:30:19but rather than getting references and seeing the builder's previous work,
0:30:19 > 0:30:25Susan and Ian accepted his assurances he was up to the job and agreed to his quote of £27,730.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31Work started in February 2011 with a target completion date of June,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35but right from the word go, things were, how shall I say, stop-start?
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Well, more stop than start in fact.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41The builder was repeatedly going AWOL,
0:30:41 > 0:30:45finding increasingly inventive reasons why he wasn't on the job.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49First, it was the health and safety course for a week.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54When we checked with friends, they said there was never a health and safety course
0:30:54 > 0:30:57that would spend the whole week...
0:30:58 > 0:31:00..and I was suspicious then.
0:31:00 > 0:31:06Then he started disappearing for two days, three days, not coming. He gave us excuses.
0:31:06 > 0:31:12Each time he disappeared, he came back and emptied some windows and doors into the skip.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17The Bartletts began to suspect the builder was working somewhere else,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19so their project was falling behind schedule.
0:31:19 > 0:31:25They were also concerned about the quality or lack of it in his workmanship.
0:31:25 > 0:31:31The kitchen roof looked a right state, the drainage looked dodgy and the bathroom fittings looked wonky.
0:31:31 > 0:31:37And the builder was leaving unsightly holes and unfinished doorways all over their home.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41Add that to his vanishing acts, one of which he put down to getting married,
0:31:41 > 0:31:45and you have a seriously static build.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50The Bartletts had another shock when the builder told them he was disappearing again,
0:31:50 > 0:31:56this time for a family trip to Disneyland, but Susan and Ian felt THEY were being taken for a ride.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01The Bartletts waited for their builder to return from his fun-packed summer.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04And they waited...and they waited.
0:32:06 > 0:32:12The conservatory, the garage-kitchen conversion and the bathroom would have to wait too.
0:32:12 > 0:32:19Ian felt the cowboy was making himself scarce because he wasn't up to the job.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23It seemed, in hindsight, that he had bitten off more than he could chew.
0:32:23 > 0:32:30He had taken on board too much because of the whole greed aspect of getting the job
0:32:30 > 0:32:32and earning big money.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36After a couple more guest appearances, the callous cowboy downed tools
0:32:36 > 0:32:38and walked off the project.
0:32:38 > 0:32:45With their savings exhausted and hopes for a dream home shattered, Susan and Ian were at rock bottom.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48They contemplated selling up and downsizing.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51He left us with so much unfinished jobs,
0:32:51 > 0:32:56we didn't know where we were going to get the money to finish off
0:32:56 > 0:33:02because we had builders, independent builders come in to give us quotes
0:33:02 > 0:33:05and it was like over 10,000.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Susan and Ian thought they'd never see the builder again,
0:33:09 > 0:33:14but then he made a shock reappearance and delivered an extraordinary ultimatum.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17He told them he was in debt to the builders' merchants
0:33:17 > 0:33:24and unless he paid them what he owed for the Bartletts' kitchen, he'd be taken to court and made bankrupt.
0:33:24 > 0:33:30He said the only way he could continue with the job would be for the Bartletts to pay it off for him.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33They weren't going to fall for that, were they?
0:33:33 > 0:33:38They were so desperate to get this build finished, they did, but soon he came up with another bombshell.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42He wanted a new arrangement whereby he only finished half the work.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46When the Bartletts refused, it was game over
0:33:46 > 0:33:48and they were devastated.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50It's affected my health.
0:33:50 > 0:33:57I've been having vertigo attacks every now and then because of stress.
0:33:57 > 0:34:03If only he had come to us and said, "I'm sorry for all the hassles, I'm sorry that I've put you out,"
0:34:03 > 0:34:07and just shown a little bit of humility, but there's been none.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10He's just totally and utterly arrogant.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13And he had nothing to be arrogant about,
0:34:13 > 0:34:20but our good guys got involved and started to put right what the cowboy got so badly wrong.
0:34:20 > 0:34:26They replaced the extension roof, sorted the plumbing and pipework and got to work on Ian's office.
0:34:26 > 0:34:32The transformation from before to after...was striking.
0:34:32 > 0:34:38Ian's study went from dangerous disaster zone to an immaculate space, fit for purpose.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43And the en-suite was just what the Bartletts had dreamt of too.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47Having been rock-bottom, the Bartletts were back in action,
0:34:47 > 0:34:52but they still had some way to go to achieve their life plan of being able to work from home.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Would our good guys' efforts be an inspiration to go on and complete their quest?
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Only time would tell.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07It's been less than a year since we last saw the Bartletts
0:35:07 > 0:35:12and by all accounts, things have moved on remarkably since we last saw them.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16When we first met them, Ian and Susan had hit rock-bottom,
0:35:16 > 0:35:21but I hear nothing could be further from the truth now, so I'm looking forward to meeting them.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26'And hopefully hearing that Susan's cookery business is thriving too.'
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- Hi, Susan.- Hello. How are you?
0:35:31 > 0:35:34- Ian?- Yes, hello, Jonnie. - How are you?
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- Would you like to come in? - Thank you.- Come into the warm.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42'It's good to see them smiling and when I enter their living room, I can see why.
0:35:42 > 0:35:48'During the build, it was used as a storeroom and because the job went on for an eternity,
0:35:48 > 0:35:53'Susan and Ian had nowhere to relax in their own house. Now it's very much part of their home.'
0:35:53 > 0:35:56- You've got your living room back. - Yes.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Because this was piled high?
0:35:58 > 0:36:05- Oh, yes.- It was just awful. It was like living in squalor, wasn't it? - It was. 20 months of hell!
0:36:05 > 0:36:11'I think "hell" is putting it mildly. The cowboy caused mayhem on the entire ground floor.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13'It's looking better now.'
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Where were you sitting down to relax or watch the gogglebox?
0:36:17 > 0:36:23- There was no place to sit down. - It must seem like your house has suddenly ballooned in size.- Yes.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26It's amazing. It had been like living in a rather bad bedsit.
0:36:27 > 0:36:34'You don't expect to pay £27,000 to convert your three-bed semi into a bedsit, do you?
0:36:34 > 0:36:40'And you'd want a decent conservatory fitting too, but the cowboy's efforts were shoddy.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43'Our good guys had to focus on other priorities,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47'but Sue and Ian have now added the skirting and their own touches.
0:36:47 > 0:36:53'When you look at what the cowboy left behind to how it looks now, there's no comparison, is there?
0:36:53 > 0:36:59'OK, time to check out the guest room and en-suite bathroom which our fellas revitalised.'
0:36:59 > 0:37:04- Right, so this is where the VIPs stay, is it?- It certainly is.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08'And how lucky they are! The Bartletts love entertaining visitors
0:37:08 > 0:37:14'and this room has already proved a resounding success with their guests.'
0:37:14 > 0:37:18This was something that we've always wanted.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Having a spare room is all very well and good,
0:37:21 > 0:37:25but if you give guests bathroom facilities, they have privacy,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28you still have what feels like your home.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33'Looking at this en-suite, it's surprising Sue and Ian's guests ever want to leave.'
0:37:33 > 0:37:40You've turned the corner. Thanks to the help, the good guy builders doing the making good that they did,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44you're now in a position where you've had friends coming to stay,
0:37:44 > 0:37:48- you've got your living room back. - Absolutely.- This is a home again.
0:37:48 > 0:37:55- You're all about entertainment. You love having guests around.- Yes. - We're a social couple, aren't we?
0:37:55 > 0:37:59'When they're not socialising, Ian likes to work from home
0:37:59 > 0:38:02'and now he can in his spacious new office.
0:38:02 > 0:38:07'Remember what the cowboy did to this room? Our good guys rescued it from disaster.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10'And the Bartletts finished the job.'
0:38:10 > 0:38:16- We called this the "holy" room because we had holes on the wall!- In the worst sense of the word, quite!
0:38:16 > 0:38:19But it's been resurrected, to stay with that parlance!
0:38:19 > 0:38:25It was completely exposed, pipework not capped. It was an accident waiting to happen.
0:38:25 > 0:38:31'While Ian is beavering away in his office, Susan can get busy in her state-of-the-art kitchen.
0:38:31 > 0:38:37'In just one year, they've achieved their pre-cowboy life plans of being able to work from home.'
0:38:37 > 0:38:43Well, it certainly smells great, your kitchen, but it looks fantastic, doesn't it?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I mean, this is a big kitchen.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49It is. It's big enough for me to teach.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53I can actually have three students here and another one over there.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56This looks fantastic.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Now with this kitchen and that office,
0:38:58 > 0:39:03so we can both do work at different times of the day, I think we're made.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07I must say the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11- I can smell something in that cooker.- It's a hint, I think!
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Oh, look at that, eh?
0:39:13 > 0:39:15Wow!
0:39:15 > 0:39:20'Our good guys certainly helped create a recipe for success at the Bartletts' home,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22'but Susan and Ian have done the rest
0:39:22 > 0:39:28'when you compare what the cowboy left behind to how our fellas got this room back on track.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31'Now the Bartletts have added their magic. It's astonishing.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37'Next, I want to hear how Susan and Ian feel about their unfortunate cowboy builder experience.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Cast your mind back around a year ago.
0:39:40 > 0:39:46The living room was full of junk. You couldn't have guests which you were dreaming of having.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48You were living in a state of chaos.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52- Yes.- It must have had a terrible effect emotionally on you both.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57Of course. I was building up all this intense anger within.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02We were actually fighting a lot at that time.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07- You nearly had to change homes? - Yes.- This house has been in the family a long time.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12Then we had all this suddenly come down on us like a ton of bricks
0:40:12 > 0:40:16- and we thought we might have to sell the house.- There was no other way.
0:40:16 > 0:40:23- That's all those dreams gone for ever.- Yes. Had we not received any help, we might have to sell out.
0:40:23 > 0:40:30'But thanks to our good guys arriving in the nick of time, that disastrous scenario was averted.'
0:40:30 > 0:40:34How do you feel now? Have you been able to move on?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- There's no use crying over spilt milk.- No.
0:40:37 > 0:40:44And anyway, the good builder and Cowboy Trap has helped us to move on.
0:40:44 > 0:40:50'And move on they certainly have. Susan and Ian are justifiably proud of their lovely home.'
0:40:50 > 0:40:53If you look at this house now and what's been done,
0:40:53 > 0:40:57it's just remarkable in the circumstances.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- It is, isn't it?- It's a home now.
0:40:59 > 0:41:06'But it's a real shame the Bartletts had to go through such a painful journey to get to this point.'
0:41:06 > 0:41:09What have you learnt from this?
0:41:09 > 0:41:16Definitely we've learnt not to trust anybody without doing the regular checks.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Yeah. You were quite spontaneous before, would you say?
0:41:19 > 0:41:22I would say that I was very casual about it all
0:41:22 > 0:41:25because I'm a sort of trusting person.
0:41:25 > 0:41:31But there are people who are out to sort of...shaft you with everything that they've got ultimately.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34You can't take everybody at their word.
0:41:34 > 0:41:40If they've built something before, go and have a look at it and speak to the people they've built for.
0:41:40 > 0:41:46- It's important to get information from previous customers as to how good their work has been.- Exactly.
0:41:46 > 0:41:52'The unlucky Bartletts were left without a leg to stand on when their project fell behind schedule.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56'If they'd had a detailed contract with the builder before work began,
0:41:56 > 0:42:02'they could have referred him to that, potentially solving many of their problems in one stroke.'
0:42:25 > 0:42:31'It's been a tough road for the Bartletts, but all's well that ends well.'
0:42:31 > 0:42:33- Have you come out of it now?- Yes.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38Well, this experience has actually strengthened our relationship.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42- Has it?- It has.- That's brilliant news.- It is.- That's fantastic.
0:42:42 > 0:42:47'And on that heart-warming note, it's time for me to leave Sue and Ian
0:42:47 > 0:42:49'to enjoy their wonderful new home.'
0:42:49 > 0:42:52What a journey these guys have been on!
0:42:52 > 0:42:56They've now got a home that works for them on so many levels.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01They can have guests here. They've had their first ones stay which was a huge success.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06Ian is now working from home because he has an office that is suitable for that purpose,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10plus last, but by no means least, Susan is now realising her dreams
0:43:10 > 0:43:14of running a cooking and baking business from home.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17And I can personally guarantee that she...
0:43:17 > 0:43:19will be very busy.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd