0:00:09 > 0:00:12We're on a mission to rescue homeowners across the UK
0:00:12 > 0:00:15from the misery left behind by cowboy builders.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17It's bad to do that to anybody.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20But to do that to a disabled child
0:00:20 > 0:00:25when the conservatory is for the purpose of enriching the life of a disabled child,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27it's just disgusting.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30It's impossible to overestimate the damage these guys do.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Whether they're blatant amateurs or simply crooks,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36cowboy builders not only ruin homes,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38they wreck lives, too.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41It's so easy for people to do an awful job and just disappear.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And it's just a nightmare.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46We've got the good guys in our party
0:00:46 > 0:00:50to help turn these botched builds into ideal homes.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53There were tiles missing before. These are replacement tiles.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56That shows that it wasn't just a conservatory job that needed to be done,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58it was a roofing job as well.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It looks fantastic.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02The whole family love it, don't they?
0:01:02 > 0:01:08And enjoy it. And this is how it should have been all that time ago.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12This is exactly how we intended it to be two years ago.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16You know, even the smartest people forget basic common sense when they have the builders in.
0:01:16 > 0:01:23Which is why the next 45 minutes is a cautionary tale that can help keep you out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:35 > 0:01:41On today's Cowboy Trap, a family wanted a conservatory with disabled access.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44But all they got was a damp-ridden disaster.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47We get next to no use out of it
0:01:47 > 0:01:50because it's damp, it's draughty.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53It's very, very cold.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56And we revisit a young couple we rescued three years ago
0:01:56 > 0:01:58to see how they're doing now.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02The house is a work in progress. We've got one more bedroom we'd like to work on
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and we're thinking about redoing a bedroom that's already finished.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07And then we'd like to work on the garden.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Our first Cowboy Trap location is in a small village in the countryside
0:02:12 > 0:02:14on the outskirts of Wrexham.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17The area was renowned for its leather industry in the 18th century.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Wrexham was full of skinners and tanners
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and comb and button makers using cattle horns as raw materials.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29And that's not the only thing Wrexham has in common with the Wild West.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35In the 19th century, about a quarter of a million people
0:02:35 > 0:02:38emigrated from Wales to the United States.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41As a result, the history of the American Wild West
0:02:41 > 0:02:44features a fair few cowboys of Welsh descent.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The most famous of these was the notorious outlaw Jesse James,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51whose great-grandfather was a Baptist minister from Wales.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55These days, you'd only find gun-slinging cattle rustlers
0:02:55 > 0:02:58with a fondness for stage coach robbery in the movies.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00But as for the Welsh tradition of cowboys,
0:03:00 > 0:03:05unfortunately that's one thing that refuses to go west.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09This cowboy's unlucky victims live in a three-bedroomed bungalow.
0:03:09 > 0:03:15It's home to Jordana and Michael Farrow and their sons Oscar and Callum.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Callum was born prematurely and has cerebral palsy.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Oh, and we mustn't forget the family dog, Dodger.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Michael is a soldier in the British army
0:03:24 > 0:03:26and Jordana is a full-time mum.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28They've been married for five years.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Michael and Jordana were at school together
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and have always been friends.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34But in their early 20s,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36it started to become a bit more than that
0:03:36 > 0:03:39during one of Michael's breaks during a tour of duty.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41He went back off
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and I was left thinking, "Hmm.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45"I really miss him quite a lot."
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Probably more than in a friends kind of way.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51So, being a complete wimp, I wrote to him to tell him this.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Anyway, he phoned me and said he felt the same way.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59And before long, Michael and Jordana were getting married,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02settling down and starting a family.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05The next stage, finding a house for the kids to grow up in.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08A task further complicated by Callum's condition.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Michael was on a six-month tour of Iraq,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13so house-hunting duties fell to Jordana.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16As is so often the case when you're looking for a new home,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19she visited a fair few houses that did nothing for her.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23But when she found the right one, she knew right away.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26It was perfectly placed in a tiny village in the valleys.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28What's more, being a bungalow,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30it was ideally suited for Callum's needs.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The conservatory at the back was old, but it would do for the time being.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38The Farrows moved in and looked forward to making their new house into a home.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Like all army wives, Jordana has to multi-task when Michael is on tour of duty.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's a life she's chosen, but it is tough.
0:04:46 > 0:04:47I get to play Mummy,
0:04:47 > 0:04:53and then I also get to play all the roles that he's meant to play when he's here.
0:04:53 > 0:04:59So hanging picture frames and fixing stuff. It's usually quite stressful.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01And to add to that stress,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04young Callum's health issues make life tough for the whole family.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08The cerebral palsy affects him quite a lot. He's wheelchair bound
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and can't do anything himself.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13You've got to be as strong and positive as you can be for Callum.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17He tries his hardest. He's a happy boy still.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19He loves to do everything, but he struggles a lot.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21It is difficult to deal with.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Because everybody wants the perfect baby.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26They want them to be happy and healthy.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29But that's just not always how it turns out.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Because that isn't the way it turned out for Callum,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Adjustments needed to be made to the family home.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Top of the wish list was a new conservatory with disabled access.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42When we moved here, there was already a conservatory there.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44There was an old bespoke wooden one.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49But it had past its time and had started to rot and that.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54It only had a single doorway on the side without disabled access.
0:05:54 > 0:06:00Because of his condition, and he spends a lot of his time in a wheelchair or bits of equipment,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04you don't get to the point where you feel you'd like to take him outside
0:06:04 > 0:06:06or do something, and the conservatory,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10even on a miserable day,
0:06:10 > 0:06:16at least in the conservatory you can feel a bit like you're bringing the outside inside.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18With Michael serving abroad,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22it was down to Jordana to find a builder who specialised in conservatories.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27She tracked one down, and went to look at a conservatory already built for a neighbour.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Jordana was impressed with what she saw,
0:06:29 > 0:06:34and felt a real connection with the builder because he also had a child with special needs.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00The company verbally quoted £10,355 to build the new conservatory
0:07:00 > 0:07:03with payment not due until completion.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Jordana agreed, but then it all went quiet.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09The written quote they were promised didn't arrive.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15The weeks went by, and then suddenly two subcontractors turned up out of the blue.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Nobody rang me to tell me they'd be starting.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Two guys just wandered round the side of the house.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25And started taking the old conservatory down.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29When they had, they asked Jordana for £1,300.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33I'm sorry? You want cash?
0:07:35 > 0:07:40And it was his understanding that I would pay him cash
0:07:40 > 0:07:42when they were finished.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47But the builder hadn't told me that was what was going to happen.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49But it did happen,
0:07:49 > 0:07:50and Jordana paid up.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Without the written quote to fall back on,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55she didn't have much choice in the matter.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Even at this very early stage,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00alarm bells should have been ringing loud and clear.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04That mislaid quote, the prolonged delay before work finally started.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07The builders turning up without any warning.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10The confusion over who was paying the subcontractors.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12This was already a mess,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and the job had barely got underway.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18And, of course, it turned out this builder had started as he meant to go on.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22When builders came to construct the new conservatory,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25it didn't take long for problems to emerge.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27The roof didn't look right, for a start.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Even I could see that it wasn't going to fit.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33It was a good, you know, a good...
0:08:34 > 0:08:36..like that short.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38They're both standing there, scratching their heads,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41looking at a bit of paper they're holding onto,
0:08:41 > 0:08:42looking at the big gap in the frame.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I'm thinking, "This isn't going well."
0:08:45 > 0:08:49With Michael away, it was down to Jordana to call the owner of the company and complain.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51He immediately shifted the blame.
0:08:51 > 0:08:57It wasn't his fault. The manufacturers have produced the frame wrong
0:08:57 > 0:09:02and I'm getting on the phone to them right now and demand they manufacture a new one.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04These things are made to measure, blah, blah, blah.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Jordana expected a long wait
0:09:07 > 0:09:11while the manufacturers crafted a new bespoke roof for her conservatory.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14But guess what? It didn't happen that way.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19Magically, my builder turned up two days later with a brand-new frame.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Which we now know wasn't our frame,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25it was bits of other people's frames
0:09:25 > 0:09:30that they'd just kind of muddled together and welded together.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34This was clearly a bodge job from start to finish.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37They'd even put screws in the drainpipe.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40The builders then announced they'd finished and walked off.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43A few days later, the owner of the company came round for his money.
0:09:43 > 0:09:49Now, the original agreement was there would be no payment unless the Farrows were happy with the job.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52But this guy didn't seem too concerned about customer satisfaction.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58He knew that I'd be on my own with the baby and asked for the money.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03And stupidly I gave it to him because I was intimidated.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06So the builder got his cash.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09But it didn't take long for Jordana to regret giving in to him.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13As soon as it rained, she realised she'd made a terrible mistake.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17It didn't start dripping, it just went "whoosh!"
0:10:17 > 0:10:20It was like raining inside.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24It just poured from one of the fascias.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Jordana repeatedly tried to phone the builder
0:10:26 > 0:10:28but he never got back to her.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Eventually, she discovered he'd dissolved his company
0:10:31 > 0:10:35and as for the 10-year guarantee they'd been given on the conservatory,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39it turned out to be about as useful as a microwave oven on a surf board.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43With the company dissolved and the guarantee worthless,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45the Farrows had nowhere to turn.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47From that day to this,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50the conservatory has proved to be one continuous source of stress.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Our roof doesn't fit. They haven't measured it properly.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57It's not a continuous piece of framing.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59It leaks because it doesn't fit
0:10:59 > 0:11:01and it leaks because it's full of holes.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07There are problems when you look up, and problems when you look down, too.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11The floor's not level. They were meant to take the old tile floor up,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14use self-leveller and then put floor back down.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18They perhaps used one bag of self-leveller
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and so the floor is fairly uneven.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Because of that, Callum can't use his wheelchair on it.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And the doors aren't fitted properly, either.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30You can see daylight through the doors.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33It not only makes it draughty,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36but considering I'm here on my own, it's a security risk
0:11:36 > 0:11:41because you could easily stick something through that and rip the door open.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45So, roof bad, floor bad, doors bad.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47What else is there in a conservatory?
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Oh, yes. Windows. Surely they got those right?
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Well, what do you think?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It takes a real force to shut, especially the outside one.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57It's a poor finish. There's bits missing.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Daylight through the side of them and the bottom underneath.
0:12:00 > 0:12:07They've used cheap and cheerful sealant on joins. That's all cracked and perishing.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10And as for the supposedly wheelchair-friendly ramp,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12it's totally unfit for purpose.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16It's very steep. It looks like it belongs in a skate park,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18not for a disabled child.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23How these guys consider themselves capable of building a conservatory
0:12:23 > 0:12:26with disabled access is beyond me.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29We get next to no use out of it
0:12:29 > 0:12:34because it's damp, it's draughty, it's very, very cold.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38I can't leave Callum in that kind of environment. He's got health problems and a bad chest.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43Jordana is convinced the builder knew he was going to file for bankruptcy
0:12:43 > 0:12:45when he agreed to take on the project.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49We must have literally been one of the last jobs they took on.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51I'm thinking, "How dare you do that to us?"
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Especially when... It's bad to do that to anybody,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56but to do that to a disabled child,
0:12:56 > 0:13:02when the conservatory is for the purpose of enriching the life of a disabled child,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04how dare you do that? It's just disgusting.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Such a shame, this one.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Jordana has no beef about Michael being away from home for such long periods.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12She says herself it's the life she's chosen.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15But she clearly could have done with his support while she went through this ordeal
0:13:15 > 0:13:19as I've little doubt her so-called builder took advantage.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23But how much of an advantage?
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Often cowboys leave behind work that looks OK on the surface
0:13:26 > 0:13:30but when you look closer, it's clear that corners have been cut.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34So we asked independent building expert Euan Elliot to inspect the work.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38He's been through it with a fine-tooth comb.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40He's about to fill me in on what he found.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45They didn't know what they were doing. Water's going to go straight in there.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49First item on the agenda, that old favourite, water ingress.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54It joins onto the building, but not very well.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56There's a bit of flash band put in there
0:13:56 > 0:13:59which is something you use just as a temporary measure
0:13:59 > 0:14:01rather than a permanent feature.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05You need to put something there with lead or something like that,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07just to make sure that no water can come in in the future.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11But you can see on the photos that it's all failed already.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And the gutters have been put up really badly.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19The distance between the face of the building and the gutter
0:14:19 > 0:14:21has been reduced there down to virtually nothing.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23So water will stand there.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26And there's only one downpipe on the whole of this roof.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29It's not big enough to take all of the water.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35Right. On to a ramp that's so steep, I'm surprised Evel Knievel isn't jumping off it.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38There is a very, very strong chance
0:14:38 > 0:14:42if somebody comes out of there, they could slip over the side
0:14:42 > 0:14:44and the wheelchair could overturn.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46It's a dangerous ramp.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49So this now, we're talking about something that's not only shoddy,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- but it's also thoughtless.- Oh, yes.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54It would be far easier to get it right from the start.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Euan's mood didn't improve when he spotted the badly-fitted doors
0:14:58 > 0:15:00and gap-ridden windows.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03So, what's next on his long list of faults?
0:15:03 > 0:15:07The floor isn't level. It's uneven.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09With a wheelchair, you want a level floor.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12There is a chance of it scraping along the floor
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and it's not good for the wheelchair.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19Euan, you've had a good amount of time looking at this conservatory.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22How would you grade it out of ten? What mark would you give it?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24It's only a four.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Hmm. I can see why Euan's unimpressed.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Check out the evidence.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Inadequate guttering, ineffective sealing,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36insufficient downpipes, draughty windows
0:15:36 > 0:15:42badly-fitted doors, abysmal roof, unlevel floor
0:15:42 > 0:15:46and a disabled access ramp that's, well, nothing of the sort.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51All this, and the Farrows handed over more than £9,000.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Time to call in the good guys.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Here's head honcho Paul Hilton,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59leading his posse into the fray.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Let's hope that despite the snowy conditions, they can do the business.
0:16:02 > 0:16:08The Farrows desperately need a conservatory that's dry, secure and wheelchair friendly.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12First things first. Sorting out that dreadful roof.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It needs replacing entirely.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Then it's on to the doors and windows.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21The uneven floor needs fixing, too.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And that wheelchair ramp just has to be improved.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It's as clear as day they've made a great start.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36But can Hilton's Heroes revive Jordana and Michael's dream
0:16:36 > 0:16:38of a conservatory for their kids to enjoy?
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Only time will tell.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I'm in rural Wales, in the small village of Pentre,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53where Michael and Jordana Farrow had their hearts set on a new conservatory
0:16:53 > 0:16:56but were left with a top to bottom bodge by their cowboy builder.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Well, our good guys have now finished their work
0:16:59 > 0:17:03so hopefully, this family have been left with a long overdue ray of sunshine.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Despite the weather!
0:17:05 > 0:17:10I'm really crossing my fingers that our fellas' work has made life easier for Jordana,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12who has so much on her plate.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- Hello!- Hello!- Hi, I'm Jonnie. Nice to meet you. How are you?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Mike. Nice to meet you.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23- I forgot my suntan oil! Is it always like this up here?- Pretty much!
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- Can I come in?- Course you can. - Thank you.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26Freezing!
0:17:26 > 0:17:30'As soon as I cross the threshold, I can't resist a quick peek.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33'The transformation from what the cowboy left behind
0:17:33 > 0:17:37'to what our good guys conjured up is striking.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41'This conservatory has gone from woeful...to wonderful!
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'Right. Time for a heart-to-heart with Jordana and Michael
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'about what it was like being caught in the cowboy trap.'
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Unfortunately, Michael, you weren't around. You're in the army
0:17:52 > 0:17:57- and you were working away.- I was at work, so the day-to-day stuff, I wasn't here to know about.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01I was getting phone calls every evening about what had happened,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03but there was nothing I could do.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07It's stressful being here on my own with two small kids anyway.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Especially when one of them's got additional needs,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14but having to deal with these people as well,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I was quite stressed out about the whole thing.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18I just sat there and cried.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Who can blame Jordana, looking at the state of this fiasco?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25After you'd paid £10,000,
0:18:25 > 0:18:30after you'd put up with four months of these jokers
0:18:30 > 0:18:32coming in and out of your house,
0:18:32 > 0:18:37and then it failed, you had buckets catching leaking water everywhere,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39how did that make you both feel?
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- Angry!- Angry.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46We'd spent all our money and basically had the same conservatory we had before.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48- It was useless and leaking.- Yeah.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52It's so easy for people to do an awful job and just disappear.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54It's just a nightmare.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57'Nightmare indeed.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01'But have they been able to put it behind them, now the good guys have got involved?'
0:19:02 > 0:19:06You're clearly battlers. You deal with things, don't you? Both very strong.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09How do you feel about the whole process now?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It just makes you feel such a fool.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15You just feel like a complete and utter idiot
0:19:15 > 0:19:17that you've been taken for a ride.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Especially when you think, you're so pleased with yourself,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22cos you think you've done it all right.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24You've got the different quotes. You've been to see work.
0:19:24 > 0:19:30And then they just take you for a ride anyway.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34'Yep, that's the modus operandi of many a cowboy.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38'Right. Time for me to take a closer look at the good guys' handiwork
0:19:38 > 0:19:40'and compare it to what the bad guys left behind.'
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Well, the buckets are no more.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49In fact, the only plastic in here are the toys the boys want to play with.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51It just goes to show this is how it should have been.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54But it means they're getting to enjoy this room at long last.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Yep. Who could enjoy a damp, draughty conservatory?
0:19:58 > 0:20:02It's incredible the cowboys had the temerity to leave it in this state.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Looking better now, though!
0:20:05 > 0:20:08But is the moisture issue totally sorted?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10The proof of the pudding is in the corners.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13Bone dry.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Now, this is where the huge problem was.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20There was a big valley. It was laking here, if you like.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22There were tiles missing before.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27These are replacement tiles which shows it wasn't just a conservatory job that needed to be done.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28It was a roofing job as well
0:20:28 > 0:20:30because one meets the other.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35Now, it looks fantastic. It looks like it should have done in the first place, let's face it.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39And it's not only the roof work that was amateurish.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42There were bodges everywhere you looked.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45But now, it's clearly been done by professionals.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48The floor looks fine. It's nice and level.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52And these doors. You could see there were gaps all through them.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57Now, the only thing you see through are the windows within the doors, which is perfect.
0:20:58 > 0:20:59Perfect indeed.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Right. Let's check out the disabled access ramp outside.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Before, the gradient was simply too steep.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07It's much gentler now.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10By basically doubling the length of it,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14they've managed to drag that gradient out, which is just what needed to happen.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18And finally, on to the flashing on the roof,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21which before wasn't very flashy at all, was it?
0:21:22 > 0:21:23Now, though, it's spot on.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Someone knows how to do flashing.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Brilliant. It's not cheap material anyway.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33But look, you can see. There's no way in for that water.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35It was just botched here before.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37The water can run along there, through the valley,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40through the flashing and then into the system of guttering.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Brilliant.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Well, I've got to say the good guys have played a blinder.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51Head honcho Paul is talking me through the challenges he faced turning this project around.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57So, Paul, it looks great now. But it must have looked a right sight when you turned up.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Yes, the roof was in a sorry state.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It was manufactured short.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05It was manufactured the wrong way round,
0:22:05 > 0:22:10which then they attempted on site probably to correct it,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13to make it right-handed instead of left-handed.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18There were five or six different pieces, all joined together.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21So when it's short, there's nothing you can do. You have to start again.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23You have to start again.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25But these guys clearly weren't interested in doing that.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29They just wanted to be in and out as quickly as possible.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32And, taking into account another of Paul's discoveries,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35it's surprising this didn't become an indoor swimming pool!
0:22:35 > 0:22:40The main house roof hadn't been properly dressed into the box gutter
0:22:40 > 0:22:45which meant we had to go and get felt and eave support trays.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48So it turned into a roofing job, as well!
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Well, it was...- It was a grower!
0:22:50 > 0:22:54It was. It just got bigger and bigger as we went along.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57'But after they uncovered the problems,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'they sorted them. That's the way our good guys roll.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04'Before I inspect the new conservatory with the Farrows,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08'I want to hear their thoughts on the cowboy's version of events.'
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Now, we always give the cowboy builders a right to reply.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16To at least hear their side of the story.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- Right.- Now, as regards to yours,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22and on the subject of the roof,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25he said that there were never any problems with it.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31He's just an idiot.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I'm sorry. He's just an idiot.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38- How can he say that?- When we reminded him about the leak,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41he said "It was never in his contract
0:23:41 > 0:23:44"to fix the glass fibre valley gutter around the conservatory."
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Which is the main source of the leak.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- Well.- That was part of the leak. But that was part of the old conservatory.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54So his contract was to take away the conservatory and fit a new one.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55Yeah.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57'I've heard everything now.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01'It wasn't in the contract to create a non-leaking conservatory!
0:24:01 > 0:24:03'Classic!'
0:24:03 > 0:24:05With regard to the floor.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08- Right.- He said you two had wanted to do it yourselves.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12He said that your dad, Jordana,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16was "a bit of a pain all the way through the build."
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Was he?- And "He'd insisted on laying the floor himself
0:24:19 > 0:24:21"which is why it wasn't done properly."
0:24:21 > 0:24:22OK.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24So, originally,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29part of the job was to put the floor in.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33But because they were completely incompetent, it got to the point where we said
0:24:33 > 0:24:35"No, thank you. We don't want you to lay a new floor
0:24:35 > 0:24:37"because you're idiots."
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Or words to that effect.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42So, no.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45They didn't put the floor that's in there down.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- No.- No, I got a professional to do that.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Not my dad. And he's done the best job that he can with what he had to work with.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- On top of the uneven...- My dad did not put the floor down.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- No.- I've got the invoices to prove it.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'So the Farrows floorer laid it on a sub-standard base.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04'That was never going to work.'
0:25:04 > 0:25:08After these questions, he then referred us to his solicitor,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12saying that he didn't want to have any further communication with us over the matter.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And that the company in question has been dissolved.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18As long as he's got your money, he doesn't really give a stuff.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21What would you do differently?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Save up for longer and have somebody better to do the job, I think.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28A few more references. Someone like a friend or family. That would be best.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Someone we knew had done something.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34- At least then you'll see... - You know that the work...
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You can trust the people who are showing you the work that's...
0:25:37 > 0:25:38I think that's it, you know.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41It's not going to someone who's going to give a reference
0:25:41 > 0:25:44that's been provided by the person who wants the reference.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It's finding someone independent.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51'Yep, that's a crucial tactic when it comes to cowboy avoidance.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54'Right, time to find out whether our good guys' hard work
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'has changed the Farrows' family life for the better.'
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Now, then. I want to see how easy it is for everybody to get around.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Now, Oscar... He knows where he's going!
0:26:08 > 0:26:11And Callum comes in here quite easily as well, doesn't he?
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Yes.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15'So, objective one achieved.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18'Objective two, that this provides a useful extra room
0:26:18 > 0:26:20'has also been achieved.'
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Well, it certainly is an extension to the home, isn't it?
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It's not an add-on any more.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- It was cold before.- No, it's been fantastic.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Since the day the good guys had finished,
0:26:30 > 0:26:36we've had the doors open, so the temperature's been perfect. It's been a playroom.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38How long ago did Paul finish, the good guy?
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- Oh, about a week.- Yeah. - About a week or so.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44- He's been here every day since. - It's been fantastic. - See you, Paul. Wham!
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Literally.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'That's what I like to hear. No hanging about.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'Young Oscar clearly loves it in here.'
0:26:53 > 0:26:56It means the world to see you all using this space.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Because you just couldn't before.
0:26:59 > 0:27:05It was almost like sticking two fingers up to you, this room before.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07- Yes.- Because it was here, you spent all the money on it,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09but "We don't want to go in there. It's horrible."
0:27:09 > 0:27:13You walked past it, or sat on the sofa in there, looking at it.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15It made you angry every time you looked through the closed doors.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It was just an eyesore.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20So it's so much better. It's made a massive difference.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24'One of the great things about this revitalised room
0:27:24 > 0:27:28'is that it makes life less stressful for Jordana in many ways.'
0:27:28 > 0:27:31It really works as part of your home, now.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34You've got your kitchen there. You can look out from the kitchen.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37You can lock these doors and know Oscar isn't going to run off.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42He's safe. If I'm in there, I can lean over and see him. It's fantastic.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And he's as happy as can be.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46'What about young Callum?
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'Has this revitalised room proved a success for him?'
0:27:49 > 0:27:55I think for the last two years that it's been here and we haven't been able to use it,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57it may as well just not have existed for him.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59And of course now,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02it's like having a brand-new room as far as he's concerned.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Cos he's never really used it.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07So it's been fantastic.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11But also he can get some stimulation from this room as well.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Stimulation from the outside world.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14There's so much to see, isn't there?
0:28:14 > 0:28:17He loves looking outside, watching the bird table and the birds.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21In here now, he can do it. Actually look out the windows.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23'Well, isn't that lovely?
0:28:23 > 0:28:26'As the seasons change, Callum will have pole position
0:28:26 > 0:28:28'to watch nature transform.'
0:28:28 > 0:28:31The whole family love it, don't they?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33And they're enjoying it.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36And this is how it should have been all that time ago.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40This is exactly how we intended it to be two years ago.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44It's perfect. Exactly what we wanted from the room in the first place.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49You said it. For you to use that word in a room that caused you so much stress means everything.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51- It's perfect.- Yep.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53'And on that wonderful note,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57'it's time for me to leave the Farrows to enjoy the conservatory
0:28:57 > 0:29:00'which at long last has transformed their home.'
0:29:04 > 0:29:06That's a happy family, isn't it?
0:29:06 > 0:29:09When you see them in that conservatory,
0:29:09 > 0:29:14for most of us, we call it the space where the outside meets the inside of our home.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17But for the Farrows, it had to be so much more than that
0:29:17 > 0:29:20especially when you bear in mind Callum's needs.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25But now he has this space that he can go to. It's an integral part of the home.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28It's somewhere, no matter what the weather is,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31he can be stimulated by the great outdoors.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34And after all that time, after all that stress,
0:29:34 > 0:29:36they've finally got that.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38It's hard to imagine a more deserving family.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43For our next Cowboy Trap saga,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45we revisit a young couple in Essex
0:29:45 > 0:29:47we first met three years ago.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51As with the Farrows, this story revolves around a cowboy builder
0:29:51 > 0:29:55who talked a good game but didn't deliver what he'd promised.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58His unlucky victims were Caroline Palmer and Sean Marten.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Caroline and Sean were first-time buyers
0:30:02 > 0:30:03and they were delighted when they found a house
0:30:03 > 0:30:06that they thought was right up their street.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10We were looking for a property with lots of character.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14And this one just sort of jumped out at us.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20Their offer was accepted, but the house needed some work doing to keep the building society happy.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Part of our mortgage obligation was to replace the windows
0:30:23 > 0:30:25because they were poor quality.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28And there was no ventilation in the front room.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Because of the style of the house,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33we wanted to have sash windows to the front.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36And then mock sash windows to the rear.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39Caroline was a design consultant and Sean a town planner,
0:30:39 > 0:30:44so finding exactly the right kind of windows to suit their period property
0:30:44 > 0:30:46was top priority for them.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50The couple did some research and invited a number of companies around to quote.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54Unfortunately, they were exactly the kind of double glazing salesmen
0:30:54 > 0:30:56that have got the trade a bad name.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59One company in particular made us feel quite uncomfortable
0:30:59 > 0:31:01in our own home.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04It was the way he spoke to us. He was very rude,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07and to be honest,
0:31:07 > 0:31:14by the time he left, we decided that we didn't want anybody else to come into our home.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19So Sean decided to use the internet to find a company who could supply and fit their windows.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21After a lot of research,
0:31:21 > 0:31:23he and Caroline thought they'd hit gold.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26The reason we decided to go with this particular company
0:31:26 > 0:31:32was because they said that you cut out the middle man.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36And through doing that, we would then be getting a better quality of window
0:31:36 > 0:31:40for the same price that we were quoted with other companies.
0:31:41 > 0:31:48Caroline and Sean were quoted £3,175 to supply and install a set of top-notch windows.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51As well as the period downstairs windows,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55that figure included a high-quality sash window in their upstairs bedroom
0:31:55 > 0:31:58and safety standard windows in the bathroom, too.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01For the young couple, this was an offer too attractive to resist,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05even though they were asked to hand over a whopping 25% deposit
0:32:05 > 0:32:07before work even started.
0:32:07 > 0:32:13When it did, this is one of those stories where things started to go wrong on day one.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I noticed that the two rear windows upstairs
0:32:17 > 0:32:23were not the style that we had actually thought we were going to get.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26So I brought it up with them
0:32:26 > 0:32:31and it was eventually agreed that it was their fault.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34The company said they'd get new windows made
0:32:34 > 0:32:36and come back and replace them.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39But when they did, the situation went from bad to worse.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44When I came home, I'd never seen anything like it, the damage that he'd caused.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47And the poor workmanship that he'd carried out on the property.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50I immediately rang my brother and said, "Kev, can you come round,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53"and have a look", because he's a building surveyor.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57He came round and he was shocked about the appalling work he'd carried out.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00And then when I spoke to the fitter,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02he said to me, "Oh, I've finished, Mr Marten."
0:33:02 > 0:33:06I said, "You haven't finished. You've left it in an appalling state."
0:33:06 > 0:33:09They had caused damage to the brickwork
0:33:09 > 0:33:13so therefore, instead of filling it in with, say, sand and cement,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17they had used the silicone that you would seal the windows with.
0:33:17 > 0:33:22So we've now in some areas got chunks about that size of silicone.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27Sean showed the company photographic evidence of the botched job,
0:33:27 > 0:33:31but they demanded full payment before they would rectify any mistakes.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33He said, "Before any further work is done,
0:33:33 > 0:33:39"I want you to pay everything that's remaining on the fitting
0:33:39 > 0:33:42"bar the two windows upstairs that we weren't happy with."
0:33:42 > 0:33:45So we did, because we didn't think he'd actually come back unless we paid him.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It wasn't only the quality of the work that was an issue.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50It was the actual window units themselves.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Sean and Caroline had been told they'd bought a top quality brand,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58but it soon became clear they'd been palmed off with cheap and nasty copies
0:33:58 > 0:34:01that didn't even meet building regulations.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05And as for the contractors, well, they were just as much of a sham.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08They led us to believe they were FENSA registered.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10They'd shown the logo on their website
0:34:10 > 0:34:15which obviously gave us faith in the company we were looking at online.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17But nobody in the company is FENSA registered.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46And guess what? None of Caroline and Sean's windows were up to FENSA standards.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48The bathroom window wasn't toughened safety glass
0:34:48 > 0:34:54and the upstairs windows were dangerous because there was no means of escape in the event of fire.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Oh, and not one window was energy efficient.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00In other words, they were a total waste of money.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05We were living with Sean's parents for about nine months to save up for this house.
0:35:05 > 0:35:11A big chunk of that money was saved in that period for these windows.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14And now we don't have any more money.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Sean was so upset about how badly they'd been treated,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22he set up his own website to warn others about the perils of dodgy glaziers.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24He appeared on local news, too.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29We weren't getting our money back and I thought, "I can't let him get away with this."
0:35:29 > 0:35:32I wanted to make sure that this didn't happen to anybody else.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34It was bad enough it had happened to us.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39But it had happened to them and we were determined to do something about it.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Enter our good guys!
0:35:43 > 0:35:45And not any old good guys.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50The company who Caroline and Sean thought were supplying their top quality windows in the first place.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53The bona fide window wizards
0:35:53 > 0:35:55set about their work with gusto.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Before long, our fellas had done the business.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03Beautiful double-glazed windows downstairs.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05That's more like it.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Sash windows in the bedroom that will open in the event of fire,
0:36:09 > 0:36:13and toughened safety standard windows in the bathroom, too.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16When you compared what they were faced with
0:36:16 > 0:36:19to what they delivered,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21you couldn't fail to be impressed.
0:36:21 > 0:36:22Nice one.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25And with warranty certification all in place,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Sean and Caroline were very much back on track.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30But would they use this Cowboy Trap rescue
0:36:30 > 0:36:34as a springboard to go on and create their dream home?
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Only time would tell.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45It's been almost three years since we last saw Caroline and Sean.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49We gather there's been some changes around here. Let's go and meet them.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Word on the street is they've recently tied the knot,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55so now they're Mr and Mrs Marten.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- Hello.- Hi!- Sean?- Hi.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- I'm Jonnie. You must be Caroline. - Nice to meet you.
0:37:01 > 0:37:02Nice to meet you both. First off,
0:37:02 > 0:37:08I was expecting to see something you might have done inside the house.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- But you've been busy outside.- Yeah.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16- Who designed this?- We did a mood board for the landscaper. - Mood boards!
0:37:16 > 0:37:20- Ooh!- So we put that together for him to show him what we wanted materials-wise.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23And how we wanted the finished look.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27'And it looks great. A mood board, eh?
0:37:27 > 0:37:31'The only mood that was happening when the bad guys were in town was a bad mood!
0:37:31 > 0:37:33'A very bad mood.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37'When we go inside, it doesn't take long to feel one of the benefits
0:37:37 > 0:37:40'of our good guys sorting the windows.'
0:37:41 > 0:37:42It's very hot in here.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- Nice new double glazing, that's half of it!- Yeah.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- That's one of the offending windows. - Yes.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- No more problems with them? All fine?- No, lovely.
0:37:51 > 0:37:52Perfect.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55'Caroline and Sean like these windows so much,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57'they had another one put in the back.'
0:37:57 > 0:38:01The same guys that refitted those windows.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05We didn't contact anybody else. We had them straight round
0:38:05 > 0:38:07and no problems.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10'And what a fine window it is.
0:38:10 > 0:38:15'And it's not only window installation that our good guy is proving useful for.'
0:38:15 > 0:38:18We're also using him for recommendations.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21He's given us recommendations for us to do other work in the house
0:38:21 > 0:38:23which is really good, cos we trust him.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27We trust him to give us other tradesmen that we can also trust.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31'And it looks like it's going both ways.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35'Caroline and Sean are recommending our good guys to their friends and family
0:38:35 > 0:38:36'who are very pleased with their work.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41'It looks like there'll be lots more to do at Caroline and Sean's house, too.'
0:38:41 > 0:38:43The house is a work in progress.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45We've got one more bedroom that we'd like to work on
0:38:45 > 0:38:48and we're thinking about redoing a bedroom that's already finished.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51And we'd like to work on the garden.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56'Caroline and Sean have big plans for the first space visitors see.'
0:38:56 > 0:39:00This is what we want to do through the hallway.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03- As you see, we've got paint samples on the wall.- Yep.
0:39:03 > 0:39:08These are the colours we're thinking of. We want to put in a dado rail up the wall.
0:39:08 > 0:39:14And a nice new front door. We'll be contacting the guys that did the windows, the fitters.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Oh. So our good guys you're going to use again, then.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- Yes, to do the front door.- That says everything about them, doesn't it?
0:39:19 > 0:39:20Wicked.
0:39:20 > 0:39:25'You can see Caroline and Sean's vision coming together piece by piece.'
0:39:27 > 0:39:30You're really settling in to this house, aren't you?
0:39:30 > 0:39:33You're putting down roots here, long term roots, aren't you?
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- Yes.- That's what we wanted when we first moved in to the house.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41This is now what we wanted to do back then.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- Now that we're married... - Congratulations, by the way!
0:39:45 > 0:39:48- Thank you very much.- ..now we can actually do it.- Fantastic.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53'Caroline and Sean certainly aren't resting on their laurels.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57'What I want to hear is what they learnt from their cowboy builder experience
0:39:57 > 0:40:00'and how it felt being ripped off in the first place.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04How bad did it get? This is your first big thing you were doing together.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Your first big investment, your first home.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08- Yes.- How did it make you feel
0:40:08 > 0:40:13when you came home to a house with shabby windows that you hadn't even chosen.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16It wasn't just the shabby windows, it was freezing in the house
0:40:16 > 0:40:18because the windows didn't fit.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22You had massive gaps round the windows so our heating bills went up
0:40:22 > 0:40:25because we tried to make it a comfortable living environment.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28So that was sickening, to be honest.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32Because it was the first big spend on our house,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35because we'd made such a big mistake,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38it was that fear, "Where do we go from here?
0:40:38 > 0:40:40"What if we make the same mistake again?
0:40:40 > 0:40:43"How do we know who we can trust?"
0:40:43 > 0:40:46A lot of those things go round in your head.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48'Looking at the state of this,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51'I'm not surprised Caroline and Sean were in such turmoil.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54'But now, though, it's clear things are on the up.'
0:40:54 > 0:40:56We're in a much more positive place
0:40:56 > 0:40:58because we feel that with people we can trust,
0:40:58 > 0:41:04- we don't have to worry with anything else we want to have done to the house.- I bet.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09It turns out our knights in shining armour arrived just in time
0:41:09 > 0:41:11to allow Caroline and Sean to focus on their wedding
0:41:11 > 0:41:13rather than their windows.
0:41:13 > 0:41:18It meant that we could look forward to the planning of our big day
0:41:18 > 0:41:25without having to worry about all the stress of how were we going to deal with badly-fitted windows.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Dangerous, in some cases,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29they were as well.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30What were we supposed to do with that?
0:41:30 > 0:41:36So it meant we could wipe the slate clean, forget about that and concentrate on a nice happy thought.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42'And looking at those photos, what a wonderful day it was.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45'So, final question. What lessons have Caroline and Sean learned
0:41:45 > 0:41:48'from their unfortunate cowboy builder experience?'
0:41:48 > 0:41:51What would you do differently?
0:41:51 > 0:41:55If you need new windows now for your home, how would you go about it?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57I would probably look for a local tradesman,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59rather than using the internet.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04Either through talking to family, friends, a recommendation.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08Or the Yellow Pages. But make sure I get lots of quotes.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13- Also talk to any clients that they've...- Exactly it.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17You can get quotes, but until you've got a happy customer
0:42:17 > 0:42:19that you can approach independently.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Not somebody that says, "You can speak to Mrs Jones that I did work for."
0:42:22 > 0:42:24You don't know who Mrs Jones is.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26If you can speak to someone independently,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28a few people, if possible,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30who've had work done by the tradesperson,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33if they give glowing references, it's a green light, isn't it?
0:42:33 > 0:42:37- Yeah.- So, all's well that ends well?
0:42:37 > 0:42:38- Yes.- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:42:40 > 0:42:42'That's one happy couple.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45'And on that note, it's time for me to leave Caroline and Sean
0:42:45 > 0:42:48'to enjoy their rapidly evolving home.'
0:42:51 > 0:42:56As you can see, Caroline and Sean are clearly a couple of happily-married newly-weds.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59But now they've got a house that reflects that.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Sure, they learnt the hard way,
0:43:01 > 0:43:05but they also seem to have a tradesman that they not only trust,
0:43:05 > 0:43:08they're happy to recommend him to their family and friends.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Which is how it should be, isn't it?
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd