0:00:09 > 0:00:15We're travelling Britain on a mission to rescue homeowners from the curse of the cowboy builder.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20I trusted the builders in the beginning, when they started.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21I could kick myself.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25It's impossible overestimate the damage these guys do.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Whether they're blatant amateurs or simply crooks,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32cowboy builders not only mess up homes, but ruin lives, too.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36You get this feeling that some sort of electrics had been done -
0:00:36 > 0:00:41some pretend electrics going on, some pretend plastering.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45- You didn't have hot water, did you? - Not for about three weeks.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- You couldn't even wash in your own house?- No. I had nothing.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52We've rounded up the good guys to help turn these helpless homeowners
0:00:52 > 0:00:54into merry mortgagees.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58We've got a practical kitchen for an older lady.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01- You've actually got a shower in here.- Yeah.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05- You can see it cos you've got light. Do you like these?- I love them.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- I'd like them all round the house, if it was possible!- Really?
0:01:09 > 0:01:15Anyone can call themselves a builder, which is why it's crucial to know how to spot a wrong'un,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17and why the next 45 minutes
0:01:17 > 0:01:21could help keep YOU out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'On today's Cowboy Trap, a lonely 82-year-old pensioner,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37'who got taken in by con artists posing as builders.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39'She wanted a kitchen conversion.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41'She got a disaster zone.'
0:01:41 > 0:01:45I thought, "They must be good." How wrong I was.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47How wrong I was!
0:01:47 > 0:01:51I made the biggest mistake of my life.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53'And three years after we rescued him,
0:01:53 > 0:01:58'we catch up with a cowboy builder victim in Newcastle, to see how he's doing now.'
0:01:58 > 0:02:01After our builders sorted your wet room out,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03- you thought, "I'll have another one of those!"- Yeah.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07- "I like that! I'll have another!" - I didn't like it. I loved it.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'Our first Cowboy Trap saga takes place in Hereford,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16'a cathedral city and county town of...well, Herefordshire.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'Hereford is renowned as a shopping and trading centre.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23'Its produce includes leather goods, poultry and cattle,
0:02:23 > 0:02:28'plus two personal favourites - beer and cider.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32'Hereford has another claim to fame, too.'
0:02:32 > 0:02:35The man behind Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39actor and puppeteer Frank Oz was born here in Hereford.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44And my cowboy trail has brought me here on the heels of a right pair of muppets!
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'Their unlucky victim lives in this three-bed house,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51'home to 82-year-old Joan Davies,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'a widow with four grown-up children who's proud of her independence.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57'Joan was married for 50 years
0:02:57 > 0:03:01'before her husband, Robert, died in 2002.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04'After Robert's death, Joan grew increasingly lonely.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'She moved to her present house six years ago,
0:03:07 > 0:03:13'to be closer to daughter Janet and because she loved the garden.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I'm a gardener.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20What attracted me was the garden more than anything else.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22And that was it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:28'It was quite a wrench for Joan to leave her home after 35 years,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30'but she was looking forward to a fresh start.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33'The new house did need a lot of work,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37'particularly in one of her favourite rooms.'
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Joan's kitchen was a bit of a botch.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44The previous owner, who was blind, had needed to put a bathroom at the back.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49For Joan, that didn't work at all. It blocked out the light and used up valuable space.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53As cooking is one of Joan's passions, it simply had to go.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56'Joan wanted to make the kitchen bigger, too,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00'and to create a new bathroom with a shower to the side,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02'where it wouldn't affect the light coming in.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07'But it was a big commitment for a frail 82-year-old lady.'
0:04:07 > 0:04:11It took me a long, long time to make my mind up, you know,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15because I was frightened of what would go wrong.
0:04:15 > 0:04:21'Joan's son knew a builder and arranged for him to come around and look at his mum's property.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'Initially, Joan had a bad feeling about the builder.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30'When he said he'd worked for the local MP, she reckoned he must be all right.'
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Shall I or shall I not? Something's telling me "no".
0:04:35 > 0:04:39So he started on about the MP and I thought, "He must be good."
0:04:39 > 0:04:40How wrong I was.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43How wrong I was!
0:04:43 > 0:04:45I made the biggest mistake of my life.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51'The builder came up with a quote of £4,000, just for the labour.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53'Joan was to pay for materials.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56'This quote covered removing the old bathroom,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59'extending the kitchen and creating a new shower room.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'It included knocking down a wall which blocked the light
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'and modernising Joan's kitchen and electrics.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10'It was a verbal quote. There was no payment plan and no contract.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12'Oh, dear.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16'Take my advice...
0:05:31 > 0:05:33'..No need to involve lawyers.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'Just get a pen and paper and write it all down.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44'Joan gave the builder the green light and work started in early July 2011.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'But the builder and his sidekick didn't seem to care
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'about the effect their work was having on Joan.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53'They kept leaving a terrible mess.'
0:05:55 > 0:06:00I trusted the builders in the beginning, when they started and I could kick myself.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05The state they left my backyard in was bad enough.
0:06:05 > 0:06:12Bricks everywhere. Like a builder's yard - and the house was.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15'These cowboys were about as slapdash as you can get.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18'I mean, check out the plastering.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21'And the stud work was truly amateurish.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25'For some reason, they were leaving holes all over the place.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29'The wallpapering in the hall was OK - because Joan did it!
0:06:29 > 0:06:34'Then one of the builders carrying tar managed to cover the wall in black marks.'
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Black on the wall, on the paper I'd put on.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40It's got to be done again.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45'It wasn't just the scruffy careless work that concerned Joan.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49'The builders were demanding money left, right and centre.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53'And always in cash. Hm, funny that.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56'£1,500 for this, then £1,400 for that.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00'£500 here and £1,400 there.
0:07:00 > 0:07:06'Before long, Joan had paid over three times the £4,000 the cowboys had originally quoted.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10'Poor Joan was an elderly lady living on her own
0:07:10 > 0:07:12'being cynically exploited.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:17I kept thinking, "If I don't give it to them, I'll never have this place finished.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21"I've got to keep on and on for them to finish it."
0:07:21 > 0:07:24That is what I've done. I gave in in the end.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29I just paid them to get it finished, but they didn't finish it.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Joan's story is a sobering reminder of the need to insist on a payment plan.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Shelling out cash here, there and everywhere -
0:07:39 > 0:07:42first for sand, then for skirting, then for who knows what -
0:07:42 > 0:07:49no wonder she lost track of the money and made herself a sitting duck for those callous cowboys.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52'They were treating Joan like a cashpoint machine.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57'Soon, they insisted she pay them another £1,500.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01'She plucked up the courage to say no, but these con men weren't having that.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05'They put pressure on the vulnerable 82-year-old and she relented,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07'handing over another £1,000!
0:08:07 > 0:08:10'Sickening, isn't it?'
0:08:10 > 0:08:14All I was thinking about was getting the house finished.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Getting it done and getting them out.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22I kept on saying to them, "How much longer are you going to be?"
0:08:22 > 0:08:24"Won't be long."
0:08:26 > 0:08:31'Four weeks after starting, the job was far from finished.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36'Then, with no warning whatsoever, the builders packed up their tools and walked out.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40'They left Joan's kitchen in a state of chaos.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43'They left her without any hot water.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45'They left exposed wires in the walls.
0:08:45 > 0:08:51'And they left her with no bath or shower because the facilities had been ripped out and not replaced.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53'Absolutely appalling.'
0:08:54 > 0:08:58The only thing I can do here is wash my head.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03'A couple of weeks later, one of the builders sorted out the hot water
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'and said he would soon return to finish the job.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08'But he never did. Joan was left high and dry.'
0:09:09 > 0:09:14The kitchen is nothing but full of bricks.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18I had to sweep it all out, bleach it all out.
0:09:18 > 0:09:24They took the toilet out, almost, and when you pull the chain it makes a noise for half an hour.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Joan was left with nothing - no kitchen, no bathroom,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34no security and, even worse, no company.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38'During the building work, Joan's grandson, Adam, stayed with her,
0:09:38 > 0:09:43'but he's had to leave because of the lack of washing facilities.'
0:09:43 > 0:09:46He's in a high job, you know.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50He had to use the shower morning and night.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52And that was it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57'It's not just her grandson moving out that's left Joan lonely.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00'Because there are loose wires everywhere,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'it's not safe for her younger grandchildren to visit, either.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'Such a sad story!'
0:10:07 > 0:10:11You can't expect children in a house like this. Can't.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Wouldn't be fair to them, anyway.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24It never ceases to amaze me how many lives are blighted by cowboy builders.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Here's another heartbreaking example.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I reckon these guys had no intention of doing this job.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34This was a cold, calculated rip-off from the moment they spotted
0:10:34 > 0:10:37an elderly lady who looked like an easy target.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42'Cowboy builders have a habit of trying to hoodwink homeowners
0:10:42 > 0:10:45'by hiding bodges and bungles under the surface.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50'So, what is the true extent of the havoc these guys have left behind?
0:10:50 > 0:10:55'We asked chartered building surveyor Geoff Hunt to inspect the work.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01'He's been through it with a fine tooth comb and is about to fill me in on what he found.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:07This made me think that these aren't builders, just people who know what to make things look like.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11'First, dangerous-looking wiring in the kitchen.'
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I was absolutely...shocked
0:11:14 > 0:11:16when I first saw those hanging out.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20You do see electricians trailing the cables, but they are there!
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- They would never leave anything like that.- No.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26You suddenly start thinking they either left quickly...
0:11:26 > 0:11:31But then, all the sockets were more or less square.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35You get the feeling that some sort of electrics had been done.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38There's some pretend electrics going on, some pretend plastering.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- That's the old kitchen that should have been ripped out.- Yeah.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45The reason it's still there is because there's no new kitchen.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48All she has got is some sockets put in.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52It looks like there's an intention to have the switch for the cooker,
0:11:52 > 0:11:58a couple of sockets for other power, but you've just got a shell of a socket and wires sticking out.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04What is this unfinished, unplastered rectangular hole in the shower all about?
0:12:04 > 0:12:07You must have had your head in your hands!
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Well, again, you're scratching your head.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Why have they done the finished plastering and not the other side?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16What were they going to do? What is this rectangle required for?
0:12:16 > 0:12:21There were plans, but you'd need to see that they were going to fit something in there.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25There was no plumbing for the shower. There's cabling on top.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29That's wrapped in insulation tape, which made me fear that might be live.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32That's part of the original system. They've pulled that through.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35My heart sank a bit when I saw that.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39And my heart sinks when I see this bathroom.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42I would describe that as a scratty old bog.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Yes! That was the original loo that was in there.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Presumably, that was due to be re-plumbed,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51but there were no fittings or things there.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55They ripped out all her appliances and took them away.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Anything that she had, because there was a bathroom as well,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02they took straight away so she was left with nothing.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Literally nothing. Not even a floor here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07No.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11'It's as clear as day that it isn't real building work here.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14'It's done for effect, to give the impression work is happening,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18'while more cash can be extracted out of Joan.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20'Plastering before you put the sockets in?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'No builder who is making a real effort would do that.
0:13:23 > 0:13:29'The evidence that this was a money-making charade goes on and on.'
0:13:29 > 0:13:33There's other things missing. This is going to be a shower room.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35I don't see wiring
0:13:35 > 0:13:39or any attempts made for provision of any ventilation.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43No ventilation at all, and that's absolutely known
0:13:43 > 0:13:47that you have to put some sort of mechanical ventilation in there.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51And there's going need a door to separate it from the other room.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53There's no preparation for that.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Clearly, the guy who thought he could do brickwork built the wall.
0:13:56 > 0:14:03The guy who thought he could do a roof did a roof, but they had no idea where to go from there.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05'Even if they did have an idea,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09'I don't think these shysters would have put it into practice.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14'I dread to think what lurks beneath the surface of that flat roof.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18'Has it got insulation? Are there proper membranes?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21'Does it satisfy building regulations?
0:14:22 > 0:14:28'I suspect the answer to all three of these questions is a big fat no.'
0:14:28 > 0:14:32No-one had any inkling that a building inspector had been there.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36- There's no proof that these works have been signed off.- No.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40'Well, that's no surprise because, by the sound of it,
0:14:40 > 0:14:45'the last thing these duplicitous cowboys wanted was building inspectors sniffing around.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50'I think I know the answer, but it's make your mind up time for Geoff.'
0:14:50 > 0:14:54After all that you've seen - and not seen!
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Yes!- What would you score this builder out of ten?
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Ah. Right.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Jonnie, I can't give him any score at all.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Because these chaps are not from my industry. They're not contractors.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11What is this worth in construction terms? It's not worth anything.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I'm afraid it's a zero for me.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17- Zero out of ten? Not even got on the page.- No. Not at all.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21'Zero out of ten?
0:15:21 > 0:15:25'As a former surveyor, I have to say I concur.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29'Check out the catalogue of disaster on this faked fiasco of a build.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32'Sloppy stud work,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34'a suspicious space,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38'abysmal wiring, careless cabling,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42'horrible holes, premature plastering,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44'a worrisome roof, oh, and I almost forgot,
0:15:44 > 0:15:49'an ugly box on the ceiling that surely hides a multitude of sins.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51'And if that wasn't enough,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54'Joan's home is now an unsafe building site.'
0:15:57 > 0:16:00What's more, this 82-year-old handed over £4,000 for labour
0:16:00 > 0:16:04and an incredible £8,000 for materials.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Just heartbreaking. So we called in the good guys.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11'Head honcho Adam Devaney arrives
0:16:11 > 0:16:15'and within minutes Adam's army swings into action.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'They rip off that rubbish old roof and, guess what!
0:16:20 > 0:16:24'There's no insulation and the timber needs replacing, too.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'The extension's foundations were woefully inadequate.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'They'll need sorting.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36'Then the new fully insulated roof goes on.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40'It's looking good, fellas. Even the gnome's impressed.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45'Inside, urgent work needs to be done to rectify the bodged bathroom
0:16:45 > 0:16:47'and fix the kaput kitchen.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54'Lots to do, but Devaney's dynamic team are all over it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59'It's a great start, but can the good guys put a smile back on Joan's face?
0:16:59 > 0:17:01'Only time will tell.'
0:17:06 > 0:17:10I'm in Hereford, where 82-year-old Joan Davies hired a builder
0:17:10 > 0:17:13to make big changes to the layout of her home.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16These contractors were cowboys who ripped her off
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and left her home virtually uninhabitable.
0:17:19 > 0:17:25Our good guy builders have now finished their work, so let's see how Joan's getting on.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31'Fingers crossed Joan's extension is in better shape than the weather.'
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- CHEERFUL: Hello. - Hello. I'm Jonnie.- Nice to meet you.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- Can I have a look around?- Yes.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41'That's the happiest hello I've heard in a while.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'And taking a quick peak, I can see why Joan's so chipper!
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'The transformation is remarkable.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52'Remember, when the cowboys left, the kitchen looked like this.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54'Now check it out.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58'And the bathroom looked like this!
0:17:58 > 0:18:01'From before to after!
0:18:03 > 0:18:07'The good guys have clearly gone way beyond the call of duty.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10'Before I take a closer look, I'd like a chat with Joan
0:18:10 > 0:18:14'about how she got into this mess in the first place.'
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- When did things start to go wrong? - Nothing went right at all, really.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23He kept on. I was going to give him £4,000.
0:18:23 > 0:18:29- And then pay for the materials, or whatever.- Right.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31I bought the materials, all right.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36Then he kept on asking for 1,000, 2,000.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40I thought to myself, "Well, if I don't give it him he won't finish."
0:18:40 > 0:18:44- And that's what happened.- You didn't have any hot water, did you?
0:18:44 > 0:18:49- Not for about three weeks. - You couldn't even wash in your own house.- No.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51I had nothing.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I didn't know what to do, where to turn.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58What emotions have you gone through throughout this process?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00I don't know. I went numb, I think.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05- I, er... Well, you can't forget it, can you?- No.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08You can't just let it go. You think about it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12So what happened when Cowboy Trap got involved?
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Oh, that was different. That was good.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- I was so glad to see him.- Were you? - Mmm. Well, you would.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22If you were sat like I was in this house.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26It was a heck of a mess! I can't describe it.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28How would you find the right builder now?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- I don't know. I wouldn't do it again, to be honest.- Put you off?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35I wouldn't have a builder again, no.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37No. Never, never.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42I wouldn't advise anybody, unless they actually knew who they were.
0:19:42 > 0:19:49'Wise words, Joan. When it comes to choosing your builder, it's all about the three Rs -
0:19:49 > 0:19:52'research, references and more references.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56'Right, time to compare our good guys' handiwork with the cowboys'.'
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Ha! Well! What a difference!
0:20:04 > 0:20:08The first thing, if you remember, there was...
0:20:08 > 0:20:10You couldn't call it a kitchen!
0:20:10 > 0:20:15There was some sort of horribleness in that corner. That's disappeared.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17If you remember, there was the bulkhead.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19That's been skimmed and plastered.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22This whole wall looks so much better.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Over here, you couldn't really get to the doorway.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28This is a lady in her 80s.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Access is prime here.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Now you've got a brand new door that...
0:20:33 > 0:20:35opens! Good!
0:20:37 > 0:20:41'Yeah, an opening door! Funny how that's beyond some cowboy builders.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45'And the horrendous holes and loose wires have been fixed.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48'Remember what it looked like before?
0:20:48 > 0:20:50'Now check it out.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'This looks great.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:55This is now someone's home.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Joan's got her Welsh dresser, all her trinkets here.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03It feels warm. It feels cosy. You know what?
0:21:03 > 0:21:07It feels like somewhere that you would want your grandmother to stay.
0:21:08 > 0:21:14'How anyone can leave a frail 82-year-old in an unfinished building site is beyond me.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18'Now the room has been transformed from this...to this.'
0:21:18 > 0:21:23We've got a practical kitchen for an older lady. It's safe.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26You've got no wires hanging out of the walls.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29The sockets have been put in properly and all the fuses added.
0:21:29 > 0:21:35It's been tiled nicely and she's got brand new fittings here.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41Yeah, the difference between before and after is astonishing.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Right, into the bathroom.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50Oh, wow! Before, there was not even any lights. Now, we've got lights.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Must be a huge relief for Joan to go to the loo in the light.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56We've got a fan going. It's light-activated.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00All these walls are finished. I assume they've been insulated.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04That was another thing the building regs pointed out.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08You've got a brand new loo, sink, everything's been skirted.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Decorated. There's no holes anywhere.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14She's got a finished bathroom and kitchen,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17the two most important rooms in the house. Brilliant!
0:22:18 > 0:22:23'Outside, the botched extension's been sorted out, too.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26'Our fellas played a blinder.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30'Head honcho Adam's talking me through the challenges he faced.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33'First up, replacing the extension roof.'
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- Did you have to take it all off? - Took it all off.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38New timber deck, new insulation,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40new flat roof, made it all secure.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- That's a new roof, then?- Totally.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Right. OK. What was the job they'd attempted to do?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49They'd put a roof on. They'd sealed it with no insulation.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54- A bit of felt and some timbers? - No ventilation, so the timbers would have rotted.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58- So that was going to last a year or two and it would have been gone?- Yeah.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03'A year or two - max. Talk about a slapdash job!
0:23:03 > 0:23:07'There was no insulation in the internal wall, either.
0:23:07 > 0:23:14'And Adam made a worrying discovery in the cowboy's bungled bathroom.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:18The electrics for the shower was just left live in the wall.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- We had to find those. - Live electrics in a shower room?
0:23:22 > 0:23:24That's amazing.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28'That was endangering the life of Joan and her grandchildren.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32'Disgraceful! Thankfully, our good guys have made it safe.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34'Their work has got the all-clear from Building Control.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39'Great news for Joan if she ever wants to sell up.'
0:23:40 > 0:23:44- What was the worst thing you saw? - For me, the electrics. A killer.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Especially as she's got children walking around.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- Doesn't bear thinking about.- No.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53So, looking at the job that you've done, what are you most happy with?
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Two things. She's able to wash herself now and she can cook meals.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01- Yeah. She's got independence back, hasn't she?- Totally. Yeah.
0:24:03 > 0:24:09'That's terrific news for Joan, one of the most resilient 82-year-olds I've ever met.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12'Before I do the grand tour, I want to chat to Joan
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'about the builders who left her in such a fix.
0:24:15 > 0:24:21'I wanted to find out their side of the story, so I could hear Joan's responses to their version.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'Unfortunately, that's proved easier said than done.'
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Joan, we always give the cowboy builders
0:24:28 > 0:24:32a right to reply, to have their say.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- Mm.- But on this occasion,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37despite numerous attempts to get in contact with them,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41they've ignored our approaches, they haven't got back to us.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43No?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Why do you think they haven't got back to us?
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Well, I don't know. The same way they took the money off me.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56They haven't got back to me, either. I haven't seen them.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59What does your family think of these cowboy builders?
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- Are they angry? Are they upset?- Yes.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05They went berserk. They didn't know what to do.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09We'd never had nothing happen like that before, to any of us.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- You're unlucky. - Didn't know where, how to turn.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And they were so good, like.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20I could have gone and lived with any of them, but I want my own place.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23I've always been independent.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28Well, unfortunately, what they left you with was endangering that.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I'll never forget it. Never.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35So, if you were to see the cowboy builders now,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37what would you say to them?
0:25:37 > 0:25:41You'll get caught one day, robbing people,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45going to their houses, breaking their houses up,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47making it worse than it is.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51What do you hope happens to them when they get caught?
0:25:51 > 0:25:53They'll go to jail, I suppose.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58That's where I'd put the likes of them. Should be in jail.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03'It's hard to argue with that,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07'but the good news is our guys have totally transformed this place.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11'Time to find out the difference their work has made to Joan's life.'
0:26:13 > 0:26:18- Now, Joan, this looks so different to how it was, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Here, we had your favourite old cooker.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26That was the only good thing about this kitchen, wasn't it?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- They just left it like a bomb site. - They did.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32- Yeah, it was terrible.- Yeah.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37- Then you had that old sink. - The old sink all along there.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40And it's all nice and smooth.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- You've started to move in. - It is nice now.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48- And that wall there is really nice. Before, you couldn't touch it.- No.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50It was horrible.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54'Horrible before. Homely after.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58'And thanks to the good guys, Joan can indulge one of her favourite passions -
0:26:58 > 0:27:00'cooking.'
0:27:01 > 0:27:05- Now, you've got a brand new kitchen here.- Yeah.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10- There was nothing here before, was there?- No. It was horrible. Only boxes.- Yeah.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Boxes and pots of everything.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Have you got used to doing the washing-up facing the other way?
0:27:18 > 0:27:24Oh, yeah. I keep turning and going that way, but it comes back.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26BOTH LAUGH
0:27:26 > 0:27:30And I can see out. A bit more light.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- Yeah.- That's what I wanted.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35'That's excellent news.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39'On to the other half of the job, the bathroom.'
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- You've actually got a shower in here.- Yeah.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- And you can see it! Do you like these?- I love them.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50I'd like them all round the house, if it was possible!
0:27:50 > 0:27:55- Really?- I do like them lights. They're gorgeous.
0:27:55 > 0:28:00It was unbelievable that your cowboy builders had left you without lights in your bathroom.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04- They left me without anything, door knobs or anything!- No.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08- No doors. No nothing.- That's why it feels so different in here.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12- He's put the floor down, hasn't he, Adam?- Yeah. That's nice.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15The tiling is nice and clean and simple.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- Everything's clean-looking.- Yeah.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21'It couldn't be more different
0:28:21 > 0:28:25'to what was left behind when the cowboys vanished into the sunset.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30'Just what Joan deserves.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- How do you feel...- Oh!
0:28:33 > 0:28:36..from how you felt when the cowboy builders disappeared
0:28:36 > 0:28:39to how you feel now that the good guy, Adam, has finished?
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Oh! It's a thing to come in here, really.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48It's really nice, because there was nothing before.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50- Only bricks and wood.- Yeah.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56'And the bricks and the wood were in a pretty ropey state.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58'Not now, though.'
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Your reaction is music to my ears.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Adam, our good guy builder,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07- he's come round and he's turned this whole home around.- Oh, he has.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11- He's done a good job.- And you look a lot brighter and happier now.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- Ooh, I am now. I'm satisfied. - Good.- Yes.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17Well, if you're happy, I'm happy.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21'Not kidding. Now Joan has a home that's safe and sound,
0:29:21 > 0:29:25'she can have her much-loved grandchildren around to visit.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27'Result!'
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Well, after spending time with Joan, it's hard to imagine
0:29:30 > 0:29:36how those callous rip-off merchants can sleep at night after they left this place in such a state.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39But thanks to good guys, well, you can see for yourself.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43The kitchen, the bathroom not only safe to use,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47but the way Joan enthuses about what she now has,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50she's clearly proud to call this house her home.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52I'm chuffed to bits for her.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58'Next, we're off to revisit a homeowner we met in 2010.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02'Like Joan's, this story revolves around a cowboy builder
0:30:02 > 0:30:07'who had no qualms about leaving his unwitting victim in a death trap.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11'Three years ago, dental surgeon Fahad Shabbir from Newcastle
0:30:11 > 0:30:14'wanted to create the home of his dreams.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18'Stage one of his plan was to invest in two luxury wet rooms.'
0:30:18 > 0:30:21I've stayed at some nice hotels in Dubai and America.
0:30:21 > 0:30:26I've seen a few wet rooms and I knew that's what I wanted in my house.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29'Yeah, Fahad was a man of fine tastes
0:30:29 > 0:30:32'and knew his dream wouldn't come cheap.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34'Working long hours in a stressful job took its toll
0:30:34 > 0:30:38'and he realised the importance of quality relaxation time.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Fahad knew if he wanted five-star hotel style luxury
0:30:42 > 0:30:45he would need to buy high-quality fittings.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50He bought the best he could afford - smart suites and expensive marble tiles.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53All he needed was some top-class bathroom fitters
0:30:53 > 0:30:55to fit the materials he'd bought.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00'Fahad researched on the internet and found some builders
0:31:00 > 0:31:02'he hoped might be up to the job.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06'Next, it was time to meet them all face-to-face.'
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I had six or seven people come in.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Some of them hadn't done wet rooms.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14They'd done bathrooms but they weren't experienced in wet rooms.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Some quotes were extortionate, so that was a no-no.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23'Then Fahad met some builders who ticked all the boxes.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25'They said they'd fitted wet rooms before,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27'they came in with a good price
0:31:27 > 0:31:30'and they said one wet room would be ready in two weeks.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32'Result!'
0:31:32 > 0:31:35The quote they gave me for the first bathroom was five grand,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37which was fine.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41They gave me a quote for the second bathroom for 3,500.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46I didn't have that much money and I said, "I can't afford it right now.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48"Maybe at a later stage."
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Instantly, he dropped it to 2,500,
0:31:50 > 0:31:54which I was surprised at, but if I'm getting a bargain, why not?
0:31:56 > 0:32:00'Why not? Because with builders, you often get what you pay for.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04'Take my advice...
0:32:21 > 0:32:25'..if yours does and sounds desperate for work, ask yourself why
0:32:25 > 0:32:27'and run for the hills!
0:32:30 > 0:32:35'Fahad gave the builders the green light, but soon realised he'd backed the wrong horse.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40'Outside, they were leaving his garden in a state of devastation.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43'Inside, the builders didn't seem to know what they were doing.'
0:32:43 > 0:32:46A couple of tiles they placed on the floor.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Two days later, the tiles started cracking.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52When we finally had the sink installed,
0:32:52 > 0:32:55there was no pressure for cold water.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58When you turned the hot water on in the shower,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02when we started using the shower, the radiators started heating up.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07'If that's not a worrying sign, I'm not sure what is.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12'And another worrying sign - work was proceeding at a snail's pace.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17'So slow, in fact, that Fahad started to worry the builders would never finish the job.
0:33:17 > 0:33:22'13 weeks after starting what they said was a three-and-a-half-week project,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24'his worst fears came true.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29'The builders did a runner, with the wet rooms far from completed.'
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Fahad paid the builders £7,500,
0:33:32 > 0:33:37but they ruined his £12,000 worth of quality tiles and fittings.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42What's more, when they scarpered, they left all their building rubbish dumped outside the house.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47Fahad feared all his hard-earned money had gone down the drain, along with his dream.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51'Not surprisingly, Fahad felt betrayed.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54'He'd treated the fitters like kings, cooking for them,
0:33:54 > 0:33:56'making them coffees every hour.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00'All he got out of it was a pair of bungled bathrooms.'
0:34:00 > 0:34:02All the work's been condemned.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07We've been recommended to get it all ripped out and start from scratch.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'It's appalling that the cowboys didn't tidy up their rubbish
0:34:10 > 0:34:13'in the garden on the way out.'
0:34:13 > 0:34:17Fahad's house was left looking like a building site,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21but it turned out the builders Fahad had looked after so well
0:34:21 > 0:34:24in between his long shifts at the hospital
0:34:24 > 0:34:26had repaid him with bodged building work
0:34:26 > 0:34:29that turned his home into a death trap.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34'Days after the cowboys left, Fahad had an experience
0:34:34 > 0:34:36'that would send a shiver down his spine.'
0:34:36 > 0:34:40Water was pouring down from the ceiling straight on the bed.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45One of my lodgers had had a shower in the top bathroom,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48and water had seeped through the floor into the ceiling
0:34:48 > 0:34:50and just started pouring out.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54'Pouring out near Fahad's light fittings.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56'And water and electricity don't mix.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59'Fahad got some electricians round to make his house safe
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'and their report made grim reading.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:06The electricians said, "It's a matter of time -
0:35:06 > 0:35:10"weeks, if not months - until you have a fire in the house."
0:35:10 > 0:35:15It's my savings. It's my investment. It's my house that I've bought.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18How can I just sit and watch it burn?
0:35:21 > 0:35:25'And possibly burn with it. Fahad's dreams were in disarray.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30'He was told not to have a shower in either of the wet rooms he'd paid thousands of pounds for.'
0:35:30 > 0:35:35Nice big hole up there, what the electricians class as a fire hazard
0:35:35 > 0:35:37because the wires haven't been earthed.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41That's why we've been told not to use the shower in this bathroom.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47'Problems when you looked up and problems when you looked down.'
0:35:47 > 0:35:51The floors, you can see cracked floors there,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54which is quite unacceptable in a wet bathroom.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59If you lean over, there's a nice big gap underneath the loo.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02The floor's not watertight and that's where water can go in.
0:36:02 > 0:36:08'And things weren't any better in the second wet room upstairs.'
0:36:08 > 0:36:10A lot of issues with this one.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14The floor's tilting away from the wet area, rather than towards.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18So there was a lot of water seeping out of the bathroom there,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22going into this bedroom, causing a lot of damage.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28'And check out that mirror and de-mister! What a joke!
0:36:28 > 0:36:31'No wonder poor Fahad was devastated.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34'He took the builders to the small claims court but didn't get a penny
0:36:34 > 0:36:38'because they declared themselves bankrupt.'
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I'm exhausted because, as a surgeon, you're working so many hours.
0:36:42 > 0:36:47You're bringing back a lot of stress from work. The last thing you need is stress at home.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50'But you know the plot.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54'Our team of stress-busting good guy builders swung into action.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58'The cowboys' light fittings were officially fire hazards.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01'Not after our good guys did the biz, though.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07'Upstairs, they sorted the electrics and fixed the floors.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09'From before...
0:37:09 > 0:37:13'to after - now THAT is impressive.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16'In the downstairs bathroom, priority number one,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19'the all-important plumbing - got to get that right.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22'From bad-guy bodge...
0:37:22 > 0:37:24'to good-guy glory.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'Nice one.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33'Thanks to our helping hands,
0:37:33 > 0:37:35'Fahad's wet rooms were back on track.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39'But would he be inspired to finish creating his dream home?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'Only time would tell.'
0:37:46 > 0:37:50It's been almost three years since we helped Fahad out of the cowboy trap
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and fixed those wretched wet rooms.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57I know he had other plans for the place, so let's see how he's got on.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02'Fahad's now got three jobs - two in local hospitals and one at a nearby dentist's.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04'Plus, he's doing a post-grad diploma.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07'He wanted a home to relax in. I hope he's got it.'
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- Hi. How are you doing?- Good. A bit cold, but northern weather!
0:38:11 > 0:38:16- Yeah! You can count on it. - Can I come in?- Of course.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19'As soon as I get in, it's clear that Fahad has rung the changes.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24'He's only gone and created another luxury bathroom in the hall! Crikey!
0:38:24 > 0:38:27'How many bathrooms does one guy need?'
0:38:27 > 0:38:30I'm trying to remember that I'm in Newcastle and not...
0:38:30 > 0:38:34This could be in any top-end hotel, probably abroad.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- Somewhere like a Dubai hotel or something.- That's the idea.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'And what a great idea it is, keeping the exotic theme going
0:38:42 > 0:38:44'which he started in the bathroom upstairs,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47'and which our good guys got back on track.'
0:38:49 > 0:38:52I just liked the idea so much, I carried the same theme downstairs.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55After our builders sorted your wet room out,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- you thought, "I'll have another one of those!"- Yeah.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- "I like that! I'll have another!" - I didn't like it. I loved it.- Yeah?
0:39:02 > 0:39:04So, yeah, why not?
0:39:04 > 0:39:09'Why not, indeed! And Fahad's been busy elsewhere in the house.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13'The nicely tiled stairs take us up to a striking first floor.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16'Nice touch with those little lights.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20'And that marble is, well, marvellous.'
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- What's your influence here? - Mum and Dad's house in Pakistan.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26It's marble, top to bottom. Absolutely loved it.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29It's nice. It's easy to clean.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33'When we first met, he didn't know where to turn.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37'Now, he has a wonderfully glamorous home and it's relaxing, too.
0:39:37 > 0:39:43'It needs to be, to take him away from the stresses of three jobs plus his studies.'
0:39:43 > 0:39:48When you show it to someone who hasn't seen it before, how does that make you feel?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51I feel proud of what I've achieved.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55I know I've been through some rough times three years ago.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57It was a horrible place to be in.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Knowing that I've learned from what happened and built up on it,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04and I've done what I've done since, I'm proud of it.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07'And quite right, too.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12'Fahad has ridden an emotional roller coaster and come out on top.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17'From bad-guy building bodge inside...and out...
0:40:19 > 0:40:23'..to what it looked like after our good guys came to the rescue.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26'And now, the striking culmination of his dream.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28'Even the garden's had a makeover.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30'Amazing!
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'Fahad's got so much right over the last three years, it begs a question
0:40:35 > 0:40:39'about how he got into such a pickle with the wet room wallies.'
0:40:39 > 0:40:44- What went wrong? - Well, originally, I...
0:40:44 > 0:40:47Hand on heart, I did a lot of research
0:40:47 > 0:40:50on the materials I wanted to use, on the styles I wanted.
0:40:50 > 0:40:56- Yeah.- But I thought, "Right, if I can translate what I want
0:40:56 > 0:41:00"to the people I'm getting to do it, job done."
0:41:00 > 0:41:02- Yeah.- But I didn't realise that I'll need
0:41:02 > 0:41:06the right kind of people to do the right kind of job.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08That's where it all fell to bits.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13'Fell to bits is an understatement. This house could have burnt down.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16'At least Fahad is older and wiser.'
0:41:16 > 0:41:20It's been a learning curve. It's always a learning curve.
0:41:20 > 0:41:25- Quite a severe learning curve! - Pity I had to learn the hard way!
0:41:25 > 0:41:29But since then, I have spent more time researching
0:41:29 > 0:41:33the kind of people I want to get in, the kind of builders I want.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37Whether they're a reputable company or independent builders.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42Whether they can show me the right paperwork, they can answer the right questions,
0:41:42 > 0:41:47they can show me evidence of previous work and I can get in touch with people they've worked for.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52'Fahad's either learned from every mistake he's made,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55'or listened to every top tip we've ever given!
0:41:55 > 0:41:59'It's apparent he won't be hiring any more cowboys in the near future.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03'So, did our good guys inspire him to pursue his dream?'
0:42:03 > 0:42:05I'd lost faith in builders altogether.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08There are good builders out there.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11You've just got to find them. Then once you've found them, keep them.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15'Fahad has kept his builders of choice very busy.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17'This house is a credit to him.'
0:42:19 > 0:42:24For me, it shows just how much, not that you've turned the corner,
0:42:24 > 0:42:28this house has been a springboard for you to have confidence
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- to put into practice what you dreamt about.- Yeah.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34So... Happy home now?
0:42:34 > 0:42:35Yeah.
0:42:35 > 0:42:40'On that note, it's time for me to leave Fahad to relax
0:42:40 > 0:42:41'in his incredible home.'
0:42:42 > 0:42:47I'm surprised to be walking out into Newcastle after being in there!
0:42:47 > 0:42:51It's an amazing house, but also, what an amazing story and a turnaround!
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Fahad has got the confidence now to create something
0:42:54 > 0:42:58that draws on all his experiences, positive ones,
0:42:58 > 0:43:00he's had over the past three years.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04Now he's got a home that not only reflects his personality,
0:43:04 > 0:43:08but also reflects the hard work of all the people that have helped him.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:15 > 0:43:18E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk