0:00:09 > 0:00:12We're travelling all over the UK to meet the homeowners
0:00:12 > 0:00:16forced to live with the grim consequences of employing a cowboy builder.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19We just feel that we've been robbed.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25With their shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains who not only destroy dreams, they wreck lives, too.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33You were threatened with physical violence?
0:00:33 > 0:00:37There was also more sinister things said to me about Michael.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41"We know where he works, he might find he gets a tap on the shoulder."
0:00:41 > 0:00:46We've got the good guys in our party to help turn these botched builds into ideal homes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49It's looking so much better! Do you remember?
0:00:49 > 0:00:53There was dodgy wires coming out of the wall, it was in a right sorry old state.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58- Has your mum seen this yet? - Yes.- She was quite tearful. - She was. She couldn't believe it.
0:00:58 > 0:01:04You know, it's thought cowboy builders cost Britons over £700 million each year.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07So if you think you know how to spot one, think again.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13Make no mistake, the next 45 minutes could help keep you out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'On today's Cowboy Trap,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28'a builder who ripped off some unwitting homeowners to the tune of £70,000
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'then threatened them before leaving them in a death trap.'
0:01:33 > 0:01:39We're obviously worried about money. We don't know how we will raise money to finish it.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41'And three years after we rescued him,
0:01:41 > 0:01:46'we catch up with a cowboy builder victim in Surrey to see how he's doing now.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:48It's great to come out here and have a coffee.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- Lovely place to have breakfast. - Yeah.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55'Our first Cowboy Trap saga revolves around a home in Gourock,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57'a small town outside Glasgow.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'If you fancy a dip, this is the place to be.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04'Gourock boasts one of the two remaining outdoor swimming pools in Scotland.
0:02:04 > 0:02:10'Hardly the weather for it today. And I'm not sure about taking the plunge in these depths, either.'
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Back in the 17th century, a Glasgow merchant named Walter Gibson
0:02:16 > 0:02:19cured Britain's first ever smoked herring here in Gourock.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22And the industry remained important here
0:02:22 > 0:02:24right up until the 1950s.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Which is appropriate, as we're about to hear a remarkable story
0:02:28 > 0:02:31of a couple that despite both having a fair amount of building knowledge
0:02:31 > 0:02:36got themselves stitched up by a cowboy builder... like a pair of kippers.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41'His unlucky victims live in this three-bed detached villa.
0:02:41 > 0:02:48'It's home to Alison and Michael Farrell and their twins, Nicole and Connor, obviously not identical.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Alison and Michael met whilst working for the local council.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Alison is a town planner and Michael an architectural technician.'
0:02:58 > 0:03:03Michael works with me, so we met at the office.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05We were on a night out and we got talking
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and that was it.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11'Michael and Alison got married in 2003
0:03:11 > 0:03:14'and two years later they moved to Gourock
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'because Alison's family lived there and she was missing them.'
0:03:18 > 0:03:21We decided that if we wanted to have a family,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24that we would want to move back down the coast
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and be near my extended family.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32And most of all, I missed the river and just being here.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Alison's mum Annie had devoted the past few years caring for her own mother,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38who died last year at the age of 90.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42The Farrells were worried about Annie living on her own after all that time,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44so they suggested she moved in with them.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Now, it would mean building an extension,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49but with the couple working in the planning department,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51they'd seen quite a few of those over the years
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and they had a clear idea of what they wanted.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00'Alison and Michael decided to knock down their existing garage at the side of their house
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'and replace it with a double-storey extension.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07'The basement would become a utility room and the ground floor and upstairs
0:04:07 > 0:04:10'would be Alison's mum's living area.'
0:04:10 > 0:04:13We were hoping to be able to give her her own space
0:04:13 > 0:04:19but still being so close to us and she can use the house when she needs that.
0:04:20 > 0:04:26'The Farrells found an architect, had designs drawn up and planning permission was granted.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29'A builder came highly recommended by a colleague of Alison's
0:04:29 > 0:04:34'and the report was so glowing, the Farrells didn't ask for any other references.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37'Now, that was a big mistake.'
0:04:39 > 0:04:43They basically said they could do the job for our budget
0:04:43 > 0:04:45and we agreed to that.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50'Take my advice. No matter how good your source
0:04:50 > 0:04:52'and how positive their reference,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'always get more feedback on your builder.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59'Go and see at least three previous customers face to face
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'and ask them three direct questions...
0:05:06 > 0:05:09'If you get the answers you want then go ahead.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11'Otherwise, don't.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19'In November 2011, the builder the Farrells chose
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'quoted £71,000 for the whole job.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26'That was to demolish the garage and build the double-story extension
0:05:26 > 0:05:30'containing a granny flat, downstairs utility room,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34'family room and cellar. It also included a tanking system,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37'electrics and brick render outside.'
0:05:37 > 0:05:40He said it would be a first-class job we would have done
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and there was absolutely nothing to worry about.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45It sounded a bit too good to be true.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48In fact, I suppose what happened was too good to be true.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54'The builder promised to complete the project in four months at the latest
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'and work started on December 6th 2011
0:05:57 > 0:06:02'with Alison handing over £12,000 upfront.'
0:06:02 > 0:06:07In retrospect, £12,000 was quite a lot of money to give out.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Following that, it was a case of as they progressed,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14as and when they decided they needed further funds
0:06:14 > 0:06:17to keep the job moving then they would ask us.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Now, often on Cowboy Trap, we hear about building projects
0:06:20 > 0:06:24that start off apparently OK before falling apart over time.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Not so with Michael and Alison's ill-fated extension.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31The work here was a total shambles from the off.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35These guys were not only cowboys, they were clowns, too.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38They would turn up on site and they wouldn't have the right equipment with them.
0:06:38 > 0:06:44We had... I've had numerous bits and pieces that were lying about,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48builders' buckets, just buckets that I use in the garden,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52all would disappear because they were using them to do the work.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Now, the builder and his assistant's work was haphazard,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59'disorganised and, at times, downright dangerous.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02'With two kids about, that just isn't on.'
0:07:03 > 0:07:05The roller shutter that had been left
0:07:05 > 0:07:08was in danger of being blown away
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and could've, if it had blown away,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15would've either damaged someone's property
0:07:15 > 0:07:17or possibly hurt someone.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24'And the builders' idea of a working day was... Well, how can I put this? ..unconventional.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:31They'd just turn up half past 11 in the morning and disappear from half past two one day
0:07:31 > 0:07:36and then you might find them back on site once that week for the same amount of hours.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41'But it wasn't just his terrible timekeeping that caused concern.'
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Over the next few months, things took a turn for the worse.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47The bedlam turned into a go-slow.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51The builders were never there, though there was no shortage of excuses.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Incredible though it may seem, the Farrells kept handing over the money
0:07:55 > 0:08:01in the vain hope it would spur the builders on to finish the job. Big mistake.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04We began to realise that the things that they said had been ordered
0:08:04 > 0:08:07were just not going to appear.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10And when we challenged them and I actually at one point asked,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14"Well, who is it that's making the windows? Tell me and I'll phone them.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18"If we paid for them, I want to know." But they wouldn't tell me.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22'Alison and Michael started to worry. Really worry.
0:08:22 > 0:08:27'The roof on the extension suddenly became a much lower spec than they had been quoted for
0:08:27 > 0:08:31'and the builders left the house exposed to the elements.'
0:08:31 > 0:08:34There was water getting in. The door's been crudely boarded-up
0:08:34 > 0:08:38with nails and bits of wood and tarpaulin ever since then
0:08:38 > 0:08:42but only because we had to chase them and chase them over Christmas and ask them to come.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The whole carpet got ruined immediately.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50'The list goes on. Live electrics were left exposed,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53'rubbish accumulated all over the place because there was no skip,
0:08:53 > 0:08:57'and when the Farrells complained, they received volleys of abuse.'
0:08:57 > 0:09:03I've been threatened by two characters from the builders
0:09:03 > 0:09:05on more than one occasion,
0:09:05 > 0:09:10so, you know, I've had verbal abuse and physical threats.
0:09:10 > 0:09:16I've been told where to go when I asked them what had been done with our money,
0:09:16 > 0:09:22and was told that... Well, it's not something I could probably repeat on camera.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27But I was told that we should be getting someone else to finish the job.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30With having given them so much money in advance,
0:09:30 > 0:09:35we felt we just had to continue and hope that what they kept telling us
0:09:35 > 0:09:37was the truth and that things had been ordered
0:09:37 > 0:09:39and that they would finish the job.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'And being stuck in that kind of vicious circle
0:09:43 > 0:09:46'is often part and parcel of being caught in the cowboy trap.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51'Take my advice. Never pay a hefty sum up front,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'as it's a sure-fire sign you're dealing with a cowboy.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'Reputable builders have accounts with suppliers
0:09:57 > 0:09:59'and you don't need to pay them straight away.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03'Have a staged payment plan and never settle the final bill
0:10:03 > 0:10:07'before the work is completed to your 100 percent satisfaction.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16'By May 2012, the Farrells' builder has received the full £71,000 he quoted.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19'But the extension was still far from finished.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22'Major items were missing, including the staircase,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25'and there was shoddiness everywhere you looked.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30'Then the builder had the cheek to demand even more money from the Farrells to complete the job.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35'When he didn't get the answer he wanted, the cowboy went AWOL.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:41They have had all the money and nobody has done any work since June.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Effectively, we've been abandoned and the job not finished.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49'The poor Farrells were stuck in an impossible position
0:10:49 > 0:10:51'and didn't know where to turn.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:55From this point on, it all gets really murky.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Seems there was some kind of power struggle between the bosses of the company.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Then again, that could've just been a smokescreen.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07To this day, the Farrells have no idea why they ended up with nothing to show for their £71,000
0:11:07 > 0:11:13except for the devastating consequences the whole experience has had on their family.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15From the outset, it's been stressful.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Within 24 hours, we were stressed
0:11:18 > 0:11:22with the demolition and the haphazard nature of that
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and the damage that even that stage had caused,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28so even by Christmas last year,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30we were already stressed
0:11:30 > 0:11:33and it was causing arguments with us.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38And that has accumulated and escalated to this point
0:11:38 > 0:11:42where we just feel that we've been... we've been robbed.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'Robbed indeed. The young family has been left with a home
0:11:50 > 0:11:52'that isn't watertight, windproof or secure.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57'Alison and Michael's lives have been turned upside down.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:01We're obviously worried about money. We don't know how we'll...
0:12:01 > 0:12:04..we will raise money to finish it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07And just the children and feeling like there's so much energy
0:12:07 > 0:12:09going into this
0:12:09 > 0:12:14that there's barely anything left to try and just enjoy...
0:12:15 > 0:12:18..being a family.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24This is one of those stories that really gets my goat.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27For £70,000, you could buy a nice apartment around here.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30But what do the Farrells get for their money?
0:12:30 > 0:12:34It just goes to show you how anyone can fall into the cowboy trap.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38I mean, these people work for the local planning department, for pity's sake.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43'But what is the true extent of the mess this cowboy left behind?
0:12:43 > 0:12:47'How unsafe is this building bodge? To find out,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51'we asked independent building surveyor Danny Farren to inspect the work.
0:12:51 > 0:12:57'He's been through it with a fine-tooth comb and is about to fill me in on what he found.'
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- Here there's supposed to be a balcony, right? - Absolutely, on the first floor.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07'First item on the agenda, the first-floor balcony.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09'This was left in an incredibly dangerous state
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'with no barrier to prevent people falling off.'
0:13:12 > 0:13:14They've got two small children.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18With nothing to stop the children going off the edge of that balcony,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- it's worse than dangerous, it's a death trap.- That is a death trap.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25A small child could fall from there and kill themselves very easily.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29'The door leading to the balcony couldn't be locked. Bizarre.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32'And that's not all. The basement is full of damp,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35'the plasterboard walls are pathetic
0:13:35 > 0:13:39'and internal pine cladding has been used outside.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42'Those exterior walls just won't last.'
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- This in internal wood. - This is internal pine cladding
0:13:45 > 0:13:49that hasn't been treated properly to be external cladding.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- So this is just going to rot, right? - With the severe elements
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and wind in that location, that will deteriorate very quickly.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59'And the doors upstairs will deteriorate quickly, too.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'They were supposed to be hardwood bi-folding doors.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'But these are softwood internal doors,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08'not designed to withstand the elements.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Putting softwood doors there and not hardwood doors,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14is this naivety
0:14:14 > 0:14:17or is this cutting corners?
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It's absolutely cutting corners and getting a job done as cheaply as possible.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24'Cheap and dangerous.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27'Look at those exposed electrical wires.'
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Another thing I've noticed here is damp, electrics.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34- Absolutely.- Not good bedfellows, are they?- Not at all.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Bare electrical wires. Very, very dangerous.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41'And the garden outside is shocking, too.'
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's not an ideal playground for children.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48It's very dangerous. You can see sharp corners, trip hazards.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Ideal place for kids to fall and injure themselves severely.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And for me, it also highlights just what hasn't been done.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58These are building materials that haven't yet been put in the place they're supposed to be.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- That's right. They've just been left.- Yeah.- Just dumped.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06'And the cowboy builder left exposed wires all over the place.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11'I think Jason Bourne would struggle to survive a day in this place. There's danger everywhere you look.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16'And to add insult to potential injury for the Farrells, check this out.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'No, your eyes aren't deceiving you.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22'He built a great big wall in front of the window.'
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Absolutely disgraceful to leave something like that.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31It's been the wall that's been built up. The original window is still there.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34The wall is finishing halfway up the window.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38You're not telling me, Danny, that this is a new wall that the builder has built?
0:15:38 > 0:15:40That's a new wall the builder has built.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43- They've built a wall halfway up a window?- Absolutely.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47'Well, I've seen everything now. Unbelievable.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51'Time to hear Danny's verdict. I think I can guess what it's going to be.'
0:15:52 > 0:15:55After seeing all of this,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57and your detailed inspection,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01how would you rate whoever did this work out of ten?
0:16:01 > 0:16:06- I couldn't give them a zero. - You couldn't give them a zero? - Not at all.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09'Well, that's saying something.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'Not even a zero.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'It's not surprising with this litany of disaster.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17'There's no front door,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21'interior cladding on the exterior,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23'no door furniture,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26'saturated brickwork in the basement,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28'a dangerous garden,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'exposed electrical cables
0:16:31 > 0:16:36'and an exterior platform with no barrier.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'In short, it's a death trap.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44'And Alison and Michael have forked out over £70,000. Ouch.'
0:16:48 > 0:16:52You know, just when we think we've seen it all on Cowboy Trap, something like this comes along.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Make no mistake, we're talking a Herculean task for our good guys.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00'And here's head honcho Phil Burn.
0:17:00 > 0:17:06'So much needs doing just to make it safe, secure and watertight, the Farrells are chipping in.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'Not hanging about, Burnsy's boys swing into action.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14'First up, removing those rubbish plasterboard walls.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18'And sorting those unsafe electrics.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21'Then it's onto the new fixtures and fittings.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30'And outside, they prep for some roof reparation.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34'It's a great start, but can they get Alison and Michael's dreams back on track?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37'Only time will tell.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:47I'm in Gourock on the west coast of Scotland
0:17:47 > 0:17:51where Michael and Alison Farrell spent over £70,000
0:17:51 > 0:17:55on building a double-story extension so that Alison's mum could move in with them.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59But their shambolic cowboy builder left them with a total wreck on their hands
0:17:59 > 0:18:02with devastating consequences for their family.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Now, this has been one of our toughest ever jobs on Cowboy Trap
0:18:05 > 0:18:08so there's still going to be loads for the Farrells to do when we leave.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12But what I'm hoping is that our good guy builders have been able to do enough
0:18:12 > 0:18:15to give them the breathing space that the family needs.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19'I really have no idea what to expect.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22'This place was in such a state before.'
0:18:22 > 0:18:25- Hello, Michael.- Hi, how you doing? - Good to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- Hi!- Alison. It's nice to be knocking on a door!- I know.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- But this looks very impressive.- Yep.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34'Check out how the view from the road has changed
0:18:34 > 0:18:36'from before
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'to after. Nice!
0:18:39 > 0:18:45'And as soon as I cross the threshold, I can't resist a quick peek at the good guys' work.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47'And I like what I see.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51'Their brief was to make the house safe, secure and watertight,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53'but they've gone way beyond the line of duty.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59'Remember, before the interior was catastrophic.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03'Check it out now.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08'The transformation all over, from top to bottom, is striking.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'Now, before I take a closer look at the good guys' work,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14'I'd like a chat with Alison and Michael
0:19:14 > 0:19:17'about how they found themselves caught out by cowboy builders.'
0:19:18 > 0:19:23They told you they were going to be done in 12 weeks. They were rarely here two days in a row.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- Did you ever go and look what was going on?- You did, didn't you?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- You challenged them a couple of times.- I challenged them
0:19:30 > 0:19:33on the standard of work and that went down like a lead balloon, of course.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38- What sort of stuff did you challenge them on?- The sequence of events that they were doing things in.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43They were putting plasterboard on when they didn't seem to be finished doing the structure.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46And when I queried this, I was just met with a tirade of abuse.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50- Abuse?- Oh, yeah. Abuse. And threatening behaviour, as well.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- Really?- Yeah.- In your own home?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- Aye, pretty much, yeah. - That's what I'm struggling to get my head around,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59because I know you both work in and around the trade
0:19:59 > 0:20:03and so you would know some of the things that were going on in the wrong order.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08When you actually said to these guys, "Look, this isn't the way this should be going,"
0:20:08 > 0:20:11they didn't hold their hands up, they met it with abuse.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16Yeah, it was just met with questions. "What do you know about that?"
0:20:16 > 0:20:18"Leave it to the professionals," we were told.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23'It's hard to understand why the Farrells, with all their experience,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'found it impossible to manage their builders.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29'But there's an even bigger question on my mind.'
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Why did you continually pay them, then?
0:20:31 > 0:20:35We felt too deeply entangled with it and it was basically a case of
0:20:35 > 0:20:40"If you don't, we won't finish, we need it."
0:20:40 > 0:20:43- It was always...- Or "This has been ordered, that's been ordered."
0:20:43 > 0:20:48There was always a reassurance that it would be done right and it would be finished in the end, don't worry.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52'Alison and Michael were right to worry,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55'especially when the cowboys' appearances became so sporadic,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'they were practically non-existent.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00'But it was still a shock when they stopped altogether.'
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Just didn't turn up, didn't turn up, didn't turn up.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I mean, is it not a good thing? I'm playing devil's advocate here.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11Is it not a good thing they just disappeared? Because it sounds like you'd have just kept paying money.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14No, there was never anymore money going to them, they knew that.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18- So that's why they left. - They knew that.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'Michael eventually tracked the cowboy down by phone
0:21:21 > 0:21:23'and soon wished he hadn't.'
0:21:23 > 0:21:26I had a phone conversation with him which lasted just less than a minute.
0:21:26 > 0:21:33- Wow.- In which he threatened to come and physical violence was basically mentioned.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39- It was pretty nasty. - So after taking 70-odd grand,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41ruining what was next door,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45- you were threatened with physical violence?- Yeah, uh-huh.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50And there was also more sinister things said to me by the other one,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54the likes of, about Michael, "Well, we know where he works."
0:21:54 > 0:22:00And he said to my mother, "He might find he gets a tap on the shoulder at the station."
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'Well, that's absolutely horrific.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07'And when I excuse myself from the Farrells and check out the basement,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10'that's pretty horrific, too.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12'There was only so much our good guys could do.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17'Telltale signs of the cowboy in the depths of the extension are still visible.'
0:22:17 > 0:22:20If you take a closer look,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22this is a damp-proofing system, OK?
0:22:22 > 0:22:28So to explain, water runs behind these eggbox-type bits of plastic,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32goes right the way down, and it's not about keeping water from penetrating,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35it's about manipulating the water. So you have a little channel here
0:22:35 > 0:22:38that goes all the way round and out to a certain well
0:22:38 > 0:22:41and then pumped out of the building.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44But look, it's not happening here. If you come through here...
0:22:47 > 0:22:51..the water is just going to gather in these concrete corners and on the sills.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55'Not very clever. But on a more positive note,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59'thanks to our good guys, things are looking up elsewhere.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'And looking up in a big way.'
0:23:02 > 0:23:05This whole front of the house looks completely different, doesn't it?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Do you remember? It was just plastic in place of what should be a window.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14Anybody could get in, including Mr Jack Frost,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18but now, well, lead flashing everywhere, making everything watertight and safe,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22a secure door so that you can lock the door at night and when you go out.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26'Check out the ground floor inside. Sure, some decorating needs doing,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29'but remember what it looked like before?'
0:23:29 > 0:23:32There was wires just teeming out of the wall on the floor,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35I mean, trip hazard at best,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38real health hazard at worst if they ever became live,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but also, I think it was this wall,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45there were loads of timbers that looked like they were resting against it.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48What has been built here is a proper stud.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51That will have a frame behind it, the electrics are properly fitted,
0:23:51 > 0:23:55but look, it's ready for finishing now.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59The floor's level. Also down here.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02There was a big gap between the old door sill
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and the new floor being put down.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08You can put carpet down here, whatever you want to put down, but it's ready to go.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Bear in mind it's the first thing you see when you walk over the threshold.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14'And before, pretty much the second thing you'd see
0:24:14 > 0:24:19'was a great big wall next to a window. Not anymore.'
0:24:19 > 0:24:24What they've done now is they've taken the old window out, put a small one in, fitted it properly,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and then built right up to it.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Yeah, that looks loads better.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34'Our good guys also found time to do something not on the schedule of works,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38'fit a kitchen in the granny flat. What a lovely surprise.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Cooker, sink, this is brand new.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44That is amazing.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47That must be wonderful news to Alison's mum,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51but let's not forget, this is Alison's mum's living quarters if you like.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55And it's looking so much better.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Do you remember there was dodgy wires coming out of the walls?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01It was in a right sorry old state.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05But now we've got working electrics, we've got light in here.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08This is ready to be decorated. This is amazing!
0:25:08 > 0:25:13I mean, you know, a skim at the most and then maybe some paint and then you've got a living room.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Which is... It feels like a living room, the floor is level,
0:25:17 > 0:25:22it's warm, it's... It's further along than I thought it would be.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Now, obviously there's issues outside.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28That balcony is definitely a no-go area.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30But this whole door,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32there was weather coming through, you could see gaps.
0:25:32 > 0:25:39Now it's all sealed up, and because of that balcony, look, the good guys have fitted a lock,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41which means this place is safe.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46'Unlike before where the door was unlockable. Not clever.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50'Well, I've got to say, the good guys have played an absolute blinder.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52'Phil's come to talk me through the challenges he faced
0:25:52 > 0:25:56'including, believe it or not, a leaking driveway.'
0:25:56 > 0:26:00That was letting water into the basement roof, we had to seal that.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04So the driveway was letting water in?
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Yes, it was tar laid on concrete,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09and that was allowing water to penetrate below into the basement.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12So we've applied a sealer to stop that happening.
0:26:13 > 0:26:18'Crikey! That basement was well on its way to becoming an indoor swimming pool.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21'Next I want to ask Phil how he found the inspiration
0:26:21 > 0:26:24'to conjure up a kitchen out of nowhere.'
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I'm so impressed because your job
0:26:28 > 0:26:33was to make weatherproof, safe and secure this site.
0:26:33 > 0:26:39- We didn't ask you to stick a kitchen in there.- No, you didn't. But we managed to get a kitchen for free
0:26:39 > 0:26:41- from one of our suppliers.- Wow!
0:26:41 > 0:26:45And we've installed that to try and help a little bit
0:26:45 > 0:26:48so that Mrs Farrell's mother can move in here.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52That's amazing. Thank you so much for doing that. It's fantastic.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'Remember what the electrics looked like before?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57'Well, all sorted now.'
0:26:57 > 0:27:01There's been re-wiring, re-plastering, digging out drains,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05new kitchen stuck in. I mean, this is no small job.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- This is no small job. - How long were here for?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11We were here for something in the region of six to eight weeks.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Oddly enough, you might be surprised to hear that the cowboy builder
0:27:15 > 0:27:18reckoned they might be able to do the whole job in three months.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23- Was that...- That was never a realistic proposal.- No.- No.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29'But our good guys riding to the rescue was a realistic proposal, and they've delivered.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32'Now, before I do the grand tour with the Farrells,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35'I'm going to chat to them about their cowboy builder.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37'I wanted to find out his side of the story,
0:27:37 > 0:27:42'and I can't wait to hear their responses to his version of events.'
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Your builder says that we're pointing our finger at the wrong man.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48He says he didn't do this job,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51he subcontracted the whole thing to another builder.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56We were both on site together at various points.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01- So he didn't subcon...- No, we never agreed to any subcontracting to any particular individuals.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04He says he met with your architect who signed all the work off.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07What? SHE LAUGHS
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Signed what off? Nothing's ever been signed off. What's he talking about?
0:28:11 > 0:28:14- That's what he says.- Oh, my God.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19We've spoken to the architect, incidentally, and he says he never inspected the work,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23and if he had, he obviously wouldn't have signed it off because it was appalling.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27- Uh-huh.- What's your thoughts on what you've heard so far?
0:28:27 > 0:28:32- How do you feel from what you've heard... - Furious. He doesn't give a damn.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34'No. He clearly doesn't.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38'But the good news is our guys have transformed this place.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41'It's time for my favourite bit, the grand tour.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45'I can't wait to hear what Alison and Michael think to it all.'
0:28:46 > 0:28:48So, I think, for me,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51the front of your house is the most impressive,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54cos it at least looks closer to the finished article, doesn't it?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57- Oh, yeah.- The whole facade looks nice, doesn't it?
0:28:57 > 0:29:01It's sealed... You've got... This is a new window, as well, isn't it?
0:29:01 > 0:29:05- New window, yeah.- Does it make you feel any different as regards to,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09you know, everybody wants to be proud of their house, walking out, when you come back to the house...
0:29:09 > 0:29:14- Yeah. Well, it certainly looks a bit more respectable.- Yeah. - It was embarrassing.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Coming back to the house knowing that you've left it secure.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Yeah, yeah, and sleeping, you know, at night.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23When you go to bed, it's nice to know that the place is secure.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28'And remember that obstacle course of a hallway before?'
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- Wires everywhere. Trip hazards. - Yeah, no door.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36For me, from what I see, you're not far on having it done. It's...
0:29:36 > 0:29:39You've got some finishing to do here, haven't you?
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Really just some painting, sand down, paint and a floor finish.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44It'll look like a home.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49'Alison's mum's new home will soon have a fully-functional kitchen, too.'
0:29:49 > 0:29:53- Has your mum seen this yet?- Yes. Yes, she has.- She was quite tearful.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Yeah, she was. She couldn't believe it. She thought it was so kind.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01'Her main living room upstairs is now much closer to the finished article.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04'Before it looked like this.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08'Now it looks like this. Splendid.'
0:30:10 > 0:30:15Cast your minds back to when your cowboy builders upped and left.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19- Mm-hm.- Where did you imagine you'd be
0:30:19 > 0:30:22throughout the winter in a few months time?
0:30:23 > 0:30:27- Freezing. Freezing cold. - Yeah.- Really.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31- With a rattling door and water coming in.- Yeah.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36Difficult to sleep with the noise of the door, the wind would've been howling through it.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39Well, hopefully now, you can maintain this momentum
0:30:39 > 0:30:42and then you, your whole family,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45your mother can be here enjoying our view.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48- Obviously that means your mother-in-law will be living with you.- Yes.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53- That's fine.- Light and shade. - THEY LAUGH
0:30:53 > 0:30:58'And on that note, it's time to bid the Farrells a fond farewell.'
0:30:59 > 0:31:01Well, having spent time with them,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04it's quite easy to see and appreciate
0:31:04 > 0:31:08just how Michael and Alison's project spiralled so far out of control.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10They really were left feeling helpless.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Now, the task for the good guys was to make this house safe, secure
0:31:14 > 0:31:17and weatherproof, and you've seen they've achieved that.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21But in righting so many of the wrongs for the cowboy builders,
0:31:21 > 0:31:28they've got Michael and Alison's dream of getting the whole family living under one roof back on track.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32'For our next Cowboy Trap saga,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35'we revisit a homeowner we first met three years ago.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39'Like the Farrells, it revolved around a builder who came highly recommended,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42'but turned out to be a disaster.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47'His victims were retired engineer Colin Thompson and his partner Melina,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49'who was back home in the Philippines when we filmed.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53'Colin wanted to add a new conservatory and retaining wall
0:31:53 > 0:31:56'to his renovated cottage in Cobham, Surrey.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00'Colin, being a bit of a DIY man,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03'was tempted to build the conservatory himself,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05'but a neighbour changed his mind.'
0:32:05 > 0:32:08The neighbour had a conservatory built
0:32:08 > 0:32:10and they were saying what a nice job it was.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13I went round and inspected it and thought it looked very nice,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16and I thought, "Well, it'll save me a lot of time.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18"It looks nice and modern."
0:32:18 > 0:32:21'Colin decided to invite the builder
0:32:21 > 0:32:25'who'd done his neighbour's conservatory round to discuss the project.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27'First impressions were positive.'
0:32:29 > 0:32:31Colin liked the look of the builder but what clinched the deal
0:32:31 > 0:32:36was his impressive paperwork, which included a stamp with the FENSA logo,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40representing industry gold standard for replacement doors and windows.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43What's more, his work came with a ten-year guarantee,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47so Colin felt completely secure. But, of course, as things turned out,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50that guarantee, like the rest of his documentation,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56'Yes, Colin should've checked this builder out.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58'But hindsight is a wonderful thing.
0:32:58 > 0:33:04'And when he originally invited the builder to quote for the job, he very much liked what he heard.'
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Initially it was about £11,000
0:33:06 > 0:33:09for the conservatory and the retaining wall
0:33:09 > 0:33:12just in the vicinity of the conservatory.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Ultimately, when I placed the order, we went a bit further
0:33:16 > 0:33:21and had the wall extended to the full width of the garden, so obviously the cost went up.
0:33:21 > 0:33:26'Went up by over £2,000 to a grand new total
0:33:26 > 0:33:30'of £13,456.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35'That was to build the conservatory, excavate the ground around it and construct a retaining wall.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40'It also included steps and a garden path made of top quality slabs.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43'But work got off to a very slow start.'
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Unfortunately, the weather was quite bad at the time
0:33:48 > 0:33:51so he was working between the showers.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And, er, sometimes he didn't turn up.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59'Worrying for Colin, even when the sun shone
0:33:59 > 0:34:01'progress was pitifully slow.'
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Sluggish work was one thing.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Worse than that, engineer Colin slowly began to notice
0:34:06 > 0:34:10that the standard of the work was not quite the 24-carat job he was expecting.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12In fact, it soon became clear
0:34:12 > 0:34:16that this guy had learnt his trade at the University of Bodge.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21'Colin noticed the builder wasn't laying the bricks in the wall properly.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24'A builder that can't get a wall built? What next?
0:34:26 > 0:34:30'I'll tell you what next. A builder that can't fix a roof onto a conservatory.'
0:34:30 > 0:34:33It was when the roof went on that you could suddenly see
0:34:33 > 0:34:37that the polycarbonate roof was touching the slate roof of the house.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40So I said, well, you know, "That's no good."
0:34:40 > 0:34:43He said, "Oh, the water can go down that."
0:34:43 > 0:34:45I said, "No. Forget that. What about all the leaves?
0:34:45 > 0:34:49"We've got lots of trees around here and the leaves will collect in that."
0:34:49 > 0:34:52"Oh." So he took all the panels off
0:34:52 > 0:34:57and took them home and sawed the ends off all the panels.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03'Well, that sounds professional. This guy then tootled back to Colin's,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06'stuck those sawn-off panels back on the conservatory roof,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08'and guess what happened when it rained.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13'Yeah, you've got it, Leaks, leaks and more leaks.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18'And that wasn't all. The water was leaking onto a conservatory floor that wasn't level,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22'and the windows and door hadn't been fitted properly, either.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27'Because of the damp, the humidity in the conservatory was unbearable.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31'Just when Colin thought it couldn't get any worse, it did.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35'In December 2005, just before Christmas,
0:35:35 > 0:35:39'the builder walked off site never to return.'
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Colin's dreams were in tatters.
0:35:43 > 0:35:48Instead of the bright and airy conservatory, a cherry on the cake of his idyllic cottage,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51what he was left with was a soggy mess.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55'Yep, all Colin got for his £13,400
0:35:55 > 0:35:59'was a calamitous conservatory and a wonky wall.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03'He tried contacting the builder but his calls were never returned.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06'And when he finally checked the guy out,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10'he was horrified to discover the builder wasn't really in FENSA
0:36:10 > 0:36:16'and his ten-year guarantee was as worthless as a ten-bob note.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19'Take my advice. Don't automatically trust the paperwork
0:36:19 > 0:36:24'your builder shoves under your nose. It might be a work of fiction.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27'If they say they're registered with a body like FENSA,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30'phone the association to check the builder is on their list.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34'Look at the terms and conditions of the guarantee carefully.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36'Ideally, it will be from the manufacturer.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40'They're much more likely to be around if something goes wrong.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45'But Colin's luck was about to change
0:36:45 > 0:36:48'because our good guys entered the fray.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53'They couldn't fix the whole bodging build, but they could certainly make a start.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55'The priority was fixing the roof and windows.
0:36:55 > 0:37:01'By doing that, they'd sort the humidity and make the conservatory bearable to be in.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'Our fellas set about their task with gusto.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07'Out with the old...
0:37:07 > 0:37:09'..and in with the new.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14'And this was the end result. A wonderful, watertight roof.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17'Yes, Colin's conservatory was out of intensive care
0:37:17 > 0:37:19'and on the road to recovery.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24'But it was still a work in progress. The floor still needed sorting for a start.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27'Would Colin finish the job and create the conservatory of his dreams?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30'Only time would tell.'
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Well, it's been nearly three years since we last saw Colin
0:37:37 > 0:37:42and, of course, we helped him get back on track by fixing the leaking roof of his conservatory
0:37:42 > 0:37:46and fitting new windows, but he still had a fair bit of work to do.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Let's see how he's got on.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51'Apparently Melina's away again.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56'Hopefully it's not because she's upset with our good guys' conservatory efforts.'
0:37:56 > 0:38:00- Colin.- Hello, Jonnie. Come on in. - Thank you very much! Nice day.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02'As soon as I cross the threshold,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05'I can't help but notice the miraculous change here,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09'starting with the floor, before my eyes were attracted skywards.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13'An extra touch our good guys added has proved to be a success.'
0:38:13 > 0:38:18- So, this glass, it's clean.- Yep.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's the self-cleaning glass.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26It's got a special coating on it. When you get any outside debris, like birdlime,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28it can even dry on there,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30but over a period of time, after a few showers...
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- It just washes off?- It washes off. That's never been cleaned.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Since that's been in there, two years, I've never clean the roof.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40'Well, Colin's clearly pleased that his self-cleaning glass
0:38:40 > 0:38:44'is still doing the business beautifully two years on.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47'And the roof must still be watertight, too. If it wasn't,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50'Colin wouldn't have bought soft furnishings and got the floor done.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55'Nice tiling, which is all the more impressive because Colin did it himself.'
0:38:56 > 0:39:00I had all these tiles stacked up for a few years in the corner there,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02cos I couldn't do anything with them so they were in their boxes.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06So as soon as your guys had finished their work, I thought, "Let's get this place finished"
0:39:06 > 0:39:11and so I just cracked on and did all the floor first.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Checked up, phoned up various manufacturers,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17finding out what the best thing was to make sure I got proper adhesion to the floor.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20And I made... I put levelling,
0:39:20 > 0:39:25I put levelling points so I could make sure it was all level.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29'Excellent idea. A level floor.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33'Better than the fundamentally flawed floor the cowboy left behind.
0:39:33 > 0:39:38'Trying to lay tiles on that would've been like trying to stack custard.'
0:39:38 > 0:39:42You took so much more care on a do-it-yourself job
0:39:42 > 0:39:46than the professional cowboy that attempted it ever did, didn't you?
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Well, that's right. He did it wrong in the first place.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- If it had been done properly, I wouldn't have had to do all that. - Looks really good.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55'It certainly does.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00'Remember, this was the careless carbuncle of conservatory the cowboy left behind.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04'No carelessness from our good guys, craftsmen to the core.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08'But when I departed, the floor still needed doing.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10'And because our fellas gave it a watertight lid,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13'Colin's had the confidence to put a screed down
0:40:13 > 0:40:16'and the desire to tile with style.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18'Conservatory completed.'
0:40:18 > 0:40:22Do you feel like once our guys from Cowboy Trap came,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24did you feel like you were ready to tackle it again?
0:40:24 > 0:40:29Yeah, once they'd done that, that was the big thing out of the way.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35'And it's also pleasing to see that Colin is using his conservatory
0:40:35 > 0:40:39'in all sorts of weather, even in the colder seasons.'
0:40:40 > 0:40:44It's great to come out here, have a coffee and, you know...
0:40:44 > 0:40:47- Lovely place to have breakfast. - Yeah.- Wave at squirrels. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54'Yeah, I admit it. I like to wave at squirrels when I'm in a good mood, what's wrong with that?
0:40:54 > 0:40:56'And I'm in a good mood today,
0:40:56 > 0:41:00'because remember what this place looked like when the cowboy strode out of town?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03'It was the stuff of nightmares.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07'Rather than the dream conservatory Colin desired.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09'After our good guys weaved their magic,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12'the conservatory was massively improved,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15'but still with lots to do.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17'And Colin's gone ahead and done it himself.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19'All's well that ends well, eh?
0:41:19 > 0:41:24'But before I go, I want to ask Colin what he learned from his unlucky cowboy builder experience.'
0:41:24 > 0:41:29What would you do different? Say you were going to embark on having another conservatory built,
0:41:29 > 0:41:30how would you go about the process?
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Go round and see people's conservatories, see what was done,
0:41:33 > 0:41:39ask them about the people who did it, the quality, the professionalism of the people themselves.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43You go along with these people because you think, "Well, they're the professionals."
0:41:43 > 0:41:47That's the trouble. You put your trust in them and think, "I'm paying a lot of money,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49"I'm going to sit back now and let them get on with it."
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Cos it's nice to be able to do that.
0:41:51 > 0:41:56You were going to build it yourself but you thought, "I'll let someone else do the hard work."
0:41:56 > 0:41:58I thought, "I'm paying them. I'll let them get on with it."
0:41:58 > 0:42:02They give you all these assurances that it'll be all right on the day,
0:42:02 > 0:42:06but it's not, they just walk away from it and leave you with a disaster.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10'Disaster with a capital D.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15'A builder who couldn't put on a roof without it leaking. Shame on him.'
0:42:15 > 0:42:21- How low did you get?- I got very angry. You feel frustrated and you think, "What can I do?"
0:42:21 > 0:42:24There's water coming through, you can't decorate it,
0:42:24 > 0:42:28you can't put soft furnishings in, they're going to rot away with the damp.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32But once that was done and it was sealed, that's great, you can get on with it.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36It can be raining hard outside and it's great.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39'Great indeed.
0:42:39 > 0:42:45'Right, it's time to leave Colin to enjoy his dry-as-a-bone, terrifically-tiled conservatory.'
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Well, it's been great to catch up with Colin
0:42:48 > 0:42:51and see that the conservatory has now become
0:42:51 > 0:42:55an integral part of his and his partner Melina's home.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57By the sounds of it,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01once our builders had put the roof on top of the conservatory and lent a helping hand,
0:43:01 > 0:43:05it sprung Colin into action and he finished everything else
0:43:05 > 0:43:08by his own hand. Pretty impressive.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:12 > 0:43:12.