0:00:08 > 0:00:10We're travelling all over the UK
0:00:10 > 0:00:13to meet the homeowners forced to live with the grim consequences
0:00:13 > 0:00:15of employing a cowboy builder.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Mum had gone in to put the light on
0:00:18 > 0:00:20and as she touched the switch,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23her hand came away wet.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And there was water running down the wires
0:00:26 > 0:00:28into the socket.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Whether shoddy workmanship or downright lies,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33cowboy builders are unscrupulous villains
0:00:33 > 0:00:35who not only destroy dreams -
0:00:35 > 0:00:36they wreck lives too.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And all the time that we're being fobbed off,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41he's asking for more and more of the payments.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44- In cash.- More and more of the money.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- Were you paying?- Well, unfortunately, we were.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50The builder decided he was going to break into a flue
0:00:50 > 0:00:52and chose the wrong flue. Instead of blocking it up,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55he put a bucket and his overalls there.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57It's terrible!
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We've got the Good Guys in our posse to help turn these houses from hell
0:01:00 > 0:01:02into heavenly homes.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06This room is absolutely amazing.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08It's...it's stunning.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11It's unbelievable.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13It's better than I imagined.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18I never thought that I would, seriously, be alive and see it finished.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20You know, it's thought cowboy builders
0:01:20 > 0:01:23cost Britons over £700 million each year.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25So if you think you know how to spot one,
0:01:25 > 0:01:26think again.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Make no mistake - the next 45 minutes
0:01:28 > 0:01:32could help keep YOU out of the cowboy trap.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44On today's Cowboy Trap,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47the sun room built as a memorial to the love of this woman's life,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50which turned out a damp, dangerous disaster zone.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53I looked up at the roof.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55There was leaks all over the place.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I looked around and I just thought,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02"Sorry, Fred. I've let you down here."
0:02:02 > 0:02:07And we meet the young couple who allowed their roofer to tile their living room floors,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09with distressing consequences.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11The work is very, very shoddy.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13It looks like a DIY job,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but he literally turned around to me and said, when I rung him,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18it's the best he could do.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Our first Cowboy Trap location is in the town of Ulverston in Cumbria.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Ulverston Canal is said to be
0:02:24 > 0:02:29the deepest, widest and straightest canal in the United Kingdom.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Once a vital part of the town's economy,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34the waterway is no longer used for commercial purposes.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38The shops and pubs on Ulverston's lovely stone-paved main street
0:02:38 > 0:02:40are still going strong, though,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44as is the reputation of one of Ulverston's most famous sons.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The comedian Stan Laurel was born here in Ulverston,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49and as you can see from the statue beside me,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52the town remain rightfully proud of him to this very day.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Now, Laurel of course went on to find world-wide fame
0:02:55 > 0:02:59alongside Oliver Hardy in an enduring series of comedy films
0:02:59 > 0:03:01know for their masterly use of slapstick.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Which is kind of appropriate, really,
0:03:04 > 0:03:05because the work you are about to see
0:03:05 > 0:03:09displays a level of buffoonery they'd both be rather proud of.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12This cowboy's unlucky victim
0:03:12 > 0:03:14lives in this three-bed detached farmhouse.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16It's home to Avril Sweeting,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18a retired education officer.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Avril's daughter, Jane, lives next door.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Avril is still coming to terms with
0:03:24 > 0:03:27the abrupt death of her long-term partner, Fred, five years ago.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30She was in hospital recovering from heart surgery
0:03:30 > 0:03:33when she was told that he'd died at home.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36The nursing staff eventually came and told me...
0:03:37 > 0:03:39..he'd died.
0:03:39 > 0:03:40Um...
0:03:43 > 0:03:44And I didn't believe them.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48But when I got home, I still could say,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52"Thank you, Lord, for the 17 years that we had."
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Because we were so lucky.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Avril and Fred, who was a farmer,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59had many happy years together in their farmhouse.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Avril loved weaving,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and Fred liked looking out onto his land.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06They often talked about building a sun room at the back of their home,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08which they could enjoy in their latter years.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12His dream was we would build this room...
0:04:14 > 0:04:18..with a lot of light, so he could see the fields where his stock was
0:04:18 > 0:04:21and I would have the light and the beautiful views
0:04:21 > 0:04:23to do the weaving.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27"I'll build you the room and we'll sit there together."
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Fred's untimely death had a huge impact on the whole family,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35but his dream lived on.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38As time went by, Avril became convinced
0:04:38 > 0:04:40that building the sun room that Fred had set his heart on
0:04:40 > 0:04:42would be the best possible tribute
0:04:42 > 0:04:44to her beloved late husband.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48In the summer of 2011,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50two years after Fred died,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Avril enlisted an architect to design a sun room
0:04:52 > 0:04:54with a lantern roof.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56The plans were approved by the local council,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59so the next stage was finding someone to build it.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02A local builder was recommended by someone Avril knew,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05so she invited him round to discuss the project.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Very likeable,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10young family man,
0:05:10 > 0:05:11which I liked.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12Er...
0:05:12 > 0:05:14And this was going to be his flagship.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16He'd built one similar.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20So it was no problem to him.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Mum went about this as she does with most things.
0:05:24 > 0:05:25She thought,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28"Well, I'll kind of be doing him a favour as well.
0:05:28 > 0:05:34"He's a local lad and he's young, and it will be a good, decent amount of work for him."
0:05:34 > 0:05:39The builder wanted £45,000 to build the sun room extension
0:05:39 > 0:05:43though the extensive joinery and glasswork required would cost extra.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Jane knew that the construction of the lantern roof
0:05:46 > 0:05:47wasn't a simple job,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50so she asked to see one the builder had done previously.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53He said, "Yes, absolutely,"
0:05:53 > 0:05:56but the telephone number was never quite...
0:05:56 > 0:05:58given, and...
0:05:58 > 0:06:01then, apparently, these people were on holiday,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03so that never happened.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07And with hindsight, it's easy to work out why.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08Take my advice...
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Don't accept excuses.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Checking out a builder's completed work is the only way
0:06:18 > 0:06:21of ensuring they have the skill set they say they have.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Only then can you be confident he's not a cowboy.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Work on Avril's sun room began in January 2012,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39with the builder promising the job would be completed by Easter.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41A payment schedule had been put in place,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44with a £5,000 deposit at the start
0:06:44 > 0:06:46and staged payments after that.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50But the builder asked for money more regularly than was agreed.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53He would keep coming back to Mum,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56not at any particular stage of...
0:06:56 > 0:06:58progression.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01But he would come back in and he would want
0:07:01 > 0:07:04a bit more money. He would always justify it
0:07:04 > 0:07:08with he needed to buy some materials or other.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11And it wasn't just the builder's regular demands for cash
0:07:11 > 0:07:13that caused concern.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17Soon Jane and Avril began to notice he was creating a terrible mess
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and his workmanship was really shoddy.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22The floor didn't feel level,
0:07:22 > 0:07:23the windows were full of gaps
0:07:23 > 0:07:25and the doorways looked amateurish.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27And that's not all.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The plastering was atrocious.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33You could see where the boards were joined together
0:07:33 > 0:07:35weren't correct.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36"Oh, it'll be right."
0:07:36 > 0:07:38That would be all you got.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41"Oh, it'll be sorted. It will be right."
0:07:41 > 0:07:45OK, so, perpetual demands for cash and shoddy workmanship.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49What's usually number three in the Holy Trinity of cowboy building?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Oh, yeah! Falling badly behind schedule.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55It just didn't seem to be progressing
0:07:55 > 0:07:57as I thought
0:07:57 > 0:07:58that it should have been.
0:08:00 > 0:08:01No kidding!
0:08:01 > 0:08:03The original finish deadline of Easter was missed.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Then a new deadline of August was missed.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Ditto October,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and by December, well, the builder refused to give an end date at all.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14And if all that wasn't bad enough,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17the lantern roof started leaking like a sieve.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20The leaks became apparent
0:08:20 > 0:08:22all over the ceiling.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24I would say, "Hey, come on!
0:08:24 > 0:08:26"It's a new roof.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30"I shouldn't be having any leaks."
0:08:30 > 0:08:32And there was just silence.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35The builder was leaving the sun room
0:08:35 > 0:08:38in an unsafe and potentially shocking state.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Mum had gone in to put the light on
0:08:41 > 0:08:43and as she touched the switch,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46her hand came away wet.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49And there was water running down the wires
0:08:49 > 0:08:50into the socket.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Then just when Avril and Jane thought it couldn't get any worse,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55it did.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Local building control came to inspect
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and they were horrified by what they saw.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03They looked at the doorways,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05which were condemned.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07They looked at the roof,
0:09:07 > 0:09:08which was condemned.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11He hadn't gone by the spec
0:09:11 > 0:09:13of the regulations at all,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15so they had to be condemned.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Um...
0:09:18 > 0:09:20And they were appalled at the workmanship of it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23By now, the builder was hardly ever to be seen.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27And then, just after Christmas, he delivered his final bombshell.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29He walked out, never to return.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32In the end, he said, "There's no money left there for me,
0:09:32 > 0:09:36"and I've got bills - I need to earn a living."
0:09:36 > 0:09:38And we realised
0:09:38 > 0:09:41he hasn't got any more money left.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43He's virtually been paid.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45He's not done the work.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49And it all made sense, why he just wasn't here any more.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54When the builder left, Avril had paid him over £45,000.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57And all she had to show for it was a leaky, unfinished extension
0:09:57 > 0:10:00which looked like a building site.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Not surprisingly, she and Jane are devastated.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06We're both really struggling.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10We're struggling with stress, we're struggling with upset.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12I have spent all my money
0:10:12 > 0:10:14on a nightmare.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It was only because the rest of the family was strong
0:10:18 > 0:10:20and we're all here together
0:10:20 > 0:10:24that... I honestly think that's the only reason
0:10:24 > 0:10:26we've all got through it.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I can't believe anybody could do this,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31could take the money, as he has...
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and...
0:10:35 > 0:10:37..not do what he's said.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42What a shame for Avril and Jane,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46because this is an absolute textbook case of a cowboy builder.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49The one-man band with a smooth line in patter
0:10:49 > 0:10:52who persuades a homeowner they're capable
0:10:52 > 0:10:55of doing all manner of trades at a high level of skill.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Gets paid up front, and pretty much paid in full,
0:10:58 > 0:11:03before disappearing off with a huge amount of work still to be done.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06But how much work?
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Cowboys have a habit of hiding their bodges beneath the surface.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12So while things definitely look pretty bad around here,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14we'll need independent building surveyor Euan Elliott
0:11:14 > 0:11:18to inspect the work before we can be sure of what we're dealing with.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Euan's been through it with a fine-tooth comb
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and is about to fill me in on what he found.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26It's not finished, and it's a massive bodge.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31First item on the agenda - something that's very clearly beyond the pale.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35There seems to be a bucket in the wall.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39That's right. Unfortunately, they were going to put a fireplace
0:11:39 > 0:11:41into this room, and the builder
0:11:41 > 0:11:45decided he was going to break into a flue, and chose the wrong flue
0:11:45 > 0:11:49and instead of blocking it up, put a bucket and his overalls there.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51He's compromised some existing work there.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53That's right. He could have blocked that up
0:11:53 > 0:11:56so they could use the fireplace on the other side of this wall.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- Now, there's our bucket...- Yes.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03There's wires, there's another pipe... What's this pipe?
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Is this another attempt at breaking into a flue?
0:12:05 > 0:12:08No, that was a vent pipe from the bathroom.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11What would you suggest he's venting out the bathroom?
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Am I thinking smells and moisture?
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- That's right.- Whatever you're venting out the bathroom,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- is now being vented into a reception room.- That's right.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20That's lovely(!)
0:12:20 > 0:12:23A bucket and overalls to patch up a busted flue
0:12:23 > 0:12:26and a ventilation pipe coming in from the toilet.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I mean, it's hard to keep a straight face about this stuff.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33The plastering looks like the work of a comedian too.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35But there's nothing funny about the dangerous way
0:12:35 > 0:12:37the electrics have been left.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40And when you venture outside, it's clear why this sun room
0:12:40 > 0:12:42feels more like Siberia.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Outside...
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Yes, there's a problem with the way the rafters
0:12:47 > 0:12:49are set over the wall plate.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51They've been birdsmouthed,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53but the fixings
0:12:53 > 0:12:56actually miss the wall plate.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59So it's only the weight of the roof actually holding the roof down.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- So it's floating?- It is.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03This is a fairly exposed house, so, high winds,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05we'll have some issues.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07The roof will lift.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09The windows aren't finished.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11It's just appallingly bad.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15You've got windows and doors throughout this extension
0:13:15 > 0:13:17that have been bought in - they look fine.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20- But it's the fitting of them that's the issue.- That's right.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's relying on a foam bed. You don't want to rely on a foam bed.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25We're very exposed.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Any wind or water going about
0:13:27 > 0:13:30could be blown underneath there. It's just no good.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32No good indeed.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35As is the state the builder left things outside.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Not just an eyesore,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39but completely unsafe too.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41But how about that leaky roof?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44To start with, there's no guttering anywhere to be seen.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47This stage of the building,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49you'd have thought gutters would have been put on,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52just to get the water away from running down onto untreated timbers.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55I think I can just see some water marks in here.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59That's right. We've got a flat roof in the middle here
0:13:59 > 0:14:01with this fantastic light in the middle.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03It leaks!
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Why is it? This is a flat roof here.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Are you going to tell me the fall is the wrong way?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09The fall's the wrong way, the material's wrong.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Everything, if it could go wrong, it's going wrong here.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15So we've got, pretty much, inside, out,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17top to bottom,
0:14:17 > 0:14:18bodges?
0:14:18 > 0:14:22- That's right.- So, how would you mark this builder's work out of ten?
0:14:24 > 0:14:25I'm struggling to give it more than one.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- One?! Really?- That's all.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30The bits that are right were done by somebody else.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33The bits that are wrong were done by this builder.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35It's heartache for the people who live there.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38One out of ten, eh?
0:14:38 > 0:14:40I'm not surprised Euan's so appalled,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42as on the bodge-o-meter,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44this one is off the scale.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46Check out the evidence.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48A fundamentally useless, leaking roof,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50which hasn't been tied in properly,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53lousy flashing, non-existent guttering,
0:14:53 > 0:14:54gaps under the windows,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56dangerous doorways,
0:14:56 > 0:14:57shocking electrics,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59rotten plastering,
0:14:59 > 0:15:00a hopelessly uneven floor,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03a garden that looks like a rubbish dump...
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Oh, and I mustn't forget a busted chimney flue,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07repaired with the aid of a bucket.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10All that, and Avril had paid this builder
0:15:10 > 0:15:12getting on for £50,000.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14What a mess.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17But you know the plot. Time to bring in the Good Guys.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20And here they are,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22all set to turn this unmitigated bodge
0:15:22 > 0:15:24into a first-class build.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28So much needs doing just to get this sun room watertight and windproof,
0:15:28 > 0:15:29Avril is chipping in.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Rain is forecast, so that leaking roof will have to wait for now.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36In the meantime, the gang get to work on the windows and doors.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Oh...mind the gap!
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Then it's on to the eaves,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43with new timber added to make sure this part of the roof
0:15:43 > 0:15:45offers proper protection from the elements.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49And the floor, which needs a brand-new layer of screed
0:15:49 > 0:15:52if it's to stop looking like a skateboard park.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54It's a great start,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57but can they bring a ray of sunshine to Avril's dreams?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Only time will tell.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I'm in Cumbria, just outside the market town of Ulverston,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11where Avril Sweeting, who's in her 70s,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14set her heart on building the sun room her late husband
0:16:14 > 0:16:16had always dreamt of.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19But the builder she employed was a cowboy,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22who left her with a hopeless, leaking wreck on her hands.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Now, I know our Good Guys have been somewhat hampered by
0:16:25 > 0:16:27the typical Cumbrian weather on this job,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30but I'm hoping they're pretty much finished now.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33So let's see how Avril and her daughter, Jane, are getting on.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- Hello, Avril.- Hello. Come on in, Jonnie.- Thank you very much.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47I must say, it's nice weather here, for once!
0:16:48 > 0:16:50As soon as I cross the threshold, I can't resist a quick peek
0:16:50 > 0:16:51at the extension,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and I like what I see.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Remember what it looked like before?
0:16:55 > 0:16:56Well, now check it out.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00They cowboy had left behind an unmitigated bodge.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02But our Good Guys clearly worked wonders.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Nice one.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06I bet Avril's thrilled.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Now, before I take a closer look at our Good Guys' work,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12I'd like a chat with her and Jane
0:17:12 > 0:17:16about how they got themselves caught so deeply in the cowboy trap,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18especially as the problems with the work
0:17:18 > 0:17:20were so plain for all to see.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26- The problem with him, really... I mean, he was aggressive towards the end...- Yes.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30..but most of the time, he would simply shrug his shoulders
0:17:30 > 0:17:34and he'd smile, and he'd do, or try to do
0:17:34 > 0:17:37the job he'd done from the beginning,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41which was to be very nice through most of it.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45"It's all going to be fine. It's simply not finished.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48"As soon as I'm done, it'll be great."
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- Was that not frustrating?- Hugely. Hugely.
0:17:52 > 0:17:53You're getting fobbed off there,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56- really, in a very nice, polite way, but you're getting fobbed off.- Yes.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58And all the time that we're being fobbed off,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01he's asking for more and more of the payments.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- In cash.- More and more of the money. - Were you paying?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Well, unfortunately, we were.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And it was a massive mistake.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10And that, ladies and gentlemen,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14is how so many cowboy builders manage to ply their sickening trade.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Remember, it's not just your bank balance that will suffer,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19but your health and happiness too.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22It got to the point where I...
0:18:22 > 0:18:25was desperately worried about Mum.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Mum doesn't have the best health anyway.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31She's had all sorts of heart issues over the years,
0:18:31 > 0:18:36and I could see Mum was getting lower and lower about it.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Because this had all been about Fred.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43It was the reason it was built.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46It was why she wanted the room in the first place.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48What was your lowest point throughout all of this?
0:18:48 > 0:18:53Christmas Day, when I had cooked Christmas dinner for the family,
0:18:53 > 0:18:59and in the afternoon, I was going to go and weave in there,
0:18:59 > 0:19:04and I couldn't stay in there for 20 minutes, it was so cold.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08I looked up at the roof. There was leaks all over the place.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11I looked around and I just thought...
0:19:12 > 0:19:15"Sorry, Fred. I've let you down here."
0:19:15 > 0:19:18I'm so sorry you think that, because you really hadn't let Fred down.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Someone's let you down in this process,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and it's no-one sat around this table.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It's truly heartbreaking to hear Avril talk like this,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28but the good news is this long-awaited sun room
0:19:28 > 0:19:31is finally about to come into its own.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Now, before I do a grand tour with her and Jane,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I want to take a closer look at our Good Guys' handiwork.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43This room is absolutely amazing!
0:19:43 > 0:19:45It...it's stunning.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Even more so now the Good Guys have been here
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and they've clearly put a floor in,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52put some skirting board in as well.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Yeah, it looks so much better.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Oh, yeah, guess what's missing?
0:19:58 > 0:20:00A bucket sticking out of the wall!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03That's all been blocked up, which means they can use that flue again,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05whatever's behind that wall.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Avril will now be able to finish off that fireplace
0:20:08 > 0:20:09in the months to come.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12But with the toilet ventilation re-routed,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15the electrics made safe...
0:20:17 > 0:20:19..and the doors and windows properly sealed,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22she can get back to her weaving right away.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26It's watertight. I know. I've got full faith in our builders
0:20:26 > 0:20:29that this place is now hunky dory.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33But you can still see remnants of that leaking roof before.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36There's damp patches there. Obviously, this place needs decorating.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39The remit for our Good Guys was make it safe and watertight.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40By putting the flooring in as well,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43it's starting to look more like the finished product,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45which is absolutely amazing.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49I tell you what, I bet Avril and Jane can't wait to move in here.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52Right.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Time to look outside.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Well, the first thing I notice here
0:20:57 > 0:20:58is just...
0:20:58 > 0:21:01it looks quality. It looks really good.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Now, if you remember, the window had been fitted,
0:21:03 > 0:21:04but it hadn't been finished.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06But our Good Guys have...well, it looks like
0:21:06 > 0:21:09they've used local materials, which is fantastic,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11but what they've done is manage to put this windowsill in,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14but it ties in with the whole look of this nice stone facade.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18And it's watertight - the main thing we need to happen here.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20But I think the big job here was the roof.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23There was leaks, it wasn't tied in...
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It was pretty much going to blow off with some bad storms.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28But now, it's now got soffiting.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31That's basically this boxing-in we've got here, this woodwork.
0:21:31 > 0:21:32And on the side of it,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35lo and behold, we've got guttering, which means
0:21:35 > 0:21:37you're getting all this rainwater away
0:21:37 > 0:21:39from the main body of the building,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41which is exactly how it should have been in the first place.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And talking of how it should have been done in the first place,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49what about that flat roof that Euan, our surveyor,
0:21:49 > 0:21:50was so appalled by?
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It's a good spot to have a look at this roof.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55Now, let's not forget,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57behind that ridge there's a flat roof
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and they think that was where a lot of the problems were -
0:22:00 > 0:22:02remember the leaks coming around the roof light?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05But also, these ridge tiles look like they've been replaced.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I mean, if they've had to muck around with the structure of this roof,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12this has turned a pretty big job into a massive job.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Time for a chat with the man who had to sort all this out -
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Good Guy head honcho Alex.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20He's seen with his own eyes what the cowboy
0:22:20 > 0:22:22tried to hide from his unlucky victims.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25So what did you have to do?
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Essentially, the whole roof came off.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29The whole construction of the roof was wrong.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Everything was running the wrong way,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33so the water was pooling on the roof.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35We had to lift the whole structure up
0:22:35 > 0:22:37probably about 600mm.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Do you see that many times on stuff that's recently been finished?
0:22:40 > 0:22:42No, not at all. No.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Our worst suspicions turned out to be true, then.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47And without a decent lid on top of this extension,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50all the internal plastering and decorating
0:22:50 > 0:22:52was no more than papering over the cracks.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Sorted now, though.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57And with proper guttering finally installed,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Avril can be confident that what's underneath
0:22:59 > 0:23:02will remain as dry as a bone.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Right, now, before I do the grand tour with Avril and Jane,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09there's one more thing I'd like to discuss with them.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11I wanted to find out their builder's side of the story
0:23:11 > 0:23:14and I can't wait to hear their responses
0:23:14 > 0:23:16to his version of events.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Now, your builder has, to some extent,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22held his hands up and admitted that he got things wrong.
0:23:22 > 0:23:23Now, he admits
0:23:23 > 0:23:26he went in too cheap with his original quote
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and he says he's paying the price now.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Oh, HE's...?!
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Oh, dear, my heart bleeds(!)
0:23:33 > 0:23:37But remember, none of the glasswork
0:23:37 > 0:23:41was anything to do with him. We paid that on top.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44That's a lot of the project, that glasswork. The bi-fold doors -
0:23:44 > 0:23:45they don't come cheap.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49So you bought those on top of paying him nearly £50,000?
0:23:49 > 0:23:51- Yes.- Absolutely.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And he's paying the price for coming in too cheap.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I nearly lost my mother through it.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I know who's paying the price.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03And I know who has, and it isn't him.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Absolutely it's not him.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11- It's upsetting, isn't it? - I am absolutely lost for words.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13That he dares to look for sympathy
0:24:13 > 0:24:16after what he's done...
0:24:16 > 0:24:18It's unbelievable.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Unbelievable... and incomprehensible.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Not sure how you come to the conclusion
0:24:25 > 0:24:27it's the customer's fault you under-quoted.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29But hey, from what I've seen,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32this guy is having to defend the indefensible.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37He totally denies any aggressive behaviour towards you,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and says he's disappointed you've seen fit to make such an allegation.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Really? HE'S disappointed?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48That's his conscience. He knows differently.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Well, whatever the whys and wherefores, one thing's for sure -
0:24:53 > 0:24:55the Good Guys have totally transformed this place.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I can't wait to hear what Avril and Jane think about it.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00I actually don't believe this is real.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It's stunning!
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Absolutely.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08And all this was what Fred used to want to sit and watch.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09Yeah.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11He was a farmer all his life.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13What a view.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16I mean, it absolutely speaks for itself.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18From here, you don't see a great deal of how much work's been done,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20cos the roof's on top of it.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23The soffiting, yeah, OK, it's done,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and it's all been sealed.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28That means it's not going to be cold and draughty and damp in there now.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31I walked in there earlier on and had a sneak peek
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and it was boiling in there!
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I mean, that's the way it should be - it's a sun room, isn't it?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38This is just cosmetic now.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39The scary stuff
0:25:39 > 0:25:42was trying to get a room that was going to stay there,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45that was going to be solid,
0:25:45 > 0:25:46that wasn't going to leak.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48That was useable.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Let's go inside, shall we? Let's have a look.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Is it open? Yes, it is.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55There might be a few bits left to do here -
0:25:55 > 0:25:58our Good Guys were only taking down the scaffolding this morning -
0:25:58 > 0:26:01but already you can see how dramatically life has changed
0:26:01 > 0:26:03for these two.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04I'm moving in!
0:26:04 > 0:26:05THEY LAUGH
0:26:05 > 0:26:07I think it's the best sun room I have ever been in.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09What does it mean to both of you, really,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11to be able to stand in this room...
0:26:11 > 0:26:13your loom here...
0:26:14 > 0:26:16..ready to be used, really?
0:26:17 > 0:26:19I'm just...relieved...
0:26:19 > 0:26:24we're all still here at the... towards the end of the journey.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26And, um...
0:26:26 > 0:26:30I'm just really pleased she's got what she deserves,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32finally...finally.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34And she can be happy now.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37No more stress. You can just quietly
0:26:37 > 0:26:40go about and do your...
0:26:40 > 0:26:43do your pottery and do your weaving.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44What do you think, Avril?
0:26:44 > 0:26:47It's unbelievable. It's...
0:26:47 > 0:26:51better than I imagined. I never thought that I would seriously
0:26:51 > 0:26:53be alive and see it finished.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57I'm not surprised Avril and Jane are so chuffed.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59From almighty building bodge...
0:27:01 > 0:27:04..to a sun room that's simply sublime.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07At long last, mother and daughter have got what they dreamt of.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10I don't want much from life. I just want to...
0:27:10 > 0:27:14be able to quietly do my craft work...
0:27:16 > 0:27:17..and look at the view.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19And to think of Fred,
0:27:19 > 0:27:24on that cloud over there, laughing his socks off at me,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28"Told you I've always loved you, Avril.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30"And I'd make it right for you."
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Well, he has, hasn't he?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34- Absolutely.- That's what it is, yes.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37So, thanks, Fred. Love you.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41And on that note, it's time to leave Avril and Jane
0:27:41 > 0:27:43to enjoy this marvellous room.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Though not without a cheeky kiss goodbye, of course!
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Well,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52that's quite some journey these ladies have been on.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54But at long last,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56thanks to the Good Guys,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59they've finally got what they set out to achieve in the first place -
0:27:59 > 0:28:01an amazing room.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02But now...
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Well, Avril can sit in that room come rain, hail or shine
0:28:06 > 0:28:09in the knowledge that the roof won't blow off.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12It won't be cold and draughty. It'll be glorious.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15She can take in those amazing views
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and have happy memories of her husband Fred.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20Good news at last.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Avril and Jane learned the hard way how important it is
0:28:24 > 0:28:27to get proper references before hiring a builder.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30It's a lesson that could have prevented an awful lot of heartache
0:28:30 > 0:28:32for this young couple in Lancashire.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37We're in Skelmersdale,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39a town famed for its unique road system.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41There are no traffic lights here -
0:28:41 > 0:28:44just supersized roundabouts like this one,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Europe's second largest.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50And if you think that would drive you round the bend, so to speak,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53spare a thought for the victims of our next cowboy builder -
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Cathy Swift and her partner Mike Conroy,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58who live in this three-bedroom terraced house.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Cathy's an insurance broker and Mike's a bus driver.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04The couple met five years ago in a night club,
0:29:04 > 0:29:05where Mike was working on security,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and the spark between them was instant.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11I went over talking to him
0:29:11 > 0:29:13and we just was chatting
0:29:13 > 0:29:16and he came over when we were inside, had a drink with us,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20and then we exchanged numbers and it just started from there, really.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23When I first met Cathy, she was a nice girl.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Good-looking, didn't wear lots of make-up.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Didn't have fake hair or nothing like that.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31So all them were good points.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33And she had a good personality.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37It wasn't long before this pair of lovebirds
0:29:37 > 0:29:39decided to set up home together.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43To begin with, the couple couldn't decide exactly where they wanted to live,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45but they eventually homed in on Skelmersdale.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47It was nice and close to Cathy's family,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51and it was a place they knew they could get roughly what they're after for their money.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53The house they ended up buying needed a lot of work,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57but Cathy knew straight away it was a place she could call home.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I love the house. I feel safe here.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02And I do like my garden as well.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04It's really nice in the summer.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06A condition of Cathy and Mike's mortgage
0:30:06 > 0:30:09was that they needed to carry out remedial work to the roof,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12so the first-time buyers looked at one of those websites
0:30:12 > 0:30:13where you get to rate your builder
0:30:13 > 0:30:16and chose a local firm with the most positive feedback.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19I think we know where this one's going, don't we?
0:30:19 > 0:30:22I didn't know a roofer. Mike didn't know a roofer.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26So we thought, rather than just going on the Yellow Pages,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28and just picking any random roofer,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31we'll go on a recommended website, we'll get some feedback.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34And because that feedback seemed so good,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Mike and Cathy didn't take up any proper references
0:30:37 > 0:30:39or get any other quotes.
0:30:39 > 0:30:40Which is a shame, because as we all know,
0:30:40 > 0:30:45online feedback isn't worth the paper it ISN'T written on.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Cathy and Mike accepted their builder's quote of £1,140.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52And work had hardly even started
0:30:52 > 0:30:54when the couple decided they liked these guys enough
0:30:54 > 0:30:58to entrust them with the job of realising one of Cathy's dreams.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02I've always wanted a white gloss tiled floor.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05That is the one thing that I said to Mike if we could afford
0:31:05 > 0:31:07that I wanted to have done.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10So we thought it may be easier just to use one builder
0:31:10 > 0:31:14than have several tradesmen coming in and out.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17They said you us, "If you get the flooring and you pick it, we can do it."
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Which brought the grand total to £2,580.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25At this point, Mike and Cathy didn't even know whether these guys
0:31:25 > 0:31:26were decent roofers.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30How could they, as they hadn't taken up any references?
0:31:30 > 0:31:32But of course, tiling is a different skill altogether.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35So if these builders weren't bringing in a specialist,
0:31:35 > 0:31:36well, it's obvious, isn't it?
0:31:36 > 0:31:39With building, as with anything, if you've got a Jack of all trades,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41you've got a master of none.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44Take a tip from me...
0:31:59 > 0:32:00..or you might regret it.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04As Cathy was about to find out.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05Returning from work one day,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08she discovered the builder in somewhat of a hurry to leave.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11He just said to me, "Cathy, it's done, it's finished.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13"Have you got my money?"
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Went upstairs and got that,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17paid it over to him, and as I did,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19I looked through the door and said to him,
0:32:19 > 0:32:22"It looks a mess in there, you know."
0:32:22 > 0:32:24This was dreadful work.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28You didn't have to be a building surveyor to see the tiles were covered in grout, as were the walls.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31The builder told Cathy it would come off with a warm cloth in the morning,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33so she gave him his money, and he left.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36But of course, that's not how things turned out.
0:32:36 > 0:32:4024 hours later when Cath went in the room,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43it looked like a bomb had hit it,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46but after literally about 30 hours' cleaning,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49things just wasn't right.
0:32:49 > 0:32:50The tiles were uneven.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52There was gaps in it.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55Realising the situation was hopeless,
0:32:55 > 0:32:58the couple contacted the builder to get some answers.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01I said to him, "I'm really not happy with this floor.
0:33:01 > 0:33:02"I'm so upset."
0:33:02 > 0:33:04So I said, "What are you going to do, then?"
0:33:04 > 0:33:07He said, "I'm going to try to rectify the problem myself.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09"Can you get me some more tiles?"
0:33:09 > 0:33:11More tiles?!
0:33:11 > 0:33:12He had to be joking.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14That's another couple of hundred quid.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17But the couple were so desperate to get the problem sorted,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19they stumped up the cash.
0:33:19 > 0:33:20And guess what?
0:33:20 > 0:33:22He actually made things worse.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Again, I came home,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and in my opinion,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29and in everyone else's opinion who's been to the house since,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31the work is very, very shoddy.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34You know. It doesn't look professional.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36It looks like a DIY job.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38It looks like something I could probably do myself.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40And I'm really, really not happy with it,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43but he literally turned around to me and said,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46when I rung him, it's the best he could do.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48The best he could do
0:33:48 > 0:33:53had in total cost this young couple close to a heartbreaking £3,000.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Worse still, cracks were beginning to develop
0:33:56 > 0:33:57in their relationship too.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00The pressure it placed on us at the time,
0:34:00 > 0:34:01it was bad, you know?
0:34:01 > 0:34:04We had no savings left cos we had spent it all.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08I think we argued more that week than we've ever argued before.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10When you move into your own house,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13it should be a joyous occasion.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16I do feel for Cathy and Michael.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19You might think, "Well, it's only a tiled floor,"
0:34:19 > 0:34:21but of course this was a hefty chunk of money for this couple.
0:34:21 > 0:34:27What's more, the whole business has overshadowed those first few months of having their first home together.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30This job certainly looks shoddy on the surface,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33but what is the full extent of this tiling travesty?
0:34:33 > 0:34:34And while we're at it,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37we should probably take a look at that roof too.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40So we asked independent building expert Mathew Butterworth
0:34:40 > 0:34:41to inspect the work.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Mathew's conducted a forensic examination
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and is about to fill me in on what he found.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49The materials they've used are fine.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52It's just mainly the lack of quality, really.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54To me, it appears like the job's been rushed.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57The preparation's not been right.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59And really, it's not been thought through.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Possibly been carried out by tradesmen
0:35:02 > 0:35:04who are not really skilled in that area of work.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07You've got different colour grouting in between the tiles,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09which looks messy at best, doesn't it?
0:35:09 > 0:35:11And then you've got the different levels as well,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14which is almost a trip hazard, isn't it?
0:35:14 > 0:35:17It is, really, and I think that the point of it was
0:35:17 > 0:35:19that the lady specifically wanted
0:35:19 > 0:35:22the grout to be suitable for washing it down.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25And it appears that it's not the right kind of grout,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27because it's discoloured now as she's been washing it,
0:35:27 > 0:35:30and there are quite a number of the tiles that are now hollow
0:35:30 > 0:35:32and, over a period of months, will just lift.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Then they will become a serious trip hazard,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36because they'll need to be relaid.
0:35:36 > 0:35:41The guy that did this was, to all intents and purposes, a roofer.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Well, he seems to be, yeah. From the rest of the work he's carried out,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47there's various trades that he's tried to cover.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Obviously, he's not actually skilled in any one of them,
0:35:49 > 0:35:51from what I can see.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56That's more of a DIY attempt, that, that somebody perhaps does it once every several years, you know,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59and that's not really good enough for a tradesman.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Mathew's clearly not impressed.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03And something tells me he's not going to be
0:36:03 > 0:36:05much of a fan of the roof work either.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07We weren't called in to look at the roof,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09but we might as well have a butcher's at it.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Yeah, I think in this situation,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14it's been left to the builder to decide what materials they should use,
0:36:14 > 0:36:16and like you said before about the tiles,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18the occupant's bought the right tiles.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Here, you see an example of the tradesman's obviously
0:36:20 > 0:36:24charged a rate which would be expecting proper, quality materials,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28but then he's cheating the job by using substandard materials.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31I think on one of the other shots,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33there's some flash band being used on the back of the roof,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36which... He's not flashed it in properly.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38He's used a lot of mortar, which is going to absorb...
0:36:38 > 0:36:40That mortar ain't staying around, is it?
0:36:40 > 0:36:43It's just a temporary repair material rather than a permanent repair,
0:36:43 > 0:36:46so he's tried to save money wherever he can, really.
0:36:46 > 0:36:52And that means that even though the Conroys might get away with that roof for now,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54it is something that will have to be redone properly
0:36:54 > 0:36:56in the not-too-distant future.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Right, it's make your mind up time for Mathew.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00How would you mark this out of ten?
0:37:00 > 0:37:02I'd say...
0:37:02 > 0:37:03one or two, really.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Simply because it's a straightforward job.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08I really do believe there are DIY-ers out there
0:37:08 > 0:37:10who could do a far better job.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Essentially, a waste of someone's money.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14It is, cos there's nothing you can do now
0:37:14 > 0:37:16than take them up and start again.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17You can't correct it in any way.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20In short, it's a bodge from top to bottom.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Time to bring in the Good Guys.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26And here's head honcho Les Bluck.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29He's a tiling specialist, thank heavens.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30First things first.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Les and the gang rip up those expensive but now useless tiles
0:37:33 > 0:37:36and they go on the scrapheap.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Then it's down to the proper sub-floor
0:37:39 > 0:37:42before they lay the screed down - level this time.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45The tiles are cut to size and positioned correctly.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48It's a great start,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50but can we give Cathy and Mike the floor of their dreams?
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Only time will tell.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00I'm in Skelmersdale in Lancashire,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04where Mike Conroy and Cathy Swift had big plans to transform the living room
0:38:04 > 0:38:05in their first house together.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09But their dreams were shattered when they were persuaded by their roofer
0:38:09 > 0:38:11to let him tile their living-room floor.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14A decision they've regretted ever since.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Well, our Good Guys have now finished the work here,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18so let's see how they're getting on.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27- Hello, Cathy.- Hiya! Come in.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30- Thank you very much. How are you doing?- Not too bad. You?
0:38:30 > 0:38:31I'm all right, yeah.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34I can't wait to see how things look
0:38:34 > 0:38:37now the Good Guys have got their hands on this floor.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Well, this looks...
0:38:39 > 0:38:41very different,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43because they're different tiles.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Which is great to see, but...
0:38:45 > 0:38:46when you think about it,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48it's a sad indictment on the job that was done before
0:38:48 > 0:38:50when nothing here was worth saving.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52It also means a much bigger job for our good guys.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56It's ripping them up, getting a skip, getting it all off site.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57But...
0:38:57 > 0:39:00it looks so much better, doesn't it?
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Yep, loose, messy tiles with ugly grouting
0:39:03 > 0:39:05all banished.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Now it's smooth lines everywhere you look.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08Nice one, guys.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11When you look at the job before,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14remember, there was no uniform spacing.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16I mean, some spaces hadn't really been used,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18but everything looks parallel.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19All the tiles look set off.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22They look square against the walls and the skirting boards,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26but every tile is on the same level, so there's no trips at all.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28You know what, when you go into someone's house,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31you normally comment on the tiles.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34"Oh, I like your tiles" or "I like the flooring" or whatever it is.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38You don't comment on the actual tiling that's been done.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39And that's because
0:39:39 > 0:39:42you don't notice good tiling.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45You only know it's there when it's bad.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Good Guy supremo Les is going to talk me through the challenges he faced
0:39:50 > 0:39:52sorting out this faulty floor.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55They've not got down to the sub-floor,
0:39:55 > 0:39:56so we've had to rip the tiles up.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59The existing floor that was under that,
0:39:59 > 0:40:00what the council normally leave in,
0:40:00 > 0:40:02the old brittle vinyl tiles.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Then straighten up the hollows.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08So, what...the cowboy guy had basically
0:40:08 > 0:40:10laid those new tiles
0:40:10 > 0:40:13over the top of an existing floor?
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Over the old vinyl tiles, yeah.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18It's common practice - you remove the existing floor covering
0:40:18 > 0:40:20when you put a new one down, don't you?
0:40:20 > 0:40:21Yeah, you get down to your sub-floor,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23which is your original floor.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25So why wouldn't you do that?
0:40:27 > 0:40:28Laziness?
0:40:28 > 0:40:29- It's a short cut.- Yeah.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Right, time for a heart-to-heart with Cathy and Mike
0:40:33 > 0:40:36to see what their cowboy builder had to say for himself.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39To begin with, he denied he'd done the tiling.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42But eventually he admitted he HAD done it...
0:40:42 > 0:40:44as a favour to you.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- A favour?- Yeah.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48SHE LAUGHS
0:40:48 > 0:40:49OK!
0:40:49 > 0:40:51As far as he knew, you were happy.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55When he said, "That's the best I can do," we said, "We're still not happy".
0:40:55 > 0:40:58And he just said, "Well, I can't do nothing else now."
0:40:58 > 0:41:01He also said that if you'd got in touch,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03he'd have come round and re-done it for you.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05No.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08He came back the first time...
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- ..bought some more tiles at our expense.- At our expense.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17And we came back and there was big gaps in it.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20- The grouting hadn't even been done right.- It was awful.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23And he just turned round and said, "There's nothing else I can do."
0:41:25 > 0:41:27I do think Mike and Cathy have to take some of the blame
0:41:27 > 0:41:31for thinking a specialist job could have been done by any old builder,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34but hopefully, they've learned a valuable lesson for the future.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Can you put this behind you?
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- Yeah.- It's your first house, and it won't be your last,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41so you'd keep this lesson with you
0:41:41 > 0:41:43when you next get a tradesperson in, hopefully.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Definitely. Definitely.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50And I wish the guys the very best of luck in the future,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53but right now, it's time to find out how Mike and Cathy feel
0:41:53 > 0:41:56now they've got the slick and stylish floor they dreamt of.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00I tell you what, it looks totally different here now.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04Beforehand, it looked like a naff, knackered old Spanish villa!
0:42:04 > 0:42:05You know. But now...
0:42:05 > 0:42:08it looks more like it should do, doesn't it?
0:42:08 > 0:42:10It looks like a modern apartment type place.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12Perfect job.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15This is what we...this is the finish that we wanted.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16You can see it's level, anyway.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18You've had a proper tiler do it, that's why.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22You can actually walk on it without your shoes on without cutting your feet to pieces!
0:42:22 > 0:42:25That's hardly too much to ask in your own home.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Different now, though.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Next time, don't get a bad roofer in to do a good floor!
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- Learned that lesson.- Learned that lesson, definitely.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38And on that note, it's time for me to leave Mike and Cathy
0:42:38 > 0:42:41finally to enjoy their first home together.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Well...
0:42:44 > 0:42:47whenever you take on a house, your first home,
0:42:47 > 0:42:48it's a huge step in your life.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52But then the thought of bringing in tradesmen, it's hugely daunting.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56And I think maybe a cowboy builder took advantage of this.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59But...well, thanks to our Good Guys,
0:42:59 > 0:43:01by the sounds of it, Michael and Cathy's faith
0:43:01 > 0:43:04has been somewhat restored in the building trade,
0:43:04 > 0:43:07but they've also managed to achieve their dream of transforming
0:43:07 > 0:43:09the living room in their very first home.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13And hopefully, this will be maybe a springboard
0:43:13 > 0:43:17for carrying out future jobs in this home in years to come.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd