6:18:02 > 6:18:09.
6:18:20 > 6:18:23Over the years, I've seen some real cowboy bodge jobs,
6:18:23 > 6:18:27the stuff of nightmares that would keep anybody awake at night.
6:18:27 > 6:18:30I don't think I'm ever going to get over
6:18:30 > 6:18:33the amount of money that this guy's taken from us.
6:18:33 > 6:18:36Today, I'm revisiting homeowners that got caught in the cowboy trap
6:18:36 > 6:18:40by bungling builders who left them well and truly in the lurch.
6:18:41 > 6:18:46I felt they were quite trustworthy. I'm afraid I was a little gullible.
6:18:46 > 6:18:49I can't wait to see how their homes and their lives have moved on
6:18:49 > 6:18:51since we got them back on track.
6:18:51 > 6:18:56What you've done beyond that is staggering!
6:18:56 > 6:18:57- (FRENCH ACCENT)- Haw-hee-haw-hee-haw!
6:18:57 > 6:19:01To actually look around in here and feel like it was a home
6:19:01 > 6:19:03instead of a hovel,
6:19:03 > 6:19:06I can't tell you what that did for me, it was truly amazing.
6:19:06 > 6:19:09And along the way, I'll be giving you some top hints and tips
6:19:09 > 6:19:14in the hope it will prevent you from falling into the Cowboy Trap.
6:19:24 > 6:19:26'Today's Cowboy Trap is copper-bottom proof
6:19:26 > 6:19:30'that you just don't get something for nothing...
6:19:30 > 6:19:32'you get what you pay for, or so they say.
6:19:32 > 6:19:36'But even some of the most sensible folk take leave of their senses
6:19:36 > 6:19:39'when tempted by a cut-price deal.
6:19:40 > 6:19:41'In both today's stories,
6:19:41 > 6:19:45'unwitting homeowners let their eye for a bargain blind them
6:19:45 > 6:19:47'to the all-too-obvious signs that they were dealing with
6:19:47 > 6:19:51'a cowboy builder who made a devastating impact
6:19:51 > 6:19:55'not just in their homes, but on their lives too.'
6:19:55 > 6:19:58I came up here, I opened the door,
6:19:58 > 6:20:02I looked around and I just burst into tears.
6:20:02 > 6:20:04So was all this exposed for nearly a year?
6:20:04 > 6:20:07Yeah. Oh, yeah. There was absolutely nothing here.
6:20:07 > 6:20:10And we were stuck in a cupboard that was a kitchen.
6:20:11 > 6:20:13'Later, we catch up with retired beautician
6:20:13 > 6:20:19'and hairdresser Carol Roberts, who fell victim to a callous con.'
6:20:19 > 6:20:24I do trust, and I trust rather too readily, I think, erm,
6:20:24 > 6:20:29and I just...I just believed what they said.
6:20:30 > 6:20:34'But first, proof that if a deal sounds too good to be true,
6:20:34 > 6:20:37'it's probably because it is.'
6:20:37 > 6:20:42I'm back in Eltham, South London, a leafy suburb where a whole host
6:20:42 > 6:20:44of celebrities have lived over the years,
6:20:44 > 6:20:47including Jude Law, Kate Bush,
6:20:47 > 6:20:51and even the legendary Bob Hope was born here.
6:20:51 > 6:20:56Sadly, it's not fame but notoriety we're concerned with today,
6:20:56 > 6:21:02a cowboy builder whose shameful work was a scandal worthy of any tabloid.
6:21:02 > 6:21:07'His unlucky victims were local evangelical pastor John Watson,
6:21:07 > 6:21:09'his wife Janna and their three children.
6:21:09 > 6:21:11'When Janna was eight months pregnant
6:21:11 > 6:21:12'with their youngest, Benjamin,
6:21:12 > 6:21:15'they hired a local builder to extend their property
6:21:15 > 6:21:17'for some much-needed extra space.'
6:21:19 > 6:21:22We envisioned us all sort of like,
6:21:22 > 6:21:25I'd be in the kitchen and the children were playing,
6:21:25 > 6:21:28and rather than being in a completely separate room to me,
6:21:28 > 6:21:30we would all be together.
6:21:31 > 6:21:33Janna and John planned to build an extension
6:21:33 > 6:21:37and convert the garage into the extra rooms they needed.
6:21:37 > 6:21:40But when it became clear the garage wasn't worth keeping,
6:21:40 > 6:21:42the builder suggested they demolish it
6:21:42 > 6:21:47and instead build a two-storey extension, and here's the thing...
6:21:47 > 6:21:51he said he would do all of this for a bargain basement price
6:21:51 > 6:21:54in exchange for publicity shots of the finished job.
6:21:57 > 6:22:01If we agreed to some photos and some things just to make an effort,
6:22:01 > 6:22:05he would do the garage as well and he would also put in some
6:22:05 > 6:22:09fancy concertina doors that were really special.
6:22:10 > 6:22:13'So, two brand spanking new extensions,
6:22:13 > 6:22:14'a new kitchen and a playroom.
6:22:14 > 6:22:17'John and Janna would get everything they needed for their two kids
6:22:17 > 6:22:22'and the one on the way for just over £38,000.'
6:22:22 > 6:22:25He basically offered to do everything that we wanted to do,
6:22:25 > 6:22:28which originally we didn't think we could afford,
6:22:28 > 6:22:31but he was doing this special deal for us, so we, erm,
6:22:31 > 6:22:36we were really overwhelmed by that and went for it all guns blazing.
6:22:36 > 6:22:40'You can see how pastor John was led into temptation, but in fact,
6:22:40 > 6:22:44'he should really have run for the hills.
6:22:44 > 6:22:46'Here's a few Cowboy Trap Commandments.
6:22:47 > 6:22:49'Beware of any "special offer" deal,
6:22:49 > 6:22:52'they're often a ploy to get a large sum up front.
6:22:52 > 6:22:54'Good builders get work by word of mouth
6:22:54 > 6:22:56'from their satisfied customers,
6:22:56 > 6:22:59'so they shouldn't need promotional deals.
6:22:59 > 6:23:03'And treat all unusually low quotes with suspicion.
6:23:03 > 6:23:05'A decent job should cost a fair price.
6:23:07 > 6:23:10'Back at the Watsons, things had taken a turn for the worse,
6:23:10 > 6:23:13'and within a couple of months work had come to a halt.
6:23:13 > 6:23:17'Worse still, the cowboy had made off into the sunset with John
6:23:17 > 6:23:21'and Janna's money, all 38 grand of it, leaving the couple,
6:23:21 > 6:23:23'their two kids and new baby Benjamin
6:23:23 > 6:23:25'in an uninhabitable building site.'
6:23:27 > 6:23:30It was just a mass shock and still is.
6:23:30 > 6:23:32I don't think I'm ever going to get over
6:23:32 > 6:23:35the amount of money that this guy has taken from us.
6:23:36 > 6:23:40Janna and John were really taken for a ride by their builder.
6:23:40 > 6:23:43A full year after work had got underway,
6:23:43 > 6:23:45all they were left with was a big hole in the garden
6:23:45 > 6:23:48and an even bigger hole in their bank balance.
6:23:48 > 6:23:52'But then, things started to look up.'
6:23:52 > 6:23:53- Hi, John.- Yes, Clive.- How are you?
6:23:53 > 6:23:57- Nice to meet you.- Now, I hear you've had cowboy builders in the property.
6:23:57 > 6:23:59- We have, yeah.- Do you mind showing me around the damage?
6:23:59 > 6:24:00Not at all, come into the kitchen.
6:24:02 > 6:24:05'Let's just say that on the bodge-ometer,
6:24:05 > 6:24:07'this one was off the scale.'
6:24:07 > 6:24:08- Right.- The kitchen.
6:24:08 > 6:24:10So this is where it's all been happening.
6:24:10 > 6:24:12Just looking at that block work over there, John,
6:24:12 > 6:24:14straightaway it catches my eye.
6:24:14 > 6:24:16That is a real mess.
6:24:16 > 6:24:19You're looking at it now and you just think,
6:24:19 > 6:24:22- you can see that a lot of this work is really quite poor.- Yeah.
6:24:22 > 6:24:23And that must have been frightening.
6:24:23 > 6:24:26There must have been a stage where you must have thought,
6:24:26 > 6:24:29"Hang on, this isn't surely going right," you know.
6:24:29 > 6:24:31It looks a mess to the naked eye.
6:24:31 > 6:24:34Yeah, I think at the time you don't know what it is you should expect
6:24:34 > 6:24:35so you assume it's right.
6:24:35 > 6:24:38It's only cos we've had others come round that have said,
6:24:38 > 6:24:39"Hold on a minute." To me, I thought,
6:24:39 > 6:24:42"They just haven't finished it, it's a finishing job.
6:24:42 > 6:24:44"Maybe they do something afterwards."
6:24:44 > 6:24:48'John hadn't had any idea how bad things actually were,
6:24:48 > 6:24:50'and if you think that roof looks OK,
6:24:50 > 6:24:54'well, that's because it was built by John's dad, Terry.
6:24:54 > 6:24:58'The cowboys had left the extension completely open to the elements.'
6:24:58 > 6:25:01So was all this exposed for nearly a year?
6:25:01 > 6:25:04Yeah. Oh, yeah. There was absolutely nothing here,
6:25:04 > 6:25:06and we were stuck in a cupboard that was a kitchen
6:25:06 > 6:25:08for, well, two and a half years.
6:25:08 > 6:25:11Which is when John's dad, Terry,
6:25:11 > 6:25:15earned his place in the list of the world's greatest dads.
6:25:15 > 6:25:18We were just having a coffee, and I said to John,
6:25:18 > 6:25:22"Why don't we just do a week? I'll come round one day a week."
6:25:22 > 6:25:26So, we agreed that every week, we would do a day's work together.
6:25:26 > 6:25:28It took two long years,
6:25:28 > 6:25:32but John and Terry did an amazing job of putting the roof on.
6:25:32 > 6:25:35Now the family needed help moving on to the next stage.
6:25:35 > 6:25:40No easy task when you consider the mess the cowboy builder left behind.
6:25:40 > 6:25:44So, before the good guys arrived,
6:25:44 > 6:25:49it was time to find out how John and Janna had got themselves into this mess in the first place.
6:25:49 > 6:25:54What made you feel confident, Janna, in this particular builder when he came to do the quote?
6:25:54 > 6:25:57It sounds really silly, but it was just the way that he was.
6:25:57 > 6:26:01- He seemed a nice guy.- Yeah. - He seemed reliable.
6:26:01 > 6:26:05He was, you know, pin-stripe suit, he talked about this family.
6:26:05 > 6:26:09He saw that we had a family, and, in a sense,
6:26:09 > 6:26:12you kind of feel like there's something...
6:26:12 > 6:26:15You're getting on with someone, and that's where...
6:26:15 > 6:26:18maybe you let your guard down a bit.
6:26:18 > 6:26:22John and Janna were certainly taken by their builder.
6:26:22 > 6:26:27They took far too much at face value, but that wasn't their biggest mistake.
6:26:27 > 6:26:30What really lured them into the cowboy trap was being
6:26:30 > 6:26:34suckered by that unrealistic bargain-basement deal.
6:26:34 > 6:26:39The reason I'm so angry, I'm more angry at myself than the builder.
6:26:39 > 6:26:43- Why?- Because I think it was greed. I speak personally.
6:26:43 > 6:26:47I wanted it, and I wanted more for what I wanted, and I was
6:26:47 > 6:26:52so blinded by this desire that I thought, "Hold on, here it is. It's coming."
6:26:52 > 6:26:56And who lost objectivity. I lost sense. I lost reason.
6:26:56 > 6:27:00John was being a bit unfair on himself,
6:27:00 > 6:27:03but he was about to have a whole bunch of reasons to be cheerful.
6:27:03 > 6:27:05The good guys were in town.
6:27:07 > 6:27:10They picked up where John and his dad left off, insulating the roof
6:27:10 > 6:27:12and walls in time for winter,
6:27:12 > 6:27:15and sealing the deal with a silky-smooth finish,
6:27:15 > 6:27:18making this family room part of the house again.
6:27:18 > 6:27:22All that remained was for John, Janna and the kids
6:27:22 > 6:27:24to take it all in and enjoy the new look.
6:27:30 > 6:27:34- Oh, wow. That is incredible. - That is unbelievable.
6:27:34 > 6:27:38It's fantastic. It is completely different.
6:27:38 > 6:27:41Now it has become a room, somewhere where we think...
6:27:41 > 6:27:45We're seeing it now. Do you know what I mean?
6:27:45 > 6:27:48- It's got a fantastic finish. The boys have done a brilliant job. - Yeah.
6:27:48 > 6:27:51It's plaster, but underneath it, you've got the wall boards,
6:27:51 > 6:27:55insulation. They've done such a great job it's almost like glass.
6:27:55 > 6:27:59It's a real art. Big style.
6:27:59 > 6:28:02This is just the beginning, guys, right?
6:28:02 > 6:28:06So all I want to say is, fantastic pastor, brilliant plaster.
6:28:06 > 6:28:08THEY ALL LAUGH
6:28:08 > 6:28:11The good guys had done it again,
6:28:11 > 6:28:15turning this cold breeze-block shell into a fully sealed family room.
6:28:15 > 6:28:18It was just the beginning, of course, but with a little help,
6:28:18 > 6:28:22John and Janna could now start making this the home they'd always dreamed of.
6:28:24 > 6:28:29It's been three years since I last saw Janna, John and the kids.
6:28:29 > 6:28:33We helped put them back on the road by securing, sealing
6:28:33 > 6:28:37and plastering what was basically a shell of an extension.
6:28:37 > 6:28:40Not much has changed here, but it's what I always say -
6:28:40 > 6:28:44it's not what you can see on the outside, it's what's on the inside that counts.
6:28:44 > 6:28:47So, let's see how things have improved since we were last here.
6:28:47 > 6:28:49Come on!
6:28:49 > 6:28:54Those breeze blocks are part of this massive job that we didn't touch,
6:28:54 > 6:28:56and it looks like no-one else has, either.
6:28:56 > 6:29:00- Wey-hey! Long time no see. How are you, John?- Good to see you. I'm good.
6:29:00 > 6:29:06- How are you, lovely? All right? - Really well, thank you.- Now, from the outside, not much has changed.
6:29:06 > 6:29:09- What about on the inside?- Why don't you come and have a look?- Come on!
6:29:09 > 6:29:11This is the bit I love.
6:29:12 > 6:29:17Once inside, this place is unrecognisable.
6:29:18 > 6:29:22Hey, I tell you something, I remember this as the blank canvas.
6:29:22 > 6:29:27We got it all plastered out, but there were still things that needed doing,
6:29:27 > 6:29:29and what you've done is staggering.
6:29:29 > 6:29:32I mean, just looking at it now, the things you've done with it,
6:29:32 > 6:29:36the way you've painted it. The kitchen, I remember last time,
6:29:36 > 6:29:39the kitchen was a bit of a hotchpotch.
6:29:39 > 6:29:42It started falling off the wall not too long ago,
6:29:42 > 6:29:46- so that's why we've finally got the kitchen in.- It looks beautiful.
6:29:46 > 6:29:49John and Janna's new kitchen is stunning,
6:29:49 > 6:29:54with stylish and contemporary units, a real sense of open space
6:29:54 > 6:29:56and ceiling lights adding to the magic.
6:29:56 > 6:29:59And there's even better things to come.
6:29:59 > 6:30:02So, this is the old garage.
6:30:02 > 6:30:05Well, it's not an old garage any more, is it?
6:30:05 > 6:30:09It was nothing after we had it knocked down, but then, really,
6:30:09 > 6:30:13seeing it as it is now, it's just brilliant for us.
6:30:13 > 6:30:15It is a fantastic space.
6:30:15 > 6:30:19From grotty old garage to sumptuous sitting room,
6:30:19 > 6:30:22these guys have transformed this place beyond recognition,
6:30:22 > 6:30:26and it's all the more amazing when you consider that most of the work
6:30:26 > 6:30:30has been done by John and his dad, and the surprises keep coming.
6:30:30 > 6:30:34Wow. It is quite incredible, really.
6:30:34 > 6:30:39I remember trying to get out of this back door, and it was like an obstacle course,
6:30:39 > 6:30:42and then we'd got all sorts of things in the way.
6:30:42 > 6:30:47- Obviously, the kids couldn't play in the garden. It was a wreck at the time.- Yes.
6:30:47 > 6:30:53- I think you have done an incredible job, because I didn't know what to expect.- Thank you.
6:30:53 > 6:30:57Once the good guys had done their bit, John and Janna still had
6:30:57 > 6:31:00a massive job on their hands, but they got stuck in and did it,
6:31:00 > 6:31:04and they're rightly proud of how they've transformed their home.
6:31:04 > 6:31:09Once we'd done what we did, did it give you that impetus,
6:31:09 > 6:31:13that lift, to say, actually, we CAN move on now?
6:31:13 > 6:31:16Somebody has given us a leg-up?
6:31:16 > 6:31:19Yeah, it kind of gave you the permission to start
6:31:19 > 6:31:24enjoying the original dream, where you wanted the big family space
6:31:24 > 6:31:27and having people round for dinner and having your children playing
6:31:27 > 6:31:31while you're doing bits and pieces in the kitchen, and things.
6:31:31 > 6:31:34And choosing paint colours suddenly became exciting, rather than,
6:31:34 > 6:31:37"Oh, no, it's the building again!"
6:31:37 > 6:31:40Which was lovely and that hope that, do you know what?
6:31:40 > 6:31:44I think we can actually achieve what we first set out to do.
6:31:44 > 6:31:48And also, having the ability to have those people that come and put their arms around you,
6:31:48 > 6:31:51and saying, do you know what? We achieved this.
6:31:51 > 6:31:56You can definitely achieve the next stage, with a little bit of faith and hope.
6:31:56 > 6:32:00We'll get there. I'm in a real positive place.
6:32:00 > 6:32:03Can't say fairer than that.
6:32:03 > 6:32:07And it just goes to show how much can be achieved with a bit of belief and positive thinking.
6:32:07 > 6:32:10From cowboy calamity to happy home.
6:32:10 > 6:32:14It's been fantastic to catch up with Janna, John and the family once again
6:32:14 > 6:32:17after all these years, and to see just how far they've come
6:32:17 > 6:32:20since we helped them out the cowboy trap all those years ago.
6:32:20 > 6:32:23It's clear to see they still have a long way to go,
6:32:23 > 6:32:25but I believe that they're going to achieve their goal,
6:32:25 > 6:32:29particularly when you consider the friends and family support they have.
6:32:29 > 6:32:33John and Janna learned the hard way that when it comes to building work,
6:32:33 > 6:32:36if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
6:32:36 > 6:32:40It's a lesson that could have prevented 65-year-old widow Carol Roberts
6:32:40 > 6:32:44from being swindled out of her life savings.
6:32:44 > 6:32:47I'm back in Clacton-on-Sea,
6:32:47 > 6:32:51an archetypal British seaside resort with all the trimmings -
6:32:51 > 6:32:55arcades, a pier, complete with amusement park,
6:32:55 > 6:32:59and of course these, the obligatory kiss-me-quick hats.
6:33:01 > 6:33:03I know, pretty as a picture, innit?
6:33:03 > 6:33:06Though it's not going to be staying on me bonce for long,
6:33:06 > 6:33:10because I'm here to take my hat off to a plucky lady, who,
6:33:10 > 6:33:15with our help, managed to drag herself out of the cowboy trap.
6:33:15 > 6:33:17Meet Carol Roberts.
6:33:17 > 6:33:20A retired hairdresser and beautician, Carol decided
6:33:20 > 6:33:24to make a fresh start here after the death of her beloved husband, Don.
6:33:24 > 6:33:28She set her heart on finding a bungalow with a large kitchen she could bake in,
6:33:28 > 6:33:31and, crucially, no steps to climb.
6:33:31 > 6:33:35The only property she could afford was dilapidated and required total renovation,
6:33:35 > 6:33:39so what she desperately needed was some reliable builders.
6:33:39 > 6:33:42I think we know where this one's going.
6:33:44 > 6:33:49Whilst househunting, Carol had received mailshot from some self-styled property developers.
6:33:49 > 6:33:53When the recently bereaved pensioner got in touch,
6:33:53 > 6:33:55they wasted no time in targeting her.
6:33:55 > 6:34:00Having just lost my husband, and trying to do things on my own,
6:34:00 > 6:34:04I was finding quite difficult. I felt they were quite trustworthy.
6:34:06 > 6:34:08I'm afraid I was a little gullible.
6:34:08 > 6:34:13The developers told Carol they could compete everything she needed doing within a week.
6:34:13 > 6:34:16They'd fit a dream kitchen, new windows,
6:34:16 > 6:34:21a shower with floor-to-ceiling tiling, and even change the layout of the house,
6:34:21 > 6:34:24and all for just...
6:34:24 > 6:34:27These guys weren't builders, they must've been magicians.
6:34:27 > 6:34:31The sat and discussed with me what I would like in the bungalow,
6:34:31 > 6:34:33what colours I would like.
6:34:33 > 6:34:36They brought two pictures round of the kitchens.
6:34:36 > 6:34:40They walked into my bathroom in the flat and said, "Would you like it like this?
6:34:40 > 6:34:45"Tiled from ceiling to floor, with tiles on the floor?" And I said, "Yes, please. I would."
6:34:47 > 6:34:50The developers gave Carol a two-page list of all the work
6:34:50 > 6:34:55they would do for the £8,000. It sounded great.
6:34:55 > 6:34:59But this being Cowboy Trap, all was not as it seemed.
6:35:00 > 6:35:04Carol first started to feel bad vibes when she was asked to pay
6:35:04 > 6:35:08the entire fee upfront, all eight-and-a-bit grand of it.
6:35:08 > 6:35:13When I sold my flat, the monies that I had left,
6:35:13 > 6:35:18he said, "It will be paid upfront because it's only going to take a week,
6:35:18 > 6:35:21"and we like to get that all sorted."
6:35:21 > 6:35:25I said, "Well, I've never paid money upfront before."
6:35:25 > 6:35:30He said, "Have we said anything wrong to you whilst we've been talking?
6:35:30 > 6:35:32"No, we haven't. We wouldn't dream of it.
6:35:32 > 6:35:35"And I think you can trust us, don't you?"
6:35:35 > 6:35:38I said, "Yes, you've been very, very fair with me."
6:35:38 > 6:35:41It's a shame Carol didn't trust her instincts.
6:35:41 > 6:35:44Despite an initial flurry of activity,
6:35:44 > 6:35:49work soon slowed to a snail's pace, and it soon became clear why.
6:35:52 > 6:35:54I spoke to the one gentleman that was here and said,
6:35:54 > 6:35:58"Where are all the other gentleman?" He said, "There are none."
6:35:58 > 6:36:02I looked, I said, "What do you mean, there are none?"
6:36:02 > 6:36:04He said, "There's only me.
6:36:04 > 6:36:07"For goodness' sake, don't say I said anything,
6:36:07 > 6:36:11"but they've only paid me for four days' work."
6:36:11 > 6:36:14My heart sank.
6:36:14 > 6:36:18And there was even worse to come in this already sorry saga.
6:36:18 > 6:36:19Believe it or not,
6:36:19 > 6:36:24Carol's spanking new kitchen turned out to be a hand-me-down.
6:36:25 > 6:36:28He said, "The kitchen's in the bedroom there."
6:36:28 > 6:36:32I said, "Oh, but that's not black and white.
6:36:32 > 6:36:34"That's cream."
6:36:34 > 6:36:39So, he said, "Yes, we saw this and thought it would be much better for you,
6:36:39 > 6:36:42"and it's going to look beautiful."
6:36:42 > 6:36:46When I looked at the kitchen properly, I thought...
6:36:46 > 6:36:50I opened the oven door and I thought,
6:36:50 > 6:36:55"That's strange, there are crumbs in here." This kitchen was second-hand.
6:36:55 > 6:37:01And I asked him, I said, "Has this kitchen not come out of somewhere?" He said, "Yes."
6:37:01 > 6:37:05I said, "I don't think so." I said, "There were crumbs in the oven."
6:37:05 > 6:37:07He said, "There can't have been."
6:37:08 > 6:37:11I said, "I don't think I'm going potty, but there were."
6:37:11 > 6:37:17It was like something out of Carry On Cowboy, but Carol wasn't laughing.
6:37:17 > 6:37:21She'd already handed over every penny of the £8,000 these scoundrels have demanded
6:37:21 > 6:37:25and she now realised that she'd been conned.
6:37:26 > 6:37:32I got a phone call to say, "Hello, it's now all ready for you to move in."
6:37:32 > 6:37:34I said, "Are you sure?" "Yes, we are absolutely sure.
6:37:34 > 6:37:38"Your carpets are fitted, all your furniture's in, you can move in."
6:37:38 > 6:37:42He said, "There are a couple of little snagging jobs to be done,
6:37:42 > 6:37:46"and the builder will be back on Monday to do them."
6:37:46 > 6:37:49I said, "OK, fair enough."
6:37:49 > 6:37:52I came up here, I opened the door,
6:37:52 > 6:37:56I looked around and I just burst into tears.
6:37:56 > 6:37:59I could not believe what I was looking at.
6:37:59 > 6:38:04It was clear that Carol was in a pickle and in desperate need of help,
6:38:04 > 6:38:07and back in spring 2010, help was at hand.
6:38:07 > 6:38:12Thank you. I hear you've had some problems with some problematic builders.
6:38:12 > 6:38:15Yes, just a little.
6:38:15 > 6:38:17It was a total mess.
6:38:17 > 6:38:20Major work to walls and doors was left unfinished.
6:38:20 > 6:38:22The dream bathroom was now a nightmare.
6:38:22 > 6:38:26There was a boot-sale kitchen, no certification of any kind,
6:38:26 > 6:38:32and, what's more, these cowboys had left their calling cards all over the property.
6:38:32 > 6:38:36- Just lift that up, Clive, would you, please?- Oh, I see it's movable.
6:38:36 > 6:38:39- Oh, yes. Look, we've even got dog ends.- Oh, dear.
6:38:39 > 6:38:44- There is nothing there, and the draught, feel that. Honestly, now. - Yeah!
6:38:44 > 6:38:48It's an end panel off your kitchen. I don't what that is at all.
6:38:48 > 6:38:51It looks like a sort of filler.
6:38:51 > 6:38:54Of course, you see, I've had to do all this...
6:38:54 > 6:38:57- Where would you be without bubble wrap?- Look at it. Look!
6:38:57 > 6:39:01There's a word that rhymes with "bubble wrap",
6:39:01 > 6:39:05and it's a perfect description of the quality of work on show. That's right - trouble trap.
6:39:05 > 6:39:09These guys had suckered Carol, who didn't spot that their efforts to befriend her
6:39:09 > 6:39:11were simply a cover to rip her off.
6:39:11 > 6:39:16I really don't know to this day why I did it.
6:39:16 > 6:39:21The only thing I can say is, because of my situation.
6:39:23 > 6:39:25Yes, I was grieving.
6:39:25 > 6:39:28I was a bit round the end, I think, actually, at the time.
6:39:28 > 6:39:32It had been a very, very traumatic experience.
6:39:32 > 6:39:36- And they knew that, didn't they? - Yes.
6:39:36 > 6:39:39They knew that you were unbalanced and that you were upset?
6:39:39 > 6:39:42It was very, very hard.
6:39:43 > 6:39:49As I say, I'm the sort of person, as I said, I do trust,
6:39:49 > 6:39:53and I trust rather too readily, I think.
6:39:54 > 6:39:59And I just... I just believed what they said.
6:39:59 > 6:40:04- I'm really, really sorry...- Sorry. - ..that you had to go into this situation,
6:40:04 > 6:40:07but what I will say is that...
6:40:07 > 6:40:12It's a big learning curve, and it was a very, very emotional time for you.
6:40:12 > 6:40:16Carol's so-called builders had cruelly taken advantage of her circumstances.
6:40:16 > 6:40:19Some cowboy builders will try anything.
6:40:19 > 6:40:21So, here's a tip to avoid them.
6:40:21 > 6:40:24It's never a good idea to undertake building work
6:40:24 > 6:40:27at times of emotional upheaval, such as births or deaths.
6:40:27 > 6:40:30Be wary of making important decisions
6:40:30 > 6:40:33when you're feeling vulnerable or when emotions are running high.
6:40:33 > 6:40:36If you must go ahead, be sure to seek help and advice
6:40:36 > 6:40:40and, above all, support from trusted friends and family.
6:40:41 > 6:40:46It was going to take a great deal of work to restore Carol's faith in human nature,
6:40:46 > 6:40:50but with those dodgy dealers dispatched,
6:40:50 > 6:40:53her seaside bungalow was soon filled with builders.
6:40:53 > 6:40:57So many, in fact, that we had to pack Carol off to an hotel,
6:40:57 > 6:41:00just as soon as we tracked down her cats.
6:41:00 > 6:41:03Smoky, come on! Smoky!
6:41:03 > 6:41:06With Carol, Misty and Smoky finally off for a spot of pampering,
6:41:06 > 6:41:09the good guys tackled the unfinished layout
6:41:09 > 6:41:12and rectified those ropy electrics.
6:41:12 > 6:41:14They installed Carol's kitchen properly,
6:41:14 > 6:41:18and made the gas and electricity safe, with certificates to prove it.
6:41:18 > 6:41:23Next, they sorted the bathroom, put new windows in, and more besides.
6:41:23 > 6:41:28All that remained was for Carol to see everything the good guys had achieved.
6:41:28 > 6:41:31- Are you ready?- Hmm. - Three, two, one...
6:41:31 > 6:41:33You're in your new house.
6:41:33 > 6:41:36HE CLICKS HIS FINGERS
6:41:36 > 6:41:37SHE GASPS
6:41:37 > 6:41:39Oh, my God.
6:41:39 > 6:41:42Oh, my tiles!
6:41:42 > 6:41:45SHE LAUGHS
6:41:45 > 6:41:48Fantastic, eh?
6:41:48 > 6:41:50Oh, look!
6:41:50 > 6:41:53It's just how I imagined it in the beginning.
6:41:53 > 6:41:56You couldn't have asked for greater praise than that.
6:41:56 > 6:42:00Before, Carol's kitchen was in a right state. But not now.
6:42:00 > 6:42:03In fact, everywhere you looked,
6:42:03 > 6:42:07the good guys had managed to eradicate any evidence of cowboy...
6:42:08 > 6:42:11..even the shelf made out of kitchen board and cigarette butts.
6:42:11 > 6:42:13Oh, look!
6:42:14 > 6:42:18- That's nice. - Oh, isn't the beautiful?
6:42:18 > 6:42:20The grand finale -
6:42:20 > 6:42:23that dream bathroom which had become a nightmare.
6:42:23 > 6:42:25SHE GASPS
6:42:27 > 6:42:30A shower! Oh, my word!
6:42:30 > 6:42:34- And new toilet! - Toilet, bath, shower - see?
6:42:34 > 6:42:39What can I say? I'm overwhelmed. I really am.
6:42:39 > 6:42:44Now Carol could set about completing the transformation of this house
6:42:44 > 6:42:47into the retirement home, sweet home of her dreams.
6:42:50 > 6:42:54Now, it's been over two years since I last saw the lovely Carol,
6:42:54 > 6:42:58and already I can see evidence that building work has gone on - big sack of sand down there,
6:42:58 > 6:43:03and certainly, things have changed on the outside. Let's find out more.
6:43:04 > 6:43:07Here she is. It's a sight for sore eyes.
6:43:07 > 6:43:09Hey, you!
6:43:09 > 6:43:13- How are you, lovely Carol? - Fine, thank you, Clive.
6:43:13 > 6:43:15As soon as you enter this property,
6:43:15 > 6:43:19you can see that Carol has made some big changes around here.
6:43:19 > 6:43:23Outside, the good guys sorted and untidy block work the cowboys had left behind,
6:43:23 > 6:43:27but Carol has added a warm and cosy render.
6:43:27 > 6:43:29Very nice.
6:43:29 > 6:43:30It's very good, isn't it?
6:43:30 > 6:43:33Anything else that's happened inside since the last time I was here?
6:43:33 > 6:43:37- I've done quite a bit inside. - Come on! I can't wait. I'm excited.
6:43:37 > 6:43:40Right, here we go. What do you think?
6:43:40 > 6:43:43HE CHUCKLES
6:43:43 > 6:43:46I tell you what, the thing is, there are so many memories,
6:43:46 > 6:43:50not only of you, but of this place from the last time I was here,
6:43:50 > 6:43:55and memories of that window, ill-fitting,
6:43:55 > 6:43:59with great big gaps around it, and my hair blowing around,
6:43:59 > 6:44:02- and all that sort of thing. - And all that mucky plaster.
6:44:02 > 6:44:06Yeah, I remember it well. As you look around, though, things have changed.
6:44:06 > 6:44:11- I seem to remember wallpaper on these walls.- Yes.
6:44:11 > 6:44:16I decided one day, as the paper was coming away a bit, I'd pull,
6:44:16 > 6:44:22- and on that wall, would you believe, it was bare breeze block underneath. - Wow!
6:44:22 > 6:44:25- So it wasn't plastered or plasterboard?- Nothing.
6:44:25 > 6:44:29So all this, and the ceiling, has been totally re-plastered.
6:44:29 > 6:44:31Carol has worked wonders here.
6:44:31 > 6:44:36This room was about as cosy as a no-frills B&B in Siberia.
6:44:36 > 6:44:39The good guys helped put things straight.
6:44:39 > 6:44:42And now that she's totally redecorated, you can finally
6:44:42 > 6:44:45see why Carol originally fell in love with this place.
6:44:45 > 6:44:50Her handiwork is everywhere. She's even found space for a tiny tribute.
6:44:50 > 6:44:53- A look at that and think of you! - Thank you.
6:44:53 > 6:44:58These patio doors, once covered in tape to stop the draught coming through
6:44:58 > 6:45:01now finish off a truly stylish living room,
6:45:01 > 6:45:04and what they lead out onto is every bit as impressive.
6:45:04 > 6:45:07So, you've had the patio put down.
6:45:07 > 6:45:10Yes, it goes right way round the side here.
6:45:10 > 6:45:14- You've got to be proud of the work that you've done.- I am.
6:45:14 > 6:45:17Yes, it's taken me a long time, slowly but surely.
6:45:17 > 6:45:21I'm crazy about roses and clematis.
6:45:21 > 6:45:25They're my main large plants, and then just a bit of colour elsewhere.
6:45:26 > 6:45:29It's obvious that Carol is really in her element here.
6:45:29 > 6:45:32Since the good guys left, there's been a transformation,
6:45:32 > 6:45:36not just to the bungalow but to Carol herself.
6:45:36 > 6:45:40It seems that life has changed for her for the better, and for ever.
6:45:40 > 6:45:45Where do you think you might have been if we hadn't turned up?
6:45:45 > 6:45:48What sort of situation do you think you might have been in?
6:45:48 > 6:45:51I can honestly and truthfully say if it hadn't have been for you,
6:45:51 > 6:45:55- I really don't go where I would have been.- How is life now?
6:45:55 > 6:45:59From when we left, did that lift a massive weight off your shoulders?
6:45:59 > 6:46:01Oh, my goodness, yes.
6:46:01 > 6:46:04To actually look around in here and feel like it was a home
6:46:04 > 6:46:10instead of a hovel, I can't tell you what that did for me. It was truly amazing.
6:46:13 > 6:46:18So, I guess by now you realise I've got a real soft spot for Carol,
6:46:18 > 6:46:21and if Cowboy Trap has inspired her to do all of this amazing work,
6:46:21 > 6:46:24that makes me super chuffed.
6:46:25 > 6:46:29What matters most is that Carol's clearly got her spark back
6:46:29 > 6:46:33and she is now able to enjoy her retirement in the home she'd always dreamt of.
6:46:33 > 6:46:37With those contemptible cowboys finally out of her life,
6:46:37 > 6:46:40this sorry saga has a truly happy ending.
6:46:57 > 6:47:00Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd