0:00:02 > 0:00:04- When a crisis strikes your home... - How can I help?
0:00:04 > 0:00:06I've got a bit of an emergency.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08..or you want major work done...
0:00:08 > 0:00:10It was our dream.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11It is a total mess.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16..you need one of the good guys but you don't always get 'em.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I've never seen anything like this.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Potentially, I stand to lose the house.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23We'll hear the stories of devastation and despair
0:00:23 > 0:00:25left behind when building work doesn't go to plan.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27He didn't put the foundations all the way around,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30- so that the front bit didn't have any foundation.- What?
0:00:30 > 0:00:33And we'll tell you how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Did you have a comparison price?
0:00:36 > 0:00:39But most tradesmen are there to help.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43And we'll follow the response teams who are there for you 24 hours a day...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Eventually, the ceiling would have come down in the kitchen.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47..seven days a week.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52It ain't everyone's cup of tea, but most people are pleased to see you.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55From plumbers to roofers, electricians to locksmiths,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58we meet the men and women who help you out in your hour of need.
0:01:04 > 0:01:05- Coming up...- Wowee!
0:01:05 > 0:01:08A homeowner tries to save his home from flooding
0:01:08 > 0:01:12when water starts gushing through the ceiling.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15So for about ten minutes, I had my finger in it.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Gas engineer Chris is answering a vicar's prayers to
0:01:19 > 0:01:23save his congregation from a pew-side silent killer.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26We had a lot of carbon monoxide issues.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Plus we talk to one homeowner whose builder took her money
0:01:29 > 0:01:31but failed to deliver her dream home.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35I've got no kitchen. I've got no bathroom. I've got no stairs.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Where has £40,000-odd gone?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Where indeed.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Well, keep watching, because Elaine's builder agreed to meet me
0:01:42 > 0:01:46and in an extraordinary interview, he gives his side of the story.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50We didn't want to rip Elaine off. It could have been resolved.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Invite somebody into the sanctity of your home to do a job
0:01:58 > 0:02:00and hope you'll both be happy with the result.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04But sometimes, relationships can break down
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and things can get out of hand.
0:02:09 > 0:02:15In Doncaster, Elaine Ormston bought her bungalow in February 2013.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19With some careful planning, dormer bedrooms and a rejig downstairs,
0:02:19 > 0:02:24it was to become a dream home for her and her daughter Megan.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27But over 40 grand later, her builder left it in such a state,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31she had to get a second mortgage just to put it right.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35It were quite exciting to think that we could actually have a project,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40to get the bedrooms put upstairs, have the space,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44and be in a better financial position, be able to do things,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48go on holiday, and not be struggling and see Megan through uni.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Single mum Elaine divorced from Megan's father 15 years ago
0:02:51 > 0:02:54and it had taken that long to get to the stage
0:02:54 > 0:02:58where she could finally afford the home she wanted for her daughter.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03Well, it might look like an interior designer's dream now,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08but it's taken a second mortgage
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and 18 months of hell just to put right the job one builder started.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16It's just been a constant struggle, not being able to do...
0:03:16 > 0:03:20go out anywhere, not being able to have a holiday.
0:03:20 > 0:03:26If there was any spare money, it had to go on...on getting the house done.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Elaine was left in the terrible position of having to
0:03:30 > 0:03:33complete the work started by her builder.
0:03:33 > 0:03:393.5 months after buying her dream home, she was £43,000 down, with a
0:03:39 > 0:03:46broken shell of a house, no kitchen, no bathroom, and a leaking roof.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49She had no choice but to confront her builder.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52"You've had £40,000-odd off me."
0:03:52 > 0:03:56I've got no kitchen, I've got no bathroom, I've got no stairs,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59I've got no roof, I've got no electric.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Where has £40,000-odd gone?
0:04:04 > 0:04:07That's what I've come to Doncaster to try and discover.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- Hello.- Hi.- Pleased to meet you.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18First of all, tell me what you originally wanted,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22what you planned for, what did you hope to get?
0:04:22 > 0:04:25To convert the two-bedroomed bungalow into a dormer bungalow with
0:04:25 > 0:04:27two bedrooms upstairs and possibly,
0:04:27 > 0:04:32- originally from the original plans, a bathroom or a shower.- Upstairs?- Yeah.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- Right. So basically, you were going to create another floor?- Yes.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38And the bedrooms down here were going to be something else, then?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Yes. One of the bedrooms is part of the kitchen
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and the other bedroom was the bathroom.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47OK, but you was quite specific about what you wanted to achieve from it?
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Yeah, yeah. We knew exactly what we wanted.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Right, so these are the original drawings.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Let me just have a quick look.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Well, that's ticked the first box, so you've done that correctly.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03Got the drawings done, yes. It's very detailed.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07They give all the dormer heights and positions. OK.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Right, now, how did you get the contractor that you selected?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- Did you get half a dozen estimates and pick him out?- No.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20- He was known to the family for a number of years.- What, as a builder?
0:05:21 > 0:05:23As a friend.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25So although Elaine didn't do many company checks,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28she did know her builder and felt confident with him.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32They agreed that he'd build a loft extension with two bedrooms
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and a shower and also a small extension downstairs to make
0:05:35 > 0:05:37the kitchen and bathroom bigger.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40She'd stay with her sister and move back in after a month
0:05:40 > 0:05:42when the major work was done.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47You gave him, um, a sort of a fixed-price,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50a maximum that you could go to? Was that how you agreed?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52I said originally, "I need to know a set figure.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54"If you over-budget on everything,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58"take it to the worst-case scenario and give me a figure
0:05:58 > 0:06:02"so that I know that when you walk away from here, everything is going to be done."
0:06:02 > 0:06:05It's an unusual way to do things but if you told him what
0:06:05 > 0:06:10your maximum outlay could have been, then at least he had a guideline.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13He said "£40,000, - everything that you want doing and all you have to do
0:06:13 > 0:06:16"when we walk away from here is a little bit of decorating."
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Happy with the price quoted, Elaine went ahead.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24And he said he would just ring me as and when he wanted the money.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29If we did it in £4,000 slots, it would cover the kitchen,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31- the bathroom, the wages. - Was you OK with that?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Didn't you think that was a bit strange?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35It's a bit like going into a restaurant, really,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39to have a three-course meal and then you pay some money up front.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Would you go to a restaurant and do that,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44if someone said to you, "This is how I want you to pay"?
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- What would you say?- It is silly. - No, it's not silly.- It is silly.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50- It's something that people do every day in this country.- Yeah.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53And what I'm trying to do is find out, in a way,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57why people keep making the same mistakes and it's purely when
0:06:57 > 0:07:00it comes to doing something major on their house.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Always the way to control any situation when it comes to building is the purse strings.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08You know, whoever has the money calls the tune.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11'Sadly, Elaine learned this lesson too late.'
0:07:11 > 0:07:16- Did you pay by cheque, or...? - No, cash. He wanted it in cash.
0:07:16 > 0:07:17You paid by cash.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23With no paper trail, customers can sometimes find it hard to prove what they've paid.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Cheques or credit cards are better but however you choose to pay,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30what's important is to draw up a payment plan,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34agree the stages of the build, and only pay in instalments
0:07:34 > 0:07:36when every job's been completed successfully.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Good builders will be happy to work like this
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and the Citizens Advice Bureau has some great tips if you need help.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47By now, Elaine was beginning to realise that her dreams
0:07:47 > 0:07:50of moving in by Easter were fading fast.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Having bought the house in February 2013
0:07:53 > 0:07:58and with no sign of the loft roof by March, she confronted her builder.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02He blamed the poor weather and late delivery of roof trusses.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08Kitchen had not appeared, the bathroom had not appeared.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Just nothing was getting done.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14The builder told Elaine that the Council had put a stop to the loft
0:08:14 > 0:08:19work because of concerns over the dormers being higher than permitted.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Elaine rang the Council
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and although they agreed the work could continue,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25they would have to look into planning permission
0:08:25 > 0:08:30but by then in May 2013, it seemed things had stalled indefinitely.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34And as I'll hear later,
0:08:34 > 0:08:39- they were about to get worse before they got better.- I wasn't sleeping.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44I started suffering with anxiety and panic attacks. Um, I was exhausted.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46I was just drained.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49And Elaine's builder has his say too.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52It could have been resolved. We could have carried on and we could have got the job done
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and it would have been put to bed.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03Every day in the UK, the insurance industry pays out £2.5 million
0:09:03 > 0:09:07to homeowners who suffered damage due to burst pipes and water leaks.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11These are expensive and problematic.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14There's the cost of locating and accessing the leak,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17repairing the pipe and the damage caused.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21The average clean-up cost can be up to £8,000.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And it's the job of experienced tradespeople to help out
0:09:25 > 0:09:28homeowners when they are faced with this sort of crisis.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Today, veteran plumber Wesley and his apprentice Brett
0:09:31 > 0:09:34are called to a suspected burst water pipe in Battersea.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37We're going to see a Mr Barker now.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Apparently, he's got quite a big flood coming through his ceiling, coming through downstairs.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I understand he's panicking a little bit,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46so we need to get in there quick and get it sorted out.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Come on, my Brettsie.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- Hello, Mr Barker. I notice your hair is wet. Is that from...- Yes, yes.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Is that from here, is it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56They head straight upstairs where water has been overflowing
0:09:56 > 0:10:00from a tank in the loft, flooding the bathroom at an alarming rate.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Stopping a leak can cost just a plumber's callout fee
0:10:05 > 0:10:07but if the leak gets worse,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10repairs to a damaged ceiling can run into thousands.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It's pouring straight through. I can hear it still going now.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15I'll just jump up there and have a look. Wow!
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- How long is it been going for? - Oh, about an hour.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Oh, well. We need to get that off, don't we?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Brett, can you go downstairs with Mr Barker and see
0:10:24 > 0:10:27if there's a stopcock underneath the kitchen sink, please?
0:10:27 > 0:10:30The water supply needs to be cut off as quickly as possible to
0:10:30 > 0:10:33stop this leak becoming a full-blown disaster.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37It's already flooded the kitchen and the floor below.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41If water's dripped into your electric sockets as it has here,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43or if it comes through your light fittings,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46turn off the electrics at the mains immediately.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Just remove the whole table.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55Robert Barker and his disabled wife have lived in the house for 32 years.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58A problem like this is the very last thing that they needed.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01At first, I thought it was just ordinary plumbing noises,
0:11:01 > 0:11:06or maybe at the worst, somebody had left a tap on and the plug in.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08But when I went upstairs,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I found it wasn't that and it was water coming down from the ceiling.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Er...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18The tank in the loft supplies water to the whole house.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Robert's managed to slow the flow gushing through
0:11:21 > 0:11:23but he hasn't stopped it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26OK, so what's happened, yeah, is a flow valve inside the tank has
0:11:26 > 0:11:29stopped working, so it's not shutting the water off any more.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32In effect, what that's doing is filling up the tank to a level
0:11:32 > 0:11:33where it's overflowing.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Though the reason why this is come through here, and poured
0:11:36 > 0:11:39straight through the house is because the overflow is not connected.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Now that is such a common thing, you know,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45such an important part of the system that usually gets forgotten or
0:11:45 > 0:11:47gets knocked off or something like that
0:11:47 > 0:11:51and what happens is you get this result where it just pours through the house.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53It comes straight through and makes a hell of a mess.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Wes has managed to reconnect the overflow
0:11:56 > 0:11:59so the water's gushing outside the house instead of inside
0:11:59 > 0:12:01but he still needs to fix the fault.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04To try to prevent a small leak getting out of control,
0:12:04 > 0:12:05look for warning signs.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Such as water bills suddenly rising,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13or water marks on your brickwork or walls of your house.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15How you getting on down there?
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Later, as the boys head back downstairs into the kitchen,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20the extent of the damage is clear.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Came through here, obviously, as well. Crikey!
0:12:23 > 0:12:25It's a nightmare, innit?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28And the clean-up operation begins.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Back in Doncaster, Elaine and her daughter Megan had no choice
0:12:39 > 0:12:43but to move out of Elaine's sister's home into their unfinished bungalow.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47I could no longer afford me furniture to be in storage,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51but, like I say, we had no electric, no lights.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53We'd got a few sockets that worked.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56We were lucky that it was summer months.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Megan was 16 at that stage.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01We were having to share one bedroom
0:13:01 > 0:13:04because her bedroom was just literally a shell.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07The roof was leaking in because the tiles weren't on there.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10But we just had to make the best of it.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13And by then, three and a half months into the build,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15the stress was really taking its toll.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20Towards the end, I wasn't sleeping, I started suffering with anxiety
0:13:20 > 0:13:25and panic attacks, um...I was just exhausted. I was just drained.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Physically and mentally, I think it was just too much.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Having already had tens of thousands of pounds from her,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Elaine's builder was demanding another £2,000 to finish the work.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Enough was enough and Elaine decided to cut her losses
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and get another contractor in.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47I don't blame her, but if you're concerned about the work
0:13:47 > 0:13:51your builder's doing, go to Trading Standards.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53They'll give you advice on how to handle it
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and might even take on your case for you.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Oh, this is nice. It's a bit compact, but it's lovely, isn't it?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So you got another contractor in to finish it off
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and was it £20,000 you had to pay for that?
0:14:06 > 0:14:10I had to take a second mortgage of £16,000, which obviously,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13I was in debt for solicitors' fees,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16I'd borrowed money to pay for the kitchen
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and get somebody else to fit the kitchen.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23And obviously, we did need to use some savings,
0:14:23 > 0:14:29which was about £4,500, so it has cost about another £20,000.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- You spent £64,000 to get to this stage?- Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- And you should've only paid 40. - Yeah.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38- I'd like to find out why. - So would I.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'So as well as paying her builder £43,000
0:14:41 > 0:14:44'in regular instalments for his unfinished work,
0:14:44 > 0:14:49'Elaine then had to take out a second mortgage of £16,000
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'and use £4,500 in savings to buy a kitchen
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'and get another builder to finish off the whole job.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00'So more than £63,000 in total
0:15:00 > 0:15:02'for two small bedrooms and a loo in the loft
0:15:02 > 0:15:06'and a downstairs extension for a kitchen and bathroom.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:09He's probably an ex-family friend now, I would think,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13but what would you say to him, if you had a chance to speak to him,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16what would you say to him right now?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Why? Why do it?
0:15:19 > 0:15:24He actually made out to me as if my house would be like a little palace.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28He was given the chance a number of times to explain
0:15:28 > 0:15:31why the work wasn't being done.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34You know, why...why do it?
0:15:34 > 0:15:39'Elaine has spoken out so others don't make the same mistake she did.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43'Here's what I'd say everyone needs to know before a build begins.'
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Always check out your builder's credentials,
0:15:46 > 0:15:47even if they're a friend.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Never pay in cash.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Generally, you won't be able to prove
0:15:51 > 0:15:53what you have and haven't paid for.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Keep back a good portion of the money to pay at the end,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58when you're happy with the work.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00And before you start any build,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02check if you need planning permission.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05For Elaine, it's been a harsh lesson learned.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Looking back now, I do think, "You were stupid. Why didn't you see it?"
0:16:11 > 0:16:14And I was, I suppose, lucky that I was in a situation
0:16:14 > 0:16:17where I could take a second mortgage out.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19If I hadn't have been in that situation,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21I don't know what I would've done.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26I'd have been left with a shell of a house, not able to live in it,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29with no means of being able to rectify the problem.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'Well, my team's been in touch with Elaine's builder
0:16:34 > 0:16:38'and he wants to meet up. There's always two sides to a story,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41'so find out later what he's got to say.'
0:16:41 > 0:16:43I wanted to sit down and talk to her
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and tell her what our situation was
0:16:45 > 0:16:49and listen to her side of the story.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58While some people are clearing up the mess their contractors
0:16:58 > 0:17:00have left behind, there are plenty of tradesmen
0:17:00 > 0:17:04who spend their time helping others clean up when things go wrong.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Plumbers Wesley and Brett are doing just that in London.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11When they arrived at Robert Barker's home,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14they found he'd taken matters into his own hands, literally,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17when water started pouring through his bathroom ceiling,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20onto the floor and through to the kitchen below.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23The overflow pipe had got disconnected,
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- so for about 10 minutes, I had my finger in it, like that.- Oh, no!
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Well, that's panic stations then, because you don't know what to do.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- You can't exactly take your finger off.- No.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- At least it's not coming through the house now.- That's a big relief.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39With the overflow pipe temporarily reconnected, the water's now
0:17:39 > 0:17:43safely flowing into the garden and not through the ceiling.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47But the electrical appliances are soaked and not safe to use.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Now I've got to find the phone number for the insurance company,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52see what they can do.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Yeah. Yeah, that'll be the best bet.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58And I always say, if you want to take some photographs of the damage
0:17:58 > 0:18:00so they know before we tidy it up.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02We can help you tidy this stuff up here if you need us to.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- Right, yes.- Look after you a bit. - Yeah.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07In fact, Brett, can you go and get the wet vac in here
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and just help this gentleman tidy up all these bits.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12There's a couple of rags out there, as well.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Your home insurer may well cover you for leaks and burst pipes
0:18:19 > 0:18:23and will want to send a loss adjustor to assess the situation.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Taking photographs of the damage is advisable
0:18:25 > 0:18:30and it's worth calling your insurer early to see if you'll be covered.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34And as Brett rolls up his sleeves to clean up Robert's house,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Wesley finds something he hopes will put an end to the flooding.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41The new part.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- How you doing, mate? - A new float valve isn't expensive.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Usually £20-£50.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50But you need to factor in your plumber's labour, or callout charge,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54the time they take to do the repair and the amount of damage caused.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57You've got a mechanism in here which stops the water.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01As soon as the float valve registers that the water level is sufficient,
0:19:01 > 0:19:05it'll push the needle in and shut the water off completely.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07So what's happened in there, obviously,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09something's gone faulty inside, just keeps coming out,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13keeps coming out and this is why we have this overflow pipe up here.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14And, er...which has gone faulty,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17which is why the guy had his finger stuck in the hole,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19trying to stop the water from coming through.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Usually, that'd be poured outside and it wouldn't be a problem.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Cor, that's tight!
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Offending article removed and a new valve fitted,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Wesley gets on with gluing the overflow pipe in place.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36If the tank ever overfills again, water will flow down the pipe,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39into the garden, and not flood the house.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42This is really common, especially on old systems like this,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44when people have been up in the loft space
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and the overflow gets knocked,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49or someone who's not really that competent has not connected it right
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and it's just...it can just destroy places.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55I've been to places where it's, like,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57the house is floating down the street.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Right, all the taps are off, mate, I'll go down and turn the mains on.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06Plumbing finished, they make sure the house is shipshape.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- Bring the Hoover down, my old son, yeah?- Yeah.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12And also, if you can, put this trap hatch up for him.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19And rookie Brett gets all the best jobs. Cleaning up and clearing out.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23And if you want to stop a potential leak before it's too late,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27make sure your float valve isn't caked up by limescale.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Your overflow pipe is connected
0:20:30 > 0:20:31and if you do have a flood,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35take plenty of photos of the damage before you tidy up.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Your insurance company will need them.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Thanks for coming and saving the day.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43That's all right. It's my pleasure to help out.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Job done.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48And the dynamic duo are off to their next plumbing emergency.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Take care. Any problems...- Thank you very much.- Thank you.- See you.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09In the UK, 40 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13It's a silent killer that comes from boilers, cookers,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17or radiators running on gas or oil.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Appliances which many of us have in our homes.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen when gas doesn't burn properly
0:21:24 > 0:21:29because appliances are either faulty, or poorly ventilated.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32It's colourless and you can't smell or taste it,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35but if you regularly suffer nausea and headaches
0:21:35 > 0:21:39only when you're near these appliances, you may have a problem.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46In London, gas engineer Chris Teal has been called out to deal with
0:21:46 > 0:21:50a church heater which has been leaking deadly carbon monoxide,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52putting the congregation at risk.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Thankfully, he spotted it during a routine safety check.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59We had a lot of carbon monoxide issues.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02We ended up actually repairing nine of the heaters.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It was only the one we're installing today, um...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08that we couldn't do anything with.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Just pop that down there, I think, for now.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14The dangerous heater has already been disconnected
0:22:14 > 0:22:19and it's vital Chris gets a new one in as soon as possible.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21It's not going to be a quick job, no.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25There's going to be differences with installing the new unit,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28conform to the relevant regulations
0:22:28 > 0:22:31and quite often, in some cases,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33it can be very, very challenging.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38It's a very heavy appliance, so I've got help today.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43So just pop it in just there and we'll just mark up the gas pipe.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45The guys are working swiftly.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49The old heater's been removed, we've found that the gas supply
0:22:49 > 0:22:53just down here, the old one, is no good.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56We'd have to cut the back of the new unit
0:22:56 > 0:22:59and we don't want to do that, so it's better
0:22:59 > 0:23:02to drill a new hole in a different location
0:23:02 > 0:23:05and just rerun the gas supply.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08It will look a lot nicer, a lot neater and give us
0:23:08 > 0:23:09a little bit more room, as well.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13And Vicar Christopher Hobbs appreciates how important it is
0:23:13 > 0:23:16to have a qualified gas engineer who knows exactly what he's doing.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Get that unit as close to the wall as possible.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22He'll know where the heaters are, what the problem is.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25He'll be good at repairing them, rather than just saying,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27"It's condemned, we need a new one."
0:23:27 > 0:23:30He'll be sensible about what things we really need to do
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and what things should be done soon.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Where gas is concerned, it's more important than ever
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to make sure your tradesman is properly qualified.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Choose someone on the Gas Safe Register.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Check your appliances once a year
0:23:47 > 0:23:49and buy a carbon monoxide detector.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52They cost about £20 and you can get them from any DIY store.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59- Job done.- There we go. That is it. All done.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02The congregation in this church has had a lucky escape.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04And it's all in a day's work for Chris.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08We like to help people, it's not all about chasing the biggest
0:24:08 > 0:24:10clients, it's doing the best job you can.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22One workman accused of not doing his best is Elaine Ormston's builder.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26He was hired to fit a new loft and rejig her bungalow in Doncaster,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28but he never finished the work.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Well, I've been doing a bit of research,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and I've found that he's dissolved four companies,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and has four county court judgements against him.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38He's agreed to meet me,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42but he's asked that we don't show his face or name him.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45I kick off by asking him how he would justify demanding
0:24:45 > 0:24:51a final £2,000 from Elaine, when the work wasn't halfway done.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56If you couldn't finish the job for £43,500,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58and she said there was 50% left,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02if that was the case, how was you able to do it for £2,000?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06We didn't want to rip Elaine off.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08No way we wanted to do that.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12We wanted £2,000 to buy the materials
0:25:12 > 0:25:13so we could finish the job off.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17That's how close to the end of the job that we thought we were at.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20The builder said the work only stalled because of the issue
0:25:20 > 0:25:23over the dormers being higher than expected.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Something he says was caused by the roof's trusses or pitch being
0:25:27 > 0:25:28the wrong dimensions.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And if the trusses were wrong, slightly wrong...
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- They were slightly wrong...- That would maintain the justification...
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Justify the complaint - technically, we're talking about here -
0:25:39 > 0:25:44so then if we go to responsibility for that, it would be the truss,
0:25:44 > 0:25:50- the guy who made the trusses, who actually was in your employ.- Yes.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52So that would come round and land back on your lap,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55as a contractor, you know that.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Everybody ended up getting uptight about it.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04Which ended up in the job stopping temporarily,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06while it all got sorted out.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Well, how did this affect the overall job?
0:26:10 > 0:26:14It delayed it, because it had to go back into planning for some reasons
0:26:14 > 0:26:17regarding the roof and whatever, these dormers.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20On top of the delay, the house was open to the elements
0:26:20 > 0:26:24because the builder didn't feel able to fit a temporary roof.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27But he says Elaine wanted work to carry on regardless,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30so they had to things in the wrong order.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Working on the inside of the house before the outside was secure.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Elaine asked us to go back to the job, but we couldn't work on the
0:26:38 > 0:26:42outside, on the roof, or whatever - we could only do some internal works.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And at that time, that's when things started to get...
0:26:49 > 0:26:53- ..a bit fractured between us. - Right, so...
0:26:53 > 0:26:56It wasn't going as quick as what Elaine wanted it to do.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00You feel that you're unjustly being accused of being
0:27:00 > 0:27:02the perpetrator of the problem?
0:27:02 > 0:27:06But it seems there's a little bit of a trail of damage behind you, you know?
0:27:06 > 0:27:09And I'm wondering whether it's you, or whether it could have been
0:27:09 > 0:27:13circumstances that cause these things?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16All we asked Elaine for was £2,000.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21I think if, at the end of the day, Elaine would have sat down with us
0:27:21 > 0:27:24and just talk about the situation that we was in,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27then whether we got the £2,000 off her or not,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29it could have been resolved.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31We could have carried on and we could have got the job done,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33and it would've been put to bed.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38We didn't get that chance.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Well, maybe Elaine could've given her builder more of a hearing,
0:27:41 > 0:27:46but by then, more than £43,000 down, she'd had enough.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Clearly there's two sides to every story,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54and I've got to give the builder credit for facing up to me.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56I just hope that both he and Elaine actually learn
0:27:56 > 0:27:58something from this very sad situation.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06And at least now she has the beautiful home that she always wanted.