0:00:02 > 0:00:03When a crisis strikes your home...
0:00:03 > 0:00:05How can I help?
0:00:05 > 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 > 0:00:10Who do you trust?
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I feel so stupid.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14You need one of the good guys.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16But you don't always get them.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Oh, my goodness!
0:00:18 > 0:00:20You don't ever think it's going to happen to you.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We'll hear the stories of devastation
0:00:22 > 0:00:25and despair left behind when building work doesn't go to plan.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28I don't want to look out here. I end up in tears.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32And we'll tell you how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36You have always got the safety net of the building inspector.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38But most tradesmen are there to help.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43We'll follow the response teams who are there for you 24 hours a day...
0:00:43 > 0:00:44It's a nightmare.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Just have to make sure you don't fall through the ceiling.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47..seven days a week.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I think we'll have to pull this out.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52It probably would have burn the house down while they slept.
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.
0:01:05 > 0:01:11Coming up, we all need a roof over our heads. But not one like this.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15In all my days in the business, I have never seen anything like this.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Plus, 20 families will be caught short at this block of flats
0:01:19 > 0:01:23if Ken can't get to the bottom of their sewer problem.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I've just give it one more try because of the conditions.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And, when Graham's girlfriend has a bath,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31their downstairs neighbour has a shower.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Just as she was getting out of the bath last night
0:01:33 > 0:01:36we got a knock on the door from the people downstairs.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And they said there was water pouring through the roof.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51If you're taking on a big building project, you need to know what
0:01:51 > 0:01:55you're doing. And if you don't, you need to hire someone who does.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58And even then, it's a good idea to make sure
0:01:58 > 0:02:01you're around to keep an eye on things.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03But it's not always that easy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Especially if your own job takes you away from home a lot,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08as sales executive Alex Kenyon found out.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Alex, from Huddersfield, and his girlfriend, Sue,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15were hoping to move in together.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Doing up his home was meant to give them
0:02:17 > 0:02:20a dream start to their joint new life.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23The plan was for a two-storey extension,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26nearly doubling the size of the house. Blimey!
0:02:26 > 0:02:29She must have more clothes that my missus!
0:02:29 > 0:02:30Alex chose a builder who had
0:02:30 > 0:02:34done work for him previously on some rental properties he owns.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37He put in a new kitchen, he created stud walls, he put
0:02:37 > 0:02:42in a new bathroom, and his work was fairly good for that, I must say.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45It was done on time and on the money.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48The builder quoted him £50,000 for labour
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and said he could finish the job in six months.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Alex was to buy the materials
0:02:53 > 0:02:57and the whole job was due to come in at around £100,000.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Every two weeks he was paid a certain amount,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04the majority of it was paid through cheque form.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06There was no contract between us,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10but in essence I had been using him for five years previous,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14and we'd never had a contract between us.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19In total over the time of the build, Alex handed over £36,000.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22But only began to realise something was wrong
0:03:22 > 0:03:26when the project ran over by two months.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29He knew the foundations had been passed by the local building
0:03:29 > 0:03:32inspector, and believed his builder was getting all subsequent
0:03:32 > 0:03:33work signed off, too.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37But Alex travels abroad with his work,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41so he wasn't on hand for much of the time as the job got under way.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43As a result, he got a real shock
0:03:43 > 0:03:46when he returned from a business trip.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48You see, to my mind, nothing had been done.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50He would say, "Well, I've had problems with this,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52"I've had problems with that".
0:03:52 > 0:03:54After 11 months, the roof needed to be completely taken down,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58at that point I had completely had enough of the builder.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59I fired him.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Alex found a new builder, Dean James,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05and asked him to look at the roof.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Dean said it was the worst job he'd seen in 40 years.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13And told him to call in the building inspector.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Alex rang me to say that the building inspector had
0:04:15 > 0:04:17said more or less what I said
0:04:17 > 0:04:21and would I take over the job?
0:04:21 > 0:04:22Dean agreed.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25But when he started to tackle the roof,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27he discovered a host of other problems.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31When we took the roof covering off we could see down the cavities
0:04:31 > 0:04:35and they were absolutely chock-a-block with masonry.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38We got the building inspector out again, we needed to try
0:04:38 > 0:04:40and clean the cavities out, which we did.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But we couldn't get in to do it properly, so that left us
0:04:43 > 0:04:46with no alternative really but to start taking the outer
0:04:46 > 0:04:50skin of the extension off, which was all the stone.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Which put at least another six or seven weeks on the job.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57And we've took out well over half a tonne of mortar
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and rubble out of the cavities.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03The new builders then found a drainpipe hadn't been bridged.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07It had been smashed up! The result was flooding in the cellar.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Alex and Sue's dream home together seemed to be moving further
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and further away.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Every time we took a different step to put one thing right,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20we opened up a different can of worms.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23And it just started spiralling out of control, really.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Homeowner Alex was horrified.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31The floodwater just kept going up and up and up and up. Dreadful work.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Alex made a home video of the poor workmanship.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38A little late maybe,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41but well worth doing if you need to take legal action later.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45As you can see here, the roof has been stripped back.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48It had to be stripped off because it was absolutely abysmal.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52All that there, all that has got to come completely down.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54It looks very nice. He's done it wrong.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58He's considering taking action against the original builder,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02but has yet to do so. He wanted to wait until everything is finished.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06But he's made sure he has plenty of photographic evidence of the work.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10I've come to Huddersfield to meet Alex and hear the rest of the story.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- Hello, Tommy, love. How the devil are you?- I'm very good, thanks.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16- Come on in.- Thank you.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- It's a bit rough, the weather today, isn't it?- It most certainly is.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22It's been nearly two years since the work first began and,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25since that time, Alex has had to live with a building site
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and the worry of how to put it right.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33Plus, he's had to postpone his plans to set up home with his partner.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Dean and his team are putting it right,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37but there's still a way to go.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39- Oh, this is nice.- This is it.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- Lovely.- Yeah, it looks the bee's knees, eh?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46It has been a very stressful time.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49The reason for this whole project was so Alex
0:06:49 > 0:06:51and his girlfriend could be together.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Instead, they are living 17 miles apart.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Now, the fact that this has become quite extended,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02this completion date, is she anxious to get in?
0:07:02 > 0:07:04To be fair, she's been very good, actually.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06She can see how he stressed that I originally was.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09I would anticipate it will be ready in about two to three weeks
0:07:09 > 0:07:11and then she will be moving in.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12- Wonderful.- Yeah.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Alex was away working during some of the building period.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17But not all of it.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- You weren't living here, were you?- Living here, yes.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Obviously you've still got all your muck and dust,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24you've still got, you know, the aggravation.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Well, let's hope that will be over soon.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30But I want to understand exactly what went wrong.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Have you got any pictures of the work that he'd done?
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Yeah, most certainly.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38It's worse than I could ever have imagined.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And later, we'll get to grips with just how dangerous the
0:07:41 > 0:07:46consequences could have been if Alex hadn't called a stop to the build.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50- What happens if one of these slabs hits you?- You're dead.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Excuse the pun, but you are stone dead.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Blocked sewage pipes cost the water industry
0:08:03 > 0:08:06tens of millions of pounds each year.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Mainly because we put things down our loos
0:08:08 > 0:08:09and sinks that we shouldn't.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15It's up to drainage specialists like Ken Cattanach to sort it out.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Today he's been called to a block of 20 flats in Hertfordshire,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22all affected by a major obstruction which has caused
0:08:22 > 0:08:25waste water to rise to street level.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27So, it's probably a blockage,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29but we won't find out until we lift the manhole.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32The problem was spotted by Brian, who lives in the building.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I discovered it this morning, there was
0:08:36 > 0:08:39an excess of water running down the drive here.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42So I realised we had a problem.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Brian fills Ken in on the details.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Can you show me the problem?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Yeah, we had a blocked drain this morning,
0:08:48 > 0:08:53I noticed the water was coming up through this manhole cover here.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55There's a bit of a smell around.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59So, I wondered if you could come along and unblock it for us.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Yep, it should be OK.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Just get the manhole lifted and then we can see where the problem is.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Ken's first task is to investigate the manhole serving
0:09:08 > 0:09:10the entire block.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14It's situated on the private access road belonging to the flats.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15Phew! You can smell it!
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Ken needs to remove the manhole cover fully,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23but he already thinks he knows what's wrong.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Unfortunately a lot of the packet things of toiletries that you
0:09:27 > 0:09:31buy say that you can flush them down the toilet, they do
0:09:31 > 0:09:33go down the toilet, but they don't go down the pipes.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Builds up and you soon get yourself a blockage.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39One last heave.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45And what he reveals is enough to make you heave!
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Oh, my goodness!
0:09:47 > 0:09:50That looks a major problem.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52But Ken is confident.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Does that look a big job?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57It shouldn't be, if it's what I'm thinking it is.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59We should clear it fairly quickly.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Ken gets to work with pipes and hoses.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Well, the blockage I believe is in what we call the trap.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15And I'm trying to punch through the blockage with the jet.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16But it seems he spoke too soon
0:10:16 > 0:10:19when he told Brian it could be a simple job.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23It's not going as quickly as I hoped it would, put it that way.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29He's been working away for more than an hour,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31and sewage is beginning to spill onto the access road.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36If he can't fix this soon, 20 families are going to come
0:10:36 > 0:10:40home from school and work to find mucky waste all over their driveway.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And no-one will be able to use their bathrooms.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Normally the drain should go straight out to the street with what
0:10:46 > 0:10:52is known as an interceptor, which is a trap, and I can't find it.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And there is another problem...
0:10:54 > 0:10:56He isn't sure the blockage is actually under the road
0:10:56 > 0:10:58belonging to the flats.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00It could be under the main road.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06I'm hitting the blockage where the movement was outside the boundary.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12So, technically, it now becomes a water board job, if I can't...
0:11:12 > 0:11:14I'll just give it one more try because of the conditions,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17but it's very marginal as to exactly where it is.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Generally, the water company is responsible for the water
0:11:21 > 0:11:23mains in the ground
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and the pipe work leading up to your property boundary from the mains.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29In most cases,
0:11:29 > 0:11:33it's your responsibility to maintain the supply pipe.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36This is the section of the service pipe from the boundary
0:11:36 > 0:11:38of your property, usually where the water meter
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and stop valve are, into the property itself.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48If you need your drains jetted, it can cost between £80 and £100.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Ken is dedicated to his job and he's not the type to give up.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56What I've said to Brian is that I'm going to give it one more go,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59because the blockage appears to be right on the perimeter
0:11:59 > 0:12:00of the property.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04If it doesn't go, I'm going to have to say to him
0:12:04 > 0:12:06he's going to have to call the water board.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08If he tells them it's overflowing spillage,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11they should be out within a few hours.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15It's nearly 4 o'clock and time is of the essence.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Ken makes it his mission to solve the problem.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Yes!
0:12:27 > 0:12:28Yes!
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Triumph.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32You don't know what a lovely feeling that is.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36It's a cold day, but I'm sweating. That was hard work.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39It's all due to wipes.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Facial wipes, baby wipes and toilet cleaning wipes
0:12:43 > 0:12:47are responsible for 75% of all sewer blockages.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51They may flush down the loo, but often snag further along the drains.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55I've put disinfectant in the tank and I'm going to clean this area.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01It's a real mess, but Ken is used to it.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05I haven't got a very good sense of smell, believe it or not.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It might be a bit of luck in my favour there.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13It has been one of his more difficult call outs.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16The trouble with a blockage being
0:13:16 > 0:13:20so far from the last manhole meant I had to use a lot of water to
0:13:20 > 0:13:24get the jet and hose down to it and that's why we had so much spillage.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28That was a pretty well packed drain.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30He gives the area a final wash down.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33You know, my wife never gives me a cuddle
0:13:33 > 0:13:36when I walk in through the door.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37And I don't know why.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40Ken is glad he stuck with it
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and shifted the blockage for Brian
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and the rest of the flats' residents.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46I was fighting with it,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49I was getting worried when she started to overspill.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54I felt there was something there and it just needed a lot of hard work.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58I kept at it and she went. And, yeah, that's when I was happy.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Your heart jumps up.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I'm going to recommend that we put a camera down
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and take a look to see if there is an interceptor, if there is,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09expose it and that will save a lot of trouble for them in the future.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Back in Huddersfield, I'm visiting Alex Kenyon, who wanted
0:14:23 > 0:14:26a large two-storey extension so his girlfriend
0:14:26 > 0:14:29and their two dogs could move in with him.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32He used a tradesman who had done smaller jobs for him
0:14:32 > 0:14:34in the past, but he wasn't able to keep an eye on the work
0:14:34 > 0:14:38because he was often away on business trips abroad.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41The relationship with the builder broke down when he went way over
0:14:41 > 0:14:44time and the local council's building inspector
0:14:44 > 0:14:45condemned the work.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50The new roof and outer wall had to be taken down.
0:14:50 > 0:14:57Alex sacked the builder, but had already handed over £36,000.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59A new builder has taken over the job
0:14:59 > 0:15:04and, 20 months on from the start, it's about a month off completion.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Alex is considering taking action against the original builder,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10but has yet to do so, waiting until everything is finished.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13But he has compiled photographic evidence of the work.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17- This is the first picture. - So this is new work, with old stone.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- That's correct.- And we've got a spirit level and it looks to me
0:15:20 > 0:15:23like that's out about 25 mill.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27By that being out of plumb means big problems elsewhere.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30The repercussions further down the line are compounded.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Funny you should say that. So this is the next photograph.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38So this cavity should be closed and that looks a bit undersized,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41that insulation that's in there.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Between the cavity there should be a clear gap between the cavity.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49This is cement which is actually inside the cavity.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51That looks like, towards the end of the day,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55they had some water left on the board and they've scooped it off,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58dropped it down the cavity to get rid of it.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59Yep.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03This was shockingly lazy work and way below standard.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05But it gets worse!
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Now, this is the roof.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12So as they are going up the roof, that's got three battens there,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16that's got four battens there, that's got five.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20So, if you've got all these battens, like a big thickness of battens,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- what happens is with the weight going that way, it rolls.- Yes.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24So all that roof will slide that way.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28- Yes, what happens if one of these slabs hits you?- You're dead.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Excuse the pun, but you are stone dead. That is so dangerous.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33No wonder they condemned it.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37- Is it nine lats?- So you've got a nine-inch batten.- Yes.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40So really, he's changing the pitch of the roof, as well.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Because the pitch of the roof is becoming steeper,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46creating more of the danger because they're going to go.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50In all my days in the business, I've never seen anything like this.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I'm gobsmacked.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56I've seen some dodgy work in my time, but this is prize-winning.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59This is not how you build a roof.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03The pitch of the roof refers to the amount the roof slopes as it
0:17:03 > 0:17:05extends horizontally.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Calculating the number of trusses or rafters you need
0:17:08 > 0:17:12and where to put them is a serious and complicated business.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Many new homes now rather use pre-fabricated trusses,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but you must get the calculation right or,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22when you come to put the tiles on, it won't work.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25As Alex's builder found out.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26If he had got it right,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30he would been able to simply fit the tiles to single battens all the
0:17:30 > 0:17:34way up the roof because the angle on the pitch would have been correct.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Like this one.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Instead, he came up with a downright dangerous alternative that
0:17:40 > 0:17:44would have come crashing down if someone had sneezed!
0:17:44 > 0:17:49I can barely stand to hear any more. But of course, there is more.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53- What's that?- Is it the RSJ?- That's an RSJ.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56This roofing felt is a new type of felt, it's a breathable felt.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59So you don't have to put any vents in the roof.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02When you've got a great big RSJ piercing it,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06that really undermines the whole validity of the roof.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- He's cut these around the steel!- That's right.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I've never seen anything like that. Never.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Gordon Bennett! This guy was a right plonker.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I would say that he probably didn't start off to illegally take
0:18:22 > 0:18:24money as a confidence trickster.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I just think he bit off more than he could chew.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30I just think that he took it for granted that he was going to get
0:18:30 > 0:18:34more money out of you and this would go OK, but he set out wrong,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37and once you set out wrong, you're in trouble.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39He may not have started out to defraud,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43but Alex paid him more than £35,000.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47And paid again after the work all had to be redone.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51This all comes back to who you hire to do the build.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Just because someone has done smaller jobs for you doesn't mean
0:18:54 > 0:18:57they are capable of taking on a huge project.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00They could be taking on too much.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03So check their experience and credentials and remember,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05it's horses for courses.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08But I reckon Alex knows that now.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11So let's have a look at where he is with the build.
0:19:11 > 0:19:17So what was the price from the new company to do the work?
0:19:17 > 0:19:21So far they've just hit 50k in labour costs.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23And you had to pay the original contractor...
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Yes, the original contractor, he was paid in excess of 35,000.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29So, I would anticipate the total cost of when it's finished,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34including labour, materials, around 135 to 140.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38- Oh, that's big bananas. - It's a decent tickle, love.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40And your stress levels, how have they been?
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- Initially, they were through the roof.- You're going a bit grey!
0:19:45 > 0:19:49I'll have you know, to be honest, those are highlights I put in.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51- Like mine, yeah.- Yeah, yeah.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53But they've made a nice job - it looks really good now.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56I really am a bit of a fan of this sort of style of build anyway.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- I love natural stone.- Yeah. - And I think it looks terrific.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Yeah, they have done a fantastic job.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Alex is still trying to decide what action
0:20:03 > 0:20:06he should take against his original builder.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08We've been in touch with the council and they tell us
0:20:08 > 0:20:14they are very interested in meeting up with your original contractor
0:20:14 > 0:20:17and the fact that he didn't comply with building regulations.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- So, there may be some action taken on that.- OK, smashing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26And we've also been in touch with the original contractor to
0:20:26 > 0:20:31- give him the right to reply. And so far, we've heard nothing.- Right, OK.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32We're not surprised by that.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35It's not a shocker, I've got to be honest with you.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37If Alex takes on a build again,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40he'll have more knowledge of how to handle major works.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I won't make the same mistakes I made here again.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45But it is a steep learning curve,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48the main thing is that it's been put right, and it's been done correctly.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- And you can get on with your life. - I can basically get on with my life.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- All right, thank you very much for coming.- It's been a real pleasure.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Alex certainly did learn the hard way.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01If you can't be on site regularly,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05you really must hire an experienced project manager.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08It could save you money in the long run.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11But make sure you see the building inspector
0:21:11 > 0:21:15sign off personally at each stage of the work before you part with money.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29In London, plumber John is on his way to deal with a mystery leak,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33from the bathroom of one flat to the kitchen of another below.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36It's already shorted out the electrics downstairs
0:21:36 > 0:21:38and both householders are worried.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- Hello.- How are you?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Graham rents the upstairs property.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51My girlfriend took a bath last night and the night before.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Just as she was getting out the bath last night,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56we got a knock at the door from the people downstairs.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59And they said that there was water pouring through the roof.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Which isn't ideal for them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- It seems to be when the water is draining out of the bath.- Right, OK.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07It doesn't seem to happen when the shower runs, which is strange.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10OK, I'll take a quick look and see what's going on.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14John needs to investigate. But there's already a problem.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17So, normally what we do is take the bath panel off,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19have a look underneath there, just check out the pipes.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Unfortunately this bath panel is completely tiled,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25so it's not going to be that straightforward.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28He decides to start with the flat below instead.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32It was last night that we first noticed that it was dripping
0:22:32 > 0:22:33water, which is a bit weird.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Fortunately,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37there doesn't seem to be any damp or anything like that as of yet.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Is all right if I have a quick peek just
0:22:39 > 0:22:42so I can work out exactly where that is?
0:22:42 > 0:22:47Downstairs tenant Jacob shows John the water's point of entry.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50So, the water was dripping down here on that wall
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- and just kind of coming out.- Right, OK.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55So not a vast volume straightaway
0:22:55 > 0:22:57but just a couple of drips to begin with?
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Yeah, two nights ago, it was dripping, and as we originally
0:23:00 > 0:23:03got in contact with the landlord last night, it got worse.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05So it shorted out your electrics.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08It has obviously hit some wiring above the ceiling, then.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10So I need to run a few things and see what
0:23:10 > 0:23:14happens down here before we possibly have to take a hammer to the tiles.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18- Fair enough.- Is that OK?- Yes, cool. - Perfect. Brilliant, thank you.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23But will the tests reveal the cause of the leak?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26First John tries running the bath and then filling it.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Just let that water out and then we'll go downstairs and see
0:23:30 > 0:23:32if anything is coming out.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35But the water has mysteriously stopped dripping through
0:23:35 > 0:23:37the ceiling.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Lower floor tenant Jacob is concerned about the dangerous
0:23:40 > 0:23:42mix of water and electricity.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45It can start fires.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47See, the electric shorting is a bit freaky.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51So, if it doesn't get sorted...
0:23:51 > 0:23:53God knows where the water is going, so...
0:23:53 > 0:23:58That's probably going to be even more expensive to sort out.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00If you have water leaking onto light fittings or other
0:24:00 > 0:24:04electrical appliances, turn that circuit off at the mains board.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07If you're not sure which circuit it is, then
0:24:07 > 0:24:11turn off everything via the main switch and call in an expert.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14And to stop the leak, turn off the water at the stopcock.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19Plumber John is really scratching his head over this one.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Despite his best efforts, there is
0:24:22 > 0:24:25still no sign of leaking water in the kitchen.
0:24:25 > 0:24:26There's only one thing for it.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31I think I'd best phone the landlord and see what he wants us to do.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Because I don't want to cause any unnecessary damage.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Hi, Oliver, it's John here.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39I'm at your property at the moment checking out this
0:24:39 > 0:24:41leak that's coming from the bath.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43The issue that we have is obviously
0:24:43 > 0:24:45the tiles around the bath panel aren't accessible,
0:24:45 > 0:24:46they don't come off.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49So, for us to...
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Yeah, is that OK, yeah? Fine.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56OK, speak to you soon, take care.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58The landlord is happy for us to take some tiles off
0:24:58 > 0:25:00to see what's going on, so we'll do that now.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04With the landlord's permission secured,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08John can get cracking and remove some tiles to try and have a look.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16This is one of the reasons why,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19when you've got a new bath being installed, you should always have
0:25:19 > 0:25:22access provided so that, if there are any leaks or you want to
0:25:22 > 0:25:26change the taps, then you can get to it without having to cause damage.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Now he can get his head under the bath to have a good look,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32it's clear to John why water is escaping.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36The overflow pipe, which is up here, has become disconnected.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39So as soon as the water fills up in the bath and is released,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43it's coming straight out of the overflow pipe onto the floor.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47And that's the reason why, when they were just using the shower,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49there wasn't enough volume of water for it to be
0:25:49 > 0:25:51forced up the small pipe.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53So we're going to reconnect this overflow,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56test it and that should hopefully be problem solved.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01For householder Graham, it's a revelation.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Did you try and fix that?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05That thing, since I moved in, has been falling out.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08So it must have been screwed into that.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Yes, as that screws in, it comes a bit of rubber
0:26:11 > 0:26:14in between the bath and this and that's what creates the seal.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16And that hadn't happened, so.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18And there doesn't seem to be a seal here for that.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22A quick trip to a DIY shop, and he's got the part he needs.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29John fits a new seal and then attempts to fit the overflow
0:26:29 > 0:26:32back on, but it's tricky with such limited space to work.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Going to crawl back into my hole now.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44Try that one again.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53This is why I need an apprentice.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54He doesn't have one.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56So Graham steps in.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Yeah, that should be all right now. Thank you.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07I'll have to give you a discount otherwise, if you help!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Another test and he's done.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15All done.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17So I've put a new rubber seal on it,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19put it back, tested it, it's all running fine.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- Thanks a lot.- All the best.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24John gives Jacob the good news.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29- It's all been fixed now.- Cheers, mate.- Perfect, all the best.- Thanks.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Graham is delighted with John's work.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I think it's really important to get a quick response,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38without that, who knows what state the flat downstairs would be in.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40I mean, they had water through the walls, wallpaper coming off.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43So, yeah, the rapid response by both our landlords
0:27:43 > 0:27:46and the plumber has been absolutely fantastic.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Any one of us could be in a situation such as we've seen today.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Whether it be an emergency in our own home,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02or falling foul of rogue workmanship.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So take note of my top tips and hopefully it'll be home sweet home.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Alex has very nearly finished the work on his house extension.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14And Sue is moving in any day now.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17The couple are looking forward to life together
0:28:17 > 0:28:18with lots and lots of room.