08 March 2024 , 19:13
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A couple, who have paid twice to build an extension to their home, said they wouldn't wish the "nightmare" or "cowboy builders" on anyone.
Luke McLoughlin, 33, and his partner Holli Johnstone, 32 from Halifax went from a home almost fully renovated to having their property condemned as "structurally unsafe" by a building control inspector at Calderdale Council. The couple who were originally quoted £20,000 for the work have paid close to £30,000 to fix errors in their property's foundations and build their extension.
The couple who live with their three-year-old daughter wanted to extend their end terraced property to give them some more space so they found a builder to do the job.. They borrowed £20,000 and saved up money for the work they wanted done.
The extension which had to be demolished (Steve Allen)The couple instructed the tradesman to carry out this work from October 2023. They anticipated that the old extension the previous owner had put in would need to be taken down. However, they were instructed by the builder who visited the property to give a quote, that they could build off the existing extension - this would save the couple a lot of money.
Luke said: "Obviously we are not builders so we took his advice, he's the expert not us, he quoted us £20,000 to carry out the work, which was way less than we were expecting to pay for it so we were like 'brilliant', initially - it seemed like a dream come true," YorkshireLive reports.
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So the bulk of the work could be carried out over the Christmas period, the couple moved out of their home with their toddler. However, not long after their return, the couple said the "shoddy workmanship began to show" and the entire build turned into a "living nightmare."
The initial cause for concern came from recently fitted windows being stuck and difficult to open. Then major cracks began to appear in the walls.
After consulting his dad Luke they both feared there was something "structurally not quite right." Even still, Luke says he couldn't have "foreseen how bad things were going to get."
On closer inspection, Luke says he found "mistake after mistake" made by the builders. When plaster was removed from the walls missing bricks were found in the walls and pipe work that should have been bridged over had just had cement dumped onto it.
The couple say they were horrified to discover mistake after mistake (Steve Allen)Luke says that the builder and their firm caused "structural movement to our property" and this wasn't something that was covered by the couple's building insurance. Additionally, throughout the entire time the build was happening nothing was passed by building control.
There were problems elsewhere too, in the house, the builders had used the couple's items and broken some including their kettle, heating thermostat, baby gate and hose pipe. There was cement in the bathtub and the drains were blocked from the builders cleaning their boots in there - something they had been asked not to do.
With grave concerns, Luke instructed Calderdale Council to inspect the work. A building surveyor from the council confirmed concerns around the foundation of Luke and Holli's property due to recent construction work carried out. He said: "By filling the base of the foundations with filled material, the contractor reduced the overall depth of the footings, which has resulted in the foundations placing a load upon the Yorkshire Water public sewer which runs through the extension.
"Loads placed upon a sewer can damage the sewer, which could cause blockages and damage to the extension." The couple were advised to either make extensive repairs or to start again from scratch.
The builder has disputed the claims and has reportedly offered to return and finish off the job but his offer was declined by the couple. Luke says after the inspection and seeking the opinions of two other trade professionals the couple had lost faith in the builder so the couple asked the builder to leave the side.
The dad-of-one said: "[the builder] had someone collect his tools the weekend after the council filed their report and refused to speak to a member of building control, face-to-face at our property." Whilst a formal letter of complaint has been sent by the couple to builder to return at least half the funds of £28,500 he has been paid, Luke says "he has point blank refused and will not give us details of his insurers."
Luke added: "We have had to borrow more money again to put this right and start again with new contractors, including the money we have lost. This extension will end up costing us the same amount as what a double-storey would have been." Whilst there has been a financial burden, the couple has also said they have had to move out again for work to be done and Luke said things have been "taxing" on the couple's relationship.
The contractor who has taken over the work at the property does not want to be named said summarising how he felt was difficult. He said he was "upset for his client" and that there were people who could "do this type of work and get away with it." He also expressed concern about there being a "lack of" good young tradesmen coming up for people to get a hold of.
The couple say they have made peace with never getting their money back but they would like to raise awareness for others now. They have said they "just want it to stop happening to the next person." Whilst the couple have spoken to a solicitor they realised they could spend a lot of money pursuing legal recourse to "potentially get nothing out of it."
Luke said, "Thankfully we’ve found some top, honest builders to take over and have building control around at every little stage. Such a simple extension has turned into a nightmare." He is encouraging those looking into having building work done "to do their research, get recommendations from people they know and trust and trust your instincts."
Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Active Travel and Housing, said: “Everyone involved in the procurement, ownership, design and construction of building projects has legal duties to ensure compliance with building regulations, to protect the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings.
“Our Building Control Service provides an independent, third-party check on compliance with building regulations. We are working with the owners of this house to support them to secure a safe, comfortable and compliant extension.
"We urge all building owners considering projects to take care when choosing designers, builders, contractors and tradespeople. Always gather testimonials from people you know and trust, and details such as their full name, trading name, business address, contact details, professional qualifications, experience and insurance details. Don’t pay any money until the end, unless the contract agrees staged payments, and seek professional help with the contract and oversight of the building work."
A family friend of Holli and Luke, Thomas Baines has set up a GoFundMe for the couple to help with the mounting costs. Thomas wrote, "This young family work hard to build a future for themselves so to see someone incapable of building a structure whilst claiming to be a professional doesn’t sit well.
"Any contribution would be greatly appreciated to help them rebuild the mess these "builders" have made, as their lives have been completely turned upside down. Their home is no longer a safe space for them or their baby girl." You can donate to the GoFundMe, here.
The Mirror contacted the builder for comment.