Mum ‘living a nightmare’ after dream family home ‘ruined by bungling builder’

A mum says her life has become a living nightmare after claiming her dream home was ruined by a bungling builder.

Nichola Evans, 56, moved into her home for a fresh start with her family after getting divorced in 2018.

She agreed a price of £21,370 with the builder for the work and moved out into a rented house with the hope that the refurbishment would only take 14 weeks.

But Nichola said the dream turned into a disaster when she found out that the house had not been completed – after the cost of the project spiralled to £31,000.

Now, she has to sleep on the sofa at her daughter's house.

Nichola said: "I've been sleeping on my daughter's sofa since May and I haven't been able to sleep under my own roof in my own home since February.

"It's been an absolute nightmare, my two dogs and I are living with my daughter in her two bedroom house.

"I've had break downs, the stress has been terrible, I've had sleepless nights.

"I've lost my cool with the kids because of the stress, when something like this you hurt the one's you love.

"The builder has had total disregard for what he's done, I can't put it into words really."

Nichola had owned since 1987 and following the death of her two parents in 2013 and 2015, she decided to use her inheritance to transform it into a new family home – budgeting £25,000 for the renovation.

She selected a builder who told her the work would cost £21,370 and moved into rented accommodation.

Nichola said: "I more or less decided around Christmas that I wanted to do the house up and I mentioned to the girls and my son that I was going to get builders in to give me quotes.

"I chose the builder that I did because he made me feel comfortable in the house and it seemed like he would take care of everything.

"He claimed he could do a 60 minute makeover and I'd come back into the house and it would be done. He also said I wouldn't need to worry and that he'd deal with all the contractors and manage everything.


"He gave me a quote and the price was right so I asked him to go ahead and start the job."

The work began in February and at the end of the first week Nichola made the first payment of £5,000.

At the beginning of April Nichola claims things started to go wrong.

When she asked for an update on the work with the expectation that she would soon be able to move in she was told repeatedly that more time was needed.

She alleges that despite paying money for work to be done on the property much of it was never completed and what work took place was of poor quality.

The costs for the project also increased after the builder informed Nichola that the house had severe damp and required rewiring, increasing the overall cost to £31,000.

She said: "He hadn't finished the tiling, putting the skirting boards on, finished the wiring or anything like that. He hadn't finished the front of the house either.


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