A homeowner claims a builder left a gaping hole in his roof – despite paying around £31,500 for a loft conversion.
Chris Jardine from Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, says he can see the frost on his breath when he wakes up in the morning, after the contractor allegedly took his money and never finished the work.
The case raises questions about cowboy builders and what options are available to homeowners who fall prey to them.
What was being built?
Mr Jardine, a dad of two, wanted to add a loft conversion to his home for a master bedroom, as well as a staircase leading to it, to create more room for his family. But he struggled to find a builder after the COVID-19 lockdown ended.
He told BBC Scotland: "We were aware material prices were going sky-high so we thought if we don't do this now, chances are we're not going to be able to do it at all."
He found the builder online and was quoted £35,000 for the work, which began in July 2022.
Hole left in roof and rubbish dumped in garden
When the builders ceased work, an enormous hole was left in the roof where the staircase was meant to go. They also left debris from the work dumped in Mr Jardine’s garden.
He said: “What they left us with was just a big gaping hole. I’m trying to insulate with what I have the best I can.
“It’s pretty cold up here at night but we need to sleep here because there’s not a lot of other space.”
Homeowner paid £31,500 before saying enough
Over the course of the conversion he paid £31,500 because the builders kept asking for more money to continue the work.
“They started coming out a couple of days a week or one day a week and then they would contact me saying they needed more money to do X, Y, and Z,” Mr Jardine said.
“Then they asked for a payment for a staircase but the staircase never showed up.
"We eventually had to hire another builder to come and build stairs into the loft as all we were left with was a gaping hole."
Another tradesman estimated the value of the work completed by the builder to be worth just £16,000.
Jardine has tried to get £15,000 back from Mr McMaster, along with numerous other homeowners who said they are also tens of thousands out of pocket.
BBC Scotland reports that the builder was paid at least £220,000 for seven home renovation contracts over two years.
When contacted by BBC Scotland News, the builder said he was unavailable for comment.
