THE parents of a disabled boy are in a “living nightmare” after a builder bodged the extension meant for their son – then walked away.
Amy Reed and Steven Bradshaw were outraged when council contractors, who were allegedly rude and unprofessional, stranded them with an unfinished extension at their home in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
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The building work was designed especially for their six-year-old who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Little Oliver needs a specialist bedroom and washroom with a hoist – because he’ll need to be in a wheelchair in future.
But the downstairs extension is still unfinished and could even put Oliver in danger, despite being intended to make his life easier.
His parents were delighted when Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council agreed to the construction after a referral from an occupational therapist.
Oliver’s specialist space was designed and building started back in September last year – six months later, the family have been left in the lurch.
They said they are coping with a “living nightmare” every day because of numerous failings by the council contractor, Cathedral Plastics Ltd.
The contractors walked out, leaving the desperate family with an incomplete and possibly hazardous extension, but no idea of when the works will be finished.
Mum Amy told Coventry Live: “We aren’t waiting for it to be finished…we are waiting for it to fall down.
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“I am worried about him [Oliver] going in there.
“This [the extension] was supposed to make his life easier, now I am just worried about him going in there now.”
The construction ordeal began with footings for the extension – a building inspector even condemned them and issued a warning to the contractors.
Among the other errors that the family claim to have been left with, the builders allegedly installed dangerous and incorrent plumbing and pipework that bends at 90 degree angles.
They also claim the contractors put electrical plugs in the wrong places – including next to sinks – and the floor of the wet room is uneven.
But the building blunders aren’t the end of the parents complaints.
Amy said the firm “destroyed [her] home” by breaking personal belongings, but worst of all she claimed some of the builders made rude and unprofessional comments about her and her son.
Eventually the tension turned the construction company on their heels and they walked off the project in April.
Amy said: “This was a relief for us but our concerns continue about the current build and what they have left which isn’t satisfactory for a disability extension.
I cannot believe the council are still using them
Amy Reed
“I cannot believe the council are still using them [the sub contractors], they have ruined the house and the extension.”
“No-one will want to touch it because so much has gone wrong and so much needs to be done to make it safe.”
Now the family are desperately waiting for the borough council to appoint another firm to finish the extension.
A spokesman for the borough council said: “Work was commissioned to provide accessible accommodation to comply with the recommendations made by the Occupational Therapist and started in September 2021.
“Issues were found and while we are we are unable to comment on behalf of the contractor, it must be noted that this work is incomplete at this stage and has not been commissioned for use by the tenant.
“Our tenant has been advised that procurement for a new contractor is going ahead and any outstanding items will be addressed by the new contractor in due course.
“We have provided communication to the tenant throughout the works and on the current status and have responded in full to the formal complaint that had been lodged by the tenant.
“We are currently targeting and working towards a mid-July start date.’
“The company in question is no longer carrying out disabled adaptation work for the council.”
The Sun Online contacted Cathedral Plastics Ltd for comment.
What are the building errors that the family claim they have been left with?
The Nuneaton family claim contractors stranded them with the following:
- Dangerous and incorrect plumbing and pipework – including 90 degree bends in the piping
- Issues with electrics, for example plugs in the wrong places – including by sinks
- Issues with the toilet
- Uneven floor in the wet room
- Issues with windows and fascias
- Guttering issues outside
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