Grandma, 70, loses £14k to ‘cowboy builder’ who turned garden into ‘scrapyard’ | UK | News

A woman has told how she lost £14,000 in life savings to a “cowboy builder” who turned her back garden into a “scrap yard”. Grandmother, Yvonne Elliott, 70, had saved for 10 years to have a 3m by 6m extension added to the living room of her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

She had planned for the work to begin this summer before she was approached by a builder working in her neighbour’s garden as she was hanging out her washing. Yvonne explained what she wanted done and when he made her an offer in June 2025 she told him she would think about it.

Two days later the builder, who lives in the same city, knocked on her door holding a contract, saying he could complete the work in three weeks if she agreed. Over two months he allegedly took Yvonne’s life savings while never completing the promised extension.

Yvonne also believes she was shown an invoice for around £9,000 worth of materials the builder claimed to have bought and stored in his garden which she paid for up front. But she said it turned out to be a quotation, meaning the order for materials was never placed.

She said the builder has since agreed to pay her back £13,500 for the incomplete work, which she said he has started paying. Yvonne said she was sharing her story to raise awareness of cowboy builders, claiming: “Instead of doing a good job he ruined my life.

“I don’t even go onto that side of my house anymore because it upsets me. I worked hard for that money and I have nothing to show for it. At 70, I never imagined I’d be starting again – I can’t continue living like this. If I can make one person stop and think before going ahead with a cowboy that would be great.”

She said during the first week the builder laid the foundations then over the following two weeks he built two walls with breeze blocks. But then she said the work stopped.

Yvonne said the builder kept ignoring her calls or made excuses why he couldn’t come to work and finish the job. She said: “He would say his car has broken down or that he is poorly or that he is on holiday.”

The pensioner said on several occasions he returned to work and said he needed more money to buy materials such as steel rods to support the ceiling, leading her to send him another £5,500.

She said: “I kept on giving him money even though there was no progress as I wanted the work completed. I was getting desperate for it to be done and for him to move on.”

It was only in late August – the last time she saw the builder – that he came with four workmen she had never seen before who told her could complete the work for another £7,500 but would have to start from scratch.

Yvonne said the moment she knew she had been “played a fool” was when the builder visited in August with four workmen who told her the work could be carried out for another £7,500 but it would have to start again from scratch.

She said: “I felt really depressed. I felt stupid and that I had been done over. All I have is a scrap yard in my garden to show for it.”

After what happened, Yvonne’s daughter – who didn’t want to be named – came across builder Graham Nash online. Graham – who runs his own business, Pinnacle Builders – calls out cowboy brickies on his social media pages and helps homeowners who have been affected.

Yvonne said Graham came to her house within half an hour of being contacted and has since agreed to fix her extension if she can raise enough money via a GoFundMe page.

Graham said: “Yvonne is 70 years old and should be enjoying peace, warmth, and security in the home she’s lived in for decades.

“Instead, she’s been left with the pain and chaos of a shattered dream. This isn’t about profit, it’s about dignity, and it’s about restoring a safe home and restoring faith.”

You can donate to Yvonne’s GoFundMe here. The builder declined to comment after being approached multiple times.