Grandmother, 79, left with half-built extension after handing rogue builder her £13,000 life savings

A grandmother has been left with a leaking roof and a half-built extension – after paying builders almost £13,000 to create a room for her friend who is very unwell following cancer treatment.

Sandra Robinson says she spent her life savings and her funeral pot to provide 56-year-old friend Andy Hey with an en-suite bathroom and balcony at her home.

But she says she has been left with water flowing through her unfinished roof, damaging her kitchen and disrupting the electrics, and a builder who is no longer answering her calls.

The 79-year-old former secretary said she was now unable to sleep because of the ‘nightmare’ but help is at hand after her plight went viral on social media. 

A fundraising page received £800 in hours and several horrified local tradesman have volunteered to repair and finish the work for free.

Mrs Robinson said all she wanted was an en-suite bathroom to make life a little easier for former cancer sufferer and liver transplant recipient Andy, whom she cares for. 

She also wanted a small balcony so he could enjoy some fresh air as he is largely housebound.

She said in August she employed a building firm she had found recommendations for online.

But she’s been left with a half-finished extension covered by tarpaulin.

Mrs Robinson said all she wanted was an en-suite bathroom to make life a little easier for former cancer sufferer and liver transplant recipient Andy, whom she cares for

The picture showing the bathroom interior reveals the state in which builders left the home

Water flooded through the ceiling of Mrs Robinson’s klitchen after builders started work, ruining the paint and plasterwork

Mrs Robsinson, 79, said: ‘It’s a nightmare of the worst kind, I can’t sleep as I’m constantly worried’

Mrs Robinson, who helped bring up her two grandchildren following her daughter’s death to cancer at the age of 28, said: ‘All my money has gone, as has my daughter’s and Andy’s, whom I’m caring for. 

‘He used money inherited from his mother so I feel just awful.

‘The builder quoted me at first £10,000 then it became £11,000, and then I had to use my own funeral pot to find almost another £2,000 to get to the stage it has got to.’

Mrs Robinson, from Glan Conwy, Wales, says she was then asked for another £1,000 but the bank refused as she was overdrawn.

Since Mrs Robinson couldn’t withdraw the extra money, her builder hasn’t come back to complete the job and she said he is no longer returning her calls.

‘It’s a nightmare of the worst kind, I can’t sleep as I’m constantly worried,’ she added.

The builders first asked for £10,000, which she paid, then three extra payments of £1000 each. When Mrs Robinson couldn’t afford the final payment they did not return

Local bricklayer David Spencer, on seeing the state of the work, has had offers of free help to rectify the situation from local tradespeople

But after calling a local bricklayer David Spencer to review the situation there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Mr Spencer was so horrified by what he saw, he took photos and posted them on social media telling people what had happened. Within hours he was contacted by scaffolders, plumbers and plasterers and others from the building trade – all offering their services for free. 

He also launched a fundraising page which raised £800 for Mrs Robinson in just hours.

He said: ‘I couldn’t believe the state the house was in. I felt so sorry for her and I wanted to help. When I put the post on Facebook my phone started going mad with people wanting to help and we are determined to sort this in as SOS rescue kind of way.’

He added: ‘But this goes to show you shouldn’t pay in advance for a job like this.’