The aftermath of some home renovations have proven to be so life shattering, people have wished they'd left it well alone.
For many, what should've been a transformation into their dream abode has regrettably morphed into an insane nightmare, and worse at the hands of big budget TV shows.
Last year Peter Chapman accused the BBC's DIY SOS of doing a bodge job on their Cheltenham home and leaving his family with a leaky ceiling, cracks in the patio and crumbling walls.
Their lives became so dire they vowed to move to the US for a fresh start.
Meanwhile former ITV show 60 Minute Makeover - once presented by Peter Andre - was criticised by widow Jo Hughes for doing a shoddy job on her house.
She said builders repeatedly bombarded her for cash despite a half-hearted job of poorly laid tiles, uneven marble worktops and loose wires.
And in 2005, things went downhill for the Oakvath family after appearing on Reality TV show 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
The family of nine were crippled by debt and rocket-high utility bills after their Arizona ranch was transformed into a six-bedroom mansion.
Here, FEMAIL takes a look at how TV home renovations have not only defaced people's homes, but ruined their lives.
After the BBC's DIY SOS team took on the Chapman home, their lives were never the same again (Pictured left to right: Sarah, Peter, Steve and Suzanne Chapman in their Cheltenham home)
Peter Chapman accused the DIY SOS team of leaving his home with crumbling walls (pictured)
The Chapmans
Cheltenham, 2020
In 2020 the Chapman family thought they'd hit the jackpot when DIY SOS stepped in to rebuild their bungalow in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham.
However for Peter, his ill wife Sarah, poorly daughter Suzanne, and autistic brother Steve, their fresh start became a never ending nightmare; eventually culminating in a three-and-a-half year dispute with the BBC.
Peter, then 64 and a full time carer for his wife and brother, told the MailOnline that everything seemed to go smoothly during the renovation in February 2020, however he noticed glaring issues as soon as he moved back into the home.
He claimed to spot a number of 'fatal' errors, such as a leaky roof, cracks in the decking on the patio, and a ramp so steep it was allegedly unsafe for his wife Sarah to use.
His wife and daughter suffer from a serious genetic disorder that affects muscle function and which claimed the life of his other daughter, Margaret, shortly before filming for the programme began.
The father also fumed at the loss of an expensive bed, special medical mattresses and a new walk-in hydrotherapy bath to make way for 'inadequate' replacements. He said the accompanying stress was 'killing' him, and had 'robbed' him of the last three years of his life.
He told the MailOnline: 'My wife Sarah and daughter Suzanne have not been able to use the outdoor facilities that were built by DIY SOS because it is now in a dangerous condition, which they were made aware of and they acknowledged over two years ago but nothing was done.
Left: Mr Chapman kneeling by a gate that he blocked up because it was allegedly left with a gap. Right: Leaks in his daughter Suzanne's bedroom
Cracks in the wall in the hallway of Peter Chapman's home - he said things were so dire he planned to abandon the property and move to the US
'On the first day after taking possession of the house from DIY SOS, Sarah nearly fell in the bathroom, which could have been fatal, when the wall bars around the toilet came away from the wall while she was using them.
'Also, part of the floor collapsed in the hallway, while I was walking on it, which again could have been fatal for my wife or my daughter'.
The BBC hit back, saying their work complied with building regulations and that Peter had declined their sum of £15,000, insisting that repairs would cost double.
Peter said the programme left them with a driveway that needed re-laying, cracks in the walls that needed filling, and the reinstallation of carpet in their lounge due to builders fitting a slippery floor.
He also claimed he had no choice but to fork out £4000 for a new driveway, and a further £2000 to fix a leaking roof because the BBC refused to help.
The ramp leading to the back garden, which Peter claimed is too steep to be safely used by his ill wife, Sarah
Peter's accruing problems inspired a move to the US so he could join his son who had been living there for 20 years. He added: 'We're so fed up with it that we will eventually be moving.
'It's a difficult decision but I feel so wronged at what they did to me. They just put their foot down on me and said "no". I just don't feel comfortable here any more'.
He later continued: 'I wonder whether other DIY SOS families have had their lives affected like this. It can't be just me, surely'.
A BBC spokesperson said: 'DIY SOS is a heart-warming programme that brings communities together and helps improve the lives of those in need thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who give up their time to participate.
'As with all of our previous projects, the Charlton Kings build was planned and completed in accordance with the necessary required regulatory approvals and signed off onsite by building control'.
The Philps
Devon, 2019
Five years ago wheelchair user, Stuart Philp (centre), was left to pick up the pieces after the DIY SOS team worked on his semi-detached home in Torquay (Pictured: Stuart in front of his home during the rebuild)
He said DIY SOS volunteers left his family with an unfinished wall extension, a room too tiny to fit a chair, and doorways too narrow to fit Stuart's wheelchair (Pictured: Volunteers work on Stuart's home)
In May 2019, wheelchair user, Stuart Philp was left to pick up the pieces after the DIY SOS team worked on his £200,000 semi-detached house in Torquay, Devon. He claimed volunteers had been tasked with renovating the building to accommodate his blind mother.
The 40-something-year old, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, and his mother Lin, then 73, said they had been left with an unfinished wall extension, a room too tiny to fit a chair, and doorways too narrow to fit Stuart's wheelchair.
And while the pair didn't want to seem 'ungrateful', Stuart admitted his elderly mother had been much happier in her former home.
He told Devon Live: 'Mum was much happier where she was before. She had friends and she had more space'.
Lin's room had been painted bright pink, a colour in which she objected to, and a change she failed to notice due to her loss of sight.
Here, Stuart is pictured with DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles (left), his blind mother Lin (right) and his daughter Lauren (far right). He said him and his mother were happier before the renovation (pictured right)
The grandmother, who lost her vision in the 1980s, said: 'I haven't even got room for a chair. It's been very difficult. We didn't want to appear ungrateful. The people who were doing the volunteering were amazing'.
The list of stressors didn't end there, with Stuart's 17-year-old daughter Lauren also being affected. According to the father-of-one, her bedroom was downsized during the revamp.
He also told of his misery at having to stare at a blank wall all day after the builders failed to complete an extension which would give him a view over the Moors.
Still, he insisted he was thankful to the DIY SOS team for fixing their beaten kitchen and for doing an 'amazing' job.
'They had to squeeze everything into the existing small house space and house three people where there had been two' said Stuart.
Lin said the volunteers (pictured) left her with a tiny 'bright pink' room against her wishes, but she didn't want to appear 'ungrateful' for their hard work
'It's not the BBC's fault. I think that's why they did such a great job with the back garden - to compensate for the extension not going ahead'.
A BBC report specified that the DIY SOS team built care facilities especially for Stuart, and had installed a bedroom, physio space, wet room, living space and wheelchair access to the ground floor and garden.
The DIY SOS team kept the Philps, like all contributors, consulted throughout the build 'to ensure the design will meet their specific needs, added a BBC spokesperson.
'We remained in touch with the Philps family regularly after filming to address and resolve their concerns as quickly as possible'.
Jo Hughes
London, 2014
Jo Hughes (pictured) had an unlucky run in with a ITV interior design programme 60 Minute Makeover in 2014
Much of Jo's complaints were aimed at TV builder Chris Boylan who she accused of strewing junk across her home, including a messy bathroom, drink bottles on windowsills and smashed tile fragments (Pictured: The messy state Chris Boylan allegedly left her kitchen in)
Jo Hughes has also shared her unlucky run in with a TV interior design programme.
In 2014, ITV show 60 Minute Makeover was hosted by Peter Andre and was popularly known for transforming homes in one hour.
The widowed mother-of-two, 47 at the time, claimed what should have been an exciting 11-day revamp on her Southfields, South-West London home, was instead catapulted into a two-month project, draining her of both cash and time.
Jo - who had recently lost her husband Mark to cancer - anticipated a smooth renovation so as not to stress her two sons Milo, then seven, and Oscar, then two - but she couldn't have been more wrong.
Much of Jo's complaints were aimed at TV builder Chris Boylan who she said bombarded her with demands for cash while seemingly doing a shoddy job.
Barely days into the rebuild, she claimed to notice half-plastered walls in the kitchen, poorly laid tiles, and marble worktops fitted with uneven joins. She also accused him of strewing junk across her home, including a messy bathroom, drink bottles on windowsills and smashed tile fragments.
But she claimed what really left her seething was his inability to complete the job despite already pocketing £4,960 - £360 more than his original quote.
ITV show 60 Minute Makeover was hosted by Peter Andre (left) and was popularly known for transforming homes in one hour (Chris Boylan is pictured right)
‘I just wanted to cause the minimum level of upset for my sons,' said Jo. ‘It's been a bloody awful year... I just wanted to make this place nice'.
Speaking on her experience with the famous builder, she said: 'He hadn't finished one thing, not one room. There was no bathroom, no kitchen. He'd ripped out the old ones badly, he'd damaged expensive kitchen units and worktop and appliances'.
To end her misery, she forked out an additional £4,000 for a second group of builders to finish the job. She said she was yet to receive any money back from Chris and planned to take him to small claims court.
He hit back saying his initial estimate went up because there turned out to be more work.
‘We were driving from Milton Keynes every day. We were leaving the house at 6am and getting home at 6pm, so we were doing a 12-hour day. We don't take tea breaks, we just crack on' he explained.
‘It was initially going to be an 11-day job but we came up with problem after problem after problem and she kept changing her mind about things. And what we've done for the money she paid, she's not out of pocket'.
As well as 60 Minute Makeover, Chris had appeared on Channel 4's You Deserve This House. He is also listed on the Star Now talent agency as an actor and Elvis impersonator.
The Okvaths
Arizona, 2004
The Okvaths appeared on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition from 2004 to 2005, but the outcome was anything but a dream come true (Pictured: Bryan and Nichol Okvath with their seven children - including cancer stricken Kassandra, then eight)
The couple couldn't believe their luck when the show tore down their 1,800-square-foot Arizona home in favour of an elegant six-bedroom mansion
The story of the Okvaths began as a fairytale, but unfortunately for this family, things didn't end happily ever after.
ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a defunct reality series which helped struggling families to renovate their homes into a property of their dreams.
In 2004, the show's producers selected Bryan and Nichol Okvath, as well as their seven children - including cancer stricken Kassandra, then eight - to appear on the season finale.
Kassandra captured hearts when she wrote to the show asking for help to makeover her hospital cancer ward. Producers were so moved by her plight they agreed to renovate the ward, and topped it with an offer to renovate her family's rented ranch in Gilbert, Arizona.
Bryan - at the time unemployed and picking up odd jobs as a truck driver and fire fighter - and stay-at-home mom Nichol, couldn't believe their luck when the show tore down the 1,800-square-foot house in favour of an elegant six-bedroom mansion.
Their new home was refurbished with a movie theatre (pictured) and a sprawling, modernised kitchen
The new sprawling estate came with a movie theatre, a backyard carousel, and modernised rooms, transforming not only their once worn-down family home but also their lives.
To complete the fairytale, the property's owner agreed to sign over full ownership of the house to the Okvaths, making them owners of the kingly mansion. The family were left in tears, as were nearly 4,000 people who gathered outside the home to watch the grand unveiling of their newly refurbished home.
But their emotions took a sour turn when they discovered their income was no match for the giant home and its exorbitant bills.
While the makeover was free, running costs were not - and electricity bills soared to $1,200, water installments, $400, and property taxes jumped from $1,625 pre-makeover to a whopping $5,600.
Struggling to cope, the cash-strapped couple used the house as collateral for a $405,000 loan in 2006, but were unable to keep up the payments and the home was almost seized.
While the makeover was free, running costs were not and utility bills quickly soared, forcing the couple to eventually sell their home at a loss
They attempted to sell the house for $1.9 million in 2007, then again for $1.4 million - but unfortunately there were no takers. A close brush with an auction company in 2008 inspired them to put their house up for sale once more, but at this point the offer price was sadly reduced to $800,000.
The Okvaths incurred a major loss when their newly furnished how to fix a burst pipe - https://boilerrepair-glasgow.co.uk, was sold in spring 2010 for only $450,000; leaving them with 'nothing'.
'Everybody thinks everything's happily ever after', said Nichol in 2009. 'A lot of people think we're rich, but we have nothing. We live paycheck to paycheck. We have no cushion anymore'.
It is thought the couple's financial stress wreaked havoc on their relationship as they parted ways shortly after selling the home. Meanwhile Kassandra was reported to be cancer free.
The Kings
Las Vegas, 2018
Paul and Mindy King put their faith in the 'Property Brothers', Canadian personalities Jonathan and Drew Scott, to remodel their Las Vegas home
But instead of a dream renovation, they received a property riddled with shoddy work and health hazards (Pictured: The King's unfinished renovation work)
Paul and Mindy King are another couple who put their faith in a TV makeover show, only to have their hopes blown to smithereens.
The pair looked forward to a blissful life together after tying the knot in 2018, and kicked things off by paying the hosts of 'Property Brothers', Canadian personalities Jonathan and Drew Scott, $200,000 to remodel their Las Vegas home.
But instead of a dream renovation, their property was riddled with shoddy work, health hazards, and a fallout with hosts that 'put the fear of God' in them.
The Kings said the 'makeover' left them with a mouldy dishwasher deemed a biohazard by inspectors, sewage leaking into their cupboards, and a collapsed sink; forcefully thrusting them into a 'David v Goliath' style legal battle against the show's production company, Cineflix.
'They're making their millions of dollars. Their fame. They're living their lifestyle based off of people like us, that put our trust into them,' Mindy King told KLAS.
The Kings said the 2018 'makeover' left them with a moldy dishwasher deemed a biohazard by inspectors (left), sewage leaking into their cupboards (right), and a collapsed sink
'They put the fear of God in you, and I'm not going to let that happen to us or anybody else'.
Mindy added that at first glance, their remodelled home looked pristine and appeared fresh off of a successful renovation.
But according to her, the interior revealed something more sinister: 'Yeah, our house looks good when you walk in, because they built a TV set', she said.
'But, it's what you can't see that is dangerous... Sludge and sewer were leaking out, disintegrating the cabinet'.
Mindy said the couple used to have a sink on their kitchen island, but it collapsed due to contractors fitting the wrong size pipe and gas line. Even worse was the dishwasher, which used water churned through a garbage disposal and was found by safety inspectors to be full of harmful bacteria when they conducted a test.
Paul and Mindy King purchased the property when they were newlywed to start the next chapter of their lives, and they were initially excited to have Canadian reality TV personalities Jonathan and Drew Scott (pictured) on board for renovations
Building issues quickly morphed into legal woes when in January 2021, the couple filed a lawsuit at Clark County District Court, accusing production company Cineflix and the hosts' contractors - who they labelled inexperienced - of leaving their home in a worse state than they found it.
As at the time of the lawsuit, the Property Brothers weren't named as defendants, but they could be added to the suit in the future.
The lives of the once happy couple was put to a grinding halt when a Chapter 40 was placed on their home, meaning they can't sell it until the interior issues are resolved.
'We can't sell a house where there is all these deficiencies and not to code,' Paul said. 'We can't sell it but if we could we would take a huge financial hit'.
On the bright side, the couple's contract with Cineflix allegedly states that after May 2019, they're entitled to $5,000 for each day that issues aren't resolved - so they could be in for a multimillion Dollar payout.
The Property Brothers have since created their own production company and no longer work with Cineflix, though the episode featuring the Kings aired earlier this year.
Cost of Living CrisisLas VegasArizonaBBC