Kamal Ghorui
What began as a routine home extension for a UK couple turned into what they later described as a “nightmare”, leaving their house damaged and both of them briefly in police custody.Rob and Lucy Davies, a couple from Basildon in Essex, had hired Steve Figg to build a single-storey extension, expecting the work to be completed within 12 weeks. Instead, the project dragged on for months and left their home in a dangerous state. Figg, 35, had already taken £44,000 but failed to finish the job. The situation escalated when he reported the couple to police, accusing them of harassment and claiming he wanted to kill them, the BBC reported.The couple were arrested at their workplaces and spent 22 hours in custody before being released. Police later issued an apology.Describing the condition of their home, Rob Davies said: “The only way I could describe how our house looked was like a bomb site,” Parts of the property were left exposed, including a large hole where the kitchen was meant to be, with sections of the structure at risk of collapse.The unfinished work also made daily life difficult. Rats entered through gaps in the walls, and the house became hard to keep warm. Davies said the experience took a toll on their relationship, adding: “It was a complete nightmare… It tested our marriage hugely.”The couple said they spent around £75,000 in total, including £28,000 to repair the damage and additional legal costs.An investigation by Basildon Council’s building control team later found multiple breaches of regulations. Figg, who ran Figg Construction Ltd, admitted to 22 breaches and was ordered to pay £85,000 in compensation.The BBC also found that the Davies are not the only people affected. Other customers have come forward with similar complaints, including claims that their homes were left structurally unsafe. In one case, a woman said Figg damaged her garden office during a dispute over payment.Reflecting on the experience, Davies said Figg “masquerades as someone who can do all these things, but, when you get under the surface, he’s incapable.”The case highlights the risks homeowners can face when construction projects go wrong and raises broader concerns about oversight in smaller building projects.
