Nick Knowles’ DIY SOS wrecked my family home – it’s so bad we’re MOVING out to escape the ‘hell’
A FAMILY who had their home wrecked by Nick Knowles’ DIY SOS team have said they are moving out to escape the “hell”.
Peter Chapman, 64, is a full-time carer for his ill wife Sarah, daughter Suzanne and autistic brother Steve at their home in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham.
The family have been embroiled in a three-year row with the BBC over claims its DIY SOS show carried out an error-strewn renovation project at their bungalow in February 2020.
Peter has been seeking compensation from the BBC, claiming the show’s tradespeople caused £30,000 of destruction.
The refurbishment initially appeared to have gone smoothly, but he says issues began to emerge soon after they moved back in.
The dad says errors carried out by Nick Knowles and his crew included wall bars on the loo for wheelchair-using Sarah, 59, and Suzanne, 39, coming off on the first day.
Other issues include a leaking roof, which now has buckets catching water, cracks in the patio decking, making it unsafe for Sarah to use her wheelchair and a ramp that is too steep for her wheelchair – issues he says could have proved fatal.
He also blames the programme for laying a driveway that sank and had to be re-laid, cracks in some of the bungalow’s walls, a lack of insulation in two ceilings and installing a slippery hard floor in the lounge when he wanted to keep carpet.
Peter claims to have refused an offer of £15,000 from the BBC, saying it would not come close to covering the cost of the repairs.
He is moving to the US to join his son, who has lived there for 20 years, and make a fresh start following the ordeal.
Peter told MailOnline: “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.”
Sarah and Suzanne suffer from Myotonic Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that affects muscle function.
It claimed the life of the Chapman’s other daughter, Margaret, shortly before filming for the programme began.
Peter said DIY SOS has “robbed” him of the last three years, adding that the “stress is killing me”.
He says his wife and daughter are unable to use the outdoor facilities built during the project as they are now “in a dangerous condition”.
The family began noticing issues the day they returned home, with Sarah nearly falling in the bathroom after wall bars came away from the wall.
They say part of the floor in the hallway also collapsed as Peter was walking across it.
Peter asked the BBC not to broadcast the programme because of the ongoing dispute but claims it did anyway. The show was aired in June 2022.
The BBC has said the work it carried out on the bungalow complied with building regulations and Peter has turned down subsequent offers to help.
Peter said he has decided to speak out after the BBC informed him it considered the matter closed.
He admitted people may think he is “ungrateful”, but added: “I’m not, I’m really cross.”
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 corporation said that it sought impartial third party advice to assess the property when Mr Chapman declined its offers of help.
It claimed it offered him various solutions, though Mr Chapman denied this had been the case.
The BBC added that it was aware that Mr Chapman had made his own home improvements since it finished filming, which it had no involvement with.
It said it took its duty of care to its contributors very seriously, offered Mr Chapman support and returned personal items to him.