Loft conversion scam leaves British family £36,000 out of pocket as builder jailed

A Bristol man who traded as Creo Creations was jailed for eight months after admitting three offences under consumer protection legislation for taking about £36,000 from a family with two disabled children and leaving a loft conversion unfinished with a leaking roof.

Jaime Fagan, 46, and her partner Noah Fagan, 48, remortgaged their home to pay for the eight-week loft project. The plan included a second bathroom—a wet room—and a small apartment-style studio to allow a carer to stay overnight as their sons, aged 17 and 14, with special needs grew older. Brice presented himself as understanding of their difficulties and the money they were able to borrow, and the work began at their home in Bristol.

Brice, who had told the couple he needed a month off for mental health problems, disappeared after the contract was signed, changing phone numbers and leaving the project in a shoddy state of repair. The family later discovered he had not completed £38,500 of work for which he had been paid and that they would need to spend more to fix the damage.

They spent about £20,000 to put the basics right and a further £29,500 on work they had already paid Brice for. Jaime said the money was not just a financial blow but a huge emotional strain on the family, and that the photos of Brice partying with their money had added insult to injury.

The couple later found Brice had been photographed socialising at a nightclub, including appearances at Popworld and at a Brean holiday site, while continuing to spend their funds. Jaime described how the online images made an already painful situation feel worse, noting that Brice was aware of the family’s financial pressures and the needs of their children.

Trading Standards said the case was not isolated and that two other victims had come forward regarding Brice’s activity under the Creo Creations banner. The court heard that Brice had left other families with unfinished projects and financial harm.

At Bristol Crown Court, HHJ Picton described Brice’s conduct as “terrible stuff” and accepted that he had walked away when difficulties arose. When Brice was led away to begin his sentence, he shouted, “What, I am going to prison, is that really necessary?” to which the judge replied simply, “Yes.”

Jaime Fagan summed up the impact of the incident, saying the case had been “years of hell” for their family. She told reporters that Brice had exploited their vulnerabilities, faking empathy to win their trust and secure payment for a project that was never completed. “He had presented himself as understanding of our life, our restrictions on money and the importance of making our home safe for our disabled children,” she said. “Then the reality was completely different.”

The sentencing follows a period of upheaval and stress for the family, who had hoped the loft conversion would provide a safer, more comfortable living space for their sons and a place for a carer to stay as the children grew older. Instead, they found themselves dealing with a leak-prone roof, unfinished walls and a mounting bill to rectify the damage. Jaime noted that the project’s delay and the added costs jeopardised their mortgage arrangements and family stability, forcing them to adjust their work schedules and rely more heavily on support from relatives during a difficult time.

The case serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of unvetted tradespeople, the Fagans said, emphasizing the importance of verifying credentials and checking references before agreeing to large home improvement projects. The family hopes that Brice’s sentence will bring some measure of closure after a ordeal that lasted years and had lasting implications for their two children’s wellbeing and daily life.