Colin and Justin in £58,000 bill row

THE builders who carried out a £240,000 makeover at celebrity designers Colin and Justin’s luxury home and say the pair owe them thousands of pounds claim the couple were so impressed with the work done to their £1 million Georgian townhouse in Glasgow that they showcased it on national television.

The celebrity couple have only paid £157,250 of the bill, with their insurers covering another portion, and are refusing to pay £58,650.

In legal papers, they claim that some of the finishing is not up to the standards they expected. The wrangle has ended up at Glasgow Sheriff Court where the builders are suing the celebrity couple for the outstanding sum.

But Paterson Builders Ltd have said a cleaner was told that they were “delighted” with the work to their renovated town house. The work in the property began in June 2009 when the builders were drafted in to carry out insurance work at the house.

The couple – full names Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan – then instructed the firm undertaking the work to carry out additional work to their five-floored property.

By December 2010 the work was completed and was featured in a weekly newspaper and on national television in May 2011.

In legal papers lodged the builders say: “If said defects alleged by the defenders to have been caused by the pursuers, exist why did they allow their property to be showcased/ released to the media.”

Colin and Justin claim the dispute arose after they instructed a quantity surveyor to come into their home in July 2011 to inspect the work.

They say in court papers that it is estimated the “cost of remedial works” will be £40,000, plus VAT and professional fees which will “exceed the sum sued for”.

The builders claim that while work was on-going Colin and Justin “constantly changed their minds” and instructed that a variety of other work be carried out.

It is claimed that the couple told the builders they were “good for money” and agreed to pay any additional charges.

In the papers, the firm say that in July 2010 cleaners were hired and Colin invited one of them for a “showcase” of the property during which he said they were “delighted” with the work.

By December that year they say, all “snagging” issues had been flagged up to the builders and sorted.

The following year in May 2011, the couple – who have previously featured on other reality TV shows – took part in a documentary that saw them invite a homeless man into their house.

They also authorised the release of pictures of the property to be published.

Papers state that an e-mail was sent in June, last year requesting payment from the designers, and two letters the following month, by recorded delivery and first-class post looking for the money.

A date for a debate has been set for later in the year.