A Sheffield family of four have been left homeless after their builder abandoned the job.
Noami Nygaard, her husband and children aged four and two have been forced to move 14 times after their home was left uninhabitable from works which began in September 2025.
She said: “My home is my safe space… what affects the children the most is us being so stretched.”
Mrs Nygaard had been talking with a builder, who was Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and Trustmark certified, for a couple of months before she contracted him on 1 September and paid up-front a third of the total cost which was £13,000 at the time.
After claiming the job of fixing conservatory and changing the downstairs layout would take no longer than a month, the builder “went AWOL”, and the work ground to a halt.
That was when Mrs Nygaard “got really worried” and contacted the builder’s insurance company as was afraid she had been scammed.
The insurance company, Covea insurance, validated the certification and confirmed the builder had an active insurance with them.
At this point, the builder got back in contact saying that they had “been on holiday”, asked for the second payment installment and replied to her concerns that no progress had been made by ‘bashing out a load of walls and sending pictures.’
Mrs Nygaard, said: “All the way through October, we did not have a home.”
After the builder continued to pressurise for more money, Nygaard contacted a structural engineer who evaluated the property and found that the site was structurally unsafe with the entire back wall needing to be replaced, telling the family that they could not even return to collect their belongings.
Noami said: “The house was basically crumbling.
“He took a lot of money for stuff he didn’t do.”
Later it was found after continued contact with Covea insurance, the builder had not kept up with his monthly payments and had backdated his documents.
Covea insurance, said: “We are currently looking into the matter. While this is ongoing, we’re unable to comment further at this time.”
The emotional toll placed on the family has also been great, with Mrs Nygaard explaining how being on the road and handling this many things at once has taken up “so much headspace”.
They are now calling for regulation for builders to be mandatory and governmental legal aid to be provided for victims.
The mum of two, said: “People’s money needs to be much more protected… they need protection from homelessness and being scammed… builders have to be personally liable.”
The community has rallied behind the Nygaard family, with people contributing to their GoFundMe and also coming to help clear rubble.
Mrs Nygaard described the support as “incredible”.
She said, “People have been giving time and energy to support us… I have never seen anything like this.”
The family is still living on the road seven months later and are still coming across countless problems including mould and damp due to the rainy winter causing the total cost for repairs to be estimated at £70,000. They have currently raised £8,781 through their GoFundMe to hopefully make their home watertight and structurally sound.
For more information and to contribute to Naomi Nygaard’s GoFundMe, visit Fundraiser by Naomi Engelkamp Nygaard : Sheffield family displaced after builder leaves home unsafe