In a heartwarming act of community spirit, a team of volunteer builders in the UK has come together to build a much-needed home extension for 58-year-old Paul Kitterman, a disabled father who had been sleeping in his dining room for over three years.
Paul, who lost the ability to walk after suffering a serious spinal infection in 2021, had no accessible bedroom or bathroom on the ground floor of his family’s three-bedroom home in Addlestone, Surrey. With no other option, he had been forced to live and sleep in the dining room, which he shared with his wife Sasha, their son, and his mother-in-law.
That changed in March 2025, when the charity Band of Builders organized a group of more than 25 volunteer tradespeople to build a ground-floor extension for Paul, providing him with his own accessible bedroom and bathroom.
Dubbed a real-life “DIY SOS” by UK news outlet SWNS—after the beloved British TV show known for similar home renovations—the project was a labor of love for all involved.
“The first night was the best sleep and the best shower ever,” Paul said. “I can’t thank everyone enough—the volunteers from Band of Builders for giving their time and expertise, and all the builders’ merchants who donated materials. It’s overwhelming to realize that people would do this for me.”
Paul’s health issues began in October 2021 when he developed excruciating back pain, followed by a high fever and repeated collapses. He was rushed to St. George’s Hospital, where doctors discovered a spinal abscess. Emergency surgery to remove it led to sepsis and pneumonia, leaving him unable to walk.
Thanks to the generosity of strangers, Paul can now live with comfort and dignity in his own home—a testament to the power of community and compassion.
