Bob Neiner Farms, Inc. v. Hendrix

490 N.E.2d 257, 141 Ill. App. 3d 499, 1 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 634, 95 Ill. Dec. 784, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 1935
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 6, 1986
Docket3-85-0116
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 490 N.E.2d 257 (Bob Neiner Farms, Inc. v. Hendrix) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bob Neiner Farms, Inc. v. Hendrix, 490 N.E.2d 257, 141 Ill. App. 3d 499, 1 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 634, 95 Ill. Dec. 784, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 1935 (Ill. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

JUSTICE BARRY

delivered the opinion of the court:

The plaintiff, Bob Neiner Farms, Inc., appeals from the dismissal with prejudice of his contract action against the defendant, Hendrix Town & Country, Inc. The plaintiff argues that the court improperly applied the statute of limitations provided for a sale of goods under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). Alternatively, the plaintiff argues that the court improperly dismissed without requiring evidence of the intent of the parties.

The parties executed a contract in which the plaintiff was referred to as “Buyer” and the defendant was referred to as “Builder.” In the contract, the plaintiff (hereafter buyer), agreed “to purchase above detailed building” for a specified price. The contract also reflects a price allowance for a loader and dryer. The defendant (hereafter builder), agreed “to furnish and erect a Bonanza Uni-Frame Building” as specified. The contract covered the cost of all relevant materials, labor, and supervision, as well as applicable sales tax. Its object was a farm machinery shed with dimensions of 84 feet by 160 feet. The contract specifically did not cover any electrical wiring, plumbing, heating, glazing, concrete work, earth grading, or earth filling.

Under the contract, the buyer agreed to prepare for the erection of the building by obtaining necessary building permits, clearing and leveling the site prior to erection, and moving or disconnecting electrical lines hazardous for the erection. Also under the contract, the parties incorporated specifications for the structure’s components and construction; and the builder made some written guarantee of workmanship.

In its complaint, the buyer alleged the builder’s breach as evidenced by specific defects in the materials and construction quality of the building erected per the contract. The builder moved to dismiss, alleging that the action was barred by the statute of limitations for contracts of sale under the UCC. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 26, par. 2— 725(1).) Following a hearing, the court granted the motion and dismissed the complaint with prejudice. Following denial of his motion for reconsideration, the buyer brought the instant appeal.

On appeal, the buyer argues that the court erroneously dismissed the complaint under section 2 — 725(1) of the UCC. Section 2 — 725(1) of the UCC provides a four-year period for bringing actions on contracts for sales of goods. According to the buyer, as the contract was predominately for services, not goods, the court should have applied the limitation of section 13 — 206 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 110, par. 13 — 206.) Section 13 — 206 provides a 10-year period for bringing contract actions other than for sales of goods covered by the UCC. The buyer argues alternatively that the court erred in granting the motion based solely upon contractual language and pursuant to the statute of limitations, as the contract is ambiguous as to its intent and as the court required no evidence of the intent of the parties.

The builder argues that the contract was predominately for a sale of goods. Consequently, according to the builder, the court correctly applied the UCC’s four-year statute of limitations on sales actions. The builder further argues that the buyer has waived any objection to the court’s dismissal based solely on the contract or, alternatively, that the court properly based its decision solely on the written contract.

Where a contract mixes the sale of goods with the rendition of services, the contract is covered by the UCC’s provisions for sales of goods only if it is predominately for goods with service being incidental (e.g., a contract for installation of a water heater by its supplier) and not predominantly for service, with goods being incidental (e.g., a contract with an artist for a painting). Meeker v. Hamilton Grain Elevator Co. (1982), 110 Ill. App. 3d 668, 442 N.E.2d 921.

The parties have presented and we have considered a number of cases in which the courts have applied Illinois law to determine whether a contract was predominately for service or for goods. Contracts which the courts have held predominately for service include ones for manufacture and installation of a building marquee (Continental Illinois National Bank v. National Casket Co. (1960), 27 Ill. App. 2d 447, 169 N.E.2d 853); for employment of a golf professional and purchase of 20 golf carts (Executive Centers of America, Inc. v. Bannon (1978), 62 Ill. App. 3d 738, 379 N.E.2d 364); for production of a set of dentures (Carroll v. Grabavoy (1979), 77 Ill. App. 3d 895, 396 N.E.2d 836); for a variety of construction work, furnishing a conveyor system, and tested installation of the conveyor at a postal processing facility (Boddie v. Litton Unit Handling Systems (1983), 118 v App. 3d 520, 455 N.E.2d 142); for design and construction of an anhydrous ammonia plant, including procurement and erection of all equipment (Nitrin, Inc. v. Bethlehem Steel Corp. (1976), 35 Ill. App. 3d 577, 342 N.E.2d 65); and for furnishing and installation of exterior electrical equipment (J & R Electric Division of J.O. Mory Stores, Inc. v. Skoog Construction Co. (1976), 38 Ill. App. 3d 747, 348 N.E.2d 474).

Contracts which courts have held to be predominately for goods include ones for supply and construction of two grain storage bins (Meeker v. Hamilton Grain Elevator Co. (1982), 110 Ill. App. 3d 668, 442 N.E.2d 921); for printing of magazines (Gross Valentino Printing Co. v. Clarke (1983), 120 Ill. App. 3d 907, 458 N.E.2d 1027); for construction of a million-gallon water tower and tank (Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Co. v. Brookhaven Manor Water Co. (7th Cir. 1976), 532 F.2d 572); for a grant by a silk-screen graphics manufacturer of an exclusive dealership in its products for the electronic games industry (WICO Corp. v. Willis Industries (N.D. Ill. 1983), 567 F. Supp. 352); and for sale of vinyl pellets and technical assistance to a producer of vinyl siding (Yorke v. B.F. Goodrich Co. (1985), 130 Ill. App. 3d 220, 474 N.E.2d 20).

The contract analysis in each of the above cases is enlightening for our examination of the instant contract. Meeker v. Hamilton Grain Elevator Co. (1982), 110 Ill. App. 3d 668, 442 N.E.2d 921

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cesare v. Perma-Seal Basement Systems, Inc.
2026 IL App (3d) 250084-U (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2026)
BRUEL AND KJAER v. Village of Bensenville
969 N.E.2d 445 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2012)
Heuerman v. B & M Construction, Inc.
833 N.E.2d 382 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2005)
Brandt v. Boston Scientific Corp.
Illinois Supreme Court, 2003
Zielinski v. Miller
660 N.E.2d 1289 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1996)
Tivoli Enterprises, Inc. v. Brunswick Bowling & Billiards Corp.
646 N.E.2d 943 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1995)
Garcia v. Edgewater Hospital
613 N.E.2d 1243 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1993)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
490 N.E.2d 257, 141 Ill. App. 3d 499, 1 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 634, 95 Ill. Dec. 784, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 1935, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bob-neiner-farms-inc-v-hendrix-illappct-1986.