Knox-Evans Construction Co. v. Haws & Garrett General Contractors, Inc.

503 S.W.2d 669, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2839
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 19, 1973
DocketNo. 16144
StatusPublished

This text of 503 S.W.2d 669 (Knox-Evans Construction Co. v. Haws & Garrett General Contractors, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Knox-Evans Construction Co. v. Haws & Garrett General Contractors, Inc., 503 S.W.2d 669, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2839 (Tex. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

PEDEN, Justice.

Venue matter. Plaintiff appeals from the granting of defendant’s plea of privilege to be sued in Tarrant County. Plaintiff relied on Subdivision 23 of the venue statute.

Appellant’s only point of error is that the trial court erred in sustaining the plea of privilege of the corporate appellee because the appellant proved by a preponderance of the evidence a cause of action in quantum meruit and for breach of a contract which was to be performed in the county where suit was brought and part of the cause of action arose in that county.

In its petition plaintiff Knox-Evans alleged that on May 16, 1972 it had entered into a contract to do certain concrete work, furnishing certain materials and labor to defendant Haws & Garrett, the general contractors on a warehouse construction job in Harris County, for which Knox-Evans was to be paid the sum of $50,250. That plaintiff proceeded to perform under the contract as well as possible in view of defendant’s actions, but defendant abrogated the contract by 1) making it impossible for plaintiff to begin work until on or about June 8, 1972 by refusing to make the job site ready to receive materials before then and 2) continually requiring plaintiff, over its protest, to use methods of construction which deviated markedly from accepted standards of good workmanship, in order that defendant could complain that plaintiff’s work was of inferior workmanship and was unacceptable and could refuse to pay the agreed price, which course defendant has taken.

That between June 8, 1972 until August 15, 1972 plaintiff had furnished “the following materials as inputs” to the concrete warehouse building, and they had the following reasonable values:

Form material given away by defendant 1,500.00
All piers and about 75% of the foundation slab, plus all walls needed to construct the building 53,784,60
Total $58,082.60

That defendant accepted the benefit of all these inputs to the job, used them to complete it, but has only paid the plaintiff $24,840. and refuses to pay the balance due, to plaintiff’s damage of $33,242.60.

Under Subdivision 23 of the venue statute, Art. 1995, Vernon’s Ann.Texas Civil Statutes, a plaintiff must show all elements of cause of action against the corporate defendant whose plea of privilege is being contested, and being the same cause of action alleged and relied upon in the petition and the controverting affidavit. Where one element of the claim is legal injury, plaintiff must establish some injury. 1 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice 518, 519, Venue § 430.2.

The only witness who testified at the venue hearing was Mr. Paul Knox, president of Knox-Evans.

Plaintiff introduced in evidence a copy of the contract. Its provisions included those we have noticed. It also stated that completion date was August 31, 1972 and that partial payments shall be made monthly on 90% of the value of the work incorporated into the project, leaving a balance of 10% of the value of the completed work at all times unpaid, which balance shall become due and payable only upon acceptance of the project by Haws & Garrett and the owner or architect.

Further, the contract states “The Subcontractor shall at his own cost amend and make good any defects in his work which may appear either within twelve months after the completion of this contract, or such other longer warranty as may be [671]*671specified. Should the Sub-contractor refuse or fail to amend and make good such defects within fourteen days after receiving notice to do so, Haws and Garrett, General Contractors, Inc., shall have the right and privilege to make good such defective work at the expense of the Subcontractor.”

Mr. Knox testified that his company was ready to begin work under the contract on May 20, 1972, but that it could not because the job site was not prepared. Had Knox-Evans been allowed to start on May 20, about 95% of the job could have been completed by the completion date specified in the contract, August 31, 1972.

As to his qualifications, Knox said he has (as of January 22, 1973) been in the contraction business for 22 months and is familiar with prices of masonry and concrete construction work in Harris County. (This means that he had been in that business for one year when the contract was signed.) He has a master’s degree in mathematics from Sam Houston State University, was a college professor in mathematics for five years, was a registered surveyor for three years and is now a contractor, developer and builder. He associated with others in his company and with sub-contractors who had more experience in building. He knows the proper method of pouring concrete and knows what will and will not weaken concrete structures.

He observed at least two departures from a good and workmanlike manner of building the warehouse in question. First, a minor departure, was that Haws & Garrett’s job superintendent instructed Knox-Evans’ men to go ahead and complete the day’s work by pouring the last two sections of the concrete slab during a very heavy rainfall. This causes a problem in getting a satisfactory finish.

The major departure from accepted practice was the method used in capping the pier holes around the building that were to support the concrete walls. The architectural plans show the piers should be poured in one continuous pour, not in two pours. Despite Knox-Evans’ protest, the Haws & Garrett’s superintendents instructed them to make a preliminary pour of about seven feet, then a second pour, a few days later, of a two-foot cap. More reinforcing steel should have been used to keep the cap from moving, because the piers support a mass of concrete that is 17 ft. X 26 ft. X 6 in.

Knox-Evans’ last day on the job was about August 15. So far as he knows, Knox-Evans’ work has been used by Haws & Garrett and none of it has been disposed of. Knox-Evans left about $1500 worth of form material on the job so it could be finished. The job superintendent said he gave it away as scrap.

Mr. Knox testified that in his opinion the reasonable market value of the inputs and materials furnished to the defendant in Harris County at the time furnished was $58,082.60, of which $24,840. has been paid. This suit is for the remainder.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
503 S.W.2d 669, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2839, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/knox-evans-construction-co-v-haws-garrett-general-contractors-inc-texapp-1973.