Kozikowski v. Toll Bros., Inc.

246 F. Supp. 2d 93, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2765, 2003 WL 555914
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedFebruary 25, 2003
DocketCIV.A.01-2296-WGY
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 246 F. Supp. 2d 93 (Kozikowski v. Toll Bros., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kozikowski v. Toll Bros., Inc., 246 F. Supp. 2d 93, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2765, 2003 WL 555914 (D. Mass. 2003).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

YOUNG, Chief Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The plaintiffs, Stanley Kozikowski and Eunice Kozikowski (the “Kozikowskis”), filed the instant action against the defendant, Toll Brothers, from whom they purchased a home in December 1989. Their complaint includes four claims: (1) a Chapter 93A claim for alleged breach of express warranty; (2) a Chapter 9SA claim of deceit; (3) a common law claim for breach of express warranty; and (4) a common law claim for deceit. Toll Brothers has moved to dismiss this action on the grounds that all of the Kozikowskis’ claims are barred by the applicable statutes of limitations. In their Opposition to Toll Brothers’ motion, the Kozikowskis argued- — with reference to new affidavits and documents attached to their Opposition— that the doctrine of equitable estoppel prevents Toll Brothers from invoking the relevant statutes of limitations in this case. Plaintiffs’ Objection to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (“Opp’n”) [Docket No. 13] at 6-10.

On September 12, 2002, the Court held a hearing on Toll Brothers’ motion to dismiss. Because the parties had left the equitable estoppel issue largely unaddressed in their pleadings, and because the Kozikowskis had attached documents relevant to this issue in their Opposition, the Court converted the Toll Brothers’ motion to dismiss into a motion for summary judgment. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b) (“If ... matters outside the pleading are presented to and not excluded by the court, the motion shall be treated as one for summary judgment and disposed of as provided in Rule 56, and all parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to present all material made pertinent to such a motion by Rule 56.”). Hearing Tr. at 2. Both parties agreed that such a conversion was appropriate, id., but the Kozikowskis requested the opportunity to conduct additional discovery to develop their equitable estoppel argument. Id. at 4-8. Accordingly, the Court provided the Kozikowskis with the opportunity to conduct three depositions within the next 60 days concerning the equitable estoppel issue. Id. at 8. The Court further instructed the Kozikowskis that, on the basis of these depositions, they could “supplement solely on the issue of equitable estoppel.” Id.

After receiving several extensions, the Kozikowskis have now provided the Court with a Supplemental Brief in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (“Supplemental Opp’n”), as well as various exhibits and the deposition of Matthias J. Mulvey, who was the building inspector in the Town of Franklin during 1998.

II. FACTS 1

On June 21, 1989, the Kozikowskis entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement *95 with Franklin Chase, LLP, a limited partnership and subsidiary of Toll Brothers, for the purchase of a single family luxury home to be constructed in Franklin, Massachusetts for $285,900.00. Am. Compl. [Docket No. 2] ¶ 5. The Purchase and Sale Agreement provided the Kozikowskis with an insured limited 10-year warranty; shortly thereafter, the Kozikowskis also purchased from Toll Brothers a home owners warranty for major structural defect coverage. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 6, 8.

Toll Brothers applied for a budding permit from the Town of Franklin (the “Town”), and constructed the home. Am; Compl. ¶ 7. On December 19, 1989, the closing took place, with a final purchase price of $335,685.00. 2 Am. Compl. ¶ 5. On that same date, the Kozikowskis and Toll Brothers signed a separate agreement in response to the Kozikowskis’ complaints about certain construction deficiencies and deviations from the agreed-upon model. Agreement of December 19,1989 (attached to Am. Compl. as Ex. A). In this agreement, Toll Brothers agreed to construct and install, at no further cost, certain extra items in the home, including window grills, a cooktop, a complete central vacuum system, two electronic air filters, and inside trim around the two garage windows. Id. at ¶ 1. The Kozikowskis, meanwhile, agreed that “any and all construction deficiencies, including but not limited to those deficiencies which have been brought to the Seller’s attention, are forgiven and that any corrective action to be taken will be the Buyer’s responsibility,” id. at ¶ 3, and released “the Seller from any and all obligations to cause further corrective action to be taken therein,” id. at ¶ 4. The December 19th Release explicitly stated, however, that Toll Brothers’ obligations under the Warranty agreement would remain. Id. at^ 5.

Over the next several years, the Kozi-kowskis’ complaints about the home continued. One specific problem area involved the home’s fireplaces and chimneys; the home’s three fireplaces were all failing to draw properly. Letter from Harrington to Araten, July 25, 2001 (attached to Compl. as Ex. C), ¶4. As a result, on September 17th, 1992, the Kozikowskis and Toll Brothers signed another agreement. Letter from Araten to Harrington, May 18, 2001 (attached to Compl. as Ex. B), ¶ 4. Under this agreement’s provisions, Toll Brothers paid the Kozikowskis $4,479.74 (with the intention that the Kozi-kowskis would use the money to repair the chimney and fireplace problems), and the Kozikowskis released Toll Brothers from all claims relating to the home’s fireplaces and chimneys. Id.; see also Agreement of September 17th, 1992 (attached to Compl. as Ex. B).

The Kozikowskis’ dissatisfaction with their new home continued. In November 1992, they wrote a letter to Wolfgang Bauer (“Administrator Bauer”), the Town Administrator of Franklin, stating that since purchasing their home, they had “tolerate[d] numerous building deficiencies, errors, and outright mistreatments — while patiently, like fools, [they had] tried to work with the builder toward solutions.” Letter from Kozikowski to Bauer, November 19, 1992 (attached to Opp’n at Tab B). Their letter outlined numerous problems with their home, including leaks, id. at ¶ 2, a malfunctioning furnace, id. at ¶ 3, smells of gas, id. at ¶ 6, problems with their hot *96 water heater, id., and the like. They went on to state that they wanted to file a complaint with the town against Toll Brothers, and to suggest that charges of criminal misconduct should be filed against Toll Brothers. Id. at ¶ 18.

In response to the Kozikowskis’ complaints, Allan Fraser (“Commissioner Fraser”), then-Building Commissioner of the Town of Franklin, inspected the property. Letter from Fraser to Toll Bros., February 11, 1993 (Attached to Opp’n at Tab A). In his inspection, Commissioner Fraser identified thirteen building code violations, including problems with the home’s exhaust and inhalation systems. Id. In a written letter, Commissioner Fraser ordered Toll Brothers to submit a written proposal for specific corrective action as well as a specific time schedule for accomplishing the work. Id.

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Related

Kozikowski v. Toll Bros., Inc.
354 F.3d 16 (First Circuit, 2003)

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Bluebook (online)
246 F. Supp. 2d 93, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2765, 2003 WL 555914, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kozikowski-v-toll-bros-inc-mad-2003.