Plumbing Connection, Inc. v. Kostelnik

430 N.E.2d 1340, 69 Ohio Misc. 11, 23 Ohio Op. 3d 77, 1980 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 68
CourtLake County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJune 2, 1980
DocketNo. 79 CIV 0315
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 430 N.E.2d 1340 (Plumbing Connection, Inc. v. Kostelnik) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Lake County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Plumbing Connection, Inc. v. Kostelnik, 430 N.E.2d 1340, 69 Ohio Misc. 11, 23 Ohio Op. 3d 77, 1980 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 68 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1980).

Opinion

Mitrovich, J.

This is a foreclosure action on a mechanic’s lien by several subtrades and materialmen arising out of a contract to build a house for the defendants Kostelnik. The defendants Kostelnik contracted with the American

[12]*12Custom Homes, Inc. to búild a house for a contract price of $64,800. The Kostelniks obtained a loan from the defendant Broadview Savings & Loan to finance construction.

As the defendant American Custom Homes, Inc. progressed in the work, the defendant Broadview Savings & Loan disbursed funds from the loan without obtaining affidavits of subtrades and materialmen from the contractor.

Broadview Savings & Loan paid out a total of $37,700 in three payments. On May 15, 1978, the facts indicate Broad-view determined the structure to be 15 percent complete, but disbursed $17,200 or 26.4 percent of the contract price. On August 15,1978, Broadview estimated the work to be 45 percent complete and disbursed another $17,000 representing a total payment of 52.4 percent. Then, on September 21, 1978, Broadview paid an additional $3,500 for a total payment of 58.2 percent of the contract price for 45 percent of the work completed.

Prior to disbursement, defendant Broadview, failed to obtain from the contractor, the subcontractor and materialmen affidavits as required by R. C. 1311.011 (B) (4). The several subcontractors and materialmen filed affidavits and served notice on defendant Broadview. Broadview disregarded the liens and notices and made the last payment.

American Custom Homes, Inc. shortly thereafter ceased doing business without completing the contract, without payment of the liens, and after receiving more funds than it was entitled under the contract or the policies of the bank.

The defendants Kostelnik thereafter acted as the general contractor and by doing some of the work themselves, completed the structure for $64,800. This left several subtrades with liens for unpaid balances of:

Desplinter & Co. $ 2,500.00

Del Lumber 16,477.85

R. W. Sidley, Inc. 336.54

Stowe Construction 6,422.16

Mentor Lumber 136.12

TOTAL $25,872.672

The issues to be considered are:

[13]*131. Whether the liens of the subtrades and materialmen are valid and in compliance with the law.

2. Whether the defendants Kostelnik, as owners of the real property, are liable under the several liens for labor and material not paid for under the original contract; or, whether the liens cannot be enforced against the defendants Kostelnik by operation of R. C. 1311.011.

3. Whether the actions of the defendant Broadview Savings & Loan in payment of funds to the contractor were in violation of R. C. 1311.011, creating liability for the unpaid liens.

4. Whether Broadview’s actions in payment of funds to the contractor were not negligent or were negligent, grossly negligent or fraudulent.

The basis of the Ohio Mechanic’s Lien laws is to make the real property responsible in the first instance for any claims for material or labor which, when added to the property, increases its value. When the technicalities of time, notice and service are performed properly, the lien is valid, only subject to proper defenses related to amount etc. This is so basic to the lien laws that it is unnecessary to support the view with citations of authority.

I.

Subtrades and materialmen liens must be perfected by compliance with R. C. 1311.02,1311.06,1311.07, and in some cases, R. C. 1311.04. The “subs” in the instant case have properly perfected their liens by filing affidavits pursuant to R. C. 1311.06 within the required time. In addition, R. C. 1311.07 has been complied with by service of copies of the affidavits upon the defendants Kostelnik.

The defendant Broadview argues the liens are invalid because there has not been compliance with R. C. 1311.04. UNECO, Inc. v. Metropolitan Corp. (1973), 34 Ohio Misc. 58, disposes of the issue by stating R. C. 1311.04 is not applicable if R. C. 1311.06 and 1311.07 have been satisfied.

Accordingly, the court finds the liens of the subtrades and materialmen to be in proper form and valid.

II.

There is no dispute as to the liability of American Custom Homes, Inc. and, therefore, judgment in the contract price in [14]*14favor of the subtrades and materialmen ought to be granted.

III

The defendants Kostelnik make two arguments. First, under the statute, they argue the owners should never have to pay more than their contract price in completing their home and satisfying the “subs” liens. Second, R. C. 1311.011 (B) (1) protects the owners from liens once payment to the contractor in full is made for the work completed.

R. C. 1311.011 (B) (1) provides, in part:

“No subcontractor, materialman, or laborer has a lien to secure payment for work done, or for labor, materials, machinery, or fuel furnished by him, in connection with a home construction contract between the original contractor and the owner, part owner, or lessee or in connection with a dwelling or residential unit of condominium property, that is the subject of a home purchase contract, if the owner, part owner or lessee 'paid the original contractor in full or if the purchaser has paid in full for the amount of the home construction or home purchase contract price, and the payment was made prior to the owner’s, part owner’s, or lessee’s receipt of a copy of an affidavit of mechanic’s lien pursuant to section 1311.07 of the Revised Code.” (Emphasis added.)

The Kostelniks argue that “paid in full” means “paid in full for the amount done by the contractor,” not “paid the full contract price.”

R. C. 1311.011 (B) (1) provides that no subcontractor has a lien if the original contractor has been “paid in full.” R. C. 1311.011 (B) (2) provides the relief afforded the lien holder if the original contractor has not been paid in full; in that event:

“ * * * The total amount of all liens for work done or for labor, materials, machinery, or fuel furnished in connection with a home construction contract that may be enforced in lien foreclosure proceedings shall not exceed the amount due under the home construction contract that has not been paid to the original contractor or the amount due under the home purchase contract that has not been paid to the original contractor.”

The amount due under the home construction contract in this case is $64,800. Only $37,700 has been disbursed to the original contractor. Therefore, $27,100 is subject to the liens.

Also, R. C. 1311.011 should be read in light of the rest of the mechanic’s lien statute. R. C. 1311.05 provides that an [15]*15owner who makes payment in the manner provided by R. C. 1311.04 and .05 is not liable to subcontractors:

“ * * * for any greater amount than he contracted to pay the original contractor and he may set off any damages which he sustains by reason of any failure or omission in the performance of such contract, but the risk

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
430 N.E.2d 1340, 69 Ohio Misc. 11, 23 Ohio Op. 3d 77, 1980 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 68, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/plumbing-connection-inc-v-kostelnik-ohctcompllake-1980.