Sixty-Seven Properties v. Cutsinger Electrical Contractors, Inc.

536 S.W.2d 268, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2715
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 22, 1976
DocketNo. 1047
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 536 S.W.2d 268 (Sixty-Seven Properties v. Cutsinger Electrical 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
Sixty-Seven Properties v. Cutsinger Electrical Contractors, Inc., 536 S.W.2d 268, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2715 (Tex. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

OPINION

NYE, Chief Justice.

This is an action based on breach of contract, quantum meruit and the lien statutes for recovery by a subcontractor against a property owner and general contractor for labor and materials furnished and work performed. Trial was before the court without the aid of a jury. After hearing evidence, the trial court entered judgment in the subcontractor’s favor against the owners and general contractor for the sum of $23,332.17, plus attorney’s fees of $6,000.00 and foreclosure of its lien on certain properties. Only the owner perfected its appeal to this Court.

The facts of this case are relatively undisputed and are as follows: On October 7, 1968, the defendant Green Tree Constructors, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Green Tree) as general contractor, entered into a written contract with the defendant Sixty-Seven Properties (hereinafter referred to as Properties) as owner, for the construction of an apartment project to be located in Harris County, Texas. The written contract between Green Tree and Properties called for the payment of the sum of $590,-929.00. There was no completion date set out in the original contract, but only that the work shall be commenced with the execution of the contract and completed without interruption.

On or about February 7, 1969, the plaintiff, Cutsinger Electrical Contractors, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Cutsinger), entered into a subcontract with the defendant general contractor Green Tree. Cutsinger was to furnish all labor and materials and perform all electrical work per plans and specifications on the project which would include the installation of all light fixtures, exhaust fans, the electric range and oven combinations, range hoods, and hook up all [270]*270dishwashers and disposals. No completion date was set out in the subcontract. For such labor, material, and extras, the defendant general contractor Green Tree agreed to pay the sum of $43,877.25. Cutsinger began work on the project December 30, 1968.

By letter dated April 15,1969, Green Tree notified Cutsinger that it was distressed by the alleged lack of progress Cutsinger had been able to accomplish and that Cutsinger was holding up the progress of other trades. Thereafter, by telegram on June 20, 1969, Green Tree again advised Cutsinger that unless its work was brought up to schedule that it would terminate the contract in accordance with its alleged terms. At this time, Green Tree had paid to plaintiff the sum of $14,535.00 under the subcontract leaving a balance due under the subcontract of $25,878.94. On July 14,1969, Green Tree terminated the subcontract between it and Cutsinger. Green Tree then employed another subcontractor to complete the work.

On September 23, 1969, Cutsinger notified the owner (Properties) by letter of its claim against Green Tree for the unpaid balance due of $25,878.94 for furnished materials and labor to Green Tree up to and including July 11, 1969. In the letter Cut-singer notified Properties that if the bill remained unpaid, they may be personally liable and their property subject to a lien unless such amount is withheld from the original contractor for payment of this statement or unless the bill is otherwise settled. Cutsinger also enclosed two copies of a subcontractor’s lien affidavit filed with the County Clerk of Harris County to secure the payment of the debt for $25,878.94. On September 24, 1969, Cutsinger filed for record its subcontractor’s lien affidavit asserting its claim against Green Tree and Properties for the unpaid labor and materials furnished by Cutsinger. Properties refused to pay Cutsinger anything.

Cutsinger then brought suit against Green Tree (general contractor) and Properties (owners) alleging that Green Tree had wrongfully and without justification terminated the subcontract and refused to permit Cutsinger from proceeding further and that because of said termination, plaintiff Cutsinger was damaged in the sum of $25,878.94. Cutsinger alleged that because of its filing of its lien, the owner Properties became jointly and severally liable, along with Green Tree for the damages sued for.

The defendants answered alleging that plaintiff had failed to perform the electrical wiring promptly and efficiently and at a speed that would not cause delay in the progress of the project and that because of such failure it became necessary for defendant, Green Tree, to employ another electrical contractor to rework and repair that portion of the work already done by plaintiff at a cost of $27,541.20 plus additional expenses of $15,080.00. Defendants filed a cross action against Cutsinger alleging that he had failed to perform the electrical work in accordance with the plans and specifications promptly and efficiently and it, therefore, became necessary to employ another subcontractor at a cost of $27,541.00 and with additional expenses of $15,080.00 incurred as a result of plaintiff’s failure to promptly complete the job.

The trial was before the court without the aid of a jury. The trial court after hearing evidence entered judgment that: 1) plaintiff Cutsinger recover from defendants Green Tree Constructors, Inc. and Sixty-Seven Properties the sum of $23,332.17 with interest at the rate of 6% per annum from August 10,1967; 2) that plaintiff Cutsinger recover from defendant Green Tree Constructors, Inc. reasonable attorney’s fees in the amount of $6,000.00; 3) that plaintiff Cutsinger has a valid lien upon the tract of land upon which the project was located and was entitled to judgment foreclosing its lien against the project; and finally 4) that cross plaintiffs Green Tree and Sixty-Seven Properties take nothing in its suit against Cutsinger. From such judgment, defendant Properties has appealed to this Court. Appellant makes no complaint of the trial court’s finding of wrongful termination or of its findings of fact.

The trial court found that: 1) Green Tree subcontracted the electrical work on the [271]*271project to Cutsinger; 2) the written subcontract between Cutsinger and Green Tree called for the payment to Cutsinger of the sum of $38,000.00; 3) Cutsinger’s work on the project was terminated by Green Tree on July 14,1969; 4) labor and materials for which Cutsinger has not been paid were furnished by Cutsinger to Green Tree and Properties; 5) the reasonable value of the labor and materials for which Cutsinger has not been paid was in Houston, Harris County, Texas, in 1969, $23,332.17; 6) Green Tree and Properties received and accepted the benefit of the labor and materials for which Cutsinger has not been paid; 7) by means of a letter dated September 23,1969, and sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, Cutsinger notified Mr. R. Fred Beeler, President of Green Tree and a partner in Properties, of its claim against Green Tree and Properties for the unpaid labor and materials; 8) on September 24, 1969, Cutsinger filed for record in the office of the County Clerk of Harris County, Texas, its subcontractor’s lien affidavit asserting its claim against Green Tree and Properties for unpaid labor and materials furnished by Cutsinger; 9) Properties paid Green Tree sums in excess of $216,983.00 after it received Cutsinger’s notice of its claim against Green Tree and Properties.

The appellant Properties brings forward only two points of error on appeal. It first asserts that the trial court erred in holding that Cutsinger was entitled to recover in quantum meruit from Properties and second that Cutsinger had a valid lien and was entitled to judgment foreclosing that lien because plaintiff’s recovery was based on quantum meruit.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
536 S.W.2d 268, 1976 Tex. App. LEXIS 2715, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sixty-seven-properties-v-cutsinger-electrical-contractors-inc-texapp-1976.