Southwest General Const. Co. v. Price

267 S.W.2d 855, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2516
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 23, 1954
Docket14772
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 267 S.W.2d 855 (Southwest General Const. Co. v. Price) 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
Southwest General Const. Co. v. Price, 267 S.W.2d 855, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2516 (Tex. Ct. App. 1954).

Opinions

CRAMER, Justice.

This action was, filed by Fred O. Price, d/b/a Price Electric Company, against L. N. Childress and the Southwest General Construction Company, a corporation.

The history of the case is somewhat unique, in that L. N. Childress, owner, entered into a contract with Fred O. Price, d/b/a Price Electric Company, hereafter referred to as Price, and also separately with Southwest General Construction Company, hereafter referred to as Southwest, using as forms in each instance the American Institute of Architects’ “Standard Form of Subcontract” in which it was stated,-in the price contract, that the agreement is between Fred O. Price, subcontractor, L. N. Childress, contractor, L. N. Childress, owner, Raymond F. Smith, archi[856]*856tect; and attached to such, sub contract form there was another form titled “General Conditions' of the Contract.” Such form was originally intended to be attached as a part of an original contract between the owner and the general contractor and referred to and made a part of all subcontracts by the general contractor.

On the job Childress assumed the position of both owner and general contractor, and treated Price as subcontractor on all electrical' work, and the Southwest as "subcontractor on all grading, ramps, peaks and crowns of such ramps, etc., all according to plans, specifications and blueprints attached to each of the two subcontracts as a part thereof.

In the trial court Price alleged his contract and that he had substantially performed the same; that Childress, as owner, and as contractor, was in charge of the entire work on the ground, and Southwest in carrying put its subcontract owed him the duty to protect, coordinate, ’and supervise the entire work and particularly to protect and not injure, cut back, or destroy, or otherwise damage the work he, Price did under his contract; but that notwithstanding such duty, Childress and Southwest breached said duties and jointly and severally failed to exercise ordinary care in that they failed to coordinate and provide adequate supervision of the work, but did direct and operate “a grading machine against, into, and did cut back, damage and destroy 4,500 feet of teleseal wire; 1,200 feet of No. 10RR burial wire, being the work, material, labor and the installation thereof which had been furnished and performed by * * • * “Price, and that such acts ;of negligence separately and concurring together proximately caused the loss and damage to Price in the sum of $742.48. Further alleged that Childress and the Southwest failed to locate and grade the peaks and crowns of the ramps at the point and distance specified in the plans, specifications and blueprints, but did direct their placement out of place and distance from the point specified in the plans, etc., and thereby did “injure, break, cut and cover, damage'and destroy certain described work and material to his damage of $2,342.56, for all of which they were liable to him in the, total sum of $4,000. That after the above alleged matters, and while the contract with reference thereto was being considered, they reached an accord and orally agreed on a settlement thereof under which new settlement Southwest admitted liability to Price for his damage and. Southwest and Childress agreed orally to pay him, Price, “the reasonable cost of $3,085.04 for doing the work, labor and material, then and there , agreed to and requested by * * * Southwest and Childress of Price, and agreed to pay Price $3,085 therefor. He further alleged he did complete the work covered by the oral contract, but that Chil-dress and Southwest refused to pay therefor to his damage in the sum of $5,500, .interest, costs, and in addition thereto a reasonable attorney’s .fee of $2,000.

Southwest denied generally the claim of Price and affirmatively alleged the architect employed by Childress did, at the request of both Southwest and Childress, lay out thedocation of all ramps, crests, driveways, projection booth, concession stands, drainage areas, etc., on the ground. That his work was done in accordance therewith, and that the work was completed and the architect approved the same; that Chil-dress knew such facts, and as the work progressed, approved his architect’s directions; • that one Evans, foreman and representative of Childress, was also on the job and knew 'or should have known the measurements, etc.; that Childress is now estopped to complain that the work was not properly laid out. Southwest further pled that thereafter weather conditions caused the earthwork to settle and shift and it was necessary to regrade and realign the ramps, slopes, grades, etc., and that Childress’ representative was on the job and knew or should have known the location thereof, but he did not object, but permitted Southwest to proceed with such work and therefore Childress is estopped to complain thereof; that because of weather Conditions he informed Price it was necessary to regrade, and requested Price to remove certain of [857]*857Tiis electric lines, etc., buried in the ramps so that he could fix a. final grade before topping. Southwest further alleged that Price failed to lay the electric lines in a uniform line but laid them irregularly, “not buried deep enough either in accordance with the plans and specifications, or if there were no plans and specifications as to this, not a reasonable depth as is the custom in such type of electrical work.” Further that Price did pull up and lay back some lines on a number of ramps and that Southwest having advised Price as to the mature of its work, its requirements, etc., thereafter believed all lines had been laid "back or were to such depth as to permit its regrading, etc. However such lines were mot in fact laid back or to such depth as to permit such work and were therefore cut hecause of the acts of Price or Childress or his architect. That such acts constituted •contributory negligence proximately causing Price’s injury. Southwest prayed that Price take nothing, etc.

In answer to Childress’ claim, Southwest •adopted his allegations in his answer to Price and in.reply alleged that Childress’ •actions, indirectly and through his agents and architects, estopped him to deny Southwest had not performed all its contractual •obligations.

After the evidence was concluded, the jury in answer to special issues found in .substance (1) that Southwest cut the home run wires laid by Price; (2) which was negligence; (3) proximately causing Price’s •damage; (4) in the sum of $742.48; (5) ■.that prior to the installation of the gravel, Price installed his wires 4½ feet back of the crests of the dirt ramps then existing; *(6) that the locations of the crests of the ramps were changed after Price had installed the electrical wiring in question; (7) which made it necessary for Price to make additional expenditures to relocate the speaker post wires; (10) that the reasonable cost to Price as the result of the •changed location of the crests was $2,342.-.56; '(H) that Southwest, through one Wales, agreed to pay Price the reasonable ■cost of relocating wires due to the moving of the location of the crests of the ramps; (12) that Wales had implied authority to so agree; (13) and apparent authority to do so; (14) that Price did not fail to lay the electric lines in a uniform curve in accordance with the layouts of the ramps by Southwest; (17) that Southwest did request Price to lay back wires in an area designated .for the drainage ditch in question.; (.18) but Price did not fail to lay back some of the wires from the designated drainage ditch area as requested by Southwest.

On the verdict the judgment here appealed from was entered and this appeal duly perfected therefrom.

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Southwest General Const. Co. v. Price
267 S.W.2d 855 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1954)

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Bluebook (online)
267 S.W.2d 855, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2516, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southwest-general-const-co-v-price-texapp-1954.