Stalnaker v. Howard

230 S.W.2d 563, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2140
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 27, 1950
DocketNo. 12176
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 230 S.W.2d 563 (Stalnaker v. Howard) 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
Stalnaker v. Howard, 230 S.W.2d 563, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2140 (Tex. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

CODY, Justice.

This was an action by a roofing contractor against the owner of the building located at 7040 Harrisburg Boulevard in Plouston, to recover the sum of $425, alleged to be the balance due upon a written contract dated July 21, 1946.

The contractor alleged the contract, appending a copy to his petition, and that by its terms he agreed to install a built-up roof on the top section .of the -building for the consideration of the owner’s promise to pay therefor the sum of $850. He further alleged full performance'whereby the owner became bound to pay'the agreed consideration; that the -owner paid $425 thereof, but has refused to pay the balance, etc. : •

The owner’s answer consisted of a general denial, and of a special plea that the contractor had failed to complete the job as a waterproof roof; that the roof leaked after the first rain; and that he, the owner, repeatedly demanded that the contractor make the roof waterproof, but this repeated demand was refused, and that it was necessary to employ other contractors to repair the leaks, “and in the event this [564]*564defendant owes plaintiff anything * * * then this defendant sets up the sums he was required to pay other contractors to complete the job which was included in the contract price as an off-set against any sums which defendant might owe plaintiff”, etc.

By his supplemental petition, the contractor traversed generally the allegations of the owner’s answer.

The court, trying the case without a jury, rendered judgment on October 17, 1949, that the plaintiff-contractor recover from the defendant-owner the sum of $350, with interest at the legal rate from the date of judgment, and costs, etc,, from'which judgment this appeal is prosecuted.

On November 28, 1949, appellant filed “Defendant’s Request for Certain Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law”, specifying the conclusions of fact and law which he desired. The same were by the court “refused” on December 19, 1949, but on December 12, 1949, filed findings of fact- and conclusions of law “In response to the request of the Defendant * * * The court made numerous findings of fact, —the substance of those which are deemed material being :

(I, II) The court set forth appellee’s proposal and appellant’s modified acceptance (which were attached to appellee’s petition) and which (omitting immaterial portions were as follows:

“Re: 7040 Harrisburg
“Top Section
“Dear Dr. Stalnaker:
“This will confirm our telephone conversation of this date:
“1. We propose to install a built-up roof which we will guarantee to give satisfactory waterproof service for a period of ten (10) years, by either of the following methods,
“a. Spud all gravel from present roof deck and sweep surface clean.
“b. Patch all visible breaks in roof.
“c. Install either one ply 53# felt or two ply 15# felt by mopping to old roof with an average of 30# high temperature asphalt per square and then covering top or exposed side of felt with 60# high temperature asphalt per square and then rethrowing gravel.
“2. We will repair walls and flashings and waterproof the walls by method of mopping two ply 15# roofing felt over same and surface mopping the top layer of felt.
“The price for the above work, for both labor and material, will be $850.00. As stated above we will guarantee the roof to be waterproof for a period of ten (10) years. As acceptance of this proposal, you may sign at the bottom in a place for this purpose.
* * * * *
“Accepted 7/20/46 for 53# felt and flashings and to replace all broken roof tiles and discolored ones, and to pay one-half on completion and balance thirty days after hard rain.”

(Ill) That appellee installed the built-up roof and repaired walls and flashing according to the terms of his proposal and replaced all broken and discolored roof tile on such building in accordance with the conditional acceptance of appellant, fulfilling every obligation under said contract except future obligations which might arise under his ten-year guarantee.

(IV, V, VI) That appellee completed his job in a workmanlike manner, with such materials as agreed upon about August 1, 1946; and appellant thereupon paid $425, and that within a few days a hard rain occurred, and the balance of $425 has been owed by appellant to appellee since October 1, 1946.

(VII, VIII, IX) That the roof had ornamental slopes on the west, north and east sides, which slopes were covered with tile which extended over a width of from six to seven feet over the building-. “That the ornamental slopes * * * were not included within the contract * * * except that plaintiff agreed to replace -broken and discolored tile on such slopes under [565]*565conditional acceptance of Defendant, the duty of plaintiff to replace same being limited to such tile needing replacement on the date of such acceptance by Defendant.” And the guaranty that the built-up roof would give waterproof service for ten years did not apply to the section of the roof made up of the ornamental slopes covered with tile on the west, north and east sides of the building.

(X, XI) That after the completion of the work, appellant complained to appel-lee of the leaks around the west, north, and east walls, and refused to pay the balance until the leaks had been stopped. Said leaks were caused by faulty roofing which covered the ornamental tile slopes, aforesaid, and said portion of the roof was not covered by the contract sued on.

(XII) “That after plaintiff completed his work under the contract with defendant, the sum of seventy-five dollars was spent by defendant to correct work done by plaintiff, said sum being spent for the elimination of buckling of said roof and the repair of flashings around one skylight located on the portion of the roof involved in such contract, and that all other sums spent by Defendant for repairs to the roof on such building were spent for repairs not included within Plaintiff’s contract or any warranty thereunder.”

Appellant predicates his appeal upon twelve points, covering some six pages of his brief. This disregard of Rule 418, Texas Rules Civil Procedure, prevents our -setting the points forth in our opinion for individual discussion. But the boiled-down substance of appellant’s points is:

That appellee sought recovery for full performance of the contract; that is, recovery of the unpaid balance of $425, and did not sue in the alternative for recovery for substantial performance or sue in quantum meruit, and the court erroneously .awarded recovery in the sum of $350,— i. e., allowed recovery for substantial performance, or in quantum meruit. That ap-pellee’s obligation was to deliver a waterproof roof, guaranteed to be to appellant’s satisfaction for ten years, and the undisputed evidence showed appellee failed in said obligation. Appellant also complains of the court’s findings of fact III, IV, V, VI, and XII, because same were contrary to the evidence, or against the great weight of the evidence. Appellant also complained of the court’s failure to make his requested findings of fact, specifying those which he considers reversible error for the court to refuse to make.

.Opinion

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
230 S.W.2d 563, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 2140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stalnaker-v-howard-texapp-1950.