Opinion ID: 2032534
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claims Between Smothers Electric Company and Grooms.

Text: As stated earlier, Grooms entered into a contract with Smothers Electric Company (Smothers) to perform electrical work on the CIRHA project. That contract provided that Smothers would receive $51,000 from Grooms upon satisfactory completion of the work. Grooms considered Smothers' work incomplete and substandard, and paid Smothers only $47,416.07; leaving a deficiency of $3,583.43. Smothers was joined as a party in the action commenced by Iowa Supply. See Iowa Code § 573.17 (1987). Grooms appealed the judgment and asserted that the court did not have jurisdiction because Smothers failed to properly file its claim. The trial court found Smothers was entitled to a judgment for $651.21 of the balance remaining to be paid on the contract. Smothers did not file a claim with CIRHA as provided in Iowa Code section 573.7. Acting pro se, Smothers instead filed a mechanic's lien under the provisions of Iowa Code chapter 572. Even though Smothers did not properly file his claim, it was properly considered by the court. Iowa law recognizes that if one claim against a general contractor results in an action against the retainage under Iowa Code chapter 573, other claimants who have dealt directly with the general contractor may participate in a suit to recover against the retainage, even though the claimants did not properly file their claims. This principle has been referred to as piggybacking. See Lumberman's Wholesale Co. v. Ohio Farmers Ins. Co., 402 N.W.2d 413, 415 (Iowa 1987). Because claims by other parties were properly brought against Grooms, the claim of Smothers, who dealt directly with Grooms, is properly included in this action. The record reflects that several aspects of Smothers' work did not comply with the contract requirements. Certain poles, underground cables and telephone lines were improperly installed. Smothers also failed to correct other deficiencies noted at the final inspection. We affirm the trial court's judgment of $651.21 for Smothers. We reverse the trial court's judgment awarding Iowa Supply $16,428 and costs. We affirm the remainder of the court's judgments and remand for the appropriate entry of judgment and costs. AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED.