Court Opinion

ID: 9565097
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:14:55.16529+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:19:23.959135
License: Public Domain

Evans, Judge,
dissenting.
The question here is whether plaintiffs were entitled to payment for services rendered to defendant as to its home office facility.
The trial judge, sitting without a jury, rendered a judgment in which she specially found that plaintiffs were entitled to nothing as to the services rendered as to the home office facility, using the following language: "All work done by the plaintiffs concerning the main office facility was performed at the instance of H. E. McKenzie in contemplation of future business with the defendant.” Bank Building and Equipment Corporation and Charles B. Guariglia, plaintiffs, specialized in furnishing services, advice, etc. to those constructing and improving buildings. H. E. McKenzie was their agent.
It is undisputed that plaintiffs performed work on the home office facility and a new branch facility of defendant. Before they had finished they were instructed by defendant not to do any more work on the home office facility. The services already performed were retained by defendant.
The original written contract entered into by the *769parties leaves it beyond peradventure that all parties thereto contemplated two buildings, the home office facility and the new branch facility, as to which services were to be performed and that both buildings together constituted one project.
The pertinent part of the contract is as follows: "It is the intention of the owner to erect, equip and furnish an addition to the home office facility and/or erect, equip and furnish a new branch facility to be located in the City of Mableton, Georgia. The architect shall provide professional services for the project, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this agreement.” There followed in the contract specific provisions as to the method of payment to plaintiffs for their services, but nowhere was it suggested that they would be paid for just one building; to the contrary the project (both buildings) was implicit in the plan of payment.
The parties recognized that the words "and/or” in the contract was an ambiguous term, but they were allowed by law to explain it by parol, which was done. Code § 20-704 (1).
It is true that prior to completion, plaintiffs were stopped by defendant from completing the work on the home office facility. But it is also undisputed that prior to being stopped plaintiffs performed services thereon, which services were accepted by defendant, and the law presumes the intention on the part of defendant to pay the plaintiffs therefor. The law is quite plain on this subject: Code § 3-107. "Ordinarily, when one renders services or transfers property valuable to another, which the latter accepts, a promise is implied to pay the reasonable value thereof; but this presumption does not usually arise in cases between very near relatives.” No kinship between the parties is involved in this matter and therefore a promise to pay for the services as to the main office building is implied and presumed.
This case falls squarely within the purview of the above statute. The trial judge found that plaintiffs had performed work on the main office facility, and implicit in the finding is the acceptance and retention of said services by defendant. But then the trial judge goes further — in contradiction of the evidence — and holds *770that these services were performed merely "in contemplation of future business with defendant.” In other words, it was a gesture of good will, of professional courtesy, so defendant would feel kindly towards plaintiffs and their services and give them future business. But the record does not support this finding. The record does not show that defendant agreed to or even contemplated giving plaintiffs any future business. In Douglas v. Rogers, 10 Ga. App. 486 (2) (73 SE 700) it is held: "Where an architect is employed by the owner of land to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of a building thereon, and does so, and the owner decides not to have the building erected, because of the estimated cost, but nevertheless retains the plans and specifications, in the absence of any guaranty as to the cost of the building, or agreement as to his compensation for preparing the plans and specifications, the architect would be entitled to recover the reasonable value of his services in preparing and furnishing the plans and specifications.” It is not necessary to have a valid express contract for payment of services in order to hold the recipient liable therefor. It was held in McLendon v. Moore, 42 Ga. App. 580 (2) (157 SE 214), "Where valuable services are accepted under a contract, either express or implied, to pay therefor, and there is no agreement as to the amount of compensation, an agreement to pay the value of the services is implied.” (Emphasis supplied.)
In Conway v. Housing Authority of City of Atlanta, 102 Ga. App. 333 (116 SE2d 331) it is held: "A subcontractor may maintain an action against a property owner for work done thereon in addition to work specified to be performed by the terms of a contract between the subcontractor and the owner’s general contractor, where such work was authorized and the benefits received and accepted by the owner.” How stands this case with reference to the use of the term "and/or” in the contract, and defendant’s contention that this created an ambiguity?
The written contract between the parties provided in pertinent part: "It is the intention of the owner to erect, equip and furnish an addition to the home office *771facility and/or erect, equip and furnish a new branch facility ...” Thus it is beyond peradventure that two buildings were in the minds of the parties when they entered the contract. But defendant urges that the words "and/or” rendered the contract ambiguous. If any ambiguity exists, it does not affect the home office facility, because that term is used before the words "and/ or” are used. If there is an ambiguity it is necessarily as to the new branch facility, which term is used after the use of "and/or.”
The trial judge rendered a judgment for plaintiffs for the full amount sued for as to the new branch facility, thereby in effect holding that the use of "and/or erect, equip and furnish a new branch facility” was not ambiguous. We repeat that the home office facility, because of its position in the sentence could not be affected by any claimed ambiguity because "and/or” was used afterwards.
It is undisputed and the trial court ruled, that plaintiffs rendered some services as to the home office facility, and yet the trial judge held they were not entitled to recover anything whatever therefor, as this service was rendered "in contemplation of future business with defendant.” The record does not support the judgment in its rendition of no amount whatever as to the home office facility, and is therefore erroneous.
I would vote to reverse the judgment in this case for the above reasons.