Court Opinion

ID: 9771385
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:41:35.254734+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:29.823503
License: Public Domain

THOMAS, Judge,
concurring.
I concur. The legislative history of § 429.015, RSMo 1978, is useful in resolving the main issue of whether the architect’s plans and specifications must be used in the construction of the building as a prerequisite to the architect’s lien attaching. In Henges Co. v. Doctors’ North-Roads Building, Inc., 409 S.W.2d 489, 495 (Mo.App.1966), it was decided that an architect could not obtain a lien under § 429.010, the general mechanics’ and materialmen’s lien statute, for the preparation of plans and specifications for an improvement to real estate because the statute specifically enumerates the bases upon which a lien may be established, and plans and specifications do not fall within either of the *19categorical bases statutorily prescribed. Following that decision, the legislature adopted § 429.015 in 1971. Thus, it is reasonable to view § 429.015 as a specialized mechanics’ lien statute for architects.
The rationale for the general mechanics’ lien statute is that where a materialman or worker contributes his material or services to the construction of an improvement on real estate, he has contributed to an increase in the value of the real estate. Because his material or services have been incorporated into the real estate, they likely will have lost their identity as his material or services, and thus it is impossible for him to repossess or reacquire the property that was originally his and for which he has not been paid. Under these circumstances, it is reasonable to grant the mate-rialman or worker a lien on the real estate that roughly parallels his contribution to the increase in value created by the improvement to the real estate. To support this rationale, the cases underlying the general mechanics’ and materialmen’s lien statute require that the material or services furnished that gives rise to mechanics’ lien must be traceable into the property or, at least, have been consumed in connection with the construction of the improvement to the real estate. This requirement insures that the person receiving the benefit of the mechanics’ lien will have contributed to the increased value of the real estate subject to the lien.
As a specialized mechanics’ lien statute for architects, it is reasonable to apply the same type of requirement to § 429.015 by requiring that the plans and specifications prepared by the architect that give rise to the unpaid account for which the architects’ lien is claimed have been used in the construction or improvement of the real estate subjected to the lien. As with the general mechanics’ and materialmen’s lien statute, this insures that the services that give rise to the lien in fact resulted in an improvement and increased value in the real estate to which the lien attaches. The rationale that supports this type of requirement under § 429.010, the general mechanics’ and materialmen’s lien statute, likewise supports a similar requirement under § 429.015, which, because of its legislative history, could accurately be described as a specialized mechanics’ lien statute for architects. I rely upon this rationale, as well as the reasoning set forth in the majority opinion, to support our affirmance of the trial court.