Scarbrough v. Wheeler
Scarbrough v. Wheeler
Opinion of the Court
Appellants, Scarbrough & Hicks, having in process of construction an office building on the corner of Sixth street and Congress avenue adjoining their mercantile establishment then occupied by them in the city of Austin, between Fifth and Sixth streets, fronting on said avenue, the first and second floors of which they intended to devote to a dress goods department, on the 16th of April, 1910, entered into a contract with appellee, a professional designer, to furnish necessary plans of store arrangements, detail drawings and specifications covering all i contemplated store furniture and fixtures therefor, and also to take for them estimates [from such contractors as they might direct, to prepare contracts to be signed by them' and such contractors, and to faithfully superintend the construction of the work in the factory, as well as the installation of such fixtures and furniture in said building. In consideration of the faithful performance of such services by appellee to “their full and complete satisfaction," they bound themselves to pay him 5 per cent, of the contract price for such fixtures and furniture built under such plans and specifications, 3 per cent, of which was to become due and payable when the contracts were signed by them and such contractors, and 2 per cent, when the work was completed. There were other provisions not necessary to notice. These plans and designs were intended for both the old and new buildings. Appellee furnished certain plans for the new building, which were accepted by appellants and the furniture and fixtures called for therein were manufactured and installed and the work accepted and paid for by appellants, and there is no controversy respecting same, except as ■ claimed in appellants’ plea in reconvention. Appellee thereafter prepared and submitted to appellants plans and specifications under said contract for fixtures and furniture for the first and second floors of the old building, and procured bids for the manufacture and installation of said furniture, which were submitted to appellants, and, they having failed to install same, appellee brought this suit against them to recover on a quantum meruit the value of his services therefor, alleging that he had always been ready, able, and willing to award contracts for the construction and installation of said work, and to superintend the same, and had so advised the appellants, but they failed and refused to have said furniture installed, on account of which it was impossible for him to superintend said work of installation; he further alleged that appellants accepted the designs, plans, and specifications which he had drawn and prepared for said old building and that his work was entirely satisfactory to. them, and that the same complied in every particluar with the terms of said contract, and that appellants had failed to find any fault or make any objection thereto; but, for some reason unknown to him, had failed to install said improvements. Appellants filed general and special exceptions to the petition, and specially denied that said plans and specifications so furnished were satisfactory to them, and further alleged that appellee voluntarily and without their authority procured bids thereon, and that such bids were excessive, exorbitant, and wholly disproportionate to the benefits to be derived therefrom, and specially denied that they ever accepted said bids or plans for the manufacture and installation of said fixtures. Appellants also filed a plea in reeonvention, in which it was claimed that the fixtures and furniture for the new build *198 ing for which they had theretofore paid were unsatisfactory and defective, causing them, at considerable expense, to procure other furniture and fixtures, to their damage in the sum of $4,000. The case was submitted upon special issues upon the answers to which judgment in behalf of appellee for the sum of $800 was entered, from which judgment this appeal is taken.
What we have said under the third assignment is a sufficient answer to the question raised by the twelfth assignment, for which reason it is unnecessary to further consider it.
Finding no reversible error in the proceedings of the trial court, its judgment is in all things affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Scarbrough v. Wheeler. [Fn&8224]
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published