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</head><body><p>Client probably owes contractor an opportunity to cure - at least that is the safest course. But as a practical matter you have a contractor who, for whatever reason, does not have a written contract in place, apparently is incompetent to do the work, and is mad at your clients. The question to ask clients is, do you really want this person working on your property when s/he has little motivation? Doesn't matter how good the inspector is, all errors and/or defects are not going to be caught. Clients may want to think about settling for a release of all claims, including releases from workers, subs, and materials suppliers stating that they have been paid. Be sure to check the L&I website, to see if the contractor is registered and has a bond. Hypothetically speaking, of course.<br></p><blockquote type="cite"><!-- [if !mso]> --><!-- <![endif] --><!-- [if gte mso 9]> --><!-- <![endif] --><!-- [if gte mso 9]> --><!-- <![endif] -->On April 27, 2016 at 10:07 AM "Tom J. Westbrook" <tjw@w3net.net> wrote:<br><br><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">In addition, don’t forget about requirement to mitigate damages.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Sincerely,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Tom</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Thomas J. Westbrook</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Attorney at Law</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><img id="Picture_x0020_3" style="width: 136px; height: 54px;" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D1A069.D8F15580" alt="cid:image001.jpg@01CFC835.0D3988D0" height="54" width="136"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Rodgers, Kee & Card, P.S.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">324 West Bay Drive NW, Suite 201</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Olympia, Washington 98502</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Phone: 360-352-8311</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Facsimile: 360-352-8501</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Email: tjw@buddbaylaw.com</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">Skype: thomas.westbrook</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">www.buddbaylaw.com</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;">The information contained in this email and attachment(s) are for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain private, privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the addressee, you are strictly prohibited from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this email or its contents in any way. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at 360-352-8311 or by e-mail to reception@buddbaylaw.com, and destroy the original message from your electronic files.</span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><div><div style="border: none; border-top: solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt; padding: 3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';">From:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif';"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <strong>On Behalf Of </strong>Ryan Sternoff<br><strong>Sent:</strong> Wednesday, April 27, 2016 9:35 AM<br><strong>To:</strong> WSBA Real Property Listserv<br><strong>Subject:</strong> Re: [WSBARP] contractor dispute</span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: #44546a;">As a legal matter, the contractor has a right to notice and opportunity to cure before you can (properly) have somebody else perform the work. This may be dictated by contract and exists at common law as an implied term of contract. If the Owner does not provide such opportunity to cure, he may be in material breach and have compromised his right to seek damages from the contractor for performing the corrective work. I agree with Greg’s practical advice. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: #44546a;"> </span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: black;">ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION: </span></strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: gray;">This message contains information which may be proprietary, confidential, or privileged. Unless you are the intended recipient, you may not use, copy or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail at <a href="mailto:rsternoff@ac-lawyers.com">rsternoff@ac-lawyers.com</a>, and delete the message.</span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; color: #44546a;"> </span></p><div><div style="border: none; border-top: solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt; padding: 3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal"><strong>From:</strong> <a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>] <strong>On Behalf Of </strong>Gregory L. Ursich<br><strong>Sent:</strong> Wednesday, April 27, 2016 9:11 AM<br><strong>To:</strong> WSBA Real Property Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><strong>Subject:</strong> Re: [WSBARP] contractor dispute</p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew: As a practical matter, I would work out a deal where the contractor comes back to finish the work, subject to an inspection by an independent building inspector or second contractor that the work meets specs and code. You can also reserve your rights to still sue him for breach of contract for any overcharges. Construction litigation, especially when you have no written contract etc, is always going to "he said" "she said", fact intensive and expensive. Since you have no written contract, you have no basis for attorney fees. One exception is if you sue the bond you may be able to recover some fees. -Greg Ursich, Inslee Best<br><br>Sent from my iPhone</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br>On Apr 26, 2016, at 5:51 PM, Matthew R. Johnson <<a href="mailto:matt@gravislaw.com">matt@gravislaw.com</a>> wrote:</p></div><blockquote><div><p class="MsoNormal">Hypo,</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Contractor performs sub-standard work, grossly over charges property owner for the work, and the building inspector issues notices of correction for the work before the job can continue.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Property owner and contractor’s relationship has already gone sour over disputes about the charges. Property owner would prefer to have another contractor correct the work and go after the substandard contractor for the expense.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Does the property owner need to give the contractor the opportunity to correct the work, or at least a reasonable opportunity to do so?</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #1f497d;">Matthew R. Johnson|</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">Attorney at Law</span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Gravis Law, PLLC</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">P.O. Box 182 | 350 E. Main St. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">Dayton, WA 99328</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">509-382-2030 (office)<br></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #0563c1;"><a href="https://www.gravislaw.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Website </span></a></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;">- <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-r-johnson/2b/997/87a" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></span><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #1f497d;">NOTICE: This email (including any attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (EPCA), 18 U.S.C., Sec. 2510 - 2522, is confidential and privileged. This email is solely for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above. Receipt by anyone other than the individual recipient(s) is NOT a waiver of attorney-client privilege. Any violation of the ECPA is subject to the penalties stated therein. If you have received this message in error, please notify me immediately by reply e-mail to </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #222222; background: #FFFFCC;"><a href="mailto:matt@gravislaw.com"><span style="color: blue;">matt@gravislaw.com</span></a></span></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"> and immediately delete the original message.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></blockquote><blockquote><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</a></span><br></p></div></blockquote></div></blockquote><p><br> </p><blockquote type="cite">_______________________________________________<br>WSBARP mailing list<br>WSBARP@lists.wsbarppt.com<br>http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbarp</blockquote><p><br> </p><p class="io-ox-signature">Scott G. Thomas<br>Law Office of Scott G. Thomas<br>1204 Cleveland Avenue<br>Mount Vernon, WA 98273<br>(360) 503-1042<br>www.scottgthomaslaw.com<br><br>Because this is a communication from a lawyer, it necessarily contains warnings such as this. I am a lawyer, but unless we have entered into an agreement for legal services, I am not your lawyer. And, if this message was intended for someone else but you have inadvertently received it, I ask that you delete the message and let me know you received it so that I can take steps to make sure you do not receive messages in the future. Thank you.</p></body></html>