Pinellas County suit alleges mismanagement by contractor

Construction is big business in Florida, and contractors and developers are always hard at work fulfilling their customers’ needs. Large projects often require multiple companies and services to complete, while renovations and single homes are often handled by a single contractor.

In all projects, contracts help bind the arrangements together in a legal setting. When they are properly executed, contracts help define the expectations of participants to a project and provide recourse if these expectations are not met.

A St. Petersburg homeowner is suing a construction company for breach of contract after an attempted renovation and remodeling of his home. The man is alleging that the company caused the loss of home value as an intended rental until, as well as several fraudulent acts related to the work.

The complaint states that the homeowner entered into a contract for the improvements to the home, but mismanagement delayed the job and resulted in poor quality. The company also allegedly used an inactive contractor license during the work and also provided a false invoice that overcharged the client almost $13,000 in costs.

The homeowner filed a case in Pinellas County Court seeking trial by jury and actual damages in addition to punitive damages and court costs. The court may also deem other appropriate relief based on the case.

Contractors or clients who have suffered due to a breach of contract have the right to press their case in civil court for damages, including reimbursement of lost funds and compensation for legal requirements. An attorney may be helpful in determining the strength of a case and forwarding it to settlement, verdict or other favorable outcome.

Source: Florida Record, “St. Petersburg property owner accuses construction company of breach of contract,” Jenie Mallari-Torres, Feb. 20, 2018