Gary Kuzyk

The builder sued the homeowners for unpaid amounts on a residential construction project.

The homeowners counterclaimed for construction deficiencies and incomplete work, and also sued the municipality for negligent building inspection.

The court found that the parties had an oral contract and that the builder did not breach it by leaving the project when the homeowners stopped paying.

The court dismissed the homeowners' claims for major structural deficiencies, finding the expert evidence of the builder more reliable.

The court also dismissed the negligence claim against the municipality, finding it met the standard of reasonable care.

The homeowners were ordered to pay the builder $558,095.52 for the unpaid balance of the contract and extras, less credits for incomplete work.

The plaintiffs in a construction defect action brought a mid-trial motion for leave to file additional and supplemental expert reports.

The plaintiffs sought to introduce a new structural engineering expert to address an allegation of bias raised against their original expert shortly before trial, and to file a supplemental report addressing newly discovered cracks.

The court dismissed the motion, finding that granting leave would cause undue delay and prejudice to the defendants, who would not have sufficient time to obtain responding reports before the trial resumed.

The court also noted that the plaintiffs failed to provide an adequate explanation for the delay in seeking leave.