Legal Question in Construction Law in New Jersey

My brother in law did some home maintance on his mothers house . She bought all the materials and he and his nephews supplied the labor. They painted, fixed a broken step,sheet rocked, and painted a new room and some other minor repairs. The brother in law said to his mother, will you take care of me when you sell the house . She said she would. He wants $20,000. Does she have to pay this or can she give him anything she wants


Asked on 10/06/09, 5:39 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Corbett Corbett Law Firm LLC

A judge would not find a contract to enforce because the amount in question is well beyond that which requires something in writing. If he performed the services and supplied materials with the reasonable expectation of being paid for them and if the owner knew that, then he is entitled to compensation for the reasonable value of the goods and services provided. Note that this is not equivalent to what might have been a contract price. It normally amounts to no more than cost. If there is an issue, the amount appears to justify a consultation with a lawyer on the specifics.

See also: http://info.corbettlaw.net/lawguru.htm

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Answered on 10/12/09, 10:45 am


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