Question

An honest dispute develops between a homeowner and an electrician over whether wiring and circuit breakers installed by the electrician satisfied contractual specifications. If the wiring and circuit breakers meet those specifications, the homeowner owes the electrician $10,000 under the terms of the contract. The homeowner offers to pay the electrician $8,000 in satisfaction of the homeowner's contractual obligations, if the electrician replaces the circuit breakers with a different brand. The electrician accepts the homeowner's offer. After the electrician replaces the circuit breakers, the homeowner refuses to pay the electrician. In a breach of contract action brought by the electrician, the fact-finder determines that the wiring and circuit breakers originally installed by the electrician did satisfy the contract specifications. The fact-finder also determines that the electrician and the homeowner entered into an accord for which the homeowner failed to provide the required satisfaction. What is maximum amount that the electrician can seek in damages from the homeowner

Answer 1

$10,000

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given scenario a honest dispute develops between a homeowner and an electrician over whether wiring and circuit breakers installed by the electrician satisfied contractual specifications.

There are two contractual agreements. One for $10,000 for the original wiring, and the second for $8,000 for a different brand of wires.

The electrician will only be able to claim either the $10,000 or the $8,000.

When the homeowner claimed he was not satisfied with the original installation the electrician should have verified the job and and claimed damages of $10,000.

On the other hand he accepted the blame and agreed to the second contract of $8,000.

So he can either stake a damage claim on the original one alone or the second contract alone.

The maximum he can claim is $10,000