Harrison v Meehan

The case of Harrison v Meehan involved a dispute between a builder and a homeowner over the terms of a building contract. The homeowner, Mr Harrison, sought to recover damages for the builder's, Ms Meehan, breach of contract, including wrongful withdrawal from the site and inaccurate expert reports. The matter was heard in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

The court was required to determine whether the parties had entered into a binding written contract, ascertain the terms of the agreement, and assess the scope of work. It was also necessary to consider whether the builder's withdrawal from the site and the progress payments not directly related to the progress of work constituted a breach of contract. Furthermore, the court had to evaluate the accuracy of the expert reports and the meaning of certain terms in the contract, such as 'carpentry'.

The court found that the parties had entered into a written contract, albeit with some oral terms. It held that the scope of work was not clearly defined, and the builder's withdrawal from the site constituted a breach of contract. The court also determined that the expert reports were based on inaccurate instructions, which led to an overestimation of the damages. Regarding the meaning of 'carpentry', the court found that it encompassed a range of skills and tasks beyond basic woodwork.

The court ordered the builder to pay the homeowner $54,740.68 within 30 days of the date of order, representing the reasonable costs incurred by the homeowner due to the builder's breach of contract. No order was made as to costs.