Hunt Construction Group

Hunt Construction Group, Inc. v. National Wrecking Corporation
587 F.3d 1119; 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 25909 (2009)

Plaintiff, Hunt Construction Group (“Hunt”), commenced an action against one of its subcontractors, National Wrecking Corporation (“National”) and against two sureties (the “Sureties”) on National’s performance bond. The Sureties argued that Hunt failed to give timely notice of default depriving the Sureties of a realistic opportunity to exercise their rights under the bond to cure National’s defective performance.
Continue Reading DC Court of Appeals Holds Contractor’s Failure to Declare Subcontractor in Default and Provide Subcontractor’s Surety with Notice Before Taking Over Completion of Subcontractor’s Work Released Surety from Liability

Hunt Construction Group, Inc. v. Brennan Beer Gorman / Architects, P.C.
2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93754 (D. Vt. 2008)

In declining to apply an exception to the economic loss rule, the Court dismissed a contractor’s negligence claims against the project architect (and other design professionals).

In 2005, Spruce Peak Realty, LLC (“Owner”), retained Plaintiff, Hunt Construction Group (“Contractor”), to construct a resort hotel in Stowe, Vermont. Owner and Contractor executed a contract setting forth their respective rights and responsibilities on the Project. Owner then contracted with an architect, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, a structural engineer, and an interior designer (collectively, the “Design Professional Defendants”). Contractor was to build the Project according to the plans and specifications the Design Professional Defendants provided under contracts with Owner.Continue Reading Vermont District Court Declines To Apply Exception To Economic Loss Rule To Contractor’s Claims Against Architect

Hunt Construction Group, Inc. v. National Wrecking Corp.
2008 U.S. LEXIS 27859 (D.D.C. Apr. 8, 2008)
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia discussed the split of authority on the issue of when a surety’s obligations are triggered under a performance bond, ultimately holding that a surety is liable only if timely notice is given of the obligee’s default, allowing the surety to exercise its options under the performance bond.
Hunt Construction Group (“Hunt”) was the prime contractor on a hotel construction project in Washington, D.C. National Wrecking Corporation (“NWC”) subcontracted with Hunt to perform excavation and other work on the hotel project. In April 2004, approximately five months after entering into the subcontract, NWC completed the work. Hunt alleged that NWC delayed in completing the excavation work, and as a result, Hunt was required to accelerate other parts of the work, so that it incurred costs in excess of $800,000 due to NWC’s delay.
Continue Reading DC District Court Finds Excavator’s Surety Not Liable Where Prime Contractor Delayed Notifying Surety of Excavator’s Default Until After Excavator’s Work Was Complete