Absolute Plumbing & Heating, LLC v. Edelman — 10/7/2013

This appeal arises from consolidated actions brought by subcontractors to foreclose on mechanic’s liens placed on the defendant’s property to secure the value of their labor and services on a home improvement project. The defendant…appeals from the trial court’s judgment accepting a report by the attorney trial referee (referee) awarding damages, interest, and attorney’s fees to the plaintiff subcontractors…. On appeal, the defendant claims that the trial court improperly adopted the referee’s report because (1) it failed to consider the applicability of the Home Improvement Act (act), General Statutes § 20-418 et seq., to the validity of the plaintiffs’ liens, and (2) the evidence presented did not support either the referee’s factual finding as to the contract price agreed to by the defendant and the general contractor or his finding that the construction work agreed to under the contract had been substantially completed. The defendant further claims that the trial court improperly awarded attorney’s fees to the plaintiffs. We affirm in part and reverse in part the judgment of the trial court.