Meyers v. Housing Authority of Stanislaus County

STONE, J. Plaintiffs-contractors appeal from the adverse portion of a judgment in declaratory relief construing their duties and obligations under a housing development construc[723]tion contract. Defendant, Housing Authority of Stanislaus County, called for bids for the construction of housing units at two sites within the county. Plaintiffs were the successful bidders and entered into a single contract with defendant covering both projects. Although details differ for the work involved at each project, only one legal question is presented: Under the contract, are plaintiffs required to install sewer and drainage lines and manholes beyond the project limits? The trial court found that plaintiffs must make all plumbing installations shown on the drawings or mentioned in the specifications, necessary to make the projects useable.

The question arises because part of the sewer and drainage lines, connections and manholes shown on the drawings and necessary to connect the dwelling units to existing main lines, extend beyond the “contract limits,” “property line,” and “project limits” shown on the architectural plot plan. Plaintiffs contend the drawings delimit their responsibility to the designated boundaries. However, the lines and manholes are clearly shown on the drawings, and the plans indicate where existing 6" lines are to be replaced by 8" pipe. Furthermore, the fall or grade of the drainage line is indicated on the drawings, and a detail of the “off-site” storm drain anchor block is shown.

The drawings, standing alone, are ambiguous since they not only designate the limit lines upon which plaintiffs rely, but also designate sewer lines and installations necessary to complete each unit, that extend beyond the limits, However, the drawings constitute only one document in an integrated contract that provides: ‘The Contract shall consist of the following component parts: (a) This Instrument, (b) General Conditions, (c) Special Conditions, (d) Technical Specifications, and (e) Drawings.”

In determining the meaning of a contract all documents that are parts thereof must be construed together. (Lucas v. Quigley Motor Co., 191 Cal.App.2d 152, 157 [12 Cal.Rptr. 442]; Witkin, Contracts (1965 Supp.) § 219, p. 67.) Hence the drawings must be interpreted in the light of the other documents incorporated in the agreement.

To eliminate uncertainty in ease of a possible discrepancy between the drawings and technical specifications, the general conditions provide that: “Anything mentioned in the Technical Specifications and not shown on the Drawings, or shown on the Drawings and not mentioned in the Technical