Vallejo Development Co. v. Beck Development Co.

Appellant Vallejo Development Company (VDC) timely appeals from judgments of dismissal entered by the Solano County Superior Court as to each of four complaints (Nos. 117843, 117845, 117846, and 112275) by which VDC sought to recover payment from several “merchant builders” for whom VDC agreed to install infrastructure improvements in a large, unfinished commercial/residential project in Vallejo, commonly known as “Northgate.” The trial court accepted the respondents’ argument that VDC cannot prosecute any of its claims for compensation—whether characterized as actions on the contract or in quasi-contract, actions to foreclose a mechanic’s lien, actions to enforce a vendor’s lien, or otherwise —because, during the time it was providing the agreed-upon services to respondents, it did not have a valid contractor’s license as required by section 7031, subdivision (a), of the California Business and Professions Code. Appellant argues that, as a “master developer” for the Northgate project, it merely furnished labor and materials through licensed, third party general contractors and that it was not, therefore, a “contractor” within the meaning of sections 7026 and 7031. As we…