John operates a motorcycle repair shop from his home but finds that his business is limited by the small size of his garage. Driving by a neighbor%u2019s property, he notices a for-sale sign on a large, metal-sided garage. John contacts the neighbor and offers to buy the building, hoping that it can be dismantled and moved to his own property. The neighbor accepts John%u2019s payment and makes a generous offer in return: if John will help him dismantle the garage, which will take a substantial amount of time, he will help John reassemble it after it has been transported to john%u2019s property. They agree to have the entire job completed within two weeks.
John spends every day for a week working with his neighbor to disassemble the building. In his rush to acquire a larger workspace, he turns down several lucrative repair jobs. Once the disassemble building has been moved to John%u2019s property, however, the neighbor refuses to help John reassemble it as he originally promised.
1. Are the basic elements of consideration present in the neighbor's promise to help John reassemble the garage? Why or why not?
2. Suppose that the neighbor starts to help John but then realizes that, because of the layout of John%u2019s property, putting the building back together will take much more work than dismantling it took. Under which principle discussed in the chapter might the neighbor be allowed to ask for additional compensation?
3. What if John%u2019s neighbor made his promise to help reassemble the garage at the time he and John were moving it to John%u2019s property, saying, %u201CSince you helped me take it down, I will help you put it back up.%u201D Would John be able to enforce this promise? Why or why not?
4. Under what doctrine discussed in the chapter might John seek to recover the profits he lost when he declined to do repair work for one week?