When no set time has been stipulated for the completion of a contract, the plumber cannot exercise his own sweet will and complete the work whenever he pleases. In the absence of an express understanding, as to the time when a contract must be completed, the law assumes that the intention of both parties was to have the work done within a reasonable time; and what that reasonable time should be is a question for the jury to decide. Sometimes a time limit is set in the contract and a clause calls for the payment of a certain sum of money per day to the owner for each day over and above that set in the time limit. But even without this clause, the owner can recover for loss, damages or injury due to delay by the contractor. The law as laid down by the highest court of Michigan, and which no doubt will be followed by other states, is expressed in the following rule:

"Even though there should be no stipulation in the contract to the effect that the contractor was to forfeit a certain sum as liquidated damages, for each and every day the work should remain unfinished, beyond the specified time, the owner would be able to recover, as damages, any loss he could bring evidence to prove actually existed through the default of the contractor."

On the other hand, should delay in the completion of a contract be caused by the owner, or those acting for him, unless the right to postpone or delay the work were expressly stipulated in the contract, the plumber could recover damages for any loss he sustained or additional expense he was put to by the delay. In case no loss or damage resulted, he would at least be entitled to an extension of time, equal to that delay caused by the owner. In order to avail himself of the extension of time, and possible damages, for the delay of work, the plumber should notify the owner in writing, as soon as he found his progress stopped, and should protest against the delay as it prevents him from fulfilling his contract according to the terms and was entailing additional expense (which he might explain) on account of the delay.