I do 99% of my work for one residential builder although I am an independent electrical contractor. The situation: I did the electrical rough on a home on a custom build. The builder who I work for, and the customer signed an agreement to part ways. Now the customer is planning on being his own general contractor. This customer and the builder parted ways due to financial disagreements. I dont have all the details of their financial disageements. The disagreements that have taken place in the past were the result of the customer requesting a construction method or requesting materials that made profit on the job impossible. They would insist on these requests even though they were not part of the original agreement, and did not want to pay extra for change orders or delays that were caused due to their request. Now that the builder and customer have parted ways due to this problem, my question is, do I have a legal responsibility to do the electrical trim out.
The base case would be that the owner is a third party in your contract between you and the GC. The generally, third parties have no rights or obligations under your contract with the GC. Your base case would be to lien the property for any unpaid invoices, promptly. The owner would have no contract with you for any work beyond the GC's termination date.
There may be some language in the owner/GC termination agreement spelling out how subs and material suppliers are to be treated, but there can be no assumption about this, only what was agreed to in writing and disputes over unpaid invoices. I would assume there is no language transferring your contract with the GC to the owner, and if so it may be illegal (not enforceable unless you also agree).
Best assumption is your contract terminated with the GC's and for you to get fully paid up to date before contemplating any next step. The next step would be a new contract direct with the owner or the owner's new GC/agent. The condition of termination is unclear as there is likely no condition subsequent language in your contract providing for this event. Could be breach of contract. Getting paid under the old contract and entering a new contract are two separate and unrelated quantities. They are not dependent or tied to each other in any way (if so it would be already in writing in the first contract). You are not obligated to finish with the new owner (the GC did not sell your contract and doing so may not be legally enforceable or legal). Most likely, your contract is in breach by the GC's non performance to continue.
Make and submit a full up to date invoice for everything you want to get paid for now, assuming your contract is terminated or breached. This is your demand letter. At this stage, the owner may be more generous now than later if he wants to continue quickly with the project, so test this by trying to get the payment (for you to also walk away paid up to date).
Once you get the check, you will have an idea what continuing with this customer may be like, and contemplate entering a new contract to finish the job.
So, your internet advice is to get the check, paid up to date. If not, get a lawyer who can get your check for you.