You Can't Fight City Hall, or Can You?

The ordeal started several years ago, when our house was less than 4 years old. The curb in front of our house sunk, obviously due to shoddy workmanship (curbs last more than 4 years, don't they?). The builder said they turn the sidewalks and curbs over to the city after a year. We contacted the city and after a period of over two years, they finally determined our curb was hazardous and that it was our responsibility to pay for replacing it.

Last fall they finally came out and did the work, and in the process, tore up our sprinkler system. You can see the head at the bottom of the picture to the right.

They filled in the hole and left the sprinkler head sitting on the grass. The dirt got into our system and clogged at least two other heads. The city ignored our complaints so we hired someone to do the repairs.

Now we have a bill from the city for almost a thousand dollars. Included in the bill is an unspecified amount for sod. As you can see from the second photo, which I took today, they did not sod at all.

Now I need to decide how I want to pursue this matter.

1 - Should a homeowner bear the cost of replacing a curb that's less than 4 years old? The city obviously passed the curb in an inspection. What is the normal life of a curb?

2 - The city should definitely pay for the sprinkler repair. It's obvious they broke it and they should be responsible for fixing it.

3 - I should not be charged for sod that was never put down.

I think the city should pay for the curb AND reimburse me for the sprinkler repair. Is this too much to ask? Do I have a chance in small claims court?

I know the odds of beating city hall are slim, but I have to pursue this. I'll start by filing a claim with the city. I'm sure they will deny the claim. After that, I can decide how to pursue it further.