Contractual disputes often boil down to the question of whether the parties actually had a contract in the first place. This is especially true in the case of oral contracts for the performance of labor or services. While a court may indeed find that the parties never arrived at a formal contract, principles of equity sometimes allow for recovery in the absence of a contract.
Enter the doctrine of quantum meruit. If one party performs work for another, who accepts that work without objection and benefits substantially, courts often rely upon the doctrine of quantum meruit to require the recipient to pay the fair value of those services. Literally, the phrase means “as much as he deserved,” indicating that the performing party can recover at least the value of his labor for the work performed.
— BBC&B