Unsafe-structure and condemnation orders
Demolition Little Rock: Condemned House Demolition in Little Rock
A house on the City's condemnation list taken down on your timeline and at your price, before the City awards its own demolition contract and bills the property for it.
- Little Rock and 12 nearby towns
- Written price before work starts
- Permit and utility steps explained
- Houses, pools, garages and slabs
- Lots left level and swept
Demolition Little Rock arranges demolition of condemned and unsafe houses in Little Rock for owners, heirs and investors who have received a notice from the City. Little Rock has spent years working down its vacant-house list, from about 1,100 vacant properties to about 500 according to its housing director, and condemnation followed by demolition is one of the main ways it does it.
Arranging the demolition yourself typically costs $7,500 to $15,000; letting the deadline pass hands the job to the City's contractor at the City's price, plus fees, collected as a lien against the property.
Describe the building, its size and what it is made of, and hear a typical price range before anyone drives out.
Call (501) 222-3828Signs a house is headed for condemnation
- A notice of violation from Code Enforcement for dilapidated or unsecured structure
- Open doors or windows, trespassers, or reports to 311
- Fire damage, a collapsed roof or missing exterior walls
- Years of vacancy with no repairs and unpaid taxes
- An item listing the address on a City Board of Directors agenda
How condemnation works in Little Rock
Code Enforcement Officers inspect vacant, unsecured and dilapidated structures and houses that fall below the Little Rock Minimum Housing Code, including fire-damaged ones. Residential structures declared unsafe for occupancy are submitted to the City Board of Directors for condemnation. Once condemned, the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs awards contracts to demolish them and supervises the work until the site meets City ordinance.
The Board approves these in batches; recent agendas list residential condemnations and demolition orders several at a time. Owners are notified and usually have a window to repair or demolish the structure themselves.
Why doing it yourself usually costs less
- Price. You choose the contractor and agree a written price; the City's cost, and any fees, become a lien instead.
- Timing. You decide when, around a sale, an estate or an insurance payment.
- Salvage. You keep anything worth keeping before the building comes down.
- Title. A lien for demolition costs complicates selling the lot later.
Describe the building, its size and what it is made of, and hear a typical price range before anyone drives out.
Call (501) 222-3828Estates, heirs and out-of-town owners
Many condemned houses belong to an estate or to heirs living elsewhere, who learn about the notice late. If that is you, start with the notice itself: it names the address, the violation and the deadline. A contractor can price the job from photographs and the address, schedule the utility seals and the permit, and send photographs when the lot is cleared, so the job can be done without a trip to Arkansas.
Describe the building, its size and what it is made of, and hear a typical price range before anyone drives out.
Call (501) 222-3828Other cities around Little Rock
North Little Rock runs its own program and bids out demolition and site clearance of condemned structures in batches, asking contractors for landfill receipts with every invoice. The other cities in the area have their own code offices. The steps are similar; the notice tells you which office to call.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to demolish a condemned house in Little Rock?
Typically $7,500 to $15,000, like any house teardown, often toward the top because of debris and contents left behind.
What are the signs a house is headed for condemnation?
A Code Enforcement violation notice, an unsecured vacant building, fire or structural damage, or the address on a City Board agenda.
What happens if the City demolishes my house?
The City awards and supervises the demolition, and the cost can be placed as a lien against the property.
Can I still repair a house after a condemnation notice?
Sometimes. The notice and Code Enforcement can tell you whether repair is still an option and by when.
Can I arrange demolition from out of state?
Yes. A contractor can price from the notice, the address and photographs, and send photographs when the lot is cleared.
How long does it take?
One to three days of machine work after the permit and utility seals, which can take a few weeks to line up, so start early.
Have something that needs to come down?
A house, a garage, a pool or a slab. Call with the address and the size, and get a typical price range and the permit steps that apply to it.
Call (501) 222-3828