Little Rock Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Arkansas

When a property owner and a general contractor contract for a construction project to take place on some property in Little Rock, Arkansas, whether it's a house, some landscaping, or a remodeling project, there is always a risk that something can go wrong. In fact, at least a very minor setback may be more likely than not.

Most often, landowners and construction contractors are able to resolve minor to moderate disputes between themselves, and litigation is rarely necessary. Nobody likes litigation, so, to this end, most construction contracts have built-in remedies in case something goes wrong, like set price reductions if construction is delayed.

And even if disputes can't be resolved so easily, the courts still don't necessarily have to get immersed. For example, a construction contract may require mediation before any further action is taken. Mediation is a process by which a third party tries to guide the parties to the dispute to a settlement. The mediator cannot, however, render any binding decision. Another option is arbitration. This is where the parties go to a private arbitration service, which can render a binding judgment (typically enforceable through contract law, as the parties agree in advance to abide by the arbitrator's decision). Arbitration has advantages over litigation, as the parties can have a say in choosing the arbitrator (allowing them to have their case arbitrated by an expert on construction disputes, for example).

Litigation of construction disputes in Little Rock, Arkansas can be extremely time-consuming, stressful, and costly. Nevertheless, there are (relatively rare) times where it is the only option.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Little Rock, Arkansas

Delays: If the contractor is culpable in a major delay in a construction project (a delay of weeks or months, for example), a lawsuit could result. If the contract specifically states that completion by a particular date is very important, or the builder has a good reason to know this, a court will often award the owner compensation for any economic harm caused by a delay.

Refusal to Pay: Contractors can be on the other side of legal disputes, as well. Sometimes, the landowners who hired them refuse to pay. This is normally because the landowner believes that the contractor didn't perform under the terms of the contract, or that the work was unsatisfactory. If this is the case, it may ultimately be up to a court to decide who is right. If the contractor did, in fact, do poor work, the landowner will be excused, at least in part, from his duty to pay. If, on the other hand, the work was satisfactory, the court will order the landowner to pay the contract price immediately, and may award additional damages if the refusal to pay was done in bad faith, or if it caused foreseeable economic harm to the contractor.

Subcontractors: With big construction projects, contractors normally hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is normally work of a specialized nature, which the general contractor isn't equipped to handle (such as plumbing or electrical wiring). The general contractor is the one who is responsible for the satisfactory completion of the project. If a subcontractor makes a mistake, or causes a delay, the general contractor is ultimately liable to the person who hired them. However, if they are sued for the mistakes of a subcontractor, and lose, they can then sue the subcontractor to recover their losses.

Mechanic's Lien: When a contractor wins a lawsuit against a client for nonpayment of the contract price, and the client still refuses to pay, there is a problem: a monetary judgment means next to nothing if it can't be enforced. To solve this problem, the mechanic's lien has been developed. Basically, if a landowner refuses to pay a contractor, even in the face of a court order, the court can force a sale of the property that the contractor worked on, along with all the improvements on it, and then give the proceeds to the contractor, to secure payment.

Can a Little Rock, Arkansas Attorney Help?

If you have a construction dispute, you should first try to resolve it amicably with the other party. If this fails, it is almost always necessary to hire a Little Rock, Arkansas construction disputes attorney, who can advise you on the next steps in the process.

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Life in Little Rock

Little Rock is the largest city in the State of Arkansas by any measurement. The City of Little Rock is the most important center of government in Arkansas and acts as the state capital and seat of Pulaski County Government. Today, Little Rock is home to over 700,000 residents who live in the city's 36 diverse neighborhoods.

There are a lot of outstanding museums in Little Rock like the Arkansas Arts Center, William J. Clinton Presidential Center, MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, and the hands-on Arkansas Museum of Discovery to name a few. Little Rock's Arkansas Arboretum is one of the most outstanding examples of native and exotic plans around. The Arkansas Art Center offers a museum school in addition to attractions like Van Gogh and Rembrandt pieces. The global hunger, poverty, and relief organization Heifer International operate their world headquarters from Little Rock.

Some prominent corporations and companies like Dillard's Department Stores, Windstream Communications, Acxiom, Rose Law Firm, and Metropolitan National Bank have headquarters in Little Rock. A number of hospital and renown research facilities make home in town. The largest of those include Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Baptist Health Medical Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), and the Arkansas Children's Hospital. Other businesses that have major installations in Little Rock are L'Oreal Paris, Timex, Entergy, Raytheon, Siemens, Kroger, Dassault Falcon Jet, and ATT Mobility.

I suppose it wasn't too shocking for residents when the Brookings Institution ranked Little Rock as the 7th best economy in the United States. It was second best in growth. Don't think rapid expansion has taken a negative toll on Little Rock. It's as gorgeous as ever and even was awarded the title of 2nd cleanest city in America by Forbes Magazine.

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Little Rock Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Arkansas

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Little Rock, Arkansas