Demolition Contractors in Gardena, CA

Gardena was once called "Berryland" for its acres of strawberries, and demolition contractors in Gardena now work on the tract homes that replaced those fields. The city incorporated on September 11, 1930, and its population jumped from 14,405 in 1950 to 35,943 in 1960, a 149.5 percent increase, as new tracts went up. Many Japanese American families moved into those new homes. Gardena had 61,027 residents in 2020 and 22,393 housing units, about 47 percent owner-occupied.

The 1950s tract house

Most of those 1950s homes are single-story wood frame houses on slabs or short raised floors, with stucco outside and plaster or early drywall inside. After 65 to 75 years, owners are making big decisions: remodel, add on, or start over. For remodels we strip interiors to studs, remove old ceilings and flooring after asbestos testing, and open walls for new systems. For rebuilds we remove the whole structure, foundation and slab and leave the lot graded. And for owners adding a backyard unit, we clear the garage and its slab.

Small lots, compact equipment

Gardena covers just 5.86 square miles and has more than 10,000 people per square mile, so neighbors are close and driveways are narrow. We size machines to the access, use smaller trucks when needed, and plan loading so the street is not blocked for long.

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Owners and renters

About 47 percent of Gardena homes are owner-occupied. Owners tend to call about full rebuilds and backyard units, while landlords call about interior gut-outs between tenants and removal of old garages or carports. We handle both and price each scope separately.

Cardrooms and civic buildings

From 1936 to 1980, Gardena had a local monopoly on legal cardrooms, and their taxes made up nearly a third of the city budget. Civic buildings from the boom years are still in use, like the Mayme Dear Library, dedicated in 1964, and the Japanese Cultural Institute building, completed in 1976. The 9.4-acre Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve sits at the southeast corner of the city, a reminder to keep runoff and sediment from demolition sites out of the storm drains.

Steps we handle

South Coast AQMD requires an asbestos survey by a certified consultant before demolition and notification 10 working days ahead, and the city cannot issue the permit without that notice. We schedule the survey, arrange utility disconnects, cap the sewer, fence the site and keep dust down with water. Call (213) 377-6198 to set up an estimate.