Demolition Contractors in Manhattan Beach, CA

Manhattan Beach is a teardown town, and demolition contractors in Manhattan Beach mostly work on small, high-value lots. The city incorporated in 1912 and grew from 859 people in 1920 to 33,934 by 1960, then stayed nearly flat, with 35,506 residents in 2020. With so little new land, growth happens by replacing older beach cottages and ranch houses with new homes.

Built on dunes

Wikipedia notes that most of Manhattan Beach was once exposed sand dunes, which now lie beneath the streets and houses. Sand Dune Park is the only exposed dune left, and in the 1920s and 1930s excess sand was even shipped to Waikiki. Sandy soil affects demolition in two ways. Excavations for footings and old basements can slough in, so we keep cuts short and shored where needed near property lines. And sand blows, so we keep the site wet and fenced with screening.

Lot size limits

After three lots were combined into a single large oceanside home in 2008, the city enacted a rule in 2010 that new developments cannot exceed two lot parcels. For owners planning to demolish and rebuild, that limit shapes what can be built, so confirm your plans before scheduling demolition.

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Weather by the beach

Manhattan Beach averages a high of about 69 degrees and roughly 13 inches of rain a year. Ocean breezes keep summers cool, which helps crews, but wind carries sand and dust, so every site is wetted down and fenced with screening.

Tight lots and close neighbors

Many Manhattan Beach homes sit on narrow lots with neighbors close on both sides. Where there is an alley, we stage from it, hand-demolish along shared walls and take loads out in smaller trucks. Foundations come out completely so the new house can sit on a properly engineered footing.

Notices and the asbestos survey

The South Coast AQMD guidance distributed through Manhattan Beach explains that state law (Health and Safety Code 19827.5) prohibits cities from issuing demolition permits until they receive a copy of the AQMD demolition notification. The notification is due 10 working days, or 14 calendar days, before work starts, and an asbestos survey report signed by a certified asbestos consultant is required first. Ocean breezes keep summer about 10 to 20 degrees cooler than inland, which makes year-round work comfortable. Call (213) 377-6198 to set up a site visit.