Demolition Contractors in West Covina, CA

West Covina's housing came up almost all at once, which shapes what demolition contractors in West Covina are asked to remove. The city incorporated in 1923, oddly enough to stop Covina from building a sewage farm there. Early settlers arriving in 1905 cleared sagebrush and planted the area's first walnut trees. Then the postwar building boom hit: between 1950 and 1960 the population grew from under 5,000 to more than 50,000, an increase of about 1,026 percent. By 2020 it had 109,501 residents. Most homes here are now 60 to 70 years old, and many owners are remodeling or rebuilding.

The backyard pool question

Pools were a standard feature of mid-century San Gabriel Valley homes, and many in West Covina are now cracked, leaking or simply unused. Pool removal is one of our most common jobs here. There are two main approaches. A partial removal breaks out the top of the shell and the deck, drills or breaks drainage holes in the bottom, and backfills with compacted soil. A full removal takes the entire shell out, which is the better choice if you may build over the spot later. Either way the pool is drained, the equipment and gas and electrical lines are disconnected, and the backfill is placed in lifts so it does not settle.

Teardowns and additions

Mid-century houses here are typically single-story wood frame homes with stucco exteriors, many on raised foundations or slabs. Owners adding a second story or rebuilding often want the old patio covers, block walls, carports and driveways gone too. We price each piece separately.

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Shopping centers and commercial work

West Covina also has large commercial sites, including Plaza West Covina with 185 shops and The Heights at West Covina at 340,000 square feet. Tenant turnover in centers like these brings interior demolition work: removing old storefront build-outs, ceilings and partitions so the next tenant can start fresh.

Built on old landfill

The city has a history of large land reuse. The 315-acre West Covina Sportsplex, which opened in 2007, was built on a former landfill, and the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control has been overseeing cleanup of what Wikipedia calls the state's largest hazardous waste landfill, located in the city. For homeowners this is mostly background, but on any lot with fill or unknown buried material we dig carefully and stop if we find something unexpected.

Before we start

Every demolition needs an asbestos survey by a certified consultant and a South Coast AQMD notification filed 10 working days before work begins. West Covina has hot summers, often above 73 degrees on average, so we water the site to keep dust down. Call (213) 377-6198 to schedule a visit.