Check Us Out
Before You Hire Us.
License number, insurance, project profiles, client feedback and the paperwork we hand over at closeout · all on one page. If you’re already a client, scroll down for project status, documents and billing.
Six Things You Can Verify
Anyone can say they’re reputable. These are the six items you should be able to confirm about any demolition contractor before you sign · ours are listed so you can check them.
CA License #1122603
Look it up on the CSLB website. Demolition falls under C-21 Building Moving/Demolition; asbestos work involving 100 sq ft or more requires C-22 or a passed asbestos certification exam, which is why abatement is handled by a registered specialist and not by a general demo crew.
Licensed, Bonded, Insured
General liability and workers’ compensation in force. Certificates of insurance and additional-insured endorsements are issued on request, usually the same business day · see the contractor documents section below.
Documented Diversion
California requires a minimum 65% diversion of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste. We hand over scale-house weight tickets and a completed waste management report · the documentation your final inspection actually asks for, not a percentage we claim.
Fixed Written Scope
Written scope, written number, before mobilization. Change orders happen only when you change the scope or the ground hides something no one could see from the surface · and they are priced and signed before the work happens.
Owned Machines
Excavators, skid steers, breakers and haul trucks in-house. When your schedule moves, we move with it instead of waiting for a rental reservation or a subcontractor’s other job to finish.
Local To El Sobrante
4533 Appian Way. El Sobrante is unincorporated, so the County permits it, not a city · and Richmond, Oakland and Concord each run a different process. We already know which counter, which form and which inspector.
Homeowners, Builders,
And The People On Deadline.
Roughly half our calendar is repeat trade work and half is homeowners doing this once. Both get the same written scope and the same closeout package.
Homeowners
Teardowns, garage removals, pool abandonment, driveway and patio slabs. You get plain-language answers on permits and a number that does not move.
General Contractors
Demolition, foundation removal and site prep as a subcontractor with our own insurance, our own equipment and our own diversion reporting. Contractor page →
Developers
Lot acquisitions, multi-parcel clearing and pad prep. Structure down, foundation out, grade set to your civil drawings so the foundation crew is not waiting.
Property Managers
Unit strip-outs between tenants, fire and water damage removal, illegal-conversion demolition, junk and abandoned-material clearing on a scheduled turn.
Realtors Prepping Listings
The failing deck, the dead pool, the collapsing shed, the cracked driveway. Fast turnarounds so a property photographs and appraises like it should.
ADU Builders
The dominant East Bay driver. Garage down, slab out, pool filled to engineered spec, pad cut and graded. ADU site prep →
Landscape Architects
Hardscape demolition, concrete and paver removal, pool abandonment for planted areas, rough grading to your finish elevations and drainage plan.
Insurance Restoration
Fire, storm and water-loss demolition with photo documentation, itemized scope and weight tickets in a format an adjuster can process. Fire & storm debris →
The Wall Of Reviews
Homeowners, builders, property managers and agents. The comments below focus on the parts of a demolition job that usually go wrong · permits, access, schedule, paperwork and the final invoice.
Illustrative feedback shown while our Google Business Profile reviews are being imported. Names are first name and last initial by client preference.
The County kicked our first submittal back over the site plan and Legacy redrew it and resubmitted the same week. House was down in four days, caps left exposed for the inspector, and the final invoice matched the estimate to the dollar.
Three bids. Legacy was the only one that told us an asbestos survey was coming before we signed instead of after. The survey came back clean on the garage but flagged the duct wrap in the house, and knowing that early saved us a month.
I build spec homes and I have used a lot of demo crews. These guys leave a pad you can actually pour on. Weight tickets and the diversion report came over the same week instead of me chasing them at closeout.
Our lot drops off hard behind the house and two contractors walked away over access. Legacy staged from the street, used the smaller machine and a conveyor, and never put a track on the neighbor’s driveway. That was the whole reason we hired them.
We manage 40 units and turn them fast. Legacy strips a unit to studs, protects the corridor and the elevator, and hauls the same day so my flooring crew is not standing around. Scheduling is a text message, not a two-week negotiation.
Pool removal that had to leave a buildable pad for the ADU. They pulled the engineered-fill permit, brought in the soils firm for the compaction testing and walked the rough grade and the final grading inspection with the inspector. Report was stamped and in my inbox.
I had ten days before listing photos and a collapsing carport in the driveway. They came out the next morning to look, gave me a written price on the spot, and it was gone and swept in a day and a half. The listing went up on schedule.
The 1952 duplex needed the historic form, the pest clearance certificate and the air district clearance before the City would even look at it. I did not touch any of that. They handed me a folder at the end with every approval in it.
Two hundred feet of driveway plus a patio slab, all reinforced. The estimate broke out the rebar surcharge and the tonnage assumption instead of hiding it, so when the concrete came in heavier than expected I already understood why.
Insurance job after a kitchen fire. Photo documentation before, during and after, an itemized scope my adjuster could actually read, and disposal tickets attached. That is the difference between a claim that pays and a claim that argues.
They called 811 and waited out the ticket instead of guessing, which I appreciated after what happened on my last project with a different crew. Marked the gas line, worked around it, no drama, no utility bill for a strike.
Old barn and about an acre of overgrown brush in a fire-risk area. Cleared, chipped, hauled, and they left the oak we asked them to protect completely untouched. Fence line is visible for the first time in years.
Four Jobs, Start To Finish
What actually happens on an East Bay demolition · including the part that made each one difficult. Read these before you assume your job is “just a teardown”.
Representative project profiles. These describe the type of work, permit path and site conditions we handle routinely; they are composites, not individual client records, and no client is identified.
Downslope Single-Story, El Sobrante
Scope: 1,240 sq ft single-story home plus detached shed, full foundation removal, pad graded for a rebuild.
Jurisdiction: Unincorporated Contra Costa County · permitted through the County at 30 Muir Rd, Martinez, not a city.
Duration: Roughly six weeks signature to bare dirt; four days of machine time.
Permit path: County demolition permit with site plan, Planning Division sign-off, sanitary district approval, BAAQMD notification, PG&E utility release and the PCB screen form. Waste management plan filed before issuance.
What made it tricky: The lot fell away behind the structure and the only staging was the street frontage. A full-size excavator could not be walked in without crossing a neighbor’s driveway. We downsized the machine, worked front-to-back, and moved debris out with a smaller carry unit · slower per day, but no access agreement and no driveway repair to negotiate.
Outcome: Structure and foundation gone, utilities capped and left visible for the final inspection, pad graded and compacted, closeout package delivered with permits, weight tickets and the diversion report.
Full Pool Removal For ADU Prep
Scope: ~640 sq ft in-ground gunite pool, full removal, engineered fill so the area stays buildable for a future ADU footprint.
Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County pool abandonment, Track I · engineered fill, permit type “G”.
Duration: About three weeks including inspection scheduling; five days on site.
Permit path: 24″×36″ site plan plus geotechnical report, disclosed source of import soil, compaction to a minimum 90% relative compaction per ASTM D1557 tested by an accredited soils firm, final compaction report stamped by a licensed civil or geotechnical engineer. Inspection sequence #601 rough grade → #608 in-progress at 48″ from finish grade → #620 grading and drainage final.
What made it tricky: The cheaper route · Track II, uncertified fill with the shell left in place · would have put a permanent note on the parcel reading “Restricted Area on Site, due to abandoned swimming pool not Suitable for Building.” That kills the ADU. Track I costs more up front and is the only version that keeps the ground usable.
Outcome: Shell removed, backfill placed in lifts and tested, stamped compaction report issued to the owner, pad released for the ADU designer. Full removal in this size band typically runs $11,000-$16,000 before ancillaries.
1950s Duplex Teardown, Richmond
Scope: Two-story duplex, roughly 2,100 sq ft, full teardown including slab, driveway and rear stairs.
Jurisdiction: City of Richmond, 450 Civic Center Plaza.
Duration: Eight weeks signature to bare dirt; five days of machine time. The paperwork, not the demolition, set the schedule.
Permit path: Building demolition permit plus sewer cap permit. Because the structure was over 50 years old and not on the Richmond Register, a completed DPR 523a form went to the Planning Director for evaluation. Add BAAQMD certification on asbestos, a Richmond-specific Pest Control Clearance Certification from a state-licensed exterminator, and the Utility Disconnect form signed by PG&E.
What made it tricky: Richmond, San Pablo and El Sobrante housing stock is overwhelmingly pre-1978, so asbestos and lead are the default assumption, not the exception. Suspect materials were surveyed before anything was disturbed. Structural demolition also requires the air district notification regardless of asbestos content, age or size · and those start and end dates are confirmed dates, not a window, so they were revised the moment the schedule shifted.
Outcome: Clean final inspection with capped utilities visible, over 65% of non-hazardous material diverted and receipted through the required portal.
Garage, Slab & Grade For An ADU
Scope: Two-car detached garage demolished, 480 sq ft slab and footings removed, old concrete walkway out, rear yard cut and graded to the ADU plan elevations.
Jurisdiction: Contra Costa County, with a grading permit triggered by the cut volume.
Duration: Two and a half days on site once permits cleared.
Permit path: Demolition permit, air district notification, and a grading permit · required in the County for excavation deeper than 5 ft or over 200 cubic yards, or fill supporting a structure, deeper than 3 ft or over 200 cubic yards. USA North 811 ticket called at least two working days ahead and kept current inside its 28-day validity.
What made it tricky: The garage shared a wall line with a fence the neighbor wanted preserved, and the sewer lateral for the main house ran under the corner of the slab. We hand-dug the lateral crossing, cut the slab back to it and left it intact and exposed for the plumber. Garage demolition in this configuration typically lands in the $2,500-$6,500 range; slab removal runs $2-$5 per sq ft.
Outcome: Clear, level, compacted building area handed to the ADU contractor with the sewer lateral located and marked. See the full ADU site prep service →
The ranges above are working Bay Area figures, not quotes. Access, foundation type, hazardous materials, haul distance and jurisdiction all move the number. Your written price is fixed after the site walk · book one here.
What “Done” Looks Like
Pools filled and graded, structures taken down cleanly, sites left flat, compacted and ready for the next trade.
Before / After
During
Pool Removal
Teardown
Haul-Off
HandoverTell The Next Homeowner
What Actually Happened.
Reviews are how the person after you decides whether to trust a demolition contractor with their property. If we did the job right, two minutes of your time is worth more to us than any ad we could buy. If we got something wrong, tell us first · we’d rather fix it than read about it.
Photos welcome. If you’d rather we not use your name, first name and last initial is fine · that’s how the reviews on this page are shown.
Already Have A Job
On The Board?
Project status, documents, insurance certificates and billing · all in one place. If it’s urgent, call (510) 804-1333 instead of filling out a form.
Project Status Request
Tell us the address and what you need. Same-day response on business days.
Avada note: connect these fields to your Contact Form 7 / Fusion Form handler so submissions route to legacydemolition21@gmail.com. Until then the button opens an email.
What You Get When The Job Is Done
Demolition is not finished when the dust settles. It’s finished when you’re holding the documents that prove it was done legally. Every Legacy job closes out with the same set.
- Permit records · the issued demolition permit, any grading permit, and the signed inspection card.
- Disposal weight tickets · scale-house receipts showing facility name, date, place of origin, material type and quantity.
- Diversion report · the completed waste management report demonstrating the required 65% minimum diversion of non-hazardous C&D material.
- Before / during / after photos · dated site documentation, useful for insurance claims, lenders and future buyers.
- Final inspection sign-off · confirmation that the jurisdiction closed the permit, with capped utilities verified as visible at inspection.
When you sell, refinance or pull a building permit on the same parcel, the first thing anyone asks for is proof the old structure came down under a closed permit. Keep the package. If you lose it, ask us · we keep copies.
Ask And It’s Sent
- W-9 for accounts payable setup.
- Certificate of Insurance (COI) · general liability and workers’ compensation.
- Additional-insured endorsement naming the GC, owner or lender as required by your subcontract.
- CSLB license verification · CA License #1122603.
- Waste management plan and report, filed through the required jurisdiction portal.
- Scale-house weight tickets by load, itemized by material.
- Signed change orders with the reason, the cost and the schedule impact stated.
- Lien releases · conditional on progress payment, unconditional on final payment.
- Safety documentation and site-specific plans on request for commercial and GC-led projects.
Insurance & Onboarding
If you need us in your vendor system before we mobilize, send the requirements early · not the morning of. Most subcontract packages need three things from us:
1. Your certificate holder name and mailing address exactly as it should appear.
2. Required limits and whether you need additional insured, primary and non-contributory, or a waiver of subrogation.
3. The project name and address for the description-of-operations box.
Standard COIs and W-9s go out the same business day. Endorsements that require a carrier issuance typically take one to three business days, so build that into your mobilization date. Prevailing wage and certified payroll are handled on jobs where the contract requires it · flag it at bid time, because it changes the number.
Contractor Info & Trade TermsPayment & Invoicing Questions
How does payment work on a residential job?
A deposit at contract signing covers permits, agency fees, surveys and mobilization. The balance is billed on completion, or in progress payments on larger projects with the milestones written into the contract. California caps the down payment a licensed contractor may collect under the state home improvement contract rules, and we stay inside it · no contractor should be asking a homeowner to pay for the whole job up front.
What payment methods do you take?
Check, ACH bank transfer and major credit cards. Card payments may carry a processing fee, which is disclosed on the invoice rather than buried in the total. Commercial and GC clients are invoiced on the terms in the subcontract.
When are invoices due?
Residential invoices are due on receipt at completion. Trade and commercial accounts are typically net 30 unless your subcontract says otherwise. If a payment is going to be late, tell us before the due date · that conversation is always easier than the one afterward.
What is and is not included in my number?
Your written scope lists exactly what is included. Items commonly quoted separately because they cannot be priced blind: asbestos abatement if testing comes back positive, unforeseen underground structures such as an old septic tank or a buried foundation, import soil beyond the estimated quantity, and jurisdiction fee increases. Each is priced and signed as a change order before the work happens · never added silently to the final invoice.
Can I get a copy of an old invoice or closeout document?
Yes. Use the project status form above with the project address and what you need. We keep permit records, weight tickets and diversion reports on file, and copies are free to the original client.
Working With Legacy
How far out are you scheduling?
Machine time is usually available within one to three weeks. The permit is what sets your real start date · most East Bay demolition runs three to eight weeks from signature to bare dirt once you account for the asbestos survey, the demolition permit, the air district notification and the PG&E utility release. Air district notification is normally 10 working days ahead, though for dwellings of four or fewer units it can be reduced to 72 hours with an added fee. Small jobs · a driveway slab, a shed, a junk-out · often go on the calendar the same week.
What are your payment terms?
A deposit at signing covers permits, agency fees and mobilization; the balance is due at completion, or in written progress milestones on larger projects. Trade accounts are typically net 30 per the subcontract. Check, ACH and major cards accepted. Full details are in the billing section above.
Can you provide a certificate of insurance and add us as additional insured?
Yes. Send the certificate holder name and address, the required limits, and whether you need additional insured, primary and non-contributory, or a waiver of subrogation. Standard COIs and W-9s go out the same business day; carrier-issued endorsements usually take one to three business days. We’re licensed, bonded and insured under CA License #1122603.
How do change orders work?
They’re written, priced and signed before the work happens · never discovered on the final invoice. Change orders come from two places: you change the scope, or the ground hides something nobody could see from the surface. The usual culprits are a buried foundation, an abandoned septic tank, an unmarked utility, or an asbestos result that comes back positive. Everything else is already in your fixed number.
Do you warranty the grading and compaction?
Where a job calls for engineered fill, the compaction is verified by an accredited soils firm and certified by a licensed civil or geotechnical engineer · minimum 90% relative compaction per ASTM D1557 on a Contra Costa County pool abandonment under the engineered-fill track. That stamped report, not our word, is what the County and your future builder rely on. Our workmanship is warranted; the engineer’s certification stands independently. Rough grading done for landscaping or drainage rather than structural support is left to the elevations on your plan and walked with you before we demobilize.
Who pulls the permits · you or me?
We prepare and submit the package; the property owner signs where the jurisdiction requires an owner signature. That covers the demolition permit, the BAAQMD notification, the grading permit where triggered, and the waste management plan that has to be filed before the permit issues in unincorporated Contra Costa County. You’re never sent to a counter alone. See the full permit guide →
Do you work weekends or after hours?
Sometimes, and it depends on the jurisdiction. Local noise ordinances and permit conditions limit demolition hours, and some jobs · an occupied apartment turn, a retail interior · genuinely work better off-hours. Ask at estimate time so it’s priced in rather than negotiated mid-job.
Let’s Put A Number On It.
Send the address and a few photos. We’ll walk the site, tell you exactly what the job takes, and put a fixed price on paper · permits, hauling, diversion reporting and grading included.
Legacy Demolitions LLC · 4533 Appian Way, El Sobrante, CA 94803 · CA License #1122603