Old Mountain View demolition
Demolition Contractor in Old Mountain View
Old Mountain View has the oldest houses in the city on some of its tightest lots. Teardowns here are about small equipment, close neighbors, historic checks and a lot of careful hand work.
Bungalow Teardowns on Narrow Old Mountain View Lots
The blocks between downtown and El Camino Real, along streets like Mercy, Church, Calderon and Bryant, hold the city's early twentieth century bungalows, craftsman cottages and a few older farmhouses. Many sit on narrow lots with a single driveway running past the house to a detached garage at the back, and there are no alleys behind them.
When one of these houses comes down, the excavator usually has to walk in down that driveway. We use compact machines that fit, pull walls inward onto the floor so nothing falls toward the neighbor, and hand-demolish anything within a few feet of a fence or the house next door. Trucks load from the driveway or the curb in short windows so the street stays open.
Historic Review and Demolition Permits in Old Mountain View
Demolition here is permitted by the City of Mountain View Building Division. Because Old Mountain View has the city's oldest housing, some properties are on the city's historic register or may be eligible for it. Those houses can need a historic review before a demolition permit is issued, and the outcome can change what is allowed. We check the property's status before anything else is scheduled.
The usual pre-demolition steps apply on top of that: an asbestos survey, removal of any asbestos by a certified abatement contractor, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District notification, PG&E gas and electric shutoff, and capping the sewer lateral where the city directs. Large street and yard trees are common in this neighborhood, and any protected Heritage tree needs its own approval before work near it.
Detached Garage Removal and ADU Prep Near Downtown
Plenty of Old Mountain View owners are not tearing down the house at all. They are keeping a bungalow they love and removing the sagging single-car garage at the back to build an accessory dwelling unit. That job is small but awkward: the garage sits at the end of a long, narrow drive, often against two neighbors' fences, sometimes under a big tree.
We take those garages down mostly by hand, break out the thin slab, dig out the old footings and leave a level pad. The house, the driveway and the fences along the way get protected while loads go out.
Saving Old Redwood With Deconstruction in Old Mountain View
Houses this old were framed with dense, old-growth redwood and fir, and many still have original doors, windows, built-ins and brick chimneys. For owners who want to reuse or donate those materials, we can deconstruct the house by hand, or pull the best pieces first and finish with a machine. Salvaged lumber also helps with the city's construction waste diversion requirements.
Old houses also carry old hazards. Lead paint is nearly certain on original trim and siding, and asbestos can turn up in flue pipes, old flooring and wall texture. The survey comes first, and anything positive is abated before salvage or demolition begins.
Demolition Work We Handle in Old Mountain View
Small-Lot House Demolition
Full teardowns of bungalows and cottages with compact equipment, hand demolition near property lines, and loading planned around a single narrow driveway.
Detached Garage Removal for ADUs
Old garages and sheds removed with slabs and footings, leaving a clean, level pad at the back of the lot for the new unit.
Historic Status Check Before Demolition
We look up the property's historic status with the city early, so any review is started before the rest of the permit package.
Salvage and Deconstruction
Old-growth lumber, doors, fixtures and brick saved by hand for reuse or donation, with records toward construction waste diversion.
Demolition services in Old Mountain View
Teardown, Garage and Salvage Services in Old Mountain View
Demolition FAQs
Old Mountain View Teardown FAQ
Can I tear down an old house in Old Mountain View?
Usually, yes, with a City of Mountain View demolition permit. Houses on the historic register or eligible for it may need a historic review first, which can affect what is allowed. We check that before anything else.
How do you demolish a house with neighbors so close?
With compact equipment, walls pulled inward, hand work near fences, constant water for dust, and screened fencing. Loud work stays inside the city's allowed hours, and neighbors get the schedule ahead of time.
Where do the trucks park on these narrow streets?
We load from the driveway when it is wide enough, and from the curb in short windows when it is not. If the street has to be used for longer, we get the city's encroachment approval and set out cones.
Is the old lumber worth saving?
Often it is. Old-growth redwood and fir from these houses is dense and attractive. Owners reuse it or donate it, and it counts toward diversion requirements.
Do I need an asbestos survey for a small garage?
Yes. Air district rules apply to garages and sheds as well as houses. Older garages can have asbestos in roofing, siding or wallboard.
Demolition quote
Price a Teardown or Garage Removal in Old Mountain View
Give the street, what is coming down and how the lot lays out from the curb back. We answer within 24 hours.
- Permits
- Demolition
- Haul-off