Concrete and Foundation Removal in Palo Alto

Driveway and Patio Concrete Removal in Palo Alto

Old driveways and patios are the most common concrete jobs. A cracked driveway lifted by tree roots, a patio poured in the 1960s that slopes toward the house or a walkway that no longer fits the landscape plan all get removed before new hardscape goes in.

Where the old concrete butts against anything staying, such as the garage slab or the public sidewalk, a diamond saw makes a straight cut first. Then the slab is broken, loaded and hauled. Rebar and wire mesh are pulled out and sent for metal recycling.

Thickness varies more than people expect. A garage apron poured in the 1950s may be four inches with no steel, while a newer driveway built for heavy cars can be thicker and full of rebar. We check an edge or drill a test spot during the site visit, because thickness and reinforcement decide whether a jackhammer, a skid steer breaker or an excavator hammer does the work.

Concrete Removal Near Protected Trees in Palo Alto

A lot of Palo Alto concrete is cracked because a tree has been growing under it for decades. When that tree is a protected oak, redwood or street tree, removing the concrete becomes a tree job too. Roots right under the slab can be damaged by a machine or by over-excavation.

We follow the project arborist's instructions, lift concrete off roots instead of digging under it and use hand tools in sensitive areas. If roots need pruning, the arborist directs it. Street trees belong to the city, and work near them follows the city's rules.

Foundation and Slab Removal After a Teardown

When a Palo Alto house is deconstructed, the foundation is usually the last piece and the only one that needs heavy equipment. Eichler slabs come out with their radiant heat pipe in them, and the pipe is separated for metal recycling where possible. Raised foundations on older houses have perimeter footings and piers. Some pre-war homes in Old Palo Alto and Crescent Park have basement walls that need to be broken out and the hole backfilled with compacted soil.

We break foundations with an excavator-mounted hammer, keep vibration down near neighbors and water the work to control dust.

Retaining Walls and Hillside Concrete in the Palo Alto Foothills

In Palo Alto Hills and Los Altos Hills, concrete retaining walls hold up driveways, pads and patios on slopes. Removing one is not just demolition: the soil it holds has to be supported or regraded. We work from the engineer's plan and, where needed, remove walls in sections so the slope does not move.

Steep driveways in the hills also limit what truck can reach the work. We plan smaller loads and more trips when a full-size truck cannot make the turn.

Sidewalk, Curb and Driveway Approach Work

Concrete in the public right-of-way, such as the sidewalk, curb and driveway approach, belongs to the city. Removing or replacing it needs a permit from Palo Alto Public Works, and the new work has to meet city standards. We tell you when your project touches the public right-of-way so the permit is in place before we cut.

Concrete we remove is recycled into base rock. CALGreen and Palo Alto rules call for construction waste to be diverted from landfill, and plain broken concrete is about the simplest load we haul to a recycler.