Demolition Contractor in Old Quad, Santa Clara

Selective Demolition in the Old Quad Near Santa Clara University

The Old Quad grew up around the Mission and the university, and its blocks between the campus, Benton Street and Franklin Street hold the city's largest concentration of pre-war homes. Some date to the late 1800s. Many have been added on to more than once, and quite a few near campus have spent decades as student rentals.

That history shapes the work. Owners here are more likely to restore than to tear down, so the typical job is pulling out a dated kitchen or bath, removing a poorly built rear addition, or taking plaster and lath off the walls so the house can be rewired and insulated. The front of the house, the original framing and the trim usually stay, and our job is to take out what is going without hurting what is not.

Historic Review Before Old Quad Demolition

Demolition permits here are issued by the City of Santa Clara, the same as elsewhere in the city. The difference is that a lot of Old Quad houses are on the city's list of historically or architecturally significant properties, or are old enough that the city will want to look before anything comes down. Full demolition of a listed house can go to the city's historic review process, and that review can take time or change the plan.

We look up the address before we file. If the house is listed or likely to draw review, we tell you up front, and we can plan the project as a remodel tear-out or a partial demolition that keeps the parts the city cares about. That is often the faster path.

Working on Tight Old Quad Lots

Lots here are narrow and often deep, with houses close to the side property lines and detached garages at the back. Street parking is tight, especially during the school year. A full-size excavator rarely fits, so most of our Old Quad work is done by hand or with compact machines, with debris loaded into trucks parked out front at set times.

Older houses also have more hazardous materials in them, and in more layers. Lead paint on siding and trim is almost a given. Asbestos can show up in old flooring, the paper behind siding, heating duct wrap and some plasters. The survey comes first, a certified abatement contractor removes any asbestos before we start, and we use lead-safe methods for the painted surfaces.

• Compact equipment and hand demolition
• Debris loaded straight to trucks at set times
• Lead-safe work practices on painted wood
• Protection for neighbors' fences and walls

Utilities and Salvage on Old Quad Projects

When a structure comes out entirely, Silicon Valley Power disconnects the electric service and PG&E shuts off the gas. Many older Old Quad homes have had the gas line or electric service moved at some point, so we confirm where everything enters the house before demolition. The city's water and sewer utility handles the meter and lateral.

Because the materials are older and often better, salvage is worth considering here. Old-growth redwood framing, original doors, wavy-glass windows and clawfoot tubs can be saved for the remodel or passed on for reuse. We can deconstruct an addition or garage by hand instead of crushing it.