Demolition Contractor in Pruneridge, Santa Clara

Ranch House Teardowns in Pruneridge

The neighborhoods along Pruneridge Avenue were built on former orchard land as the valley filled in after the war, and the name still recalls the prune orchards that once covered this side of the valley. The housing is mostly single story ranch homes of about the same age, on flat lots laid out the way most tracts of that era were.

Being close to the big tech campuses on the Cupertino side has pushed values up, and many of these houses are now worth less than the land. Buyers often plan a two story rebuild from the start. That makes full house demolition the most common job we do in Pruneridge, usually including the attached garage, the driveway and everything in the backyard.

Crawlspace Foundations and What Is Underneath

Many Pruneridge houses sit on raised foundations with a crawlspace rather than a slab. That means perimeter concrete footings, interior piers and posts, and a crawlspace that may hold old heating ducts, galvanized water lines, cast iron drains and, in some homes, duct wrap or insulation that contains asbestos.

Our survey crew goes under the floor as well as through the rooms. Whatever tests positive is taken out by a certified abatement firm ahead of demolition. After the frame comes down we dig out footings and piers, pull old drain lines, backfill the crawlspace and leave a level pad for the new foundation.

Crawlspaces also collect things over sixty years: old ductwork, abandoned wiring, rodent nests and scraps left by the original builders. We clear it all before backfilling so nothing rots under the new slab.

Permits and Utilities for a Pruneridge Teardown

Pruneridge is fully within the City of Santa Clara, so the Building Division issues the demolition permit, even on streets right next to the Cupertino or San Jose borders. That is worth checking, because the utilities are different from the cities next door: electric service here comes from Silicon Valley Power, not PG&E. PG&E still provides gas.

On our side that means filing the BAAQMD notice, putting in both utility orders, and getting the city water department to pull the meter and confirm where the sewer lateral gets capped. Starting those requests in the first week is what keeps a Pruneridge teardown on schedule.

Garages, Driveways and Backyard Pools in Pruneridge

A teardown here is rarely just the house. Long driveways, patios, block walls, sheds and an occasional backyard pool are common on these lots. If the new house has a different footprint, all of that usually has to go. If the owner wants to keep a fence, a side wall or a mature tree, we plan around it.

Concrete from the foundation and flatwork is kept clean and sent for crushing, and metal goes to scrap, so most of the weight of a Pruneridge ranch house ends up recycled.

• Attached and detached garages
• Driveways, patios and walkways
• Block walls and planters
• Backyard pools and spas