Commercial Demolition in Fontana, CA
Fontana Demolition has spent 14 years handling commercial demolition across the Inland Empire, with 450+ residential and commercial jobs completed, including retail demolition, office demolition, and restaurant demolition for Fontana property owners. We are fully insured and bonded for every Fontana and San Bernardino County project, and the same local crew and project manager stay on your commercial building demolition from the free on-site walk through final cleanup.
Every job starts with a written scope and work is included with a 1-year workmanship warranty.
Fontana Demolition also provides commercial building demolition to surrounding California cities, including Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, Jurupa Valley, Colton, Grand Terrace, Ontario, Upland, Highland, Loma Linda, and Montclair.
Why We're The Best Demolition Contractors in Fontana, CA
- Fully insured and bonded for every Fontana and San Bernardino County project
- 1-year workmanship warranty on all completed demolition work
- 450+ residential and commercial jobs completed across the Inland Empire
- Free on-site estimates with written scopes before any work begins
- Same local crew and project manager from start to finish
- Member of the Fontana Chamber of Commerce
- Materials sourced from Thompson Building Materials right here in Fontana
- Proud sponsor of the Henry J. Kaiser High School soccer program
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Commercial Building Demolition for Retail, Office, and Restaurant Sites in Fontana, CA
Commercial work is a different animal from taking down a house. The structures are bigger, the framing is steel, masonry, or tilt-up concrete instead of wood, and strip centers share walls, roof lines, and sometimes utilities with the unit next door. There is usually a tenant, a customer, or a neighbor operating a few feet from the work, so noise, dust, and access matter as much as the demolition itself.
That is the reality along Fontana's Sierra Avenue commercial corridor, where strip centers and freestanding pads often sit beside occupied businesses. Last spring we took down a 4,800 square foot freestanding pad off Valley Boulevard, our ninth freestanding pad this year, for 38,400(8 per square foot), with the neighboring tenant open the entire time.
Retail Demolition in Strip Centers and Freestanding Pads
Along the Sierra corridor, the first question is always what is holding up the neighbor. Demising walls in strip centers are often shared, so we identify what is structural before a single cut is made. From there we remove storefront glazing, handle the parking lot tie-ins, and protect adjoining tenants with dust barriers, noise limits, and agreed work windows.
Our 22nd strip-center unit on Sierra Avenue near Foothill Boulevard was a 3,200 square foot interior demo that we finished for 19,200(6 per square foot). In our experience, the demising wall is where most surprises hide, so we open it up early and look before we commit to a schedule.
Office Demolition and Full Building Takedowns
Office jobs range from stripping a suite to dropping an entire building. We pull ceiling grid, HVAC and ductwork, and low-voltage cabling first, then deal with the shell. Whether the building is slab-on-grade or a tilt-up shell changes the equipment we bring, since tilt-up panels need to be cut and lowered in a controlled sequence.
Utilities come before anything else. We coordinate shutoffs with SCE and SoCalGas up front, because a missed cap-off can stop a job for a week. On a two-story, 12,000 square foot tilt-up office off Slover Avenue, we scheduled both utilities before mobilizing and finished for 102,000(8.50 per square foot).
Restaurant Demolition and Kitchen Strip-Outs
Restaurant demolition is mostly about what is behind the walls. Hoods and exhaust ducting have to come out clean, grease interceptors need to be pumped and removed properly, gas lines must be capped, and walk-in coolers carry refrigerant that has to be recovered before the box is touched. Health-department-driven timelines usually mean the owner needs it done fast, so we sequence the hazardous items first.
Our 31st kitchen strip-out was a 2,900 square foot restaurant on Foothill Boulevard, including hood, ducting, interceptor, and walk-in refrigerant recovery, for 31,900(11 per square foot).
Permits, Asbestos, and Neighbors on Commercial Demolition Jobs in Fontana, CA
Compliance is where many commercial jobs stall, and it is where an experienced contractor earns their fee. Asbestos surveys, air quality notifications, city permits, and neighbor protection all have to be lined up before equipment arrives. We handle each of these in writing so the owner knows exactly where things stand.
Asbestos Surveys and SCAQMD Rule 1403 for Commercial Structures
Commercial buildings need an asbestos survey before demolition, and SCAQMD Rule 1403 requires notification 10 working days before the work begins. That ten-day window is the piece owners forget, and it sets the earliest possible start date. Older roofing, mastic under flooring, and pipe insulation in pre-1990 commercial structures are the usual suspects.
On a 1978 building of 6,500 square feet off Arrow Route, the survey found asbestos in the roof and floor mastic. Abatement and demolition together ran 84,500(13 per square foot), and the notice was filed the same week we got the results.
Working Beside Occupied Businesses
Demolition next to open businesses comes down to phasing, hoarding, and timing. We build solid hoarding to keep dust and debris on our side, run loud work after hours when needed, and put traffic control in place on busy arterials. Customers need a clear path to the front door, so we keep access open while the crew works on the next pad.
Honestly, this is the part owners worry about most, and it is very manageable when it is planned before the first day. We removed a 1,800 square foot mezzanine off Cherry Avenue, our 12th selective removal, for 21,600(12 per square foot) while the tenants below stayed open.
Rebuilds and Retail Redevelopment in Empire Center
Redevelopment in large master-planned retail areas like Empire Center, south of the I-10, usually means clearing an old pad so a general contractor can build a new retail or restaurant building. That means removing old foundations and utilities, grading the pad ready, and handing over a clean site. Our 15th pad clearance in that area covered a 0.8 acre site with a 6,000 square foot foundation, finished for $54,000 ($9 per square foot).
Interior Gut and Structural Removal in Commercial Buildings in Fontana, CA
The line between whole-building demolition and partial structural work is whether the building stays standing. If it does, everything shifts toward precision: cutting, shoring, and protecting what remains. Our take is that this work is harder than a full takedown, since there is no room for error on what stays.
Selective Structural Removal With the Building Occupied
Removing a wing, a mezzanine, or entire wall lines while the rest of the building stays occupied requires shoring, and it requires an engineer. We coordinate with the owner's structural engineer before cutting anything, install temporary supports, and remove the structure in sections. Loads are redistributed only once the engineer signs off.
Recycling and Haul-Off for Commercial Debris
We separate steel, concrete, wood, and drywall on site so each material goes to the right permitted facility, and weight tickets are available to the owner on request. On a 9,500 square foot warehouse off Beech Avenue we hauled 118 tons of debris, and the job came in at 76,000(8 per square foot). Sorting at the source usually lowers disposal costs and makes the paperwork simple.
Commercial Demolition Cost Factors in Fontana, CA
Commercial demolition in Fontana typically runs about $6 to $15 per square foot depending on the building. The written estimate fixes the number, so you know the price before work begins.
Building Size, Height, and Construction Type
- Steel frame, tilt-up, and masonry each need different equipment and labor
- Roof type (flat, bow truss, or metal deck) changes how the roof comes down
- Mezzanines add shoring and cutting time
- Interior-only strip-outs sit near $6 per square foot
- Full takedowns commonly land between $8 and $12 per square foot
Hazardous Materials, Refrigerant, and Utility Work
- Asbestos abatement is a separate line item, tied to survey results
- Refrigerant recovery on restaurant and retail cooling is priced on its own
- Grease trap and interceptor removal is a separate line
- Utility cap-offs (SCE, SoCalGas, water, sewer) are itemized
- Jobs with abatement and heavy hazmat work push toward the $13 to $15 range
Site Access, Working Hours, and Neighbor Protection
- Tight sites with limited staging add equipment time
- After-hours work windows add labor cost
- Traffic control on busy corridors like Sierra Avenue is priced separately
- Hoarding and dust barriers next to occupied tenants add cost
Our Commercial Demolition Process
Step 1: Free On-Site Estimate and Written Scope
We walk the property with you, review the structure and any tenants, and put the full scope and price in writing before anything starts.
Step 2: Asbestos Survey, SCAQMD Notice, and City Permit
We arrange the asbestos survey, file the Rule 1403 notice 10 working days ahead, and pull the City of Fontana permit.
Step 3: Utility Shutoffs and Tenant Coordination
We schedule SCE and SoCalGas shutoffs and coordinate work windows with neighboring tenants and property managers.
Step 4: Phased Demolition and Haul-Off
We demolish in phases with dust and noise control, separate steel, concrete, wood, and drywall, and haul to permitted facilities.
Step 5: Final Cleanup & Walkthrough
We clean the site, walk it with you, and hand over a job backed by our 1-year workmanship warranty. The same crew and project manager stay with you from Step 1 to Step 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does commercial building demolition cost in Fontana?
Most jobs run about $6 to $15 per square foot. Construction type, asbestos or refrigerant work, and site access are what move the number, and our written estimate fixes the price before work starts.
How long does retail demolition take for a small strip center unit?
An interior strip-out of a small unit typically takes 3 to 7 working days, while a full retail building usually takes 2 to 4 weeks once permits and notices are cleared. The 10 working day asbestos notice is usually what sets the start date.
Can you handle restaurant demolition including hoods and grease traps?
Yes, we remove hoods and exhaust ducting, pump out and remove grease interceptors, cap gas lines, and recover refrigerant from walk-in coolers before removal. We handle the hazardous items first so the rest of the strip-out moves quickly.
Do you do office demolition while other tenants stay open?
Yes, we phase the work, build dust barriers, and schedule noisy tasks after hours so neighboring tenants can keep operating. We agree on work windows with the property manager before starting.
Do I need an asbestos survey before commercial demolition?
Yes, commercial demolition requires an asbestos survey, and SCAQMD Rule 1403 requires notification 10 working days before demolition begins. We arrange the survey and file the notice for you.
Are you insured and bonded for commercial demolition jobs?
Yes, we are fully insured and bonded for every Fontana and San Bernardino County project. Certificates are available on request.