Interior Demolition in Fontana, CA
Fontana Demolition has spent more than 14 years handling interior demolition across the Inland Empire, with 450+ residential and commercial jobs behind us and the same crew and project manager on every one. We do selective demolition, tenant improvement demolition, gut out and strip out work for retail suites, older downtown buildings, and whole-house remodels, and every Fontana and San Bernardino County project is fully insured and bonded.
You get a free on-site estimate and a written scope before anything comes out, so you know exactly what stays and what goes. Our materials come through Thompson Building Materials here in Fontana, and we back the finished work with a 1-year workmanship warranty. Fontana Demolition also provides interior demolition services to surrounding California cities, including Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, Colton, Jurupa Valley, Grand Terrace, Upland, Ontario, 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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Interior Demolition and Selective Demolition for Tenant Spaces in Fontana, CA
Selective demolition means removing only what the plans call for and leaving the structure, the shell, and the neighboring spaces exactly as they were. It is slower and more careful than knocking a building down, and it is a different skill. In Fontana that usually means a suite in the Sierra Lakes Shopping Center or an older storefront on the downtown blocks along Sierra Avenue near Arrow Boulevard, where the wall next door belongs to someone who is still open for business. The written scope we hand you before work starts lists every wall, ceiling, floor, and fixture by location, and if it is not on the scope, it stays put.
Tenant Improvement Demolition for Retail and Office Suites
Tenant improvement demolition is clearing a lease space of the last tenant's partitions, ceilings, flooring, and fixtures so the next tenant can build out. Our 12th suite at the Sierra Lakes Shopping Center was a 2,400 square foot former salon, and we took it back to a bare shell for $9,600. Landlords in centers like that almost always have a written turnover standard, usually a clean slab, ceiling grid and lids removed, demising walls left intact, and utilities capped. They also want a certificate of insurance on file before we set foot in the suite, and we send that ahead of the walk-through so it never delays your start date.
Gut Out and Strip Out of Older Downtown Buildings
Gut out work in an older building means taking finishes down to the studs or the masonry, and a strip out is the lighter version that clears the finishes but leaves more of the walls in place. In our experience the surprises in the older Sierra Avenue and Arrow Boulevard blocks are almost always behind the walls: abandoned wiring, capped gas lines, water-stained framing, and plaster over wood lath under two later layers of drywall. On a 3,800 square foot two-story building half a block off Arrow Boulevard (our sixth downtown building), we stripped everything to brick and framing for $26,600. We stopped and flagged three spots where old openings had been patched with undersized headers, because keeping the structure sound matters more than keeping the schedule.
Protecting Adjacent Suites and Occupied Spaces
We build floor-to-ceiling dust walls with zipper doors, run HEPA-filtered negative air where the neighbor is sensitive, and cover shared floors with heavy protection before any demolition starts. We've found that dust is the number one complaint in Fontana, because the dry air and afternoon winds carry fine drywall and plaster dust into every gap in a shared ceiling. On a 1,600 square foot office suite on Foothill Boulevard, a dental office on the other side of the wall stayed open all week while we worked. We scheduled the loud demolition before their first patient and after their last, and the job came in at $7,200.
Utilities, Ceilings, and Mechanical Systems in Interior Demolition in Fontana, CA
Interior crews live or die on what is inside the walls and above the ceiling. The order of operations matters here: isolate the utilities first, remove finishes second, and never disturb an old material until it has been tested.
Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC Disconnects
We isolate and lock out circuits, verify they are dead, and remove wiring back to the panel or a junction box. Water and waste lines are shut off, drained, and capped, and ductwork comes down in sections. Licensed electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians handle the final disconnects, and a licensed HVAC tech recovers refrigerant before any equipment is pulled. That split keeps the work legal, safe, and inspectable, and it means the next trade inherits a shell that is clearly labeled and capped.
Ceilings, Flooring, and Glue-Down Materials
Suspended ceilings and drywall lids come out first, then carpet, vinyl composition tile (VCT), sheet flooring, and the mastic underneath. That mastic is why we test first. Black mastic and 9-inch floor tile in older buildings can contain asbestos, and scraping or grinding them releases fibers. Our 30th ceiling and carpet removal was a 5,000 square foot office on Valley Boulevard, a light strip out with tested flooring, and it cost $15,000.
Asbestos Screening Before Any Strip Out
A survey has to happen before interior demolition on any older building, and South Coast AQMD Rule 1403 requires it for renovation and demolition work. A lab tests samples of the flooring, mastic, ceiling texture, and joint compound. If anything comes back positive, a licensed abatement contractor removes it and clears the area before Fontana Demolition proceeds. Honestly, this is the step people most want to skip, and it is the one that protects you from work stoppages and fines. On a 3,000 square foot suite off Merrill Avenue, the floor tile and mastic tested positive, abatement was billed separately by the abatement contractor, and our demolition afterward came to $10,500.
Residential Interior Gut Jobs in Fontana, CA
Whole-house interior gut work is for renovations where the exterior shell and structure stay and everything inside gets rebuilt. Fontana has a lot of 1950s and 1960s ranches and 1990s tract homes that are good candidates for this kind of remodel.
Down-to-Studs Renovation Demolition
We remove drywall, plaster, insulation, flooring, and cabinetry, seal off the work area to keep dust out of the rest of the house, and haul everything away. Homes built before 1978 get lead paint testing first, since sanding and demolition stir up old paint. Our 22nd whole-home gut was a 1,850 square foot ranch off Citrus Avenue, and we took it to bare framing for $14,800.
Coordination With Your Contractor or Designer
We hand over a clean framing shell, inspected and photographed, on the date you and your contractor agreed on, so the next trade can start without waiting. Our take is that the photos matter as much as the demolition itself, because a designer or framer can see exactly what is behind every wall before finalizing the plans. On a 2,300 square foot home off Baseline Avenue, we flagged dry rot at a bathroom wall and termite damage at a sill plate before the framer arrived, and the whole demolition was $16,100.
Interior Demolition Cost Factors in Fontana, CA
- Typical range in Fontana: about $3 to $10 per square foot, depending on scope
- The written scope defines exactly what comes out, so the price matches the work
Scope of Removal and Finish Levels
- Light strip out (ceilings, carpet, partitions): about $3 to $5 per square foot
- Full gut to studs or bare shell: about $6 to $10 per square foot
- More layers, more labor: old plaster over lath costs more than single-layer drywall
- Retained finishes cost extra to protect, so every "leave in place" item is on the scope
Hazardous Materials Testing and Abatement
- Asbestos survey and lab testing: separate line item, typically $400 to $1,500 for a suite
- Abatement: quoted separately by a licensed abatement contractor, never bundled into demolition
- Lead paint testing on homes built before 1978: separate line item
- Positive results change the schedule as well as the price, so we test before we quote
Access, Floors, and Haul-Off
- Ground-floor suites cost less than multi-story carry-out
- Stair and elevator use adds labor time, and freight elevator hours may be restricted by the landlord
- Dumpster placement in shopping centers is set by the landlord, which affects carry distance
- Haul-off priced by volume, with metal and clean materials separated for recycling where possible
Our Interior Demolition Process
Step 1: Free Walk-Through and Written Scope
We visit the site, measure, and note every item to remove or protect. You receive a written scope and price before work begins.
Step 2: Asbestos Screening and Site Protection
Older buildings get tested first. Once results are in, we set up dust walls, floor protection, and any needed negative air to protect neighboring spaces.
Step 3: Systematic Selective Removal
Utilities are isolated first, then finishes come out in order, from ceilings to walls to floors. The same crew and project manager work the job from start to finish.
Step 4: Debris Carry-Out and Haul-Off
Debris is carried out and hauled away daily, so your site and shared areas stay clean.
Step 5: Final Sweep, Walkthrough, and Warranty
We sweep, walk the space with you or your contractor, and leave it in inspection-ready condition. Every finished job is covered by our 1-year workmanship warranty.
Frequently Asked Interior Demolition Questions
What is selective demolition?
Selective demolition is removing only the items listed in the scope while leaving the structure and everything else undamaged. In Fontana, that might mean taking out the partitions and ceiling of a suite in the Sierra Lakes Shopping Center without touching the shared walls or the tenant next door.
How much does interior demolition cost per square foot in Fontana?
Interior demolition in Fontana typically runs about $3 to $10 per square foot. A light strip out sits at the low end, a full gut to studs sits at the high end, and testing, abatement, multi-story access, and haul-off are priced as separate line items in your written scope.
Can you do tenant improvement demolition after hours?
Yes, we can schedule tenant improvement demolition for evenings, nights, and weekends to fit landlord rules and neighboring businesses. Our 15th overnight job was a 1,200 square foot storefront on Sierra Avenue, and it cost $6,000.
What is the difference between a gut out and a strip out?
A gut out takes a space down to studs or masonry, removing walls, ceilings, floors, and fixtures. A strip out is lighter, clearing finishes like carpet, ceiling tiles, and fixtures but leaving more of the walls and framing in place.
Do you handle debris haul-off for interior demolition?
Yes, debris haul-off is part of every job. We carry material out daily and haul it away, and we separate metal and clean materials for recycling where we can.
Will you protect the rest of my building during interior demolition?
Yes, we build dust walls, run negative air where it is needed, and cover shared floors before demolition starts. Quiet-hours scheduling keeps neighbors open for business, and we clean shared areas daily.