Kitchen Demolition in Fontana, CA
Fontana Demolition has spent over 14 years running kitchen demolition for Inland Empire homeowners and remodelers, and our crew has completed more than 450 jobs. Most of our Fontana kitchen demo work starts with a free on-site estimate and a written scope, and last year we did 38 kitchen tear-outs that ranged from cabinet removal and countertop removal only to full gut jobs with soffits and walls.
We are fully insured and bonded, so you are trusting a local company with the same crew and project manager from the first visit to the final sweep. Fontana Demolition also provides remodel-ready kitchen tear-outs to surrounding California cities, including Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, Colton, Jurupa Valley, Ontario, Grand Terrace, 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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Kitchen Demolition and Kitchen Demo Before Your Remodel in Fontana, CA
Demolition is the first phase of any kitchen remodel, and how cleanly it is done sets the pace for every trade that follows. We remove what is coming out (cabinets, counters, backsplash, flooring, and sometimes a wall), protect what is staying, and leave the room ready for your plumber, electrician, and contractor to start.
Northgate is a good example of where this work comes up. It is a planned Fontana community of ranch and Craftsman-style homes from the 1980s and 1990s, and many of those kitchens are at the age where owners are ready to update them. Our 41st tear-out in Northgate, off Sierra Avenue, was a 168 square foot kitchen with a peninsula and a soffit over the uppers. It took a day and a half and came in at $3,100.
What a Full Kitchen Demo Includes
A full tear-out follows a set order so nothing gets damaged along the way. We disconnect appliances first, then take out upper cabinets, then lower cabinets, then countertops and backsplash. Soffits come down next, then flooring if it is in the scope, and sometimes a non-structural wall that opens the kitchen to the next room.
We leave plumbing and electrical stubbed and capped so your remodeling trades can pick up right where we stop. Honestly, this is where a lot of demo crews cause delays, because they pull too much or leave live lines exposed. We stop at the stub-outs and mark them.
Protecting the Rest of the Home
Dust is the biggest complaint after any tear-out, so we build a zip wall at the kitchen opening before anything comes off the wall. We lay floor protection along the path to the door and put covers over the HVAC registers so dust does not get pulled into the ductwork. The crew cleans up at the end of each day, not just at the end of the job. On a 142 square foot kitchen off Citrus Avenue (our third job on that street this year), the family stayed home the entire time. The job came in at $2,400.
Kitchen Demo in Older Ranch-Style Layouts
Ranch and Craftsman-style kitchens from the Northgate era tend to be closed off from the dining room, with soffits over the cabinets and a layout built around a corner or a peninsula. A common remodel request is to take out the soffits and open the kitchen up to the dining area. On a 190 square foot kitchen off Duncan Canyon Road, we removed the soffits and opened the wall to the dining room for $4,600. It was our 12th open-to-dining job. We do not assume what is inside a wall until we have looked, so we confirm with your contractor before any wall comes out.
Cabinet Removal and Countertop Removal Techniques in Fontana, CA
There are two ways to take out a kitchen: carefully, so the pieces can be reused, or destructively, when everything is headed to the dumpster. Which one fits depends on the condition of what is there and what you plan to do with it. We settle that in the written scope before we begin.
Cabinet Removal With or Without Salvage
If the cabinets are worth saving, we unscrew them from the wall and from each other, then lift them out in order so they can be reused or donated. If they are not, we take them apart with hand tools and a reciprocating saw and haul them off. Either way, pulling cabinets leaves blocking and drywall damage behind the boxes, and we patch the rough spots so the wall is ready for your remodeler. On a Summit Avenue job with 22 linear feet of cabinets in a 155 square foot kitchen, we removed everything carefully, and the homeowner donated the set. The job cost $2,000.
Countertop Removal for Laminate, Tile, and Stone
Laminate comes off the fastest, since it is usually glued to particleboard and pries up with the substrate. Tile set in mortar takes longer because it has to be broken up and scraped off the base. Granite and quartz are a different job entirely. Slabs are heavy and brittle, so we cut them at the seams, carry them out in sections, and take them to disposal. On a Foothill Boulevard kitchen with 48 square feet of granite (about 620 pounds in all), we cut and carried the slabs out in three pieces. The full kitchen was 130 square feet and cost $3,400.
Flooring and Backsplash Removal
We take out tile, vinyl, and hardwood down to the subfloor and scrape off adhesive, mortar, and staples so your flooring installer has a flat surface. Backsplash tile comes off the wall in the same pass. If the wall behind it is damaged, we patch it as part of the scope.
Permits, Utilities, and Older Home Concerns in Fontana, CA
Most of the delays we see on kitchen remodels are not about the demo itself. They come from HOA approvals, utilities that were not shut off properly, and materials nobody tested. We sort all three out before we start.
HOA Rules in Heritage and Other Fontana Communities
Many Fontana tract communities, including Heritage, have an HOA with architectural review and set work hours. That affects when we can start, how early the crew can arrive, and where the dumpster can sit. We coordinate all of it with the owner ahead of time. On a 175 square foot kitchen off Live Oak Avenue in Heritage (our ninth job there), we scheduled around the HOA's work-hour window and kept the dumpster on the driveway. The job cost $2,900.
Gas, Water, and Electrical Shutoffs
Before cabinets or counters come out, gas and water supply lines have to be shut off and capped safely. We coordinate with licensed plumbers and electricians for any work that requires a license, and we never leave a live line exposed. This is one of the places where, in our experience, trying to save a little money by skipping the trades is a mistake.
Testing Older Materials Before Demo
In older homes, flooring, adhesives, and ceilings can contain asbestos, and older paint can contain lead. We recommend testing the suspect materials before demolition starts, not after. On a 120 square foot kitchen off Cherry Avenue, the mastic under the vinyl tested positive. We stopped, referred the owner to a licensed abatement contractor, and finished the demo after clearance for $2,650.
Kitchen Demolition Cost Factors in Fontana, CA
Kitchen demolition in Fontana typically runs about $1,500 to $5,000, depending on size and scope. The written estimate is fixed before we start, so the number does not change unless you change the scope.
- Typical range: $1,500 to $5,000 for most Fontana kitchens
- Small kitchen, cabinets and laminate counters only: roughly $1,500 to $2,200
- Mid-size kitchen with flooring included: roughly $2,300 to $3,500
- Large kitchen with island, wall, or soffit work: roughly $3,500 to $5,000
Kitchen Size and Amount of Cabinetry
- Every linear foot of cabinets adds labor and disposal
- A typical run of 15 to 25 linear feet is the most common range for Fontana kitchens
- Islands add roughly $250 to $600 depending on size and how they are anchored
Countertop Material and Weight
- Laminate is the lightest and lowest-cost removal
- Tile-on-mortar adds chipping and scraping time
- Granite and quartz add roughly $300 to $800, since slabs are heavy, must be cut at seams, and take extra hands and disposal fees
Wall, Soffit, and Flooring Scope
- Soffit removal is usually a modest add-on
- Wall removal adds roughly $400 to $1,200, depending on length and what is inside
- Flooring removal is priced by the square foot
- Basic drywall patching where cabinets came off is included in the written scope
Our Kitchen Demolition Process
Step 1: Free Estimate and Written Scope
We visit your home, measure the kitchen, and go over what is coming out and what is staying. You get a fixed written scope and price before any work begins.
Step 2: Protection and Utility Shutoffs
We set up the zip wall, floor protection, and register covers. Gas, water, and electrical are shut off and capped with licensed trades where required.
Step 3: Removal
We take out cabinets and countertops, then flooring, backsplash, soffits, and any wall work in the scope. Our crew does all of it, and the same project manager is on site throughout.
Step 4: Haul-Off and Cleanup
Debris goes into the dumpster and off site. We sweep and vacuum the work area and remove the protection.
Step 5: Walkthrough and Warranty
We walk the kitchen with you to confirm everything in the scope is done. All completed work is backed by our 1-year workmanship warranty.
Frequently Asked Kitchen Demolition Questions
How much does kitchen demolition cost in Fontana, CA?
Most Fontana kitchens cost about $1,500 to $5,000 to demo, depending on size, cabinet count, countertop material, and whether walls or flooring are included. We give you a fixed written estimate before work begins, so the price does not move once we start.
How long does a kitchen demo take?
Most kitchen demos take one to two days on site. A small cabinets-and-counters job can finish in a day, while a larger kitchen with flooring, soffits, or a wall can take two.
Can you do cabinet removal and save the cabinets?
Yes, we can remove cabinets carefully so they can be reused, sold, or donated. We unscrew and lift them out in order rather than pulling them apart, and we tell you up front if their condition makes salvage unlikely.
Do you handle countertop removal for granite?
Yes. Granite slabs are heavy and brittle, so we cut them at the seams, carry them out in sections with enough hands, and take them to disposal. Because of the added labor, granite removal costs more than laminate.
Do I need to move out during kitchen demolition?
Usually not. With a zip wall, floor protection, register covers, and daily cleanup, most families stay home, though you will lose the use of the kitchen for a day or two. If someone in the household has breathing issues, staying elsewhere for those days is a good idea.
Do you remove the flooring and backsplash too?
Yes, flooring and backsplash removal can be included in the written scope, or left out if your installer will handle it. Tell us at the estimate which you prefer, and we will price it either way.