Questions to ask before demolition starts
- Is removal priced separately from the new pour, and does the quote include haul-off and disposal fees?
- What happens to the base? Will it be regraded and compacted, or replaced?
- How will the edges be cut so adjoining slabs, walls and the house foundation are not damaged?
- Who pulls any permit for the street-side approach, and who pays the fee?
- How will irrigation, drainage and utilities near the slab be protected?
- What is the schedule from demolition to forms and pour, so the yard is not left open for long?
Written answers on a written quote beat verbal ones. For most home improvement contracts in California you also have three business days to cancel (five if you are 65 or older).
If the slab is a pool deck, a stoop or part of a stair, the demolition is tighter and the new work is more involved. See concrete steps for what a replacement involves.
How concrete removal works
Removal usually means saw-cutting the edges where the slab meets something you are keeping, breaking the concrete with a breaker or skid steer, loading the pieces and hauling them off. Contractors then grade and compact the base, and in most replacement jobs set forms for the new pour.
Removal is often one line on a larger quote. If you are tearing out a driveway for a new one, see driveway replacement. For a patio or walkway redo, see concrete patios. If the slab is worn but sound, concrete resurfacing may avoid demolition altogether.
Typical concrete removal cost (national ranges)
Sacramento-specific demolition prices are not published in any source we could verify. These are typical national ranges. Local quotes will vary.
| Item | Typical national range |
|---|---|
| Removal and demolition | $2–$6 per sq ft |
| Low end | Unreinforced concrete |
| High end | Rebar or wire reinforcement, thick slabs |
| Average job | About $1,380 (range about $585–$2,790) |
A combined demolition and replacement figure is not something we can publish reliably, so ask contractors to price removal and the new pour separately. That makes quotes easier to compare.
What changes the price
- Thickness and reinforcement. A 4-inch unreinforced slab breaks up faster than a thick slab with rebar.
- Access. If a skid steer or truck cannot reach the slab, workers may need to break and carry material by hand.
- Haul-off and disposal. Weight, distance to a disposal or recycling site and dump fees all add up.
- What is around the slab. Fences, irrigation lines, utilities, trees and adjoining walkways slow demolition.
- Whether the base is reused. In some jobs the base rock is regraded. In others, bad soil under the slab calls for extra excavation. See concrete slabs.
Permits and the driveway approach
California's building code generally exempts sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade (not over a basement or story below, and not part of an accessible route) from a building permit. Exempt work still has to follow code and setback rules, so confirm with your city or county.
The part between the sidewalk and the street is different. In the City of Sacramento, work in the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit, and a new or modified driveway that needs a curb cut needs a driveway permit. Driveways that abut a rolled (mountable) curb or an alley do not need one, though they must still meet code. In unincorporated Sacramento County (Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Antelope, Orangevale and others), driveway approaches in the county right-of-way need an encroachment permit from SacDOT. Elk Grove also requires an encroachment permit for driveway approach work. Roseville spells out rules for minor sidewalk and driveway work, including calling USA 48 hours before removing concrete. Confirm the details with your city or county before work starts.
Dust and safety
Cutting, grinding and breaking concrete creates silica dust. Cal/OSHA Title 8 section 5204 covers silica, including concrete cutting, grinding and demolition. Compliance is the contractor's job, but it is reasonable to ask how they handle dust, and to keep kids and pets away from the work area.
Utilities matter too. Roseville's minor-work rules, for example, require a call to USA 48 hours before concrete is removed. Ask the contractor who makes that call and who is responsible for irrigation lines, cable and gas runs that sit shallow near the slab.
How the referral works
Sacramento Crest Concrete does not remove or pour concrete and does not quote or contract. Describe the slab and add photos, and it passes your contact information to independent contractors in your area. A contractor can visit to measure and quote. You contract with and pay the contractor directly.
Verify the license at cslb.ca.gov. Flatwork is typically under a C-8 Concrete license, and earthwork or paving falls under C-12. California limits a home improvement down payment to $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract, whichever is less. See the FAQ for more.
Main guide: concrete contractors in Sacramento.