ADU Site Prep Checklist: 7 Things to Clear Before You Build in San Diego

1. Old Detached Structures (Garage, Shed, Workshop)

The big one. If your ADU is going where a garage or shed stands today, that structure is the first thing on the demo schedule. Garages usually need a demolition permit (often folded into the ADU project's permit package) and a utility disconnect before teardown — we cover the whole process in our garage demolition guide. Smaller sheds are simpler: most come down and get hauled in a single visit, typically $300–$500.

2. Decks, Patios & Pergolas

Anything built on or over the future footprint has to go — wood decks, composite decks, patio covers, pergolas, gazebos. Deck demolition typically runs $400–$800 depending on size and framing. Watch for footings: old decks often sit on buried concrete piers that need to come out too, or they'll surprise your foundation crew later.

3. Concrete Flatwork

Old slabs, walkways, and patio pads inside the build area need to be broken out and hauled. Concrete is priced by the ton at disposal facilities, so this is one item where quantity genuinely matters — flag it early so it's in the quote. If your plan keeps some flatwork (a path, a shared patio), mark it clearly before demo day.

4. Overgrowth & Yard Waste

Brush, dead trees, palm skirts, ivy-covered fences — vegetation hides grade problems and slows down surveying and foundation layout. Clearing it before the build also gives your builder an honest look at drainage. Green waste is hauled separately from construction debris (see our yard waste removal service), and doing it in the same mobilization as the demo saves a trip charge.

5. Stored Junk & Clutter

Every garage slated for demolition is full of stuff. Sort what you're keeping before the demo quote — a garage that needs a cleanout first is a different job than an empty shell. The efficient sequence: we haul the junk load first (standard junk removal pricing, from $99), then tear down the empty structure. One crew, one schedule, no dumpster sitting in your driveway between phases.

6. Fencing & Gates in the Build Path

Equipment access is the quiet schedule-killer on backyard builds. A fence panel or gate section usually needs to come out to get machinery and debris trailers in and out — decide early which section, and whether it's being removed for good or reinstalled after. If a neighbor shares the fence, have that conversation before demo day, not during.

7. Utility Disconnect Coordination

Not something you haul away, but the item that gates everything else: any power, gas, or water serving a structure must be disconnected before it comes down. Disconnect scheduling can take longer than the demolition itself, so start it as soon as your permit timeline firms up. Your builder typically drives this; the demo crew confirms the site is safe before starting.

Who Handles What?

On a typical San Diego ADU project the split looks like this:

• You (homeowner): decide what's kept vs. hauled, empty out what you're keeping, talk to the neighbor about the shared fence.
• Your builder/designer: permits, utility disconnect scheduling, the keep-or-remove call on slabs and flatwork.
• Demo & hauling crew (us): everything on this list that leaves the property — teardown, break-out, junk load, green waste, and haul-off — handed back as a grade-clean site.

Some builders manage the demo sub directly; some homeowners hire it themselves before the builder mobilizes. Both work — what matters is that it's one crew handling demo and haul-off together, so nothing sits in a pile waiting for a second contractor.

When Should Site Prep Happen?

Ideally: after your ADU permit is issued and utility disconnects are confirmed, and one to two weeks before your foundation crew mobilizes. That window keeps the site from sitting bare through delays, but guarantees demo never becomes the thing holding up the build.

Frequently Asked Questions