Swimming Pool Breakout for Hercules Yards
Shell broken out with a breaker and mini excavator, debris hauled off, and the hole filled and compacted for a lawn or patio.
Learn more about swimming pool breakout for hercules yards
Concrete, Pavers and Pool Demolition for Hercules, CA Homes
Cicarelli Contractors holds CSLB License #1109419 (B General Building) and works out of Richmond, two exits down I-80. For homes from Refugio Valley to Victoria by the Bay, we break out old slabs and pools, lay paver driveways, build block walls and artificial turf, and prepare the permit paperwork.
- Hercules permit paperwork prepared
- CSLB License #1109419
Contra Costa County
A Former Powder-Works Town Turned Bayside Suburb
The town grew up around the Hercules Powder Company plant, which opened in 1881, and was incorporated as a city at the end of 1900. Since the 1970s it has filled in with subdivisions along the I-80 corridor, so most yards we see here sit on graded hillside lots or newer waterfront tracts.
Building permits are handled by the Building Department and Permit Services counter at City Hall, 111 Civic Drive. The municipal code text on the city site ties every permit to the county building official, which is why plans and inspections follow Contra Costa County procedures.
What we build
Hardscape Work for Hillside and Bayfront Lots
Searching for a concrete contractor in Hercules or someone to install pavers and turf? Our crew handles the breakout, the base and the finished surface, and we prepare the drawings the permit counter asks for.
Get A Free EstimateSlab and Driveway Removal, Hercules
Cracked driveways, old patios and worn walkways broken up and replaced over a freshly compacted base.
Learn more about slab and driveway removal, hercules
Hercules Paver Driveways and Walks
Interlocking pavers for steep driveways and front walks, with edge restraint so the borders stay put on sloped lots.
Learn more about hercules paver driveways and walks
Block Walls for Graded Hercules Lots
Segmental block walls with drainage rock behind them to hold back the cut slopes common in newer subdivisions.
Learn more about block walls for graded hercules lots
Synthetic Lawn for Hercules Homes
Turf over a compacted, drained base for side yards and front lawns that no longer need mowing or summer watering.
Learn more about synthetic lawn for hercules homes
Fire Pits and Patios, Hercules
Round fire pits, seat walls and paver patios that make a small backyard usable on cool bay evenings.
Learn more about fire pits and patios, hercules
Crew footage
Short Clips of Our Crew on Real Job Sites
Watch pool demolitions in San Ramon and Hillsborough, a pool-to-patio conversion in Vacaville and a retaining wall in Walnut Creek. The crew and machines in these clips are the ones that come to Hercules.
Watch On YouTubeWhy Cicarelli
What a Richmond Crew Brings to a Hercules Project
4.9★
Google rating across 45 reviews
1900
Year the city incorporated
120sq ft
Largest shed exempt from a permit
CSLB B License and Bond
License #1109419 in the General Building class, backed by an active contractor bond you can look up.
Quote the Day After the Visit
Once we have measured the yard, the written estimate follows within 24 hours.
Two Exits Down I-80
Our base in Richmond keeps trucks, a mini excavator and the breaker close to Hercules job sites.
Workmanship Covered for a Year
Every finished job carries a 1-year workmanship warranty, written into the contract.
Before and after
Slide to Compare Yards We Rebuilt
These sliders show finished Cicarelli jobs from elsewhere in the Bay Area. The same pool, turf and paver work is what we offer homeowners in Hercules.
See All Projects
BeforeAfterOld Pool, New Lawn and Gazebo
Burlingame · Pool removal, pavers and turf
BeforeAfterGravel Lot Turned Green and Paved
Turf with a paver border
BeforeAfterSteps Cut Into a Sloped Yard
Hillside steps and turf
Our process
Six Steps From Site Walk to Final Sign-Off
You talk to the same person from the first call to the last inspection.
Start With A Free Estimate- Step 01
Lot Measured, Photos Taken
We walk the lot, measure the work area and note slopes, access and drainage.
- Step 02
Quote in Writing
A written estimate lists the scope, the permit work and the sequence of the job.
- Step 03
Permit Counter Paperwork
We prepare the plans and forms the Civic Drive counter requires and submit them.
- Step 04
Breakout Trucked Away
Old concrete or the pool shell is broken out and trucked away from the site.
- Step 05
Base, Grade and Inspect
Fill and base rock are compacted, and the inspector checks the work at each stage.
- Step 06
Finish and Walk-Through
Pavers, turf or the patio go in, and we walk the yard with you before closing out.
A Pair of Google Reviews, Unedited
Copied word for word from our Google Business Profile, these two reviews describe paver and backyard jobs.
Tania Llaujel RodriguezBackyard & front yard pavers
We are extremely happy with the job performed in my backyard. And my front yard It was done very fast and the quality of the job is excellent. Highly recommended because you have a great service at a reasonable price.
Brianna CoseyBackyard project
I love it
Neighbors Along I-80 and the Carquinez Strait
The closest cities to Hercules, and the office that issues each one its permits.
Pinole
Shares the southern border with Hercules along San Pablo Bay and I-80. Projects there go to the City of Pinole building division, not the Civic Drive counter.
Services in Pinole
Richmond
Our base, a few miles south on I-80. Richmond takes building applications through its own online portal, separate from Hercules.
Services in Richmond
El Sobrante
The unincorporated valley south of Hercules off Appian Way and San Pablo Dam Road. Its permits come from Contra Costa County.
Services in El Sobrante
San Pablo
A small city wrapped by Richmond, a short drive south of Hercules on I-80. San Pablo keeps its own building office, separate from both Richmond and Hercules.
Services in San Pablo
Martinez
East along Highway 4 and the Carquinez Strait, past Rodeo and Crockett. The county seat runs its own city building division.
Free estimate in Martinez
Vallejo
Across the Carquinez Bridge in Solano County, the first city north of Hercules on I-80. Vallejo files permits through its eTRAKiT system.
Services in Vallejo
Benicia
Across the strait from Martinez, in Solano County. A pool or patio there needs a permit from the City of Benicia.
Free estimate in Benicia
Permits
Hercules Building Permits and Who Reviews Them
Permits for Hercules homes go through the Building Department and Permit Services counter at 111 Civic Drive, reachable at (510) 799-8244. The city code requires a permit from the county building official before anyone builds, alters, removes or demolishes a regulated structure, and every permit includes a building inspection.
Rules posted by the Civic Drive office
- No one may erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish a regulated building or structure without first obtaining the necessary permits from the county building official, and every permit requires a building inspection, per the Building Division page.
- The city lists permit exemptions from the 2022 California Residential Code, such as one-story detached accessory structures up to 120 square feet, while electrical, plumbing and mechanical work still need a permit; retaining walls have their own handout on the forms, handouts and guidelines page.
- Fences, walls and hedges are limited to 6 feet in a required rear or side yard and 3 feet in a required front yard, measured from the highest natural ground level next to them, according to the fence, wall and hedge standards.
Rules shift from city to city; the pool demolition permit guide covers the main differences.
Local guide
Planning Concrete or Pool Work in Hercules: A Short Guide
Most concrete, paver and pool projects in Hercules, CA start at the permit counter on Civic Drive, where the city applies the county building official's requirements. Cicarelli Contractors draws up the site plan, files the paperwork, removes the old surface and builds the patio, driveway or turf that replaces it.
Who issues building permits in Hercules, CA?
The Building Department and Permit Services office at 111 Civic Drive takes the applications. The city code says permits come from the county building official, so county standards apply to plan review and inspections. The counter is open Monday through Thursday and closed on Fridays.
Call (510) 799-8244 with questions about a specific address. We bring the drawings and forms for pool, slab and hardscape jobs so you do not have to.
Is a retaining wall permit-exempt in Hercules?
Check before you dig. The city's list of permit-exempt work, taken from the 2022 California Residential Code, does not include retaining walls, and the Building Division posts a separate Retaining Walls handout instead. Height, slope and any load behind the wall decide what the reviewer asks for.
Separately, planning rules cap walls and fences at 3 feet in a required front yard. We measure the slope and confirm the requirements before we price a wall.
What does it take to remove a pool in Hercules?
Removing an in-ground pool is demolition of a regulated structure, so it needs a permit and inspections. The water is drained, the shell is broken out or hauled away, and the hole is filled in compacted layers so the yard can hold a patio, turf or a future addition.
If an ADU or room addition may go where the pool was, full removal is the safer path. Our pool removal page lays out partial versus full removal.
| Topic | Hercules |
|---|---|
| Permit counter | Building Department & Permit Services, 111 Civic Drive |
| Permit authority | County building official, per city code |
| Phone | (510) 799-8244 |
| Front-yard wall or fence | 3 ft maximum in a required front yard |
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors
Hercules Homeowner Guides Worth a Look
FAQ
Hercules Yard Project FAQ
Have a Yard Project in Mind?
Our trucks run up I-80 from Richmond. Reach us Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or browse the full FAQ.
Call (650) 404-7049Do I need a contractor's license to pour a concrete slab in California?
If you pay someone to pour it, generally yes. California requires a CSLB license for most paid construction work, and concrete falls under classes such as C-8 Concrete or B General Building. A homeowner may pour a slab on their own property, but permits and inspections still apply where the code requires them.
How do I pick a concrete contractor in Hercules?
Ask for the license number and look it up on the CSLB website, then ask for a written, itemized quote and recent photos or reviews of similar work. A good contractor also tells you up front whether the job needs a permit and who will prepare the drawings for the city counter.
Who reviews building permits for Hercules homes?
The Building Department and Permit Services office at 111 Civic Drive receives the applications, and the city code ties permits to the county building official. In practice, you or your contractor submit plans at the city counter, and the inspection follows county building standards.
Do I need a permit for a fence or garden wall in Hercules?
Most fences do not need a special permit, but height limits apply: 6 feet in a required rear or side yard and 3 feet in a required front yard. Taller fences may be allowed with an Administrative Design Review Permit in limited cases, and homeowners associations can set stricter rules.
What should I not tell a contractor?
Do not agree to skip a required permit, to pay cash with no written contract, or to list yourself as an owner-builder for work the contractor will actually do. Each of these shifts legal risk onto you. Also keep your full budget to yourself until you have compared itemized quotes.
Can I get a written estimate for a Hercules project at no cost?
Use the free estimate form to send your address and a few yard photos, or call or text (650) 404-7049 from Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. We schedule a visit to measure, then email the written estimate within 24 hours of that visit.