Swimming Pool Demolition Under a City Permit
Swimming pools have their own demolition permit type here. We apply in OpenGov, break out the shell, haul it off and compact the fill.
Learn more about swimming pool demolition under a city permit
San Rafael Hardscape: Pavers, Retaining Walls and Pool Removal
Cicarelli Contractors is a CSLB-licensed general contractor (License #1109419) that crosses the bridge from Richmond to work in Marin's county seat. From Gerstle Park to Terra Linda and Peacock Gap, we take out pools and old concrete, build paver patios, retaining walls and turf, and file the permit online.
- City OpenGov permits filed for you
- CSLB License #1109419
Marin County
Across the Bridge in Marin's Mission City
The city grew around Mission San Rafael Arcángel, founded in 1817, and incorporated in 1874. Today it is the seat of Marin County, with older homes near downtown and Gerstle Park and hillside lots in neighborhoods like Sun Valley, Glenwood and Peacock Gap.
Our crew reaches town over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Inside city limits, the Building division reviews plans and issues permits through its OpenGov portal. Some homes with a local mailing address, such as Santa Venetia and Lucas Valley-Marinwood, are unincorporated and go to Marin County instead.
What we build in town
Hillside Hardscape and Demolition Work for Marin Homes
Searching for a general contractor in San Rafael who handles the whole yard? Our crew breaks out the old pool or slab, grades the lot and builds the new surface, with the permit filed in the city's OpenGov portal.
Get A Free EstimateConcrete Breakout for Marin Lots
Old driveways, cracked patios and pool decks removed, then a compacted base prepared for whatever comes next on the lot.
Learn more about concrete breakout for marin lots
Paver Walkways From Downtown to Terra Linda
Patios, front walks and driveways in pavers, set on a compacted base with borders that follow curved or sloped yards.
Learn more about paver walkways from downtown to terra linda
Terraced Walls for Steep Backyards
Block walls that turn a steep yard into usable levels. Walls over 48 inches from the footing bottom, or holding a surcharge, need a permit.
Learn more about terraced walls for steep backyards
Low-Water Turf for Marin Backyards
Artificial turf on a drained, compacted base, a lawn that skips the watering and mowing through dry Marin summers.
Learn more about low-water turf for marin backyards
Pergolas and Patios Under the Hills
Pergolas, fire pits and seat walls that make a flat, finished outdoor room after the pool or slab is gone.
Learn more about pergolas and patios under the hills
Crew footage
Short Clips of the Team That Crosses the Bridge
Each clip was filmed on a real job: a retaining wall in Walnut Creek, pool demolitions in Hillsborough and San Ramon, and a Vacaville pool turned into outdoor living. Expect the same crew and machines in Marin.
Watch On YouTubeReasons to call us
What Marin Homeowners Get When They Hire Our Crew
4.9★
Average rating across 45 Google reviews
48in
Wall height the city exempts
1874
Year the city incorporated
A License You Can Look Up
CSLB #1109419 in the B General Building class, backed by an active contractor's bond.
Written Quote Within 24 Hours
After we walk the site, a written estimate reaches you within 24 hours.
OpenGov Filing Handled
We set up the application, upload plans and request inspections in the city portal.
One Year of Workmanship Coverage
Our 1-year workmanship warranty starts at completion and is written into the contract.
Real transformations
Yards We Rebuilt Elsewhere in the Bay Area
Slide each image to see the before and after. These jobs were done in other Bay Area cities; homeowners here can book the same pool-to-yard and hillside work.
See All Projects
BeforeAfterFrom Swimming Pool to Gazebo Lawn
Burlingame · Pool out, pavers and turf in
BeforeAfterSteps and Turf on a Sloped Lot
Hillside steps with artificial turf
BeforeAfterOld Pool Filled for a Green Lawn
Pool removal finished with turf
Step by step
How a Marin Project Moves From Visit to Final Inspection
You deal with one contact the whole way, from the walkthrough to the inspector's sign-off.
Start With A Free Estimate- Step 01
Walkthrough on Site
We measure the yard, check slopes and access, and note what has to come out.
- Step 02
Detailed Written Estimate
You get the scope, the permit work and the sequence in writing within 24 hours.
- Step 03
Application in OpenGov
We pick the right permit type, demolition or building, and upload the documents.
- Step 04
Demolition and Grading
The pool or slab is broken out and hauled away, and the ground is compacted.
- Step 05
Inspections Requested Online
The city inspects Monday to Thursday; we book each visit in the portal.
- Step 06
Finished Yard, Warranty Starts
Pavers, turf or a patio go in, covered by our 1-year workmanship warranty.
Two Google Reviews, Copied Word for Word
Both quotes come straight from our Google Business Profile. They describe jobs elsewhere in the Bay Area, not necessarily in Marin.
Kevin WilliamsPaver carport & new fence
Just this past week, I hired Cicarelli Contractors to install a carport. Initially I wanted concrete but after speaking with Athalyson and being educated on pavers instead of regular concrete we decided to go with his recommendation. And to our surprise the pavers turned out to be the correct choice versus a concrete slab. The color that we chose really compliments the paint that’s on the house. Cicarelli did an incredible job. They followed the timeline to completion to a tee and each day they worked at my home they always cleaned up before they left for the day. We are so excited how everything turned out, our neighbors constantly come over to say how beautiful the pavers look. To my surprise they completed the work in one week. Not only did they have to prep the work they also had to remove 3 large trees and the existing fence and replace it with a new one. Still hard to believe they did all that work in a short period of time and at the end everything looks very professional.
Gloria McLaughlinFinished in 4 days
Very professional. It was explained what was going to be done.
They were done in 4 days. Other companies gave us a time limit of 2 weeks. Hard workers. We will use this company again. We need more work done.
Marin Towns Next Door, Plus Our Home Base
Six Marin neighbors and the city across the bridge where our crew is based.
Novato
North of town on Highway 101, past Marinwood and Lucas Valley. Novato has its own Building Division and the Novato Permits portal.
Services in Novato
San Anselmo
The small town just west of the city line, along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Projects there go through the Town of San Anselmo.
Free estimate in San Anselmo
Fairfax
Farther out the same corridor, at the foot of the hills toward the coast. Fairfax is a separate town with its own permit counter.
Free estimate in Fairfax
Mill Valley
South past Corte Madera, on the slopes of Mount Tamalpais above Richardson Bay. Hillside projects there are permitted by the City of Mill Valley.
Free estimate in Mill Valley
Tiburon
The peninsula southeast of town, reached off Highway 101 at Tiburon Boulevard. The Town of Tiburon handles its permits.
Free estimate in Tiburon
Sausalito
At the southern tip of Marin, near the Golden Gate Bridge. Its waterfront hillsides fall under the City of Sausalito for permits.
Free estimate in Sausalito
Richmond
Our home base, on the East Bay end of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The City of Richmond issues permits there through iMS.
Services in Richmond
Where the City Sits in Our Marin Service Area
The highlighted pin is the city on this page; the other dots are the nearby towns listed next to the map.
San Rafael, CAReached over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
Marin towns pinned here
Permits
San Rafael Building Permits and Inspections
Inside city limits, the Building division of the Community and Economic Development department issues building and demolition permits, and every application is filed in the city's OpenGov portal. Staff decide whether a project can be issued as a minor permit or needs full plan review. Cicarelli Contractors prepares and submits the application for you.
Four rules from the city to plan around
- Pool demolition is filed under the Demolition permit type, which covers a building or structure, a portion of a structure and swimming pools, while retaining walls over a certain height and decks require full plan review, per the city's types of building permits page.
- Retaining or rockery walls not over 4 feet (48 inches), measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, are exempt, but walls that support a surcharge are not, according to the city's work exempt from permits handout.
- Patios, sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, without foundations and not over a septic system, basement or story below, are also exempt, as is grading under 50 cubic yards, per the same handout.
- All inspection requests go through OpenGov, inspections run Monday through Thursday in morning and afternoon windows, and the inspector needs one full printed set of plans on site, per the city's inspection scheduling page.
Marin cities set their own rules; our pool demolition permit guide compares them with the East Bay.
Local guide
Hiring for a Yard Project in San Rafael: Permits, Walls and Pools
A general contractor in San Rafael working on a yard has to know two lists: the projects the city sends to full plan review and the work it exempts. Cicarelli Contractors files in OpenGov, removes the pool or concrete and builds the pavers, walls or turf that replace it.
What is the difference between a contractor and a general contractor?
A specialty contractor holds one trade license, such as concrete or landscaping. A general contractor with a California B license can manage a project that involves several trades, coordinate them and pull the permit. For a pool removal followed by pavers and a wall, one B contractor can run the whole job.
Cicarelli Contractors holds CSLB License #1109419 in the B General Building class. You can confirm its status on the state license lookup before you sign anything.
When is a garden wall exempt from a permit in the city?
When it is a retaining or rockery wall no taller than 48 inches, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. A wall that supports a surcharge, such as a driveway, slope or structure behind it, is not exempt, and walls over a certain height go to full plan review.
Masonry fence walls have a separate limit of 36 inches outside the front or street yard. We measure height and load during the site visit before pricing any wall.
How is a swimming pool demolished in San Rafael?
It starts with a Demolition permit application in OpenGov, the type the city uses for buildings, portions of structures and swimming pools. After the permit is issued, the pool is drained, the shell broken out and hauled away, and the hole backfilled and compacted, with inspections requested online along the way.
Planning an ADU, addition or deck over the old pool? Full removal with compacted fill keeps those options open. Compare both methods on our pool removal page.
| Topic | San Rafael |
|---|---|
| Permit office | Building division, City Hall 3rd floor |
| How to apply | OpenGov portal (account required) |
| Inspections | Mon–Thu, 8 am–12 pm or 1–4 pm |
| Wall exemption | 48 in from footing bottom, no surcharge |
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors
Reading for Marin Homeowners
FAQ
San Rafael Homeowner Questions
Have a Marin Yard to Rework?
Call or text Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, and we will set up a site visit. More answers are in our full FAQ.
Call (650) 404-7049Do you work in San Rafael even though you are based in Richmond?
Yes. Our crew crosses the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge for jobs across Marin, from downtown and Gerstle Park to Terra Linda and Peacock Gap. Cicarelli Contractors holds CSLB License #1109419, and every estimate is written and free, after a visit to measure the yard.
Is it better to hire a general contractor?
For a yard with more than one trade, usually yes. Removing a pool, grading, building a retaining wall and laying pavers mixes demolition, concrete and hardscape work. A licensed general contractor coordinates all of it, carries the permit and answers for the result. Check any license on the CSLB website before you sign.
What should I avoid saying to a general contractor?
Avoid agreeing to vague verbal terms. Do not offer to skip the permit, approve extra work without a written change order or hand over a large deposit. California limits the down payment on home improvement jobs to 10 percent of the price or 1,000 dollars, whichever is less.
Can I build a patio without a permit in the city?
Sometimes. The city exempts patios, sidewalks and driveways no more than 30 inches above the adjacent grade, built without foundations and not over a septic system, basement or story below. Roofed structures and larger decks follow other rules, so we confirm what applies before any work starts.
How do I schedule a building inspection in San Rafael?
Inspections are requested in OpenGov once the permit is issued. Open the permit record, choose Inspections, then New Appointment. The city inspects Monday through Thursday, mornings from 8 to noon and afternoons from 1 to 4, and the inspector needs a printed set of plans on site.
How do I request a free estimate for a Marin project?
Call or text (650) 404-7049, Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, or send your address and a few yard photos through our free estimate form. We schedule a visit, measure the site and send the written quote within 24 hours.