Plain definitions of the demolition, abatement, site work and public works terms on Southern California bids and plans. Each topic page links to the prices for that work in the 2026 cost guide.
Browse by topic
- Testing and detection instruments31 termsGround radar, utility locators, gas and dust meters, laser scanning and vibration monitors.
- Air quality rules38 termsAir districts, SCAQMD Rule 1403 procedures, dust rules and CARB.
- Bids, contracts and public works57 termsPricing terms, bonds, prevailing wage, DIR and contractor licenses.
All terms, A to Z
A 34
- A General Engineering license
- Abandon in place (grout or slurry fill)
- Above-ground pool
- Aboveground storage tank (AST)
- Absorbent (vermiculite and pads)
- ACCM (asbestos-containing construction material)
- Active vs. passive locating
- Additional insured
- Adequately wet
- Aerosol cans
- AHERA
- Air clearance
- Air district notification
- Air receiver (compressed air tank)
- Air sampling pump and cassette
- Alligator cracking
- Allowance
- Alternate
- Amended water
- Anchor bolts
- Antelope Valley AQMD
- Apprenticeship requirements (DAS 140 and DAS 142)
- APWA utility color code
- Asbestos cement pipe (ACP)
- Asbestos disposal bags (6-mil)
- Asbestos survey
- Asbestos warning label
- Asbestos worker training
- Asbestos-containing material (ACM)
- Asbestos-related work vs. abatement
- ASME pressure vessel
- Asphalt concrete (AC / HMA)
- Attached (spillover) spa
- Automatic tank gauge (ATG)
B 21
- B General Building license
- Backcharge
- Backflow preventer
- Basement fill-in
- Basement removal
- Bedding and shading
- Bentonite waterproofing
- Bid bond
- Bioretention basin
- Bioswale
- Blindside waterproofing
- Block (CMU) basement walls
- Blood lead testing
- Blue tops / grade stakes
- Bolted steel tank
- Bond beam
- Bonded fiber matrix
- Building pad
- Bulk bag (super sack)
- Bump test and calibration
- Butt fusion
C 70
- C-21 license
- C-22 Asbestos Abatement license
- Caisson / pier
- Cal/OSHA asbestos job notification
- Cal/OSHA asbestos registration
- Cal/OSHA demolition permit
- Cal/OSHA excavation permit
- CALGreen
- Cap / coping
- Category I nonfriable
- Category II nonfriable
- Cathodic protection
- CCTV inspection
- CDPH 8551 lead work notification
- CDPH lead certification (lead worker and supervisor)
- Cellar
- Certificate of insurance (COI)
- Certificate of Reported Compliance (CRC)
- Certified asbestos consultant (CAC)
- Certified payroll
- Certified Site Surveillance Technician (CSST)
- Change order
- Change order request (COR)
- Chemical storage tank (sodium hypochlorite and similar)
- Chlorination (disinfection) and bacteriological test
- Cistern
- Clarifier
- Class 2 aggregate base
- Class I asbestos work
- Class II and Class III landfills
- Class II asbestos work
- Class III asbestos work
- Class IV asbestos work
- Clean Truck Check
- Cleanout
- Clearing and grubbing
- Closure in place
- CML&C steel pipe
- CMU / block wall
- Cold cutting
- Cold milling
- Collapse and remove
- Commercial (public) pool
- Commercial demolition
- Commercial water heater and boiler
- Compaction test
- Competent person
- Concrete crushing
- Concrete scanning
- Concrete surface profile (CSP)
- Concrete vault
- Confined space entry
- Confirmation soil samples
- Containment
- Control joint
- Core drilling
- Crack gauge (crack monitor)
- Creosote-treated wood
- Critical barrier
- Crushed aggregate base
- Crushed miscellaneous base (CMB)
- CSLB (Contractors State License Board)
- CSLB ASB (asbestos) certification
- CSLB HAZ (Hazardous Substance Removal) certification
- Cubic yard, in place and loose
- Cubic-yard box (gaylord)
- CUPA (Certified Unified Program Agency)
- Curb and gutter
- Cut and cap
- Cut and fill
D 35
- Davis-Bacon Act
- Daylight line
- DE filter
- Deadman anchor
- Decommissioning
- Decomposed granite (DG)
- Decontamination unit
- Delineation (white-lining)
- Demolition permit
- Demolition shear
- Demolition to dirt
- Detail coat
- Dewatering
- Diameter at breast height (DBH)
- Dig Safe Board
- DigAlert ticket
- DigAlert vs. USA North 811
- DIR project registration (PWC-100)
- DIR registration
- Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)
- Dismantling
- Disposable coveralls (Tyvek)
- Diversion
- DOSH (Division of Occupational Safety and Health)
- Double wrap (large pieces such as transite pipe)
- Double-walled tank
- Drainage composite
- Drip emitter
- Drip zone
- Driveway approach
- Drone survey (photogrammetry and LiDAR)
- Drum liner
- DTSC (Department of Toxic Substances Control)
- Ductile iron pipe
- Dust control supervisor
E 15
F 24
- Fiber drum
- Fiber roll (wattle)
- Fiberglass (FRP) tank
- Fiberglass pool
- Field-built tank
- Finish (fine) grading
- Fire extinguishers and compressed gas cylinders
- Fire protection water tank
- Fire-damaged demolition
- Fire-rated aboveground tank
- Flame ionization detector (FID)
- Flatwork
- Flowable fill
- Fluid-applied membrane
- Footing (continuous)
- Footing (spread / pad)
- Footing drain (subdrain)
- Four-gas meter
- Frac (Baker) tank
- Freestanding in-ground spa
- Friable
- Friction and impact surfaces
- Full basement
- Full-face air-purifying respirator
G 22
- Gas-free certificate
- Generator day tank
- Generator status (VSQG, SQG, LQG)
- Geogrid
- Geophysical survey (buried tank search)
- Geotechnical (soils) report
- Geotextile fabric
- GHS labels and pictograms
- Glove bag
- GNSS / RTK rover
- GPR concrete scanner
- GPR utility cart
- Grade beam
- Grading permit
- Grapple (sorting grapple)
- Grease interceptor
- Green waste
- Greenbook (Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction)
- Grind and overlay
- Ground-level reservoir
- Ground-penetrating radar (GPR)
- Gunite pool
H 28
- Half-face air-purifying respirator (APR)
- Hand demolition
- Hardscape
- Haul permit
- Haul route
- Hazard Communication (HazCom)
- Hazardous waste label
- HAZWOPER (40-hour and 8-hour refresher)
- HDPE pipe
- Header / bender board
- Heating oil tank
- HEPA
- High priority subsurface installation
- High-reach excavator
- Hoe ram (hydraulic breaker)
- Hold-downs
- Holding tank (wastewater)
- Hot tap
- Hot work
- Hot work permit
- Hydraulic elevator jack
- Hydro-excavation (vacuum excavation)
- Hydrodemolition
- Hydropneumatic tank
- Hydroseeding
- Hydrostatic pressure
- Hydrostatic pressure test
- Hydrostatic relief valve
I 11
L 24
- Lab pack
- Landscape demolition
- Landscape documentation package
- Lap pool
- Lateral line
- Laydown area
- Lead abatement vs. lead-related construction
- Lead action level
- Lead in construction (Section 1532.1)
- Lead-acid batteries
- Lead-based paint
- LEL monitoring
- LID (Low Impact Development)
- LiDAR (laser scanning)
- Lift
- Lift station wet well
- Lightwell (window well)
- Lime stabilization
- Lined roll-off bin
- Lined tank
- Liquidated damages
- Load-bearing wall
- Lockout/tagout (LOTO)
- Lump sum
M 19
- Machine control (GPS grading)
- Main drain
- Make-safe
- Mandrel test
- Manhole
- Mastic
- Maximum dry density (Proctor)
- Mechanical demolition
- Mechanics lien
- Medical surveillance
- Mercury switches and thermostats
- Methane zone (Los Angeles)
- Mil
- Minimum charge
- Mixed C&D debris
- Mobilization
- Mojave Desert AQMD
- Mulch and bark
- MWELO (Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance)
N 12
O 8
P 68
- Packing groups I, II and III
- PACM (presumed asbestos-containing material)
- Pad certification
- Parapet wall
- Partial basement
- Pay application
- Payment bond
- PCB ballast
- PCB caulk
- Peak particle velocity (PPV)
- Performance bond
- Permissible exposure limit (PEL)
- Permit-required confined space
- Personal air monitoring
- Phase contrast microscopy (PCM)
- Photoionization detector (PID)
- Pipe zone
- Placards
- Plant establishment (maintenance) period
- Plunge pool
- PM10 monitoring
- Podium structure
- Point cloud
- Point count
- Polarized light microscopy (PLM)
- Poly (HDPE) tank
- Poly drum
- Pool backfill
- Pool barrier
- Pool deck
- Pool demolition permit
- Pool demolition: abandon in place
- Pool demolition: full removal
- Pool draining
- Pool equipment pad
- Pool plaster (pebble finish)
- Pool shell
- Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP)
- Portable hot tub
- Portland cement concrete (PCC)
- Positive response
- Positive-side waterproofing
- Post-tensioned slab
- Potholing
- Poured concrete basement walls
- Poured concrete pool
- Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
- PPE Levels C and D
- Pre-demolition hazardous materials survey
- Preconstruction condition survey
- Preliminary notice (20-day notice)
- Prequalification
- Prevailing wage
- Primary and non-contributory
- Private utility locating
- Procedure 1 (HEPA negative air)
- Procedure 2 (glove bag)
- Procedure 3 (adequate wetting, nonfriable)
- Procedure 4 (dry removal)
- Procedure 5 (approved alternative plan)
- Product lines and dispensers
- Propane tank
- Proper shipping name
- Protection board
- PSI (concrete compressive strength)
- Pulverizer
- Punch list
- PVC C900 pipe
R 37
- RACM (regulated asbestos-containing material)
- Rainwater harvesting tank
- Raised foundation (crawlspace)
- RCRA hazardous waste
- Rebar
- Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP)
- Recycled concrete
- Refrigerant recovery
- Registered hazardous waste transporter
- Regulated area
- Reinforced concrete pipe (RCP)
- Relative compaction
- Remove and replace (dig-out)
- Renovation vs. demolition (Rule 1403)
- Request for information (RFI)
- Respirable crystalline silica (Section 1532.3)
- Respirator fit test
- Retaining wall
- Retention
- Return jet
- Rinsate
- Rip rap
- Robotic total station
- Roll-off bin
- Root barrier
- Rotating laser level
- Rotor
- Rough grading
- RRP rule
- Rule 1113 (architectural coatings)
- Rule 1150 (excavation of landfill sites)
- Rule 1166 (VOC-contaminated soil)
- Rule 1168 (adhesives and sealants)
- Rule 1466 (soils with toxic air contaminants)
- Rule 401 (visible emissions)
- Rule 402 (nuisance)
- Rule 403 large operation notification (Form 403N)
S 74
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Salvage
- San Diego County APCD Rule 1206
- Saw cutting
- Scale ticket
- SCAQMD Rule 1403
- SCAQMD Rule 403
- Scarify and moisture-condition
- Schedule of values
- Scope by others
- Secondary containment
- Seismograph (vibration monitor)
- Selective demolition
- Septic tank abandonment
- Settlement and shoring monitoring points
- Sewer cap
- Shear wall
- Shoring
- Shotcrete pool
- Shotcrete wall
- Sill plate
- Silt fence
- Single-walled tank
- Site-specific mitigation plan
- Skilled and trained workforce
- Skimmer
- Slab thickness
- Slab-on-grade
- Sleeving (pipe sleeves under hardscape)
- Slope ratio (2:1)
- Sludge (tank bottoms)
- Slurry seal
- Small Business (SB) and Micro certification
- Soft demolition
- Softscape
- Soil amendment
- Soldier pile and lagging
- Sonde
- Sound level meter
- South Coast AQMD (SCAQMD)
- Spill bucket
- Spoils
- Spray head
- Stabilized construction entrance
- Stage I vapor recovery
- Steel drum, closed-head (tight-head)
- Steel drum, open-head
- Steel tank
- Steel-composite (jacketed) tank
- Stem wall
- STLC and TTLC
- Stockpile
- Stockpile volume survey
- Stop payment notice
- Storm drain inlet protection
- Stormwater detention system
- Street sweeping
- Stump grinding
- Sub-base (belly) tank
- Sub-basement
- Subcontractor listing (PCC 4104)
- Subgrade
- Submersible turbine pump (STP)
- Submittal
- Subsurface utility engineering (SUE)
- Subterranean parking garage
- Sump
- Sump pit and pump
- Supplied-air respirator
- Swale / positive drainage
- Swell
- Swim spa
- SWPPP
- Synthetic turf removal
T 39
- T-patch / trench paving restoration
- Table 1 silica controls
- Tack coat
- Tackifier
- Tank cleaning
- Tank closure report
- Tank pit backfill
- Tank removal permit
- Task order
- TCLP
- Temporary bracing
- Temporary construction fence
- Termination bar
- Thermal treatment (thermal desorption)
- Thrust block
- Ticket renewal
- Tie-in
- Tiebacks
- Tilt-up panel
- Time and materials (T&M)
- Tipping (dump) fee
- Tolerance zone
- Toothing
- Tracer wire
- Track-out
- Traffic control plan
- Transfer station
- Transfer truck
- Transite
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
- Treated wood waste (TWW)
- Tree protection zone
- Tree well
- Trench backfill
- Trench box
- Triple rinse
- TSDF (treatment, storage and disposal facility)
- Turbine sump
- Turf removal
U 10
V 10
W 21
- Waiver of subrogation
- Walk-out (daylight) basement
- Wall sawing
- Wall tie-in / patch-back
- Warning tape
- Waste codes
- Waste load-out
- Waste manifest
- Waste oil tank
- Waste profile
- Waste shipment record
- Water repellent
- Water truck
- Waterline tile
- Waterstop
- Weather-based (smart) controller
- Wedge grinding
- Weed abatement
- Weed barrier fabric
- Welded wire mesh
- Well abandonment
X 1
See all 2026 pricesCall (949) 446-0000
SoCal Removal is the business name of Abajian Enterprise, a California corporation. CSLB #980451 (A, B, C-21). Certifications: HAZ, ASB (ASB for bidding only). Verify the license · Insurance and project bonding