# Demolition of Mobile Home. Is $2,500 too high?



## Bud (Oct 17, 2002)

Hey all. I have an ugly single-wide trailer (about 40ft. long) on my land that I want to have removed before I start work on my homestead. I am debating whether I should attempt this job myself, or hire a demolition company to do it. One company so far has seen it and quoted me $2,500 for the demolition and removal. Seems pretty steep. In your opinion, is this too high? I have never needed this type of work before, so I have no idea what price range is considered appropriate. Thanks for any advice.


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## RosewoodfarmVA (Oct 5, 2005)

Put it on craigslist for free and more than likely someone will haul it off for you!


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## Bud (Oct 17, 2002)

RosewoodfarmVA said:


> Put it on craigslist for free and more than likely someone will haul it off for you!


I'm not sure of that. The trailer is in decrepit condition and certainly cannot be moved in one piece. Also, the metal siding has already been stripped off, so there is no value from the scrap metal. It's one of the ugliest eyesores you will see!


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## momanto (Jan 14, 2005)

Have You Considered Asking Your Local Fire Dept. If They Will Do It Or If They Know Of A Smaller, Perhaps Volunteer Fd That Would?

Mom


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## june02bug (May 23, 2003)

I wouldn't be able to write the check fast enough if it were me. I think $2500 is well worth not having to deal with it myself.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

that steel frame has value at $5-$8 per hundred pounds.


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## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

I'd do it myself if I were you and had time. A little community up the road had a guy who demolished 2 of them on his property. He tore them apart after work and on weekends. People gave him a dollar or two for the windows to use in garden sheds, chicken coops and such. He also sold some good 2x2's. We called it the Millerville Home Depot. You can hire a hole dug to burn in and then cover it up. Someone bought the frames off him. Wiring will bring a bit for junk.


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## alpha phi (Oct 16, 2007)

Personally. I would do it myself.
Anything with any value would be reused, or recycled.

To pay someone else......
Including dump fees, labor, insurance, fuel, and equipment....$2500 is a bargain


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

I don't know what kind of time or money restrictions you are dealing with, but I would also look at some alternatives.

I would still list it on Craigs list. There are alot of scrappers out there looking for stuff like that. One man's trash is another's treasure.

Can you demo the wood out of it, and save yourself some cash?

My point is that you have a starting point figure of $2500; every $100 saved off of that is $100 in your pocket. Alot depends on if you have alot of time or money.

Clove


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

Had a similar situation. Out of the blue, on a clear day, it got struck by lightening and burned to the ground - literally. Virtually all which was left was the roof and frame. Local junkyard hauled those off for their scrap value.

Added: If down to roof and frame you can cut up roof into manageable sections using an axe. For the frame find someone with portable oxy/ace tanks and a cutting torch. Cut into maybe 8' lengths. Dig a couple of inches around the screw anchors and have them cut off as well. Then take roof and frame sections, plus anything else metal, such as ducts, to a scrap iron dealer. What you are then left with is basically ashes and some residue, such as melted plastics.


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

june02bug said:


> I wouldn't be able to write the check fast enough if it were me. I think $2500 is well worth not having to deal with it myself.


doesnt sound much like the do it yourself attitude that a homesteader needs to have


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

do it yourself.


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## pointer_hunter (May 8, 2004)

The 2500 may be cheap for a demo crew depending on the age of the trailer. There is a place in Mid-Michigan that is licensed to demo older trailers because of the asbestos that may have been used in the building materials.


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## PonderosaQ (Jan 12, 2004)

Some folks in my neighborhood haul them away. They then burn them and sell the frame and or any other parts that can be sold. $2,500 sounds like an awful lot to pay and then they make money off the thing on top of what you paid them.
PQ


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## Scrounger (Jan 6, 2007)

Put up a sign in the local feed or other stores. Sopmebody might come forward to do it for any materials that are left (put a picture on the signs). If not Take anything good (windows, doors, some of the paneling, etc) out and burn the rest. try to keep the frame - they make great trailers. If you have a tractor/loader it makes the job easier. If not, talk to a neighbor and they might knock it off the frame for you if you buy the gas.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

A friend looked at a piece of land a couple of years ago that had 2 or 3 old mobile homes on it, in various stages of disrepair. We decided that we wouldn't want to tear them apart, sort out the trash from the salvagable materials, and then haul the parts to the appropriate places for disposal or sale. Too much actual trash and garbage for the amount of salvageable or recyclable stuff for me to want to spend a lot of time on such a project. If it were on my propery, I would take a serious look at how much work it is to remove and dispose of properly all the junk in a trailer, like the sawdust and glue based paneling, plastic trim, plastic flooring, etc., that might be in the average trailer. It might turn out that paying someone $2500 to TOTALLY remove it might be a good deal.

What we found out when we checked into it for our friend was that the salvage places would not take the entire trailer, but only the components that they wanted, and they had to be cleaned up pretty good.


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

You want to consider if there is insulation or any finishing products such as paints, stains, or caulks, that would leach if buried or become airborne if burned. Better to hire this done by somebody who hauls the stuff away and thus assumes the liability. I used to feel that anything I could do myself rather than pay to have done was automatically the better choice, but now I view my time with more respect. Sue


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## clawmute (Mar 12, 2008)

Bud said:


> Hey all. I have an ugly single-wide trailer (about 40ft. long) on my land that I want to have removed before I start work on my homestead. I am debating whether I should attempt this job myself, or hire a demolition company to do it. One company so far has seen it and quoted me $2,500 for the demolition and removal. Seems pretty steep. In your opinion, is this too high? I have never needed this type of work before, so I have no idea what price range is considered appropriate. Thanks for any advice.


Do it yourself......whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. IF you have the time and physical ability. Doing as many things yourself as is practical is part of it. That money can be applied elsewhere.


( Eccl. 9:10 _Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest._)


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

With the recent prices received for scrap a few salvage guys are now dismantling them for the materials. I have junker on another farm and I am attempting to contact these people in hopes of getting rid of the one I have. I know a man that will not work at a steady job but he, by himself and with nothing more than a crowbar and hammer and an ax, tore another home I had into recyclable pieces. He sold the frame and axles to a farmer to use as a trailer to haul round hay bales. The roof and siding along with the window frames sold for the aluminum. I crushed the plumbing and the drywall/paneling, insulation, flooring and hauled that to the landfill. He told me he made more than $700 from the scrap.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

For me it would depend on whether I had $2500 I just wanted to throw away. I don't. I'd do Craigslist. Or demolish it myself, if there's an acceptable refuse center that will take stuff free. Remember, the frame is still good... they make excellent bridges... it's the insulation, pipes, fixtures that are worthless. If I had a tight clay soil, I'd get a backhoe, dig a hole, and take everything unvaluable to me, place it in the hole, cover it back up with the clay, and forgettaboutit.

Or, maybe lightning will strike.


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## retire2$ (Feb 12, 2003)

Have you considered a large dumpster? If feasible you could dispose of the trailer by throwing trash in dumpster and seperating salvageable material for later use or recycling. Dumpster company takes trash to landfill, your land is not comprimised from burning or burying, etc. You recoup some assets from salvage material, environmentally correct, WIN/WIN for everyone.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I have a friend who tears apart mobile homes for part of his living. He separates out the copper plumbing and wiring and the aluminum.

If I had the time I would do it myself and then rent a roll-off dumpster to haul it away. By the time you take out all the air spaces there isn't a whole lot of material in a small trailer.


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

2500.00??? They are going to charge you to remove it and then make money off of it again selling the scrap. Each axle is worth 150.00. Somebody will tear it down for you and remove the frame just for the frame and axles. The frame makes a great round bale transporter when shortened.

Craigs list it.


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## Karenrbw (Aug 17, 2004)

We recently paid $800 to have a doublewide torn down on land we own in Kansas. It was on a full concrete basement and they bulldozed it, burried the concrete, and hauled everything away. It is hard to compare prices in different areas of the country because of different laws, prevailing wages, etc. I still think $2500 is pretty high.


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## Bonnie L (May 11, 2002)

We sold our old single wide mobile 13 years ago for $750. It did have usable stuff in it tho - wood stove (we hated it - bad decision), working range, fridge, etc. What the guy wanted mostly was the copper wiring, then he was going to fix it up & resell it. It needed a LOT of fixing - it was next door to being condemned. I don't know if he made any money on it. We had already sold the axles some years before for $50 each. 

If it hadn't been for the county regs, we were going to keep it & turn it into a chicken house/barn. Worked out better to sell it, tho. I think the county was right - it would have been an eyesore!


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

Nobody wants those things, they are a liability, and the people who may want them usually don't have the means to pay to have them hauled anywhere. The starting figure to have them demolished and hauled away around here is $5,000, and that's if it's done on the sly without permits and such.


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## june02bug (May 23, 2003)

michiganfarmer said:


> doesnt sound much like the do it yourself attitude that a homesteader needs to have


I said that based on the time and physical labor that would be required.
I do most everything myself except things like this that would take a lot of time and energy on my part. I'm not lazy, I just have more important things to do. There are just some things that are better for a crew with the right tools to do.

(That would be after trying to give it away obviously-I assumed since it was to the point of demo estimates that other options had already been considered.)


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

I say do it your self 
pull all the windows wiring and metal out you can for scrap wrap a chain though it and pull with a pick up , roll the roof metal and add that to the scrap metal.
burn the wood if you don't want to savage ,put the insulation in a dumpster along with anyother trash and srap the frame .
even with 200 fr a dumpster you should break even if you dont make buck or two


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## Bud (Oct 17, 2002)

I appreciate all of the replies so far. I have attempted to get rid of this trailer through local community message forums. Nobody seems to want to touch it, including local junk haulers.

I am leaning toward demolishing it myself. However, the one issue that causes me to hesitate is asbestos. The trailer is very old, and it probably contains some asbestos. I'm sure that some people destroy structures without thinking about it, but I am a little hesitant to get involved with it. Does anyone have experience with this?


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

Personally I think asbestes exposure is much ado about very little. If you are concerned just wear a dust mask, remove all clothing on the back porch and then wash all clothing at the end of the day.

Again, a lightening strike solves much of your problems with it.


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## alpha phi (Oct 16, 2007)

From time to time the roofing and siding company I worked for came across asbestos.

We wore long gloves, and Dust masks for outside jobs. Respirators for inside jobs.
(they say approved for asbestos on the packaging)

The dumpsters had to be lined with plastic, then covered with another layer of plastic at the end of each day.
The dump had a special area (and fee)for disposal.

The things to remember is don't breath the dust, and asbestos related illness come from long term exposure.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/asbestos


> Who is at risk for an asbestos-related disease?
> Everyone is exposed to asbestos at some time during their life. Low levels of asbestos are present in the air, water, and soil. However, most people do not become ill from their exposure. People who become ill from asbestos are usually those who are exposed to it on a regular basis, most often in a job where they work directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact.



Nothing to worry about.....Just take a few precautions just in case.


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## Terrabus (Jul 7, 2004)

I scrapped a trailer once. Wow!

After we stripped out the copper and other metals, we were left with a steele frame and wood. So, like any other *******, we torched it. Literally. 
I stood next to that thing for 5 minutes with a propane torch trying to get it to take off. And then, WOOOF! 

It went up so fast, I had to grab the tanks and run like hell. But then, we forgot some other stuff and had to grab it, too. All the while, this trailer is burning hotter than any fire I've ever had to deal with. I learned a lot that day. I learned metal tools get hot fast and if they have grease on them, the grease will burn, too and make wrenches even hotter. 

Folks for miles around could see the smoke and flames, so they came by to see what was happening. They were nice, asked if everybody was okay, then laughed when they saw we did it on purpose. 

The next day, we went back. Everything was twisted and unusable. Even the axles were bent out of shape. Oddly enough, the metal frame came apart nicely and brought some decent cash. Plus, the tin roof brought some cash, too. Plus, we found hardened puddles of aluminum. The fire melted a bunch of aluminum we forgot about. That made things easier and more interesting, too. The scrap yard never did figure out why I had a 5-gallon bucket that weighed 20 lbs and was full of hard puddles. 

Oh, and I learned that when you find copper tubing in the ground, that's not something a contractor forgot about. I pulled it up, clipped and dug and thought I had it all, which I prolly did, but I forgot about the LP/propane/whatever tank it was connected to in the ground someplace. That's another story, though. 

I never claimed to be the smartest, but I do learn from mistakes. Sure, I'd burn another one but I have a pyromaniac streak in me so what's that tell you? I would certainly do it differently. For starters, I'd use a power saw and cut as much wood out as possible. I would have a more contained burning area and lots of water on hand. I would keep the 30-gallon propane tank far away from the trailer and make sure the LP tank is gone, too. And, if my wrench is smoking again, I won't grab it. 

That prolly didn't help you much, now that I re-read that bit. Oh well, good luck!


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## sugarbush (Jul 15, 2007)

A trailer built for Florida.... there is no asbestos in it. Asbestos was an insulation for pipes. Its other use was as floor tiles; any singlewides I have seen have linolium in them. 

Trailers are built for the region they will be used in. In northern states they have 2x6 walls and roofs for snow load and cold weather. Southern trailers are 2x2 walls.

Asbestos is much to do about dying. If you suspect its there don't mess with it. For one its against the law and two it can kill you and make your remaining life miserable.


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## Heidi Overbeek (Aug 8, 2006)

Even if asbestos isn't the issue it is bound to be full of nasty stuff. We are remodeling a 30 year old double wide and between worrying about Hanta virus , mold and everything else I am not 100% worth it.
Heidi


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

i guess a good question would be where is the asbestos if there is any at all? someone said pipe insulation...if so that will be obvious if you look for it. where else could asbestos be in a mobile home?

i would cut that sucker apart wall by wall and have a bonfire party once every weekend until it is all burned up. then i would scrap that metal.


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I'd demo it myself, there's probably $500 to $600 worth of alluminum alone in the shell. Plus selling the iron which is running around $150/ton.

Bob


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

We bought two at the sheriff sale for $32 to get rid of the eyesore. The old one had copper pipes and wires, we sold that for $68. The new one has straight I beams for the frame, and I'll use them for an overhead crane and possible framing for a shop. Some of the roof tin goes into chicken coops and sheds. Wood burns. About the only thing to toss is the insulation. We have a pile of siding to sell some day. We have a pile of doors for tables at a yard sale. 

Oh, and they do use 2X2s with not much insulation up here in Idaho.


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