So your mobile home served you well for several years, giving you countless memories. But as it happens, all good things come to an end at some point or the other. Mobile homes are usually meant to last for around 50 years, after which they tend to become unusable. Repairing them at this point is also out of the question, owing to their thin walls, light frames, and cheap construction. This leaves you with only one choice – mobile home demolition and removal.
In this article, we’ll look at the best way to go about demolishing a mobile home. We’ll also look into the signs that indicate that your mobile home needs demolishing. Let’s get right to it.
Mobile home removal options
When your mobile home’s time is done, you have to think of removal options. There are several ways you can go about doing that –
1. Mobile home demolition
This is the most inexpensive and fastest way to remove a trailer or mobile home. Although there is an option to do it yourself (which we’ll cover later), the best way to approach mobile home demolition is by hiring professional services. The average mobile home demolition cost can range anywhere between $3 to $5 per square foot. However, this largely depends on some factors, like your location, the size of the trailer, the contents of the trailer, and accessibility.
2. Deconstruction
If your mobile home is in somewhat salvageable shape, you can get mobile home deconstruction done. But this can be quite time-consuming, not to mention, more expensive than demolition. The average cost of deconstruction can go as high as $8,000 in some cases.
3. Relocation
You also have the option to relocate the mobile home. But the availability of extra space can be an issue. Mobile home relocation is also quite expensive (as compared to demolition), with costs reaching around $7,000 and more. This cost can vary depending on the location you want your mobile home to move to.
4. Selling
Selling a mobile home is pretty simple. But finding a buyer for a mobile home, especially when it’s quite old, can be difficult. The process can be quite painstaking and long.
So, as you can see, most times the easiest option is to arrange for the demolition of a mobile home. If you’re still not sure about demolishing your mobile home, here are some signs that indicate that it’s time.
Mobile home demolition: Signs you need to watch out for
It is possible to prolong the life of your mobile home, with adequate care and maintenance. But this too will only get you so far. Mobile homes, by design, are not meant to last forever. A time will come when mobile home demolition and removal will be the only choice.
Here are some warning signs that your mobile home is nearing the end of its life –
1. The trailer has been used longer than its intended lifetime. Most mobile homes are built to last for 30-55 years. After this, it is no longer considered safe to use.
2. The trailer needs extensive repair. If huge repairs are recommended for your mobile, it’s better to go for demolition. Foundation or plumbing repairs can get costly, and they wouldn’t be worth it in the long run either.
3. You are doubtful about its structural integrity: If you have doubts about the structural integrity of the mobile home, it is a good sign that it’s time for its demolition. If you see that the doors are not closing completely or the roof is sagging, it’s a clear indication that the mobile home is no longer up to standard.
If you find any or all of these issues with your mobile home, it’s time for mobile home demolition. You have two routes here – DIY or Professional Mobile Home Demolition Services. Let’s discuss the DIY route first.
DIY mobile home demolition
Many mobile homeowners wonder if it is possible to demolish the trailer structure with a DIY approach. Although there is a way to go about doing it, it is always recommended that you leave the job for experienced demolition companies. They have the knowledge and skilled professionals for doing the job.
10-step DIY mobile home demolition
If you are set on taking the DIY route, here is a 10-step process to demolishing a mobile home –
- Step 1: Obtaining the required permits: Before starting with the mobile home demolition and removal, it’s important to get the necessary permit to deconstruct the trailer legally. This involves providing the local government with the necessary information and paperwork. The whole process can cost roughly between $100 to $350. You might also have to get the mobile home inspected for asbestos. If there is asbestos present in the trailer, it would have to be removed first.
- Step 2: Cut off utilities: Make sure that the electric, sewer, and water utilities are cut off before beginning the demolishing.
- Step 3: Strip the mobile home: Remove all fittings from the home.
- Step 4: Order large dumpsters: It’s always best to order two to three large (40 cubic yards) dumpsters for storing the debris.
- Step 5: Start by knocking out the main support of the trailer – the wall structure. This would be the easiest way to bring it down.
- Step 6: Proceed to the trailer roof to pull it out.
- Step 7: Load the demolition debris into the dumpsters. Make sure that the recyclable material is kept separate.
- Step 8: When the walls and roof are done, flip the trailer to reveal the frame. Start pulling this out from the bottom of the trailer.
- Step 9: Get the trailer frame cut into smaller pieces in a safe location.
- Step 10: Load up all the leftover debris into the dumpsters. Take the scrap material to the scrap yard.
While doing a DIY mobile home demolition can be great fun, it does come with some downsides –
1. You’ll have to buy or hire several equipment pieces for the whole demolition and clean-up process. You would also have to get safety gear for yourself and anyone helping you.
2. The whole process of demolishing a mobile home requires hard work and effort. You need to be physically fit to do all the labor that comes with the DIY mobile home demolition.
3. Even a DIY mobile home demolition cannot be done alone. You would need to enlist the help of your friends or family for the demolition. If that is not an option, you would have to hire workers to aid you in the process.
4. You’ll have to obtain all the permits for mobile home demolition yourself.
5. With a DIY mobile home demolition, you’ll be handling everything yourself (to the smallest details). This can get quite stressful for most people.
6. You would need to have time in hand. If you are not experienced, the whole demolition process can take a lot longer than expected.
7. DIY mobile home demolition requires some amount of research. It is recommended to have some knowledge about the construction of mobile homes.
Professional mobile home demolition
The most popular and easiest way to demolish a mobile home is by hiring a demolition contractor. We’ve already seen how tedious it can be to go the DIY route. Professional mobile home demolition can be the safest and least stressful way to remove a mobile home. It’s also the best option for homeowners who do not have sufficient knowledge about the construction/deconstruction of mobile homes. Hiring a demolition contractor can actually help you save money in the long run.
Here are some of the benefits of hiring a professional demolition contractor –
1. The biggest benefit of professional mobile home demolition services is that you will not have to do all the hard work yourself. There won’t be any headache of hiring workers either, since the professionals will do all the work.
2. The demolition contractor will also handle all the permits and paperwork.
3. When the professionals are handling the demolition, it will be less stressful for you. You can rest easy knowing that someone experienced is going to take care of everything for you.
4. The whole process will be done in less than half the time since the professional will have mastery over the process. They’ll also have more people to help them with the demolition.
5. If any roadblocks are encountered in the process, the demolition contractor can help you navigate that. This will save you a lot of time and also additional expenses.
6. Professional demolition companies come with their own equipment, safety gear, etc.
As it is evident, hiring a good demolition contractor can help you save a lot of time and effort. It will also be less trying for you, on the whole
Conclusion
With this, we’ve covered everything there is to know about mobile home demolition. Although there are several removal options to choose from, the cheapest and easiest way to remove a mobile home from your property is through demolition. A professional mobile home demolition contractor like Benchmark Metal Recovery Group can swiftly and smoothly complete the whole process. Get in touch with us!
