Deciding whether or not to scrap your mobile home is a tough decision as there’s no guarantee on how much you’ll make in the end. This process can be even tougher if you don’t have the experience to decipher trash from treasure. What looks useless to you may end up being the most valuable item you own according to your local scrap yard, or vice versa. So before you decide whether or not scrapping your mobile home is the right decision for you, take a look below for some key indicators of your mobile home scrap value.
Ferrous vs. non-ferrous
The first thing you should know about mobile home scrapping is the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The simplest way to describe the difference between the two is this: ferrous metals contain iron and non-ferrous metals don’t.
The differences go beyond just iron, though. Ferrous metals are most commonly used for construction, piping, automobiles and the creation of tools, for example. This is because ferrous metals are known for their durability. You can figure out if a metal in your home is ferrous for yourself by testing it with a magnet – ferrous metals are magnetic while non-ferrous aren’t.
Non-ferrous don’t contain iron, making them more malleable. They’re also less susceptible to rust or corrosion. Examples of where you can find non-ferrous metals include gutters, liquid pipes, roofing and road signs. And like we already mentioned, they don’t have a magnetic charge.
Take a look below to see which metals belong in each category.
Ferrous metals:
- Carbon steel
- Stainless steel
- Mild steel
- Wrought iron
- Cast iron
Non-ferrous metals:
- Lead
- Silver
- Brass
- Copper
- Aluminum
- Zinc
- Nickel
- Titanium
- Gold
- Platinum
It’s important you know the difference between these two as non-ferrous metals are going to earn you more at the scrap yard. This is because non-ferrous metals aren’t magnetic and are less susceptible to rust or corrosion. Make sure you have a magnet handy when you’re sorting through these different metals in your home so you can tell the difference for yourself. Your mobile home scrap value can greatly decrease if you throw away the wrong materials.
What metals are most valuable?
Not every scrapyard charges the same, but there is a universal ranking of what’s most and least valuable. Keep this list in mind as you’re rummaging through your home so you can weigh the pros and cons of trashing an item. For example, you should probably have an idea of what your TV is worth at the scrapyard before you go ahead and destroy it.
- Copper: $2 – $2.50 per pound (plumbing, electronics, wire)
- Brass: $1 – $1.50 per pound (door knobs and locks, valves, plumbing fixtures and fittings, musical instruments).
- Aluminum: 50 cents – $1 per pound (door frames, cans, windows, mobile home metal siding)
- Stainless steel: 40 cents per pound (kitchenware, appliances, mobile home chassis and support beams)
Again, don’t expect to get these exact prices at your local scrap yard – in fact, the above stats are closer to a best-case scenario and not your average deal.
What to look for in each room of your house
Kitchen:
- Refrigerator
- Silverware
- Oven
- Pots and Pans
- Stove
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Blender
- Toaster
- Cooking bowls
- Cans
Living Room/Bedroom:
- TV
- Mattress
- Lamp base
- Jewelry
- DVD Player
- VCR
- Computer monitor
- Desktop tower
- Camera
- Gaming console
Under the home:
- Pipes
- Skirting
Bathroom/Laundry:
- Metal shelves
- Washer and dryer
Miscellaneous items:
- Holiday decorations (think ornaments)
- AC unit
- Extension cord
Recycling the above items isn’t as simple as dropping them off at a scrapyard. You’ll have to deconstruct each item and separate the metals accordingly to make it easier for the scrapyard workers to give you a fair asking price. It would take too long to describe how to scrap every item as they all require unique approaches, which is why we’ve attached step-by-step guidelines in the links above.
What is your mobile home scrap value?
It’s hard to estimate your mobile home scrap value as every home will differ. Your net gain will greatly depend on the rates your local scrapyard sets as well as the number of items you plan to scrap that aren’t attached to the home. While copper is valued at $2 – $2.50 per pound, your scrap yard might only be asking for half that. They could even cheat you out of a good deal if they sense you’re a beginner to scrapping.
Keep in mind that most people don’t scrap their own mobile home with the expectation of making a profit. Rather, scrapping is often chosen to offset the costs of relocation or demolition. You can think of scrapping as the lesser of two evils, aka the option where you’ll lose the least amount of money. The money you make from scrapping will most likely go toward paying for your next home or rental payment.
Your overall profit will be much lower if you aren’t deconstructing the home and/or appliances yourself. It’s common for a mobile home owner to hire professionals who can do this for them as this is no easy DIY project. Separating the materials is also important as the scrapyard won’t accept them otherwise. It’s possible to sell intact items to a scrapyard, though they’ll charge you extra for labor to separate the parts.
Is scrapping your mobile home the right decision for you?
The decision to scrap your mobile home should always be weighed against the cost of demolition and moving to a new area. Like we said earlier, you should really only scrap your mobile home if it’s either unlivable or cheaper than the other options. Continue researching how much scrap metal is in your mobile home before you make this important decision.
About Dan Leighton
