Mobile homes are great for a variety of reasons, but maybe it’s time now for you to relieve yourself of the responsibility. What do you do if you have land you wish to sell, but there is an eyesore of an old mobile home rotting on it? Maybe you have enjoyed living in your mobile home, but it has simply met its sell-by-date. Whatever your reason may be, here’s what you can expect when you sell a mobile home for scrap!
Step 1 – Research
The most important points to consider while conducting your research include:
- how to deconstruct your mobile home
- tools you should use
- permits you should have
- where you can go to sell your scrap materials
- how to transport your scrap materials
- and finding people who could possibly buy and transport your scrap materials for you.
For the last point, you need to know what’s valuable and what’s not. Of course, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. But in general, there will be things in your home that are worth selling. Research the going prices for used materials, interior fixtures and furniture. Knowing the worth of scrap metals like aluminum, steel, and copper is necessary. When you list your items for sale, being knowledgeable about pricing can help you avoid being cheated.
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You may be able to sell your entire mobile home to your local contractor or scrap dealer, so check to see if there is anyone in your area who offers that. Many scrap dealers are known to specialize in certain scrap materials, so if you go this route you may not necessarily be able to unload all of your scrap materials in one place.
If you are scrapping a mobile home within a mobile home park, consider speaking with your mobile home park owner. They might have connections to scrap dealers or local contractors who frequently purchase scrap materials.
Step 2 – Advertise
Letting people know that you have scrap materials for sale could save you money on having to rent a trailer to haul off pieces. After you have deconstructed your mobile home, post an advertisement online for free. Many websites have a specific section titled “for sale.” Websites like craigslist.com and ebay.com make it easy to connect with buyers who are specifically looking to purchase scrap metal.
Another option to consider is placing an advertisement (for a minimum of $10) in your local newspaper listing all of your scrap metals, interior fixtures and furniture for sale. This method is a bit dated, but could still be of some assistance to you.
More inexpensive ways to inform people that you are selling a mobile home for scrap materials is by making yard signs or posting flyers inside of local establishments. Placing a yard sign on the property where you are scrapping your mobile home will spark interest while also making it easy for people to see exactly where their purchase is coming from. Any way that you choose to advertise should include photographs of the scrap materials, your firm price and your phone number or email address.
Step 3 – Make the deal
Selling scrap materials has become such a booming industry that many states have started regulating the process more closely. Many materials, especially copper are being stolen and then sold. In an effort to ensure that sellers and buyers are operating legally, you may now be required to first purchase a business license. We recommend you check in with your local government officials to find out for sure.
Be aware that you are legally responsible for any scrap materials you sell. When you take your scrap materials to your local buyer you will be entered into a database monitored by the federal government using your thumbprint. The database will store photographs of any scrap materials you sell. After you sell your scrap materials at your local scrap yard you will be able to receive your payment from an ATM machine, as dealers are not legally able to exchange money with you.
Step 4 – Costs to consider
Although your goal is to make a profit off of your scrap materials from your mobile home, there are a few costs to consider. If you choose to deconstruct your mobile home on your own without the aid of a contractor you will still pay anywhere in between $800 and $2,000 on renting a trailer and tools. Unless you or a friend already have access to a trailer and tools, you will have to pay.
If you decide to hire a contractor to deconstruct your mobile home, many will charge you anywhere in between $5- $17 per square foot, in addition to the cost of the trailer to haul off your materials. Make sure that they take all safety precautions when deconstructing the home. Also, it’s not unreasonable to expect a clean lot when they leave.
The average deconstruction permit will cost you on average $200. After you have deconstructed your mobile home and hauled off all of your salvageable scrap materials you will still be responsible for removing any debris left on the land. The price of debris removal can add up to about $500.
Last but not least, you will have to cover the cost of your business license depending on your state. The price of your license will cost you anywhere in between $50 – $400 with an additional $25 processing fee.
Ready to sell a mobile home for scrap?
Now that you have a better understanding of what expect when selling your mobile home for scrap, you can move confidently into doing so! Here is some help to assist you in figuring out how much scrap metal is in your mobile home.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]About Dan Leighton
