Mobile Home Salvage: We Buy the Value, You Keep the Savings

The most valuable salvageable components are copper wiring and plumbing — high scrap value per pound and nearly 100 percent recyclable; steel chassis and structural framing — significant weight with consistent scrap market demand; and aluminum roofing panels and siding — moderately priced but fully recyclable. Intact HVAC units, water heaters, and large appliances have used-market value. Windows, doors, and dimensional lumber in good condition may find buyers through building salvage channels. Recovery depends heavily on age, condition, and local scrap market prices.

Scrap prices fluctuate with commodity markets, so these are approximate ranges: copper wire scrap typically trades between $2.50 and $4.00 per pound depending on grade; steel scrap ranges from roughly $100 to $250 per ton; aluminum scrap runs approximately $0.35 to $0.80 per pound. A typical single-wide may yield 2,000 to 5,000 pounds of steel, 50 to 150 pounds of copper, and several hundred pounds of aluminum — aggregate salvage value varies significantly by home, condition, and current market.

When our crew deconstructs a mobile home, revenue from recycled metal and appliance resale is applied against our labor, equipment, fuel, permit, and disposal costs. When recovered value covers those costs, the net charge to you is zero. Mobile Home Gone is a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, and material recovery is one supporting way we offset costs so qualifying owners pay nothing. When recovered value exceeds project costs, some owners also receive a modest cash payment.

Physical condition matters less than material integrity. A structurally compromised home can still yield full copper, steel, and aluminum if those materials are intact. What reduces salvage value most: copper already stripped by prior scrappers; severe steel chassis corrosion; water and mold penetration that has deteriorated structural lumber; and the presence of asbestos-containing materials requiring licensed abatement before demolition can begin. Age is relevant mainly for asbestos risk in pre-1978 homes and heavier steel content in pre-1990 construction.

Several categories have no practical salvage market: fiberglass batt insulation (not recyclable, goes to landfill); vinyl floor covering and vinyl siding (generally not recyclable in most markets); drywall and joint compound (heavy landfill weight, low value); treated or water-saturated lumber (not accepted by most used-material buyers); and asbestos-containing materials, which require licensed abatement disposal at additional cost. Homes with large quantities of these materials may shift the project economics toward a paid removal quote.

Salvage-focused deconstruction — carefully separating materials for recovery — is the default because the recovered revenue helps offset our costs. Straight demolition, where everything is mixed and landfilled, is faster but produces no salvage value. We use a mixed approach on most projects: salvage what is economically recoverable and demolish the rest. If a home has been heavily stripped, is severely contaminated, or has access limitations that inflate project time, the economics may shift and a paid removal quote may apply.

Yes, and we encourage it. Remove any personal property, appliances, fixtures, or building materials you want to keep before deconstruction begins. Once our crew starts, materials enter the salvage stream. If there are specific items — a working HVAC unit, cabinetry, antique fixtures — let us know when you apply so we can note it in the project record and adjust our salvage assessment accordingly. We prefer to know in advance rather than have a conflict on-site once work has started.

Apply in 30 seconds to see if your property qualifies — teardown, haul-off, and site cleanup at no cost to qualifying owners.