What Factors Affect the Cost of Mobile Home Removal?

Updated October 20, 2023

There are many different ways to remove a mobile home from a property, and each method comes with its own cost.

The cost to get rid of a mobile home varies from one project to the next; however, there are a number of factors that affect mobile home removal no matter what method you choose.

We'll go over the various parts that play a role in cost and how to get the best deal.

Common factors that affect the cost of mobile home removal:

Removal Method
Size
Distance
Contents
Permit and Inspection Fees
Equipment and Services

Find a mobile home removal contractor near you

factors that affect the cost of mobile home removal infographic

Mobile Home Removal Method

There are multiple ways to have a mobile home removed from a property. The size and condition of your mobile home, as well as your budget, will determine which method is best for your particular project.

The most popular methods to remove a mobile home include...

Demolition

Demolition is the fastest and most inexpensive way to tear down your mobile home. Because of its speed and low cost, this method also tends to be the most popular choice.

Depending on where you are, the size of your home, and the contents/weight of your home, it could cost between $3,000-$7,000 to have your mobile home demolished.

Deconstruction

Deconstruction is not suitable for all mobile homes. It is also more expensive and takes longer than traditional demolition, but it is better for the environment and can pay off if there's a decent amount of salvageable materials.

Deconstruction can stretch to almost double the cost of traditional demolition, reaching upwards of $8,000 in some cases.

If your home is in decent shape, there are many companies that may be willing to deconstruct it for charity. Not only does this help the community, but the mobile home deconstruction is considered a tax write-off in this case.

Learn more: Sustainable Mobile Home Removal: Eco-Friendly Practices for Disposal and Recycling

Relocation

Not all mobile homes are fit to be relocated, and the time it takes to move it depends on its current condition. It's more expensive to relocate a mobile home than it is to demolish it, reaching upwards of $7,000 in some cases.

If you’re thinking about moving your mobile home, expect to pay anywhere from $1,200-$3,500 per half in order to have it broken down, moved, and set up in its new location—depending on how far you intend to transport it.

Continue reading: Don't Relocate Your Mobile Home Before Reading This!

Haul to Landfill

Similar to relocation, driving your mobile home to the dump will only be possible if it's in movable condition. The professional mobile home mover will be able to determine whether or not your mobile home is movable.

Moving a mobile home to the dump costs roughly $1,000-$2,000.

Keep reading: How Much It Costs to Dump at the Landfill (and Why It's Not Always the Best Option)

Size of the Mobile Home

The size of the mobile home will have arguably the biggest effect on the overall cost of mobile home removal. So naturally, you can expect to pay more for a double-wide than a single-wide mobile home.

Whether you're demolishing it, deconstructing it, or relocating it—the bigger the mobile home, the more expensive it will be to have it removed.

Distance to Destination

If you plan on having the mobile home transported to a new location, close proximity to the destination reduces costs over having to transport over long distances.

As you can probably guess, it's not easy (or cheap) to haul a mobile home behind a big truck. Not only does it require a great deal of fuel to get where it needs to go, but if the mobile home is wider than one lane, you will likely require an escort, which costs extra.

Contents of the Mobile Home

If your mobile home is full of belongings, it will be much heavier than an empty mobile home. A heavier load is more expensive to remove or relocate.

The overall weight of the mobile home plays a huge role in mobile home removal cost, not just the contents inside. Newer mobile homes can weigh more than 10 lbs per square foot more than older models, so they are typically more expensive to remove.

Find a mobile home demolition contractor in your area

Permit and Inspection Fees

In practically every zoned township in the country, mobile home demolition requires a permit. These permits generally require a fee, which can cost anywhere from $100-$350 or more in some cases, depending on where you live.

If moving your mobile home to a new county or state, a permit is required for that, too. And if you are re-assembling the mobile home once it reaches its destination, you may also need to acquire a “set-up” permit as well.

Whether you are having your mobile home demolished, deconstructed, or relocated, make sure you discuss who will be responsible for getting the necessary permits with your contractor and whether or not they are included in the quoted price.

Get in touch with local mobile home removal contractors by searching your zip code on Hometown. You can request free quotes from multiple contractors to compare pricing, customer service, customer reviews, availability, and more.

Know what to look for when hiring a contractor:

Equipment and Services

Relocating a mobile home is easily the most complex of the removal methods. Not only will the home need to be inspected before relocation—which costs money—but it must be adequately prepared for the move and re-assembled upon arrival, too.

All this requires heavy-duty tools and equipment, which in turn costs more money.

Likewise, you'll need to get liability insurance to cover the move. Oftentimes, all of these fees are included in the contractor's quote, but always make sure before signing anything.

Disposal fees can drastically increase the overall cost of your mobile home removal and is another aspect of the project you will want to discuss with potential contractors.

If you are having your mobile home demolished, you'll need to ensure the debris are disposed of properly as well.

However, disposal fees at a landfill are quite a bit higher than recycling fees, so we encourage you to deconstruct your mobile home if possible. This will keep salvageable and recyclable materials out of the landfills.