# Do i just throw in the towel?



## 6856CJU (Oct 16, 2016)

I recently bought a piece of property that has a 1974 single wide trailer on it. I was hoping to renovate it and in the process of doing the gut, I found extensive termite damage.  I bought the property for the land, but was super stoked about tackling the renovation. I am now on the fence about going through with it all.  I am a DIYer and can usually figure out how do something but I think I may be woefully over my head this time.  I appreciate any opinions or advice on whether I should push through it or cut my losses on the trailer.  I attached pics so you can see what I am dealing with.  Keep in mind I have only pulled the paneling on this part of the trailer.  I am sure there is more just like it.


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## joecaption (Oct 16, 2016)

I highly doubt it would be very cost effective.


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## Snoonyb (Oct 16, 2016)

If your intent were to use the trailer as a temp. occupancy while building the property out, or as a short term residence, then do so and sell it for salvage. However, as a long term residence, if you find active infestation it'll cost a lot of dollars to remediate, plus the cost of repairs.


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## bud16415 (Oct 16, 2016)

Welcome to the forum. 

As mentioned there is very little cost justification on rebuilding a singlewide. For sure you will put in more money that you will ever increase the worth. Secondly there is very little salvage value to one as the amount of work to get the metal out is about what you could get for it. If you like the idea of rebuilding one and want to do it you would be better off finding one in better shape and swapping them.  


Was it put in on a foundation or just setting on blocks stacked up?


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## goose25 (Oct 16, 2016)

Cost wise, I think it would be more feasible to buy a gently used (maybe show model) trailer than to refurbish a termite infested one.


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## Mastercarpenty (Oct 17, 2016)

Yikes! That's a mess I wouldn't want to take on even if it were given to me free. If only a temporary home and a ful inspection shows the structure is still sound, you could treat the place for termites, sheet the inside with poly, put up cheap paneling, and live there a few years. Otherwise the place is scrap monetarily. 

If you are ambitious you could take it down to the metal frame and build it back like a house if the local codes will allow that, but it will still be classified as a trailer and have essentially no saleable value for more than that. If you alter anything in any trailer it loses it's factory certification as a habitable structure but since the law prohibits having local codes to apply to the construction of these, most jurisdictions don't bother with that and only look for visible non-compliant things such as directly attached decks and additions, or added roofs using the trailer for structural support. 

If it's gotta go you might be able to replace it with a travel-trailer that has permanent water and sewer connections added, but again that varies by location. If it has to be a house trailer and it's long-term simply replace it. 

Be very pro-active when building your house regarding termites now that you know they are living on-site. Use the techniques that gulf-coast builders have had to adopt to protect against Formosan Termites as that's easy during construction but much tougher afterward. I cannot recommend anything illegal but if it were mine there's be enough chemicals in the ground to qualify as a toxic site before anything more than concrete went in 

Phil


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