Break caravan on site or tow bed? Here's how we decide
A caravan turns up with the brakes seized solid, a wheel missing, and the floor giving way underfoot. It was never coming off that pitch under its own axle. Once that's clear, there are only two ways to deal with it. Break caravan on site, where the team takes it apart where it stands. Or carry it away on a tow bed to be broken up somewhere else. Which one happens depends on the caravan, the access, and the ground it's sitting on — not on a guess.
How much does it cost when a caravan can't be towed?
A non-towable touring caravan costs £500–£850 to break, whichever route it takes. A static costs £1,800–£3,980, broken up on site with the waste cleared away. A towable tourer that's roadworthy and sound is a different, cheaper job — collection only, from £350–£450.
| Situation | Price |
|---|---|
| Towable touring caravan (collection only) | £350–£450 |
| Non-towable touring caravan (breaking, on site or tow bed) | £500–£850 |
| Static caravan (broken up and cleared on site) | £1,800–£3,980 |
Every figure depends on condition and access, and gets confirmed properly once we've seen clear photos of the caravan and can quote it accurately.
Two routes once a tourer can't be towed
Not towable doesn't mean stuck. It means the caravan comes apart in one of two ways. Either we break caravan on site, dismantling it on the pitch and taking the waste away. Or it goes on a tow bed to a place where that same job can happen instead. Either way, it's the same outcome: the caravan gets scrapped. The only thing that changes is where the breaking happens, and that decision comes down to practicalities on the day rather than preference.
What tips the job towards breaking it on site
On-site breaking is usually the more straightforward option, and it's what we default to when the conditions allow it. It needs three things: room for the team to get around the caravan, somewhere to put the material as it comes apart, and no restriction on the hours or the noise. You'll need to arrange your own skip — a 6–8 yard one is usually right — since that's not something we bring with us. If the pitch has the space and the ground will take the weight of the work, on-site breaking gets the job done without adding a transport step.
What tips the job towards a tow bed
Some pitches simply won't allow it. No room to swing tools or lay out parts. A park or neighbour that won't have noise and mess going on for hours. Ground too soft to take the equipment. Any of those pushes the decision towards a tow bed instead, and in those cases the caravan is carried away so the breaking can happen somewhere it's actually practical.
Why the tow bed costs more
The tow bed isn't a separate service. It's simply how a caravan reaches the place where it gets broken up, when the site itself won't allow that to happen there. That's why it sits at the top of the £500–£850 range rather than the bottom. It needs specialist recovery transport and careful loading of something that isn't roadworthy. Then the caravan still has to be dismantled once it arrives. On-site breaking skips that whole extra stage, which is why it's the cheaper of the two.
Static caravans: broken where they stand
A static caravan doesn't go on a tow bed at all — the size and structure rule it out. Every static caravan job is on-site breaking: the team dismantles the static, separates the materials, and clears the waste away, priced at £1,800–£3,980. If the wood from the static can be burned on site, the price usually drops by a few hundred pounds. It's worth asking about when you send your photos, since it depends entirely on what's permitted at the location and on any restrictions the site itself imposes.
Who decides, and what we need from you first
The call on breaking on site or tow bed gets made once we've actually seen the caravan, not guessed at over the phone. That starts with clear photos — the caravan itself, any damage, missing wheels, and the state of the floor and chassis if you can get to them. We hear "it's towable" a lot from people who haven't checked underneath, only to find the wheels have gone or the base is falling apart when the team arrives. Photos sent up front mean the quote actually holds, and the right route gets decided before anyone's standing on the pitch working it out.
Booked up fast — get your quote in early
We're heavily booked most of the time. Once you've had a quote, book within 24 hours if you want a collection date any time soon — leave it longer and you could be looking at several weeks' wait. Send clear photos, get an honest price for the job in front of us, and we'll tell you straight whether it's breaking caravan on site or a tow bed job, and why.
and we'll tell you which route your caravan needs.
Related reading: is a caravan that's not roadworthy still worth scrapping?, the real cost of static caravan removal, and why it matters to be clear about condition when you ask for a quote. For the full picture on collection and breaking pricing, see scrap my caravan or caravan disposal.