Damp caravan scrapping: why delamination and a rotten floor change your price
Press a thumb into the carpet near the door and it gives like a wet sponge — that's usually the moment an owner realises their tourer isn't going to another Caravan and Motorhome Club site. It's also the moment the price they had in their head stops being the price they're going to be quoted. Damp caravan scrapping doesn't work like a standard collection once the structure is affected, and this page explains why.
Damp doesn't just make a caravan unpleasant to sit in. Past a certain point it makes the whole structure unsafe to move under its own wheels, and that single fact is what decides which service applies and what it costs. This page walks through why that happens, how to tell how far gone yours is, and what it means for the number on your quote.
Why damp is where a caravan's story usually ends
Every touring caravan is built the same basic way. A timber frame is wrapped in composite panels, sitting on a floor that's really a sandwich of layers bonded together. That construction is light, which is why a caravan can be towed by an ordinary family car. It's also why water is so destructive once it gets past the seals. There's no cavity for it to sit in and dry out, the way there might be in a house wall — it gets into the bond between the layers and stays there.
A leak that would be a minor repair on a house — a cracked seal round a rooflight, a window frame that's moved slightly, a scuff where the awning rail meets the panel — becomes a slow, hidden problem in a caravan. By the time it shows on the surface, it's usually been working underneath for far longer than that.
What damp actually does to the structure
The sandwich that holds it together
Most caravan floors and walls are built from an outer skin of GRP or plywood, a core of rigid foam insulation, and an inner skin, all held together with adhesive. That adhesive is what gives the panel its strength — the foam core alone does very little. Once moisture gets between the layers, the bond weakens and the layers start to separate. That's delamination: not a cosmetic mark, but the panel losing the thing that made it structural.
Where it usually shows up first
Delamination tends to start near doors, windows and rooflights, anywhere there's a seal that can fail. It also shows up around the floor near the entrance step, where water gets tracked in and sits. A floor with delamination underneath often feels soft, springy or slightly hollow before you can see anything wrong with it. Walls can bulge or ripple too — that's easiest to spot from an angle, standing back and looking along the panel rather than straight at it.
Left alone, this doesn't stay contained. The timber frame the whole caravan is built around starts to soften too. Once that's compromised, panels can begin separating from the frame itself. At that stage you're no longer looking at a damp caravan — you're looking at one that isn't structurally sound enough to be towed.
How much does it cost to scrap a damp caravan?
It depends entirely on whether the caravan is still towable. If it has its wheels and is sound enough to survive the journey, a towable touring caravan is priced from £350–£450 for collection. If the floor or frame is too far gone to be safely towed — soft floor, structural rot, panels coming away from the frame — the caravan is not towable. It moves into our caravan breaking service instead, priced at £500–£850. That covers us either breaking it up on site or moving it on a tow bed, which costs more, so it's reflected in the price. A skip isn't included; you'll need to arrange your own, usually 6–8 yards.
The reason for the gap is straightforward. A caravan that isn't structurally sound can't be towed safely on the road, so it can't be collected the way a healthy one is. Breaking it up on site, or moving it on a tow bed rather than its own wheels, is a different job with different costs — and the price reflects that, not the damp itself.
How to tell how far gone yours is
You don't need specialist tools to get a reasonable idea of condition before you contact us. Work through these in order:
- The press test. Push firmly on the floor in a few spots, especially near the door, kitchen and bathroom. Any give, sponginess or a hollow feel means the layers underneath have likely separated.
- The walk test. Walk slowly across the whole floor, not just the spot you're worried about. A bounce or flex that travels means the damage has spread further than one panel.
- The smell. A persistent musty, damp smell that doesn't clear after airing usually means moisture is trapped somewhere it can't dry out — inside a panel, not just on a surface.
- The staining. Look around windows, rooflights and the top of the walls for brown or yellow tide marks. Staining here is one of the clearest external signs of a leak that's been running for a while.
- The angle check. Stand at the front or back of the caravan and look along the length of the side panel with low light behind you. Ripples or bulges that aren't visible face-on often show up clearly from this angle.
If more than one of these applies, it's worth assuming the caravan is not towable and telling us that upfront — it saves a wasted visit and gets you a more accurate quote from the start.
Fire, storm and impact damage — same rule, different cause
Damp isn't the only thing that can take a caravan out of towable condition. Fire damage, a collapsed roof after a storm, or structural impact from a fallen branch or a reversing accident all lead to the same place. If the structure isn't sound enough to be towed safely, the job becomes a breaking job rather than a straightforward collection, and the price reflects that. The cause is different every time, but the logic that sets your price is the same: condition decides the route, and the route decides the cost.
Static caravans and damp
Static caravans go the breaking route as standard, regardless of how much damp is present. They were never built to be towed on the road, so towability was never the question. What condition changes for a static is how the job runs and how much waste comes off it. A static in reasonable shape breaks down relatively cleanly. One that's been sitting with a failed roof seal or standing water for a long time is a bigger job to strip and clear, and that's reflected in a price of £1,800–£3,980. If we're able to burn the wood on site rather than remove it, the price usually comes down by a few hundred pounds. Read more on how static caravan removal costs are worked out.
Why sending photos beats hiding the damage
It's tempting to describe a caravan in the best possible light when you're getting a quote, especially if you're worried a lower number will follow. It doesn't work in your favour. We've had jobs booked in as a straightforward towable collection where the walls turned out to be coming apart, or the floor gave way the moment someone stepped on it. The job that was actually needed was a completely different one to the one that had been quoted.
Clear photos before we confirm a quote sort this out before it becomes a problem on the day. Send pictures of anywhere you're worried about: the floor near the door, staining around windows, any panel that looks like it's bulging, alongside the general shots. It costs you nothing, and it means the price you're given is the price that actually applies. Our guide on what to photograph before a caravan collection covers exactly what's useful to send. If you're not sure whether yours still counts as towable at all, read our piece on caravans that aren't roadworthy first.
Book quickly once you've got a quote
We're always busy and heavily booked, particularly for breaking jobs, which take longer to schedule than a straightforward towable collection. Once you've had a quote confirmed, it's worth booking within 24 hours. Leave it longer and you can end up waiting several weeks for a collection date, especially if your caravan needs the breaking route.
Common questions
Is a damp caravan worth repairing or scrapping?
It depends on how far the damp has spread and what the caravan is worth once it's fixed. A single damp panel near a door seal can sometimes be repaired economically. Once delamination has reached the floor structure or the timber frame, repair costs frequently exceed what an old caravan is worth. Scrapping is usually the more sensible route at that stage.
Does damp make scrapping more expensive?
Yes, but only once it's severe enough to affect towability. A caravan with early-stage damp that's still structurally sound and towable is priced the same as any other towable collection, from £350–£450. It's when damp has caused a soft floor or frame damage that a caravan moves into the breaking service instead, priced at £500–£850.
Can you still collect a caravan with a rotten floor?
Yes, but not as a standard towable collection — a rotten floor isn't safe to tow on the road. It goes through our breaking service instead, where we either break it up on site or move it on a tow bed. Tell us about the floor when you get your quote so it's priced correctly from the start.
What about fire-damaged caravans?
Fire damage is assessed the same way as any other structural damage. If the caravan is still sound enough to tow, it's a standard collection. If the fire has compromised the frame or panels, it goes through the breaking service. Send photos of the damage so we can quote accurately.
How do I know if the floor has delaminated?
The clearest signs are a soft, springy or hollow feeling when you walk across it, especially near the door, kitchen or bathroom, along with a persistent musty smell and staining around nearby windows or rooflights. If you notice more than one of these, it's worth assuming delamination and mentioning it when you get your quote.
Whatever condition your caravan is in, an honest description and a few clear photos get you an accurate price the first time. Get your quote from Scrap My Caravan and, once you're happy with it, book within 24 hours to secure your collection date.