What is the deal with Scrap Yards & Roll-Offs?

Back in the early 2000's I wanted to sell some scrap. So I called the scrap yard, and they gave me a price per ton. I told them I had alot, and they were more than happy to send a roll off container out-it was the same price per ton. And the price was excellent at the time.

Fast forward to today-I have a large amount of scrap I have been thinking about selling. I have been checking with different yards and there does not seem to be much interest at all. They have ranged from not returning my phone calls, one saying it was too far for them to come, to one guy mentioning a yard he used but said "they charge for the container/hauling to and from their yard" the way he was talking with a farm cleanup they did, it was great to be able to "get rid of it" and get "a little something" back.

Am I being unreasonable wanting a container for free, and a great price or have times changed and you have to haul it in if you want a good price, and the yards have the roll offs for people that want to give them the scrap?

Keep in mind, this is a large quantity-if we were talking a few pickup loads, it would be a no brainer to haul and be done with it. I am even considering the option of maybe hiring a trucking company before I "give" the scrap away.

Thanks!

part of it is there are at least 10 times the number of scrappers there were last year , they don't need your stuff that bad. second is the continued down turn in wages which includes the micro business owner. third is our "no inflation rate" even though fuel is up 100% or better and food is up nearly 60% sry but my guess is is get used to it.

fuel prices make roll off deliver more costly. and "i have a lot of scrap" can mean anything. If you say that you have 5 tons, that may or may not get thier attention, but it will get you on the same page.

I have picked up "a few things" that filled up a truck, and i have picked up "a lot of stuff" that would fit in an escort with 4 people in it.

yep. ya just gotta figure how to minimize cost and maximize profit. It is going to get much worse before it gets better.

most of you here have heard me preach this for over a year.

if you were doing the same hard work and the same volume as this time last year how would that work out for ya.

proof of truth.

Well if your talking roll-offs you are talking about hundreds or thousands of tons so that should get there attention. Even if you figure in 50% expense for hauling theres still money to be made. I would put an add on cl advertising your gig, and see what replies you get. I know theres alot of truckers looking for work right now.

I have hauled almost 3 tons with my f150 and 20ft trailer.......Is that a lot of stuff????.........To me sure but you would have to give a better idea of what alot of stuff is

sure wish I had taken a photo of my 14,000 plus load with my old dodge 250 and 25 ft trailer. had a full cab from a f700 bump truck strapped on top of the pick up bed. the cop who stopped me did get a picture on his phone but was so impressed he let me go with out a ticket. :)

This post is pretty vague. How many tons do you have that you are trying to sell? Where is it located at? How far away is the scrap yard or yards you are calling? Have you discussed live loading the scrap with the salesman? I would never ever agree to having as a salesman quote me for freight!!! I would make them build it into the price per ton picked up at your location. Make sure they deliver the biggest roll off container they have or trailers if they have that option.

my local yard charges $100 for a container. I figured it was better than loading, hauling, unloading, return trips, etc. Would have been at least 3 trips for truck and trailer to go about 12-15 miles each way.

Our yard charges the first 5000 lbs.

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Originally Posted by Metalman65

Our yard charges the first 5000 lbs.

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One big scrap metal yard here (Sims) only pays if the load is over 500 lbs. If below that, they call it a "donation" They know where they can go, rofl.
Local recycling yard now has a weighbridge for metal scrap and pays out, no matter what the weight.

One cannot get more than around 800 lbs in the back of a Toyota Tacoma, without the front wheels coming off the ground, lol.

Ha a donation. You think that is bad. One of the largest scrap companies in North America just changed there payment terms for industrial customers to 60 days. Yup 2 months to get paid. Can't wait for PSC to lose there customers. They have already lost a few major accounts. Its only a matter of time before they lose it all and have to go belly up again. (third time in 12 years) I hope the judge actually shuts the book on there operations this time around. Its already shaping up to be a great 2013 for me in my neck of the woods.

20 tons is a good load for a semi, depending on the density of the metal it could be higher or lower per load

The cost of doing business in today's world has sky rocketed! With fuel, insurance, taxes, fees...etc. Not so long ago our society produced a lot of stuff as well as consumed material. Today we produce far less and consume much more. We produce a massive market of trash and scrap, but the buyers that purchase this scrap to produce new goods are a lot of times, outside the US. We then are at their mercy as to what they will pay for material to make the goods we used to make here.

Scrap metal is no different than any other business. If the market would bare putting a dumpster at every location free of charge then it would be done. It simply does not any more. I do have one at my shop because it would cost me more to handle the metal myself.

At $4.00+ for fuel and the per hour wage of the person driving the truck, putting and picking up that steel bin does have cost associated with it.

When I opened my computer store here in Waterloo we were slow getting a sign put up. It was not the cost of the sign, but rather the $1200.00 sign permit to put it up. That cost was not there 10 or even 5 years ago. They just keep piling it on and the cost has to be offset someplace.

Just my 2 cents worth, which is actually worthless in and of itself.

I feel better about my dumpsters.

They get dropped off and picked up at days notice. Sometimes they take off the top, other times they dont. (They write it on the receipt)

I have had a dumpster continuously since the start of december (3rd picked up tomorrow) and they offfered to leave me another, means they are slow. I usually do one, then wait a few weeks to build up.

Excellent thoughts, thanks so much! I especially like the thought that they now have alot of people bringing it to them...

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This post is pretty vague. How many tons do you have that you are trying to sell? Where is it located at? How far away is the scrap yard or yards you are calling? Have you discussed live loading the scrap with the salesman?

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I have no idea on the amount but I know for sure one box, maybe 2? (30 or 40 yard size) Its not the "mother load" when you compare it to 100's or 1000's of tons, so maybe that's why I can't get anyone's attention.

Ohio

The closest one, that I have sold my steel to (F250 loads) is about 10 miles from me. They haven't called me back. No problem hauling it down there, though the scale people seem very cold. Yard people have been nice. I hate hauling as their yard is horrendous-hard to get into, and massive (think 2 feet deep, 4 ft dia) potholes!

The other yard that I have sold my non ferrous/copper to is about 50 miles. Very professional yard (concrete everywhere and clean-ie no flat tires!), and nice people. They said it sounded like I was too far, but were supposed to call me to let me know for sure, but haven't, so it must be too far.

The load where the yard sent the container for free, I think we got about 40,000 some on it. (Lots of plate drops) Did have trouble getting paid in the end, so in the decision was made not to fill the next container. When I left, that container was still sitting there. (It was probably there for 3 maybe 5 years just sitting-the yard never called to check on it, and they were never called)

Where at in ohio are you talking about?