Just Got a Call

Just got a call from a Lady she said she had this bunch of scrap metal and wanted to know what I pay. I told her I pay by the Load and that Depends on what she has then she asks how much a LB would I pay for Iron I told her it was hard to gage what she had {I was Gone to Tell Her I would be Out to check it Out} Then Lightbulb went on I asked where she was she said 45 miles from me {{Whew}} So I told her the only way I could tell her what I would Pay is if she could Email me a Few Pictures of the Load She Said she Would. So guess I will See. I Guess my point is with this post is Like I Told her on the Phone I would come out and Inspect the Load and make a Offer But If she didn't Accept the Offer I would be out 2 Hr Drive Time and Gas Money.

Live and learn. In order, my first two question are ALWAYS:

Where are you?
What have you got?

This is probably one of the most difficult parts of the job....We get calls all the time and we ask how much do you have but the way that people view things can vary greatly from person to person. We have gone to some client locations expecting to fill a box truck only to get there and find out that everything would have fit into our minivan....Then the opposite is true as well.

With gas prices the way they are we all have to be very careful....

I just wasted a trip on Friday to go take a look at 2 vehicles and a pile of scrap metal.

Looked it over the best I could since some was hidden in weeds. After calculating time/fuel I came up with a number I thought was fair.

He declined, said he has a buddy at the local yard (local to this town is minimum 25 miles) that would pay "at least a $1,000" plus the 2 cars.

Ok, sure...then why didn't you just go with him to start?

Though I suppose in his defense, he thought I owned a scrap yard, as per the person that referred me to him of whom, I have never heard of, much less done business with.

When you are going to go take a look at a pile of scrap that you only hear about but did not see any photos tell them you can only go there and take a look and the pick up date would be another day an then take a small car/motorcycle something like that.

I have a mini van for previewing pick ups. Had I taken the truck and not gotten the job I'd be super pissed, since it would have been about $60 round trip.

Well needless to say she Didn't send any Pictures. As far as Viewing the Stuff I have a little S10 that I do Intial Runs to View stuff with But the way I am seeing it today Most Everyone has a Cell Phone with a Camera built in it never hurts to ask them to send Pictures of the Load that way it could give you a Idea of what your dealing with. Not only that the way I see it today with People it could be my Competetion and they could be sending me on a goose chase to someplace that there is no Scrap Or Hell it could Be a Set up you go there expecting Scrap And they Rob you. I know that sounds Paranoid But the way I am looking at People today You just never know whats on their minds. Its kinda like where you read about cab drivers picking up a Customer and then the Police get a call and the driver is Shot Dead I know this sounds Extreme But then again you just never know

Just got a Knock at my Door was the Lady that had the scrap they bought in a 24 Ft Goose Neck and a 16 Ft Flat Bed full of scrap Contents was

1, 7 55 Barrels of crushed cans
2, about 75 Sheets of Couragated Sheets of Galvanized Siding
3, Oven
4, Some Kinda Steel Frame
5 sheet of Diamond Plate Aluminum 4x5
6, 250 Gal Diesel Tank
7 Bunch of Fence
8, Few Pots and Pans
9, 6 Sets of Steel Dually Wheels
10, some old Misc Farm Equipment


I think I will Sell most of the Stuff instead of scrapping it out.

Sounds like a good "lot" of stuff.

It's always funny when people say they have "A lot!" They often can't fathom the weight it might be, so ask them to reference their pile of junk in terms they can understand. Speak their language. Some examples.

Can it fit in a milk crate or recycle bin? Two bins? Kitchen garbage can size?
Would it fill the back seat of a car? The back of a mini-van?
Will it fill the back of a pick-up truck, or better to bring a trailer?
And work your way up from there, for the car hauler and big machinery folks.
As soon as you start asking like this, they can more easily describe their "lot" of stuff.

That's why I ask WHAT have you got rather than HOW MUCH have you got. I can figure out the "how much" from the "what".

Kinda like this guy a few days ago. I could make him understand that his 6 cylinder 1/2 ton cargo van does NOT weigh 6 tons. He insisted that I was being ridiculous by telling him it was alot closer to a third that weight..

Or just last week, I did a small iron cleanup & paid by the ton. Went to the nearest scalehouse, about a mile away, for a ticket, came by & loaded up. I looked at the pile & said there was probably 3.5-4 tons there. He was just dead certain there was at least 10 tons if not more. Well, guess what...it about 4.25 tons. He just could not believe it, and was disappointed.

Most folks really have no clue on weight.......after so many years of scrapping, you can look at a pretty big pile & guess within a few hundred pounds.

You all are correct its in how you ask. Needless to say the Guy that bought in the stuff wasn't to happy at what I offered him for it {They Never are} I told him I could give him the number for a guy up the road that could pay him better then what I could. He said if I had known it would of paid this much I would have called you to come pick and load it up I told Him I told the lady that called me to send me Pictures and I could quote him the price I would Pay. So anyway before I started to unloaded it I said you sure you don't want to take it up the Road and get more then I could pay he said No thats ok then he became friendly again. Imagine that

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

could Be a Set up you go there expecting Scrap And they Rob you. I know that sounds Paranoid But the way I am looking at People today You just never know whats on their minds.

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Get you CHL and take it with you where ever you go. Anyone in my company who has the money box is packing alittle something an they have all had training in the use of the weapon. You can never be to safe with your money at this day and time.

Our trucks are set up like this. Truck safe with money inside it (its chained to the truck an its not something you can just "sneek" out of there easy with out causing some noise.

I carry a Smith & Wesson Sw40ve (.40cal ) or a Glock 23 (.40cal ) Going to be switching to the new S&W M&P .40

The .40 cal is a great round..and you can carry 14+1 (total of 15rounds) in the S&W Sw40ve so alittle less than the 9mm but more than the 45cal. That is why I like the 40...anyway this is a scrapping forum not a shooting forum.

Sounds like you're packing quite a bit. I'd hate to be the guy to try and rob you