Possible Lead to a Huge Haul

I took some advice from the scrap metal spots forum and drove around in Pungo (real rural area in Virginia Beach) to find some scrap. We came across a few junky homes, but nothing too extraordinary. However, there's one lot of land that has an INDESCRIBABLE amount of metal junk piled up everywhere. I wanted to take pictures or video, but nobody was home and I felt uncomfortable. So I will try to describe it...

There's 12 old rusty cars and trucks in a field with trees growing threw them. There are 2 junk dump trunks, one on its side, that are torn to shreds. He has a 3 door barn that is approximately 1800 square feet with the entire floor covered in 6 foot high piles of random metal. There's a garage piled up with metal to the ceiling almost and about five or six piles of junk metal scattered across the land. There are a lot of car parts, lawn equipment, anchors, wheels, fencing, building materials, wiring, almost anything you could ever imagine. None of it is possibly usable as its littered everywhere. There's no organization...it's a MESS!!!

The lot is actually a local Feed and Seed and is littered with metal. There's a house in the back, but the business was closed and nobody was home. They open Monday, tomorrow, morning and I want to offer them to clean up there recyclable junk. With the amount of metal in this lot, I think that I will offer to pay him a percentage of the money from the yard.
My gameplan:::
I will probably rent a u-haul or a dump trunk for the steel to be hauled immediately (I'm thinking 20 tons of steel or more) and clean and sort the other metals in the meantime. I will get a dumpster for trash and haul steel as we clean some more. This will probably take me and my three guys a week to do.
So anyways...any suggestions? ideas? help? comments? This seems like a really awesome project!

If no one ends up being in the business tomorrow, do a reverse address search and should give you some contact information.

Besides, that unless there is a number, just call.

We go to VA Beach once, sometimes twice a year for car shows.

I called the number to the feed and seed and nobody answered. It was after hours. I don't want to seem crazed by calling them through a reverse address lookup. I am definately going up there at about 8:30 in the morning when they open to ask them. I just do not know how to approach them. It can go many ways. That guy may not want to part with anything or he may want to do it himself (which I doubt he has the time) or it could be his savings to take to the yard if he goes bankrupt. I seriously think it's about 8,000 dollars worth of metal. I need a pitch, you know?

One suggestion - If you can get credit AND have a firm commitment for the stuff, consider charging (or buying on credit) a a trailer rather than renting a U-haul or dump truck. Sounds like this site would pay for the trailer. On my credit card from a credit union, I can charge any amount and pay it off within 30 days without interest. At the end, you own the equipment. Then you can go after the bigger stuff. I was surprised how much I got once I got the equipment to handle it.

I was definitely thinking about something like that. I know I will need something very large so I don't have to make a million trips. That's only if the guy goes for it. I want to explain to him the benefits of recycling. Do you think offering him money is a bad idea?

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Originally Posted by Mick

One suggestion - If you can get credit AND have a firm commitment for the stuff, consider charging (or buying on credit) a a trailer rather than renting a U-haul or dump truck. Sounds like this site would pay for the trailer. On my credit card from a credit union, I can charge any amount and pay it off within 30 days without interest. At the end, you own the equipment. Then you can go after the bigger stuff. I was surprised how much I got once I got the equipment to handle it.

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what credit union did you go with mick?

might do a split ticket from the yard- 60/40 or 70/30 and have the yard bring you a large roll-off. Find the yard with the best price of steel and they should supply the roll-off. They will pick them up as you fill them and bring an empty. Just a thought.

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Originally Posted by GeorgeB

what credit union did you go with mick?

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MSECU (Maine State Employees CU, which is my wife's) but also CPORT (which is mine but I think has the same CC deal).

you mean 70/30 with the yard or the homeowner?

You take the ticket (payout) from the best yard (do your homework) and split it with whoever owns the feed and seed (homeowner). You'll have to check yard prices first so you have something to go to the homeowner with. They get the 30-35 for owning it and you get the rest for supplying the labor. Just one of many idea's,

that's exactly what I wanted to do. Just though that I would do 75/25.

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that's exactly what I wanted to do. Just though that I would do 75/25.

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That would be a good start, IF they go for it.

The yard I deal with cuts a check for the customer and mails it to them when I do a split ticket. Makes the customer happy knowing they don't have to chase me down for their money. Also makes it look more professional.

this could take a week, so I may be making about 5 dumps, unless i can get the dumpsters. I am heading to the yard this morning to get rid of all the steel i found this weekend and all the other stuff I have stockpiled. I have to have 275 lbs of electric motors. LOL. Anyways, I will talk to the guys at the yard and see what they can do to help.

So this guy runs his own feed and seed and gets offered two to three times a day to have his metal hauled. He said him and all his family that live on the property pile metal up on the yard and haul it off every week to make money. Needless to say it was a no go. However, being a newbie to all of this, it's pretty cool to see others doing the same thing.