First big scrap operation

I've seen many threads on here about people scrapping houses out, and I'd like to share my experience.

My uncles house is being bought up by the gov for some area they want and they gave him the ok to take anything and everything out of it, and theyll tear the remaining down

My uncle is taking the pipe in for himself for a little extra $, and I'm helping him move and he said I could have anything else I wanted.


My plan is a complete gut and figure out what I can do. Ill wait till they get all their stuff out than start taking out stuff

I want to pull the larger stuff first like appliances if there are any, hot water heater, a/c unit.

Than ill go through and smash the plugs and outlets out and trace the wires and cut and pull those out.

Than ill smash open around light fixtures, pull those, and trace those wires out.

Than ill go around taking any scrap laying around / stuff I can sell.

Anyone know anything that would sell fast out of a home like that? I believe its 3 bed 2 bath with a big garage.

Probably the garage door would sell / scrap
A/C unit resale since it works

Can't wait to do this and I'll post pictures + How much money I make and how many hours It takes to give everyone a good idea if its worth it.

Will probably start end of this month.

Light fixtures and faucets, knobs on the kitchen cabinets and such may sell. This would be a fun project. You should keep track of how many pounds you remove from the house before they demolish it. And when they do ask them for the rebar or other structural metal support items that may be enclosed in the walls, roof or floor! Also water and gas lines that are on your property...

Check the siding - usually aluminum. Gutters etc.

Siding is just wood. But thanks I will for sure pull the gutters off!

Man what a chubby I'm getting: After ALL utilities are off and killed:
Steel Gas Lines
All Electrical lines
You'll get a whole house full of:
Light fixtures
Plumbing fixtures
HVAC piping

Don't forget that if it is an old home- WOOD TRIM and Hardwood Flooring: I got about 500 linear foot of 80+ year old trim out of a house before it got razed and used it in my home. Had no place to store the flooring but it was tongue and groove OAK and was unmolested.. wanted to die that I couldn't get it and store it.

Remember- there is FAR more than metal in a house to save, salvage and profit off!

Go at it my man!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sledge

Man what a chubby I'm getting: After ALL utilities are off and killed:
Steel Gas Lines
All Electrical lines
You'll get a whole house full of:
Light fixtures
Plumbing fixtures
HVAC piping

Don't forget that if it is an old home- WOOD TRIM and Hardwood Flooring: I got about 500 linear foot of 80+ year old trim out of a house before it got razed and used it in my home. Had no place to store the flooring but it was tongue and groove OAK and was unmolested.. wanted to die that I couldn't get it and store it.

Remember- there is FAR more than metal in a house to save, salvage and profit off!

Go at it my man!

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Correct even windows and doors could be worth it to remove if you could sell them... Heck I would remove so much when the Gov came with there 3 to 4 tractors to demolish it would fall like a house of cards! LOL

Depending on the age of the house, door knobs, kick plate at the bottom of the door(brass). Just look around and remember that reselling old stuff for re-use pays way more than scrap. Mike.

So I don't have to type it all out.
Scrappah hit the nail on the head.
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...tml#post219065

Old wood trim on the outside too like window pediments. My wife's aunt had some in the barn when they sold there house. I was over there picking up some bits and bobs when I saw then and asked if I could have them. She gave them to me and I put them on CL. a woman from Georgia saw them and drove up to get them she paid $40.00 apiece for them ended up making $1000.00 from them.

Eric

Definitely find the dryer and stove circuits and get every bit of wire from those--that will be 30 and 50 amp cable, quite a bit heavier than the regular house wire. And don't forget the main power feed coming inside from the overhead connection into the house...it will be 100 or 200 A rated wire. (Just be sure the utility people have cut the power to the house!!!!)

If the outside feed from the utility is underground, it may be copper, too. Overhead is usually aluminum. But see if you can get that if you can be there when they disconnect. Since the place is due for demo, their instructions will likely be to disconnect at the street, rather than at the house.

Finally, there should be a fairly heavy bare or green insulated ground wire from the main breaker box to one or two ground rods set outside or in the basement. If old enough, the ground rods might be copper!!

The copper in those few heavy feeds may exceed the copper you get from the rest of the house.

Good luck, and please keep us posted!! Photographs!!

Jon.

Aluminum storm windows & storm doors.

If old double hung wood windows, there are heavy cast iron counter weights inside the widow casing.

Power will just be cut at panel while i'm in there I think.

Here's a list I'll take with me when going. If you have anything to add please tell me!

Appliances
Outlets
Fixtures
Wiring
Storm Doors
Storm Windows
Window Weights
Firepit
A/C Unit
Garbage Disposal
Sink
Gutters
Downspouts
Roof Flashing
A/C Ducts
Furnace
Garage Door Rails
Garage Door Opener
Vents
Fire Alarms (I know... I know...)
Fireplace Cover
Switches
Window Screens
Hardware
Knobs
Toilet Brass
Sink Brass
Shower Doors
Shower Fixtures
Drawer Slides

Power circuit box there Hi dollar items.

If it is an old house you might want to call in a hi end builder or interior decorator to look for accessory value.

also you want to take the obvious and the easy stuff first. once the scavengers realize the house is vacant they will show up like army ants.

We had some friends lose their property during the mortgage thing. on it was a 4 bed room double wide. The scavengers showed up the very afternoon they moved by day 2 nothing was left but a big 60x40 empty wooden box.

Good Point. I only have a 6 foot pickup with sides on it, what do people reccomend for hauling metal? Possibly get the yard to deliver a dumpster for shred? I have no idea if I'll have enough to fill it... Also theft is an issue with the dumpster aswell would need one with a locking lid. Trailer is out of the option can't get one or use one until I'm 17. 35 minutes from my house and 25 from a scrapyard so lots of loads maybe?

A word of caution about the garage door. If it is a double door (typically 16' wide) it will have a spring that runs on a bar across the top of the door. You have to let the tension off this spring before you start to remove the door panels. If you do not, it could jump up and bite you really badly. I would recommend a Google search on how to do it but briefly, it involves in using a pin to pull the spring and moving the stop to the next hole, release and repeat until the tension is gone. If it is a single door, then the springs are ion either side and much easier to remove. Just be sure the door is raised when you take them loose.

Do your homework before you do the demo to avoid pain and excessive blood...

need more info. how big, how old, does it have ceiling fans ect. how much time do you have. A one man job may take 2/3 days or more. if you can make the house look lived in from the street it will help.

I would keep the goodies inside out of sight from the street. strip and haul only what you can haul in one load.

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Originally Posted by harsas

A word of caution about the garage door. If it is a double door (typically 16' wide) it will have a spring that runs on a bar across the top of the door. You have to let the tension off this spring before you start to remove the door panels. If you do not, it could jump up and bite you really badly. I would recommend a Google search on how to do it but briefly, it involves in using a pin to pull the spring and moving the stop to the next hole, release and repeat until the tension is gone. If it is a single door, then the springs are ion either side and much easier to remove. Just be sure the door is raised when you take them loose.

Do your homework before you do the demo to avoid pain and excessive blood...

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I second this...Those springs pack a heck of a punch or pinch. Disconnected one before and got smacked in the head by it when it fell from the garage attic lol. Left a nice gash. Sure getting fingers caught in them would be just as much fun if not more

Circuit Breakers, Bath tub (cast iron with legs have good resale), same with some of the old kitchen and bathroom sinks. Make sure that electricity is off and be careful (I know you will, but none of it is worth getting hurt over).

I hope it warms up a bit for Devin in the next couple weeks. Then again, you're in metro Omaha. Its amazing what a 180+ miles in latitude change does between there and here....

Good luck!!

Hah yea, good thing I won't be starting for a few weeks depending on how fast he moves out. any ideas on transporting scrap without a trailer? I sent the yard an email about a dumpster. Will keep you updated and get pics and specs on the house soon

Reclaimed Wood is also a option, these type of companies are usually more interested in old barns and industrial buildings. Depending on the age of the home you may or may not have some good wood usable for reclaimed wood. I'm familiar with a company in Missouri, company called "Elmwood Reclaimed Timber". This company even buys antique "Tin" siding. There are other reclaimed wood companies if you think you might have some old usable wood, just Google "reclaimed wood" or "used wood".

House isn't old enough to have wood worth anything. Carpet throughout if I remember right.

Well maybe you will have a old barn in your future! I hope you have fun and prosper with your latest adventure.

I think a dumpster is inviting trouble. unless you can get them to haul it every day. then there is the fact of your age. I hate like he** to bring it up but sadly it is a fact when dealing with most adults at your age.

I wish I was up there I would help you but I won't be there till last of March.

Just a thought I use to do 20 yard rolloffs. Did it 2 times and thats it, I had people rummaging threw it all hours of the night. The first one no one touched, but the second time the scavangers picked out lawn mowers, bicycles, and what ever they thought was a prize. It was a bigger hassel than anything. But if the yard you go threw has lids on them with a lock your set.

Can you rent a box truck and store items in there? Sure someone can break open the lock... But may be better than a roll off

Update: job is starting on Saturday, power, gas, water will be shut off by the city, i can cut out the wire, plumbing, and anything else I want. Attic has a massive furnace in it aswell as all the wiring is ran through there. I can have the furnace, and A/C unit. I'll make sure to take lots of pics.

Try not to beat up the furnace or A/C. They may be resellable.

I'd read this thread, too:
http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...apartment.html

I'd skip on the box truck. It'll kill all of the profit. I'd just make the sides as tall as the weight limits of the truck will allow, and haul away!

Ya im just doing with my pickup truck; should workout

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DevinThaScrapper

Siding is just wood. But thanks I will for sure pull the gutters off!

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If the siding is cedar, this is probably the best profit to be had from that old house and don't forget the used bricks from the chimney.

No gutters on house, siding is junk, chimney brick would take too long and too rough to remove for the little market. I see it for free on craigslist 24/7. I'll be focusing on scrap, and left behind stuff such as cabinetry, bathtub, sink, lighting, duct work. Can't wait to do it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DevinThaScrapper

No gutters on house, siding is junk, chimney brick would take too long and too rough to remove for the little market. I see it for free on craigslist 24/7. I'll be focusing on scrap, and left behind stuff such as cabinetry, bathtub, sink, lighting, duct work. Can't wait to do it!

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As you wish, cedar siding is made from select wood, the older the building improves your chances the cedar could have come from first growth timber. Even short pieces of wood can be cut into square stock suitable for making arrows. Plenty of people are into making their own, I sold the cedar blanks I had cut up into square stock on ebay.

If your chimney is made from Gray bricks I would agree they have no real value, but would still make a walkway or small patio around your house. Good way to improve the value of your home on the cheap.

I did a google "craigslist used bricks" and found these are selling from $0.75 to a buck each, if you can get these for free on craigslist grab em.

Alloy2
Reclaiming old cedar lap siding is a bad idea. The odds of it having multiple coats of lead base paint/stain is almost a YES. Do not disturb!
As far as old bricks go, only some types have a resale value and then in very good condition and in large quantity.
A builder.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alloy2

As you wish, cedar siding is made from select wood, the older the building improves your chances the cedar could have come from first growth timber. Even short pieces of wood can be cut into square stock suitable for making arrows. Plenty of people are into making their own, I sold the cedar blanks I had cut up into square stock on ebay.

If your chimney is made from Gray bricks I would agree they have no real value, but would still make a walkway or small patio around your house. Good way to improve the value of your home on the cheap.

I did a google "craigslist used bricks" and found these are selling from $0.75 to a buck each, if you can get these for free on craigslist grab em.

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Good point, take a piece of the siding to the scrap yard and have them shoot it with their XRF to see if there's any lead paint previously applied.. Or maybe in this situation it would be better to remain dumb so that you would not have to deal with the hazardous waste.

As for the bricks a penny saved is a penny earned - I love bricks.

What I'm suggesting may not apply to the original poster but maybe of some use to other forum members down the road.

Check for large industrial attic fans. Lots of folks want them for their workshops. I recently sold one on CL for $125 and that was honestly really cheap.

If not owned by the power company, service entrance equipment. Meter base Weatherhead n everything else with the service.

No one has mentioned asbestos's. Not sure how old the house is but it is always a good idea to wear a mask and gloves when doing this kind of work.