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 Scrap Metal Salvage
 I got a house to scrap...
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rambo_k9
Penny Pincher Member


USA
106 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  16:04:33  Show Profile Send rambo_k9 a Private Message
Can't believe it but I've got a house to scrap. A friend has a house behind her house which her aunt lived in and is now passed on. In order to lower their taxes they are demolishing the aunt's old house. They know nothing about scrap other than the house has to come down quickly due to permit deadlines.
I asked them to take out everything they didn't want or sell and they said fine. I started today with an electric oven and about 75lbs of old aluminum pots and pans.
I'm looking for any suggestions or pitfalls to be careful of. I plan on taking every last nail screw and piece of wire and pipe I can get. These chances don't come often so I want to do it right. Thanks!!

Looking for a great summer read?? Stop by www.glennrambo.com You think the US/Mexican border is bad now??

hobo finds
Penny Hoarding Member



838 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  16:32:36  Show Profile Send hobo finds a Private Message
Do you only have to go in and take what you want or do you have to help bring down the building, take loads to the dump, etc.?
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abe
Penny Pincher Member



117 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  18:06:21  Show Profile Send abe a Private Message
Hey thats great. I've done several, but am curious of the time frame you have. I hate to see accidents because of people rushing. Have a good time doing it and don't forget about the wood.
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Flbandit
Penny Hoarding Member



USA
851 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  18:14:31  Show Profile Send Flbandit a Private Message
Yeah, don't forget about the wood. Lumber is expensive and some of those old houses have some nice pieces in them. Do you have somewhere you can hold the material you get out? I'd be great to be able to haul off portions and hold them for later cleaning.

Are you throwing that out?
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Dr. Cadmium
Penny Sorter Member



USA
26 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  20:14:20  Show Profile Send Dr. Cadmium a Private Message
Some brands of old aluminum cookware are worth 20x scrap value or even more. Check out what you have before scrapping it.

How old is this house? Older homes can be a great source of quality materials but can also be hazardous because of asbestos, lead paint and other outlawed materials.

Old doorknobs, hinges, and light fixtures can be worth many times scrap value. See if doors are salvageable before stripping hardware off.

Old wood can sell for incredible prices, especially large beams.
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messymessy
Penny Sorter Member



88 Posts

Posted - 08/31/2010 :  21:10:40  Show Profile Send messymessy a Private Message
Does the house have circuit breakers or fuses? Depending on what's there, you might want to resell the whole panel or just the breakers.

If it's an old house, save the window hardware.
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cesario
Penny Pincher Member



129 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  06:53:44  Show Profile Send cesario a Private Message
See if Habitat for Humanity is willing to take anything you don't rip-off. You might walk off with a tax credit for your donation.

That, or see if the local Fire Department needs a house to do a "test burn."
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AGCoinHunter
Penny Hoarding Member



USA
685 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  09:18:25  Show Profile Send AGCoinHunter a Private Message
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for any caches the old lady might have stashed. Figure you would turn them over to her family but its always something to look out for. Also keep an eye out for any old coins that might be hidden behind trim, thresholds, walls, ect. Might be some silver just sitting there.

The treasure hunter coming out in me... :)



"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
-Thomas Jefferson

"There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." - Ayn Rand
________________________________________________

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Hitler: Race-based National Socialism
Obama: Class- and Race-based Post-National Socialism
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rambo_k9
Penny Pincher Member



USA
106 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  10:34:31  Show Profile Send rambo_k9 a Private Message
Great advice guys... GREATLY appreciate it. Never thought about the lumber and didn't know about the pots.
Yes there is a circuit box and it was a fully functional house up til last week. Keep the suggestions coming!!!

Looking for a great summer read?? Stop by www.glennrambo.com You think the US/Mexican border is bad now??
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abe
Penny Pincher Member



117 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  14:28:35  Show Profile Send abe a Private Message
I was helping renovate a house years ago and we uncovered a large beam. It turned out the beam was american chestnut, it was 12"x14"x14'. The owner was thinking about replacing it with another beam, but he did leave it in place. I'm not sure what the value is, but I know its up there.
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messymessy
Penny Sorter Member



88 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  19:59:40  Show Profile Send messymessy a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by rambo_k9

Great advice guys... GREATLY appreciate it. Never thought about the lumber and didn't know about the pots.
Yes there is a circuit box and it was a fully functional house up til last week. Keep the suggestions coming!!!



Do you know the brand and the approximate age of the circuit breaker box?

If it's Zinsco, Wadsworth, Federal Pacific or Pushmatic, you want to sell just the breakers on Ebay. If it's something newer and more common, sell the panel and breakers together on Craigslist.
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rambo_k9
Penny Pincher Member



USA
106 Posts

Posted - 09/01/2010 :  22:48:28  Show Profile Send rambo_k9 a Private Message
[

Do you know the brand and the approximate age of the circuit breaker box?

If it's Zinsco, Wadsworth, Federal Pacific or Pushmatic, you want to sell just the breakers on Ebay. If it's something newer and more common, sell the panel and breakers together on Craigslist.
[/quote]

I don't know but will find out and thank you for that info. I'll send pics if I can. Thanks again!!

Looking for a great summer read?? Stop by www.glennrambo.com You think the US/Mexican border is bad now??
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Heartkill
Penny Sorter Member



USA
91 Posts

Posted - 09/02/2010 :  09:59:36  Show Profile Send Heartkill a Private Message
Check those pots and pans, if their Griswold or Wagner you have a buyer :)
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redneck
1000+ Penny Miser Member



1273 Posts

Posted - 09/02/2010 :  17:50:59  Show Profile Send redneck a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Cadmium

Some brands of old aluminum cookware are worth 20x scrap value or even more. Check out what you have before scrapping it.

How old is this house? Older homes can be a great source of quality materials but can also be hazardous because of asbestos, lead paint and other outlawed materials.

Old doorknobs, hinges, and light fixtures can be worth many times scrap value. See if doors are salvageable before stripping hardware off.

Old wood can sell for incredible prices, especially large beams.



Some of the best advice yet.

Don't get caught disposing of asbestos tile or insulation improperly or any other hazardous material. Heavy fines...! And possible jail time. Asbestos and other hazardous materials have to be tagged and bagged, then sent to a special site for disposal, thus costing more.

What about the foundation, do you have to remove that too? How about the roof shingles ? It normally costs to dispose of shingles, insulation, sheet rock and other debris.

Do you have access to a dump truck ?

You should take a step back and plan this out clearly.

Labor wise, it takes nearly as much effort to demolish as it took to build in the first place.

I charge to demo houses, any salvage is pure gravy.

>


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rambo_k9
Penny Pincher Member



USA
106 Posts

Posted - 09/02/2010 :  20:02:17  Show Profile Send rambo_k9 a Private Message
I got it EASY!!! They are handling the actual demolition of the home including removal of all debris. They have a dumpster company but I get all the fun stuff like copper pipes, wires, etc!! They are sitting on a gold..well copper mine of scrap material but know nothing about it nor do they have the time to do it. Jobs like these don't come along too often.

Looking for a great summer read?? Stop by www.glennrambo.com You think the US/Mexican border is bad now??
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Flbandit
Penny Hoarding Member



USA
851 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2010 :  13:20:22  Show Profile Send Flbandit a Private Message
I'm afraid I'd be a terrible pest inn that situation! I'd be wandering all through the debris pulling stuff out. We did some remodeling at work awhile back, and my Boss (a fellow scrapper) and I got to split the cool stuff. I got a little bit of stink eye from the big Boss when he saw me tossing stuff out of the on-site dumpster though!

Are you throwing that out?
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rambo_k9
Penny Pincher Member



USA
106 Posts

Posted - 09/04/2010 :  17:29:11  Show Profile Send rambo_k9 a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Flbandit

I'm afraid I'd be a terrible pest inn that situation! I'd be wandering all through the debris pulling stuff out. We did some remodeling at work awhile back, and my Boss (a fellow scrapper) and I got to split the cool stuff. I got a little bit of stink eye from the big Boss when he saw me tossing stuff out of the on-site dumpster though!



Oh.. now you're really gonna think its nice.. I get to go through BEFORE the demolition. While the house is empty and in prestine condition, I get to tear everything out BEFORE they tear it down!! Still waiting for a call back on when I can start.

Looking for a great summer read?? Stop by www.glennrambo.com You think the US/Mexican border is bad now??
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