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5 Kinds of Tradespeople That Scrap Metal Collectors Should Befriend

By AWD Digital

If you’re serious about making cash from scrap, then it pays to network. Whilst it’s relatively easy to find odd bits of scrap metal around your home, neighbourhood, and workplace, it can be hard to consistently make money by sourcing scrap in this way. Most scrappers who want to turn a profit, tend to build relationships with local tradespeople by offering free pickup and disposal in exchange for any metal that may be amongst the refuse. This week, we take a look at 5 of the best tradespeople to befriend if you’re looking to make cash from scrap.

Plumber

Although PVC pipes are the norm in modern plumbing, a relatively affluent heritage city like Melbourne still has plenty of old houses with copper and brass plumbing systems that are eventually bound to fail. When plumbers replace the piping in old houses, they tend to throw out a lot of metal refuse like water heaters, pipes and sinks.

Electrician

Copper is the most sought after scrap metal because of it’s scarcity and high price, and it just so happens that most of the high grade copper produced is put to use as electrical wiring. Although copper wiring does not weigh that much, the purity of the copper means it will fetch a very high price in the scrap yard.

Site foreman

Construction sites are a fantastic source of metal scrap, but it’s important to develop a good relationship with the site foreman and have written permission before you go rummaging through the dumpsters, as you risk being charged with trespassing.

HVAC technicians

The humble air conditioning unit is an abundant source of metals, including precious copper wire. Heating returns, old furnaces, and water heaters are also great sources of metal scrap.

Mechanic

Auto repair shops are a veritable buffet of stainless steel, aluminium, and iron scrap. Unfortunately, old cars and trucks are a well known source of metal, so you may have to compete with other scrappers to curry favour with your local auto repair shop.

Bonus round: small business owners

Although it isn’t necessarily a sustainable source of scrap, it can be well worth visiting small business owners in your local high street or shopping centre and enquiring if they have any machinery, display props, storage ware or miscellaneous metal items that they want to get rid of and then offer free delivery. Many small business owners have useless flotsam floating around their storage room that they haven’t had the time to dispose of, so it can be possible to find some great scrap.

Metal Men Recycling specialise in scrap metal collection around Melbourne and offer fair prices for a wide range of scrap. To learn more about trading your scrap for cash with metal men, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 03 5941 6677.

 

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