When to pay for haul-off vs. drop off yourself
For small loads, self-transport to a yard pays. For large loads, paying for a removal service usually pays. The crossover point depends on your truck capacity, the metal mix, your hourly value, and how far you are from a yard.
Free pickup vs. paid haul-off
The market splits into two service tiers:
- Free pickup — service provider pays you (or breaks even) and keeps the scrap. Common for non-ferrous-heavy loads or any load with copper.
- Paid haul-off — you pay for the labor and trucking; provider keeps any salvage value. Common for low-value or contaminated loads.
The line between them is roughly: does the scrap value cover the labor cost?
When free pickup makes sense
- HVAC tear-outs (copper-heavy)
- Appliance haul-aways with multiple units
- Construction punch-list copper and aluminum
- Light demolition with mixed non-ferrous
When paid haul-off makes sense
- Heavy ferrous-only loads (rebar, structural)
- Mixed loads with significant non-metal contamination (concrete, drywall)
- Tight access sites requiring extra labor
- Same-day or scheduled-window service
Vetting a removal service
- Licensed and insured — required almost everywhere; ask for proof
- Clear pricing structure — flat-rate, hourly, or net-of-scrap
- Disposal documentation — where does it go after they pick it up? For larger commercial jobs, chain-of-custody matters
DIY math
Roughly: if you can fill a half-ton pickup with predominantly non-ferrous scrap and your nearest yard is under 30 minutes away, self-transport almost always wins. Above that — different math.