Pile It Rough
Wire in one pile, pipe in another, brass in a bucket. Five minutes in the truck bed is all the sorting you need.
FOR HANDYMEN & SOLO CONTRACTORS • MIXED LOADS • YOU OWN IT ALL
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR SCRAP GUIDE
When you are the contractor, the leftovers are yours — no foreman to ask, no crew to split with. Cleanouts, punch lists, small demos, and side jobs leave mixed piles of wire, pipe, fixtures, and appliances. This guide is for the independent: what to keep, how to sort it in the truck, and how mixed truck-bed loads turn into fuel money.
You Own It AllNo MinimumsMixed Loads OKFast Quotes
YOUR PILE, YOUR RULES
The independent's advantage.
- You own it outright: the material from your jobs is yours. No permission ladder, no split — it is already your call.
- Mixed loads welcome: wire, pipe, brass, fixtures, appliances — bring it as it comes. We sort it with you.
- The truck-bed sort: one pile for wire, one for pipe, one for brass. Rough sorting in the truck saves time at settlement.
- Cleanouts are gold mines: estate and property cleanouts hold decades of accumulated metal in one place.
- A truck-bed load typically runs 100 to 500 lbs of mixed material.
- The handyman pattern: some independents sweep job sites for the right to keep the scrap copper — the cleanup is the deal.
- Appliances count: water heaters, stoves, and old fixtures hold copper and brass inside steel shells.
- Recurring sellers welcome: independents who bring a load every few weeks get the fast lane — photos, quote, drop-off, paid.
TRUCK BED100–500 lbs
A mixed load from cleanouts and punch lists.
CLEANOUTVaries widely
Decades of accumulated metal in one property.
YOUR CUT100%
No split — you own the whole stream.
THE TRUCK-BED SORT
Three piles, five minutes.
You do not need a sorting operation. Rough piles in the truck bed are plenty.
- WIRE PILE — Romex, THHN, service cable, and extension cords. Coil what you can.
- PIPE PILE — Copper pipe, tubing, and line sets. Stack it neat so it hauls well.
- BRASS PILE — Fittings, valves, meters, and faucet bodies. The bonus pile.
- ASK ABOUT — Appliances, panels, motors, and anything you are not sure about — call and describe it.
YOUR TYPICAL LOT
From a punch list to a full cleanout.
Whether you are holding a bucket from a service call or a truck bed from a cleanout, it all counts. No minimums — every bucket counts.
SERVICE CALL20–80 lbs
A bucket or two from a day's work.
TRUCK BED100–500 lbs
A mixed load from cleanouts and punch lists.
FULL CLEANOUT500+ lbs
A property's worth of metal. Call about pickup.
FROM PILE TO CASH
How the independent sells.
Text Photos to Sonny
Send a photo of your load to 312-880-8174 for a fast quote. No minimums — every bucket counts.
Drop It Off
Bring the truck by and unload. On bigger lots, call first — we handle the freight so you do not lift a finger.
Get Paid Quick
Watch it weighed in the open, get it settled, and get paid by check, wire, or cash.
WHY IRONCREST
Why independents sell their loads to Ironcrest
- No minimums — every bucket counts. One bucket from a service call gets the same welcome as a full cleanout.
- Mixed loads welcome: bring it as it comes. We sort it with you.
- Fast quotes from a photo: text your truck bed, get a real number back.
- Quick payment by check, wire, or cash once your lot settles.
- One direct contact: Sonny Johns at 312-880-8174 — not a yard window, not a phone tree.
- Your material never leaves the United States.
ONE DIRECT CONTACT
Talk to Sonny, not a department
Every quote runs through one person who answers the phone: Sonny Johns at 312-880-8174. No portals, no ticket queues, no yard line.
- NO MINIMUMS — Every bucket counts. One bucket of cutoffs gets the same welcome as a truckload.
- FAST QUOTES — Send photos of your material and get a real number back fast.
- QUICK PAYMENT — Check, wire, or cash once your lot settles.
- US ONLY — Your material never leaves the United States.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Asked by workers holding this material.
I am a handyman, not an electrician. Is my scrap worth selling?
Yes. Mixed loads from cleanouts, punch lists, and small demos are a real stream — wire, pipe, brass, and fixtures all count. You do not need to be a specialist; you just need the pile.
Do I need to sort my mixed load?
Rough sorting helps and takes five minutes: wire in one pile, pipe in another, brass in a bucket. We handle the fine sorting at settlement — bring it as it comes.
What about old appliances?
Water heaters, stoves, and old fixtures hold copper and brass inside. They are worth bringing: call and describe what you have and you will get a straight answer.
Can I bring a load straight from a cleanout?
Absolutely — cleanouts are some of the best loads we see. Text a photo of the pile before you haul it and you will know what you are working with.
How do I get the best price on a mixed load?
Three things: rough-sort it in the truck, keep trash out of the piles, and call ahead with photos so the quote is built on your actual material.
Do you buy from independents on a regular basis?
Yes — recurring sellers are the backbone of this business. Bring a load every few weeks and the rhythm gets fast: photos, quote, drop-off, paid.
FUEL MONEY, NOT DUMPSTER FEES
Your truck bed is worth a quote.
Text a photo of your mixed load to 312-880-8174. You will get a fast quote based on what is actually there — no minimums, no yard lines.