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Renovating? Here's what to keep out of the skip

A reno skip is usually carrying a few hundred dollars of metal you paid to have taken away. Ten minutes of setting things aside changes that.

AA Copper Recycling, Holden Hill · · 4 min read

Renovations are where the most metal gets wasted, because everything comes out at once and it all goes in the same skip. A bathroom strip-out alone is usually worth setting aside for.

Bathroom strip-out

  • Taps, mixers and shower fittings. Brass under the chrome. The plating does not change what is underneath and these are among the better paying items by weight.
  • Copper pipe. Whatever comes out of the wall.
  • The old hot water system, if it is going at the same time.
  • Towel rails and accessories. Often brass or stainless.
  • The old bath, if it is steel or cast iron rather than acrylic. Heavy, but it is metal.

Kitchen

  • The sink. Stainless, and usually the biggest single piece.
  • Tapware. Brass again.
  • The old oven, cooktop and rangehood. Steel shells with motors and wiring inside.
  • The dishwasher. Steel, a motor and a pump.
  • The old fridge, once it has been degassed. The compressor is the valuable part.

Shed and garage clear-outs

This is the one that surprises people, because none of it looks like much until it is weighed together.

  • Old extension leads and power boards. Insulated copper, and most sheds have a box of them.
  • Dead power tools. Copper motor inside every one.
  • Brass irrigation and sprinkler fittings.
  • Old alloy wheels standing in the corner.
  • Car batteries.
  • Offcuts of pipe, conduit and roofing from jobs years ago.

How to run it

One corner of the driveway, or a couple of bulka bags. As each thing comes out, metal goes in the corner and everything else goes in the skip. It costs nothing and no one has to make a decision twice.

When the pile is done, ring us. We will come and get it free, weigh it in front of you and pay on the spot. On a decent reno that is a few hundred dollars that was otherwise going to cost you money to dispose of.

Common questions

Is it worth saving metal from a renovation?

Usually yes, particularly from a bathroom or kitchen. Tapware is brass, the sink is stainless, and there is copper pipe in the walls. A reno skip often carries a few hundred dollars of metal.

Are chrome taps still worth money as scrap?

Yes. Chrome is only a thin plating over brass, and the brass underneath is what gets paid for.

Can you collect metal from a renovation site?

Yes, free across Adelaide's north-east. Ring before you order the skip, since taking the metal out often means you need a smaller one.

Is an old bath worth scrapping?

If it is steel or cast iron, yes, though it is heavy and low value per kilo. Acrylic baths are not metal and are not worth setting aside.

About to order a skip?

Ring first and tell us what is coming out. We will collect the metal free, which usually means a smaller skip and a cheque instead of a bill.

Call 0435 805 124