life stiles

Seems to me there are 2 life stiles with metal
ONE is just find it any way you can (and you will find it )
OR be legit to a point you can legally go on to, on going construction jobs to get scrap.
Is it worth trying to carry the insurance , workers comp. & what ever else is needed

Actually can any one tell me what do i need to do to be able to offer the service of
Dismantle & liquidation
Seems to me many situations there will always be individuals who want work done on the QT
But some have to have work done by a company that is not a gypsy

Legally speaking (and you'll want to verify this with your secretary of state 'cause it varies) you may need a contractor's license depending on the type of work you're doing. If you're careful you can possible structure the business so that it needs the minimum of regulation.

When I ran an auto restoration shop for example, by not advertising as a body shop or mechanic shop, we fell into a niche where we didn't need to be licensed in collision repair, we didn't need EPA compliance because of the volume of materials we used, etc, but we could still do that type of work if it came in. By being small we were under the radar/fell through the cracks, etc.

So maybe by being a "liquidator" you'll only need to worry about liability and workers comp.

Contact your local contractors/builders/demo guys. As Dave Ramsey says, drop by with some business cards taped to a box of donuts and get their attention. Any business of this type will be flooded with applicants so do whatever you can to stand out.

it is not a life style. at the moment it is a personal choice. once all of the new laws that are in place, and the ones being proposed, have the funding for enforcement. you will no longer have a choice. the govt is going to be so restrictive that you will have to have all of the required insurance, permits, licenses, etc. to operate. all the cops have to do is sit by the scrap yards and check you before you go in. some of the states are going to require the scrap yards to obtain a copy of all required licenses and permits prior to buying your material.

you may have lost that last job. because someone else who is closer to the source of the free scrap cut you out. if you were a contracted demo company, that would not happen. it would be your metal and would not matter what the other workers thought or how much they know. the company you contracted from would be liable if their workers were to steal even a pail of scrap for gas. with a contract it is theft. without one. well, you see how that works.

the days of the garbage run for metal or the 'gypsy' scrapper are quickly coming to an end. the big company's, the big money, is going to squeeze you out. best to become legal now while it is still relatively cheap and easy.

there are proposals that would require bonds and minimum insurance requirement licensing. if that happens, most of the current scrappers will be done.

a 5 million dollar umbrella liability insurance policy and a million dollar bond would be more than most could afford.

the restrictions are only going to get worse.

If that should be the case there will be less competition for the small garbage run stuff ,
But it would seem that the trash company's will then be able to keep more of there metal trash to sell from there end. Yes I can see the little guy pushed out in the blink of an eye.

Originally Posted by Copper Head

If that should be the case there will be less competition for the small garbage run stuff ,
But it would seem that the trash company's will then be able to keep more of there metal trash to sell from there end. Yes I can see the little guy pushed out in the blink of an eye.

the trash company owns the trash. it is not strictly enforced at the moment. tho it is becoming an issue in some city's. especially with city or county run services.

it is an unfortunate reality that the little guy continues to be forced out. but it is not something i see changing any time in the near future.

If you look at the bright side of rbrooks post, the key is not to be one of the little guys. IF this legislation happens, it will be a boon for anyone who can legally incorporate, obtain insurance, licenses, etc.

Cincinnati is proposing a scrap license law, which I've been meaning to start a thread about. If they do it, and I had the capital, I'd get a license, a good lawyer, lease a lot, an office trailer and a bunch of roll off dumpsters and run ads all over the city "buying metal"

then resell to the yards. Let the city chase its tail while we exploit every loophole in their silly law...

Its all about perspective my man.