Cant agree more. Call ahead. Describe what you got, and ask them how they prefer it prepped, and how its classed. ASK! EVERY YARD IS DIFFERENT. Call around look for best price / load. Sometimes it pays to prep other times its a waste.
If you consistently bring in bigger loads to them or are a regular, you can even ask for a price jump from the manager or owner. It helps to be friendly, and show them you are bringing in decent loads with very little fluff or junk in them (part of the reason for lower prices for non prep loads). When they get tot know you, they take better care of you as a general rule. Also in general as noted above know what you got, who you talked to.
I have taken to making a point of having the owner / manager look over a load and give me a price / weight before running the scale. Knowing what you got, and knowing what class it is can bring you extra bargaining power. Especially if there are other yards close and you can quote same or better prices. If you plan to do this schedule it with the yard. It may piss them off if they are busy and you hold up the line while they look for a big-wig to make a decision. Needless to say pissing off the yard workers and owners results in very poor prices and invites to do business elsewhere.
I have had it work for me with non ferrous metals. I have gotten an increase of up to $0.20 / lb pretty regularly as long as I bring in a minimum amount. My regular non ferrous metal yard I use in general considers 100 lbs to be a minimum to qualify for the price jump. Keep in mind if costs them a lot more to have you bring in and have to process 20 small loads vs you bringing in 5 big loads. That is a huge difference in man hours and processing time. They will pass that on to you if you know to ask or get friendly with the powers that be in the yard.
Keep in mind it also took me almost 2 years of dealing with them regularly to get this increase. It is not normally advertised or given your first time or two through a yard. Right or wrong, it is something you know to ask for, or you do not get. Rarely they will offer it after a period of time like they did for me. I had asked several times for it, but was denied until I brought in several loads that qualified and I could show a certain level of volume being moved. I do not get my increase unless I meet these standards of load size AND CALL ahead and talk to the owner. When I get to the yard, I make sure they know I spoke to the owner and he is there.
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