What to do with Treasures among the Scrap

What's the right way to handle this? Let's say you were removing iron/misc; maybe cleaning out an old building or a complete farmstead and selling the metal scrap for a percentage of the take. You find something that is definitely not junk and would like it for yourself or for resale. For example a new CB antenna still in the wrap that the owner obviously didn't want or maybe forgot. Do you offer to buy it from the owner, close your eyes and leave it in with the shred, go to the bother to take it home and put it on Ebay and share the profit with the owner (and then if it didn't sell, you're responsible for the antenna and owe the owner at least something)....or throw some of your own scrap in with the load to make up for the weight and take it home as your own without saying anything?

I run into that all the time and I usually show the owner what I want and pay more than scrap value....how do others handle it?

Thanks

Originally Posted by brandon

Offer to buy it from them, many times I was told just take it if you can use it.
like Mat said, word will get around that you are fair and honest and you will get more calls.

Yes, one's reputation is fast to develop. We only have one chance to make a first impression.
Everywhere I scrap from, the owner will have a story about Joe Blo who ripped them off by taking a load or two and then never showing up again.
That just ended Joe Blo's opportunity to do business with that person again, and the word will spread. Overall, those people have given scrappers/iron haulers a bad name.

I've been given stuff too and even some major items; alot of that is regulated by the giver's worth so it seems. * Some people just don't have the time to fix something and have bought new and put no value on the discarded item.

i've learned not to do percentages ,...i offer flat rate if i offer money for scrap ,......peaple don't understand how much work is involved in seperating ,breaking down and never wanta compinsate proper for gas ,time and wear n tear on the truck ....an example ,joe shmoe says i'll give you scrap if you split half the take ,i notice that can make alot more by putting the time in to seperate ,ebay and consolidate with crap i allready have.....joe shmoe wants to see the tickit ,thinks that all you had to do was load it and dump it ,wants half ,but doesn't believe you when you say i had three days of seperating and put 50$dollor of my own scrap in with it.....winds up digruntled
....usually i'll estimate what i'll get ,offer price /pay them ,or offer fee for hauling and grunting ....then get as much as i can get ,in my own time and by my own means.........

hidin treasures ,....usualy mine ,.....but depends on the value ,i'm reasonable ,if i find something worth alot i'll tell them about it and ask if i can still have it or if they want it ,.......often folks admire the honesty and just give it to you or admire the honesty ,keep it but say good thngs about your honesty to all thier friends

i have too many trade secrets to get more out of stuff ,not enough time to explain my trade secrets to folks and have run into to many peaple feeling ripped off to share profit ,or even tell them what i actually get ,.....i just don't share profits anymore ......

guy gave me some stuff to haul off the other day ,among the stuff was a rotozip that the guy said didn't work ,....it did work ,worked fine ......i called him to double check that he gave me the right one he thought didn't work ......he thanked me for double checking ,said i must have the midas touch and told me to keep it .....i got a new roto zip ,didn't risk losing a good connect for stuff and probly earned more respect and work for being honest then the rotozip was worth ......in the long run ,using common sence and an honest moral guide make you more money ......but keeping details to yourself makes more sence, and avoids misunderstandings

If I do a split, or percentage, It is made clear that expenses are deducted before calculating the profit to be split. I also explain what kind of expenses to expect.

In business you have to assume everyone is and idiot and/or is looking to pull one over on you. You don't have to treat people like they are stupid, but you have to explain things in a way that they have no excuse.

For me, it all depends on the situation...The way I see it is if from one of my many thrift stores that I pick up from, its mine and what ever I do with it once its in my truck is my business. They alrighty had the chance to sell it for more rather than to me. Btw, most of the thrift stores I pick up from I pay for the stuff. I get the metal for cheap tho. Like $50 a truck and trailerload. Example. I bought a load back in July for $60. Well in that load was a HUGE professional flat bed scanner, cost like $3k new. Brought it home had wifey check it out and throw it up on ebay. Sold for $400 as is untested.
If its a foreclosure or one of the rentals of the many property management company's I work for, well I don't even worry about it because if they wanted it then they should have taken it....
If its a property clean up then I always ask.

Originally Posted by oldtruck

in the long run ,using common sence and an honest moral guide make you more money ......but keeping details to yourself makes more sence, and avoids misunderstandings

I like that policy.....I think that pretty much describes what I've been doing. Thanks

Originally Posted by gabrielservices

If its a property clean up then I always ask.

In addition to that, I've found good stuff (quarts of oil, antifreeze, water tank heaters, chains, tools etc.) from a widow woman who would have no idea what to do with it and no use for it. I ended up giving her a lump sum for items I described to her. Another instance; a renter moved and left some useful (to me) items in a building that the owner said he was going to burn down and had told the renter five years prior to get his things out of there. I ended up with it. Apparently neither one of them wanted it. I'm always reminded that "One man's junk is another man's treasure". It's kind of the motto of we who scrap...me thinks !