When a reno or cleanout leaves appliances, framing steel, aluminum, or mixed metals behind, homeowners ask: haul it to a scrap yard myself, or rent a bin? This is a decision guide supporting metal recycling. It is not a broad “all reno materials” rewrite.
If you rent with Trash King, you load the bin yourself. We are not a labour junk crew. Call 604-433-5865 to describe the load. Ask about current delivery availability when you call.
Answer first
Scrap yard / dedicated metal path often wins when:
- Metal is clean, sorted, and volume fits your truck/trailer
- You want metal kept out of a mixed disposal load
- You have time for one or more depot runs
DIY bin path often wins when:
- Metal is mixed with other discard and volume is high
- Continuous on-site loading beats multiple yard trips
- Access supports a roll-off and DIY labour is available
Call 604-433-5865 to describe the load. Ask about current delivery availability when you call.
Decision checklist
- How clean is the metal? (attachments, plastics, fluids)
- How much cubic volume vs how many trips?
- Appliances: any refrigerant-bearing units needing special handling?
- Is the rest of the project already using a mixed bin?
- Driveway access for a roll-off vs your own truck?
- DIY loading reality. Trash King is not a scrap labour crew
When to keep metal out of a mixed bin
Clean segregated metal can be worth a dedicated recycling path. Contaminating a mixed load with random metals is sometimes fine for disposal routing and sometimes not ideal for recovery. Confirm expectations when you book rather than assuming a blog list. Link up to metal recycling for hub context.
Appliance and special-case notes
- Drain fluids where appropriate and legal. Do not pour hazards into the bin
- Refrigeration equipment may need certified handling. Verify before curb-dropping myths
- Propane tanks and pressurized cylinders are not casual scrap. Keep them out until you confirm a proper route
- Tangled wire and fencing eat cube. Coil and cut safely
Hybrid approach
Many Greater Vancouver jobs:
- Set aside clean copper/aluminum for a scrap run
- Put mixed reno debris in a DIY roll-off
- Keep e-waste on an electronics path (electronics)
- Avoid last-minute tossing of unknown tanks
Size and loading if you choose a bin
Metal is dense. Do not auto-pick 40-yard because “metal is bulky looking.” Discuss density with dispatch. Live sizes: 10-40 yard on trash bins. Load low and even. Watch for sharp edges. Respect fill line.
Placement and rules
Private driveway preferred. Customer confirms city rules for any street placement. Trash King does not apply for permits. Service area: Metro Vancouver / Greater Vancouver only. Not Interior BC or the USA.
Soft next step
Compare your trip count vs on-site capacity, then call 604-433-5865 or email quotes@trashking.ca. Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 19:00, Saturday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00 (America/Vancouver). Ask about current delivery availability when you call.
Also useful: trash bins, metal recycling, wood/metal reno context where relevant, Greater Vancouver.
FAQ
Can scrap metal go in a Trash King DIY bin?
Often as part of a planned load. Confirm type and quantity when booking. Clean sorted metal may still be better at a scrap yard.
Do you pay scrap value to customers?
Ask on the call if you have a specific question. Do not assume rates from this page.
Is this labour metal removal?
No. DIY roll-off only.
What about fridges?
Special handling may apply. Confirm before loading.
Permits for street bins?
Customer confirms with the city. TK does not apply.
Project examples
Fence rebuild: old metal posts and mesh. If volume is trailer-friendly, scrap yard may win. If mixed with wood tear-down, a bin may win for the wood while metal is sorted aside. Kitchen reno: old appliances + mixed debris. Hybrid is common. Shop cleanout: steel offcuts. Clean sorted runs to scrap. Contaminated piles may need bin discussion.
What not to invent
Do not treat this article as a list of named Greater Vancouver scrap yards or posted buy rates. Facilities and policies change. Verify acceptance and any customer requirements directly.
If you choose a bin for metal-heavy discard
Wear PPE, place sheets flat, never throw sealed chemical containers “because they are metal-ish,” and stop at the rim. For fill-line, weight, and general loading technique, see the loading post in this pack (how-to-load-roll-off-bin-metro-vancouver).
Call 604-433-5865 when ready to book.
Sorting station setup on a driveway
Use three tarps or zones:
- Clean scrap destined for a yard run
- Mixed discard destined for the DIY roll-off
- Hold/hazard for tanks, unknowns, and e-waste
This physical split prevents “it all went in the bin” regret. DIY discipline is the service model. Trash King delivers the container, not the sorting labour.
Questions to ask on the booking call
- “Primary material is mixed reno with some steel. Does that change size advice?”
- “We pulled a fridge. How should we handle it relative to the bin?”
- “Driveway is shared. Any access tips for delivery day?”
Call 604-433-5865. Ask about current delivery availability when you call.
Clean vs contaminated metal (homeowner language)
Cleaner: separated aluminum, copper scrap without attachments, unpainted steel offcuts. Messier: appliances with plastics/glass, metal mixed with wood, mystery painted assemblies.
Messier loads lean toward a planned DIY bin conversation for the mixed project. Cleaner loads lean toward scrap-yard trips. Either way, disclose what you have when you call 604-433-5865.
Safety while DIY-loading metal
Cut ends are sharp. Wear PPE. Do not throw sheets vertically where wind can sail them. Keep kids clear. Coil wire so it does not spring out at pickup.