Converting from Boiler to Furnace - The Copper Question?

Question

I just got a quote for the conversion but when I asked about keeping the copper in the home, the price went up 300 bucks. Huh? This particular company claims to offer deep discounts on the removal of the boiler/radiators but in exchange, they're going to take the copper and scrap it and get who knows how much for it.

Anybody else dealt with this scenario?

Thanks

Anybody else dealt with this scenario?

Thanks

Steve Babiak · Answer

Scrap iron gets you about $0.10 per pound, and that is what the boiler would be worth.  To get to $300, you need over a ton of scrap iron!

And as somebody else posted, the amount of copper might not be worth the hassle factor.

Angelique F. · Answer

Update:   The plumbers made 218.00 scrapping the boiler/copper.  Not bad.  That being said, the most the furnace company should have charged me (IMO) to remove it, 100.00.  That would have been fair.

Angelique F. · Answer

First of all, the company DID NOT lump the cost to remove the boiler, in with the cost of installing the furnace.  This was a separate charge of 300.00.  When I asked what the charge would be if they disassembled, but did not take the materials away, the cost went up to 600.00.  Aha. So, now we know that 600.00 is their bottom line cost for removing the boiler.  That's too much in my opinion, but who am I?  I'm just the one shelling out money unnecessarily.

If you have something that's worth something, WHY would YOU pay somebody to (take it off your hands).  They're supposed to pay you if it's worth something, and if they don't want to pay you, then they should offer you something in exchange.........like the plumbers did.  I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night.

Mark Creason · Answer

I wouldn't mess with a scrap guy.  They usually work their butts off to make spare change.  That is really hard work.

Mark

Kurt F. · Answer

-- I agree with your post, except this part.  I don't think it's a great habit to regard bids / estimates this way.  I look at large commercial bids, T&M proposals, change orders, etc. etc. on a regular basis.  The 'how they arrive' at the bottom line is always a big concern.  You can easily end up with the building equivalent of a beautiful suit coat but no pants.

Other than that, some good points have been made to the OP, and I'd fully agree that often when you try to outsmart industry standard pracitces, it just doesn't work in your favor.

Matt Devincenzo · Answer

I don't think you're providing enough information about the situation, the actual bid amounts will play into whether this is a good deal or not. As someone else mentioned your concern should be the lowest total cost, not how they arrive there. You never mentioned earlier that there was a removal charge and a scrapping credit. Even still though you just got it removed for free but if the installation bid now goes to a number that will cost more than what you would have paid if they charged removal and gave a scrap credit then that was the less desirable decision IMO.

If they give you a $300 discount and scrap value is $400 but their bid is $500 less than their nearest competitor would you let them "make" that extra $100 by "double dipping"?

The answer should be yes, not because they're "getting one over on you" but because their total cost to you is still a net $400 less than if you kept the scrap and sold it yourself.

Angelique F. · Answer

They wanted to charge me additionally to remove the boiler, then turn around and get paid again when they scrap it.  Im surprised that im the only one that sees this as double dipping.

Adam K. · Answer

I don't understand this part at all. Is your plumber different from the people who are taking out the boiler? If I understand you correctly you just cost yourself $300 by having a plumber take it for free and having the furnace company charge you an extra $300.

At any rate, I would have simply had them keep the copper. I have no interest in scrapping metal myself and my understanding is that even with copper you need to have quite a bit to make it worth your while.

Unless you are having a ton of piping remove I doubt that you had $300 of scrap copper so it is slightly odd to me that they would have increased their quote that much also, but I don't know your exact situation.

Bill S. · Answer

Not sure why you did that. Look at the lowest bid amount. That's the one you use. Make sure all bids are for the same work and the copper is to be removed by all.

Converting from Boiler to Furnace - The Copper Question?

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