🔧 Scrap Yard Reality Check Calculator
Let's find where you're actually losing money (hint: it's not where you think)
The "All Wire Is The Same" Problem
Happens Every Day
The Setup: You've got two guys bringing ICW. Joe the electrician brings clean THHN from job sites.
Bob brings mystery wire from who-knows-where. You pay both $1.20/lb because "that's your price."
What You're Doing Now
Joe's wire (1000 lbs/mo):
$1,200
Bob's wire (1000 lbs/mo):
$1,200
Total cost:
$2,400
If You Tracked Recovery %
Joe (55% recovery):
$1,300
Bob (35% recovery):
$900
Total cost:
$2,200
💠"But I can tell good wire from bad wire just by looking!" - Sure, but can you tell 45% recovery from 55%? That's $200/month difference.
Money left on the table:
$200/month × 12 = $2,400/year
The "It Rained Yesterday" Problem
Every Yard, Every Week
The Setup: Friday afternoon, demo crew rolls in with a 40,000 lb load.
It's been sitting outside since Tuesday's rain. Your scale says 40,000 lbs, but 8% of that is water and mud.
What You Paid For
Gross weight:
40,000 lbs
@ $200/ton:
$4,000
Water weight (8%):
3,200 lbs = $320
This Happens...
Rainy season (6 mo/yr):
3x/month
Dry season (6 mo/yr):
1x/month