Garage and Shed Cleanout Guide: How Melbourne Homeowners Can Get Paid for Old Metal

Most Melbourne homes have one: the garage corner, the back shed, or the spot under the house where things go to be forgotten. Old car batteries. Lengths of copper pipe from a bathroom renovation five years ago. A broken lawnmower. A stack of aluminium window frames from the last time someone replaced the windows. Boxes of electrical odds and ends that seemed too useful to throw out.

Here is the thing. A lot of that material has real cash value, and a trip to Sky Scrap Metal in Dandenong is often all it takes to clear the space and walk away with money in your account. This guide is for homeowners who have never visited a scrap yard before and want to understand what is worth taking, how to sort it, and what to expect when you arrive.

Start With a Simple Test: Ferrous or Non-Ferrous?

Before you start loading the ute, grab a fridge magnet from the kitchen. It is genuinely the most useful tool for a first-time scrap sorter.

If the magnet sticks to a piece of metal, it is ferrous, meaning it contains iron or steel. Steel and iron are the most common metals in a garage cleanout and are accepted at scrap yards, though they are priced lower per kilogram than non-ferrous metals.

If the magnet does not stick, the metal is non-ferrous. Copper, aluminium, brass, stainless steel, and lead are all non-ferrous. These are the materials that command higher prices at the scrap yard and are well worth identifying and keeping separate from your steel pile.

Quick tip: copper pipe, electrical wire, aluminium window frames, and car batteries are all non-ferrous. In a typical Melbourne garage cleanout, the non-ferrous items are a small fraction of the volume but often the majority of the cash value.

What to Scrap, What to Sell, and What to Bin: A Quick Reference Guide

Use the table below as a starting point when sorting through your garage or shed. It covers the most common items found in Melbourne home cleanouts and gives you a clear action for each.

Note: Scrap value estimates referenced in this guide are compiled from publicly available third-party market data including West Metal Recycling, OzScrap Melbourne, EcoScrap Metal, and Vic Star Metals (accessed April 2026). This data is used for general reference purposes only. Sky Scrap Metal is not affiliated with these sources and makes no representation that these prices will be available at the time of reading. Prices change daily. These figures do not constitute a quote or offer. Contact Sky Scrap Metal on 0402 757 290 for current rates.

How to Prepare Your Load Before You Come In

You do not need to do a lot of preparation before dropping off at our Dandenong yard. We accept mixed loads and can sort and assess material on site. That said, a small amount of organisation before you arrive can make a noticeable difference to what you receive.

Separate metals from non-metals. Timber, plastic, rubber, and fabric cannot be accepted at a scrap yard. Remove these from your metal pile before loading. A mixed load that includes significant non-metal material takes longer to process and may result in a lower assessed price.

Keep non-ferrous metals separate from steel. Copper pipe, aluminium frames, car batteries, and electrical wire should be kept in a separate pile or bag from steel and iron items. Mixed loads are priced at the lowest metal in the mix, so separating your higher-value non-ferrous material ensures it gets assessed at its proper grade.

Do not crush or compact batteries. Car batteries should be brought in intact and upright. A cracked or leaking battery requires special handling and may be assessed at a reduced rate.

Drain fluids from motors and engines. Old lawnmower engines, generators, and similar equipment should have oil and fuel drained before bringing them in. Our team can advise if you are unsure.

Do not strip electrical cable unless you are confident doing it safely. If you have a significant amount of copper wire or cable and are comfortable stripping insulation, doing so increases the value noticeably. If not, bring it in as-is and we will assess it as insulated copper wire.

What to Expect When You Arrive at Our Dandenong Yard

If you have never visited a scrap yard before, here is what the process looks like at Sky Scrap Metal.

1. Pull in and unload your material. Our team will direct you to the correct area. You do not need an appointment for a standard residential drop-off.
2. We inspect and sort the load. Our team assesses what you have brought in, separates materials by type and grade, and identifies anything that requires special handling.
3. The material is weighed. We use calibrated digital scales to weigh each category of material accurately.
4. We give you a final price. Based on the weight and current market rates for each metal type, we provide a clear total. No hidden deductions.
5. You provide your ID and bank details. Under Victorian law, we need your photo ID for the transaction record. Payment is by bank transfer into your nominated account.
6. Payment is processed. Funds are transferred promptly. Most Melbourne banks receive same-day or next-business-day payments.

The whole process for a typical residential load takes between fifteen minutes and half an hour. If you have a large or complex load, allow a little extra time.

A Few Things We Cannot Accept

To save you a wasted trip, here are items that cannot be accepted at a scrap metal yard:

•       Gas cylinders, LPG bottles, or any pressurised container — these require specialist disposal through your supplier or council
•       Asbestos-containing materials — never bring anything you suspect contains asbestos to a scrap yard
•       Radioactive or chemical waste of any kind
•       Items with no metal content such as timber, plastic, glass, or fabric
•       Stolen material — all transactions require valid photo ID and Sky Scrap Metal is legally required to maintain a full transaction register

Frequently Asked Questions From First-Time Sellers

Q. How much will I get for a typical garage cleanout?

It varies considerably depending on what metals are in the load. A cleanout that is mostly mild steel shelving and old tools might yield $20 to $60. A cleanout with a car battery, copper pipe, aluminium window frames, and some electrical wire could return $80 to $200 or more depending on weight and current market prices. The non-ferrous items, particularly copper and aluminium, drive most of the value in a typical residential load.

Q. Do I need to book in advance for a residential drop-off?

No booking is required for a standard residential drop-off. Simply drive in during business hours. If you have a particularly large load or heavy items that require equipment to unload, calling ahead is helpful so our team can be prepared. Allow a bit of extra time during peak periods, particularly on Saturday mornings.

Q. What if I am not sure whether something is worth scrapping?

Bring it in and we will let you know. Our team can quickly identify whether a piece of metal has scrap value and what it is likely to be worth. If you are unsure about an item before making the trip, call us or send a photo through our website contact form and we can give you a quick answer.

Q. Can I leave items at the yard outside business hours?

No. All drop-offs need to happen during business hours so we can inspect, weigh, and process your material and complete the required transaction record on the day. Our yard is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to 12:30pm.

Q. I have a deceased estate to clear. Can you help with larger cleanouts?

Yes. For larger residential cleanouts including deceased estates, renovation strip-outs, and significant volume jobs, we can discuss a collection arrangement where our team comes to you. Call us on 0402 757 290 to talk through the details and we will let you know what can be arranged based on the volume and location.

Q. What do I do with items that are part metal and part plastic or rubber?

Bring them in. Our team is experienced at separating metal from non-metal components on mixed items. In some cases, partially dismantling an item before you arrive, such as removing plastic casing from an old tool, can improve the price slightly. For most items though, bringing them in whole and letting us handle the assessment is perfectly fine.

Ready to Clear the Shed and Get Paid?

If you have been putting off a garage or shed cleanout because you were not sure what to do with the metal, the answer is straightforward. Bring it to Sky Scrap Metal in Dandenong. We buy all types of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from homeowners across Melbourne and pay you on the spot via bank transfer.

Call us: 0402 757 290  |  03 8753 6373

Visit us: 297 Hammond Road, Dandenong VIC 3175

Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 12:30pm

No appointment needed. No minimum load. Just bring your ID and your metal.