Scrap Metal Removal Cost in San Antonio, TX
Most people pay $80–$250. Updated for 2026.
Local view of our Scrap Metal Removal cost guide — national ranges, what moves them, and every city we cover.
Metal is the one category in San Antonio, TX that can pay for part of its own removal. Old railings, radiators, bed frames, water tanks, gutters and machinery all have a resale value at a scrap yard.
That is why scrap sits at the bottom of the price table: the crew is not only paying to dispose of your load, they are selling part of it.
Scrap Metal Removal in San Antonio: what actually moves the price
Detached houses make up 59% of the stock in San Antonio. For scrap metal removal that generally means kerbside or garage access, which is the version of the job local pros price lowest.
Most homes in San Antonio were built around 1984, and the layout of that era decides more about a scrap metal removal job than the price list does.
Drive time is a real line in a San Antonio quote — the city covers 499 square miles — so the truck that is already working near you can come in under one crossing the whole area. Collecting a few bids is how you find out which is which.
Residents (2024)
Square miles of land
People per square mile
Local figures: U.S. Census Bureau — San Antonio city. Checked 2026-08-21.
Scrap Metal Removal in San Antonio: where the city stops and a hauler starts
The free route in San Antonio has hard edges, and they are the reason people end up paying: Priced by the size of the pile against the city's published rates, so there is no single figure — the estimate comes before you pay. Twice a year, and each time a single pile of no more than eight cubic yards, placed within eight feet of the curb.
Past those limits the city is not an option at all — not slower, not pricier, simply unavailable. That is the line a hauler exists for, and it is worth knowing exactly where it sits before you start carrying anything.
Collection in San Antonio is run by City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department. Below is what they will take, straight from their own rules — and where each route runs out.
Booked bulky pickup
Anything that will not wait for one of the two scheduled collections — the city calls it an out-of-cycle collection. Priced by the size of the pile against the city's published rates, so there is no single figure — the estimate comes before you pay. Request it online or on 3-1-1 / 210-207-6000. A staff member gives a free estimate first, and once the fee is paid the collection is made within two working days.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-09-15. Source
What the regular cart will not take
A door hanger arrives seven to ten days ahead with the week your pile should be out, and the pile has to be ready by 7 a.m. on the Monday of that week — the date on the hanger is the set-out date, not the collection day, and crews can take a week to work through the route. Brush and bulky go in separate piles: if the bulky pile has brush in it, is obstructed, or goes out after the crew has passed, the fine runs up to $2,000 a day plus a collection and disposal fee. Bulky takes barbecue grills, small pieces of carpeting, up to six car tires without rims, fencing, furniture, large appliances, mattresses, up to three TVs and water heaters. It will not take brush, leaves or yard waste, concrete, construction or demolition material, glass and mirrors, household hazardous waste, roofing material, or soil and rocks.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-09-15. Source
Ferrous, non-ferrous and why it matters
Steel and iron — anything a magnet sticks to — are worth relatively little by weight. Copper, brass and aluminium are worth several times more. A load of copper pipe and a load of old steel shelving are not the same proposition, and separating them yourself can turn a small bill into no bill at all.
When it becomes free, and when it does not
A clean, heavy, easily accessible load of metal is often collected at no charge because the scrap covers the trip. A light load mixed with plastic, timber and upholstery is not scrap, it is junk with metal in it, and it is priced accordingly. The difference is sorting.
Typical scrap metal removal cost
$80 – $250
A national range, not a quote. Your actual prices come from local pros bidding on your job.
How JunkerClub works in San Antonio
Post your job
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Local pros in San Antonio bid on your job from your photos — no site visit.
Pay your pro directly
Pick the offer you like. You pay your pro directly when the job is done — cash or card, no platform markup.
Scrap Metal Removal pricing breakdown
| Service | Typical market price | JunkerClub estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Small mixed metal load | $100 – $170 | $80 – $140 |
| Half truck of clean scrap | $180 – $300 | $145 – $245 |
| Full load, mixed with other junk | $350 – $550 | $280 – $450 |
Estimates only. The final price depends on how much there is, how easy it is to reach, and what the pro quotes.
How we build these ranges — and why a real quote can land outside them →
Scrap Metal Removal in San Antonio — common questions
How much does scrap metal removal cost in San Antonio?
Most people pay $80–$250. That is a national range for scrap metal removal, not a quote — your real price comes from local pros bidding on your photos, and it moves with volume, stairs and how far the item has to travel to the truck.
Will anyone take my scrap metal for free?
If it is clean, heavy and easy to load, quite possibly. Say plainly in the job description what the metal is and roughly how much — a crew that can see a worthwhile load will quote accordingly, and some will collect for nothing.
Are appliances counted as scrap?
Partly. A washing machine is largely steel and prices like scrap; anything with refrigerant needs certified recovery first and prices like an appliance. Fridges, freezers and air conditioners fall in the second group even though they look like the first.
Should I strip the copper out myself?
Only if it is genuinely easy and safe — separated copper and brass do improve what you are offered. Do not cut into anything still connected, and never strip wiring by burning it; that is illegal nearly everywhere and dangerous besides.
How quickly can it be picked up?
It depends on how many pros cover your area. On our first jobs the first quote arrived within one to three days, and we email you the moment one comes in. Once you pick a pro you choose the date and time window; same-day or next-day pickup is possible when a crew has room on the truck.
What does JunkerClub charge me?
Nothing. Posting a job and collecting quotes is free, and you pay your pro directly when the work is done. The pro pays the platform a small fee only when they win the job — it never gets added to your price.
Do I have to carry it outside myself in San Antonio?
No — the crew does the lifting and loading, and that labour is most of what you are paying for. In San Antonio 59% of homes are detached, so most jobs are a driveway carry and the truck can usually get close to the door. The median home here was built around 1984, so doorways and stairs are usually the wider post-war sizes. Say which floor it is on and whether there is a lift when you post the job; that is the part that moves the quote. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
What makes a junk removal quote in San Antonio different from the national average?
Access and housing type, mostly. In San Antonio, 59% of homes are detached and the city runs at about 3,060 residents per square mile — most homes here have a driveway a truck can reach, which usually keeps a job at the simpler end. Renters occupy 48% of occupied homes here, which also shapes when the work happens. The prices on this site are national ranges; the number you actually pay comes from local pros bidding on your photos. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Keep reading
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Scrap Metal Removal prices nearby:
- Austin, TX · 74 mi
- Corpus Christi, TX · 144 mi
- Houston, TX · 190 mi
- Fort Worth, TX · 240 mi
- Irving, TX · 252 mi
Where the city stops in San Antonio:
Your junk's last stop.
Free quotes from local pros — no site visit.
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