505-Junk: In The Beginning
August 6, 2021 – 10-Year Anniversary | 505-Junk has officially been hauling junk across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for 10 years. It feels like yesterday when our co-founders, Scott Foran and Barry Hartman, partnered on a school project at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Soon after, they purchased a Ford F250 and a trailer from the side of the road (for $700), and 505-Junk was born.
It’s been a long journey with many ups and downs, a few minor logo changes, and some serious truck upgrades. We started 10 years ago in the basement of Hartman’s parents’ home, and now have3 a team of over 30 wonderful people servicing the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
In the summer of 2011, when 505-Junk’s first job was completed, it didn’t take long for the momentum to start rolling. The concept of recycling materials (and donating goods that were still in good shape) was still in its infancy in the industry. Three months after launching, we were already nominated for the Best Concept Category at the Small Business BC Awards, where Hartman now sits on the board of directors.
Our First Hire and Future Partner
The first year went better than we ever could have expected and it was time for us to start growing. We hired our first full-time employee, Alex Elsey, who is now a partner at Director of Operations at 505-Junk. Elsey fit the role perfectly for our first hire. That is someone who could help change people’s lives for the better with a positive attitude and a great sense of humour.
Innovating the Junk Removal Industry with Pay-By-Weight
In 2014, we developed Canada’s first onboard weighing system (scales) on a junk removal truck. This allowed us to weigh our client’s material, create an invoice and accept payment on-site. Our goal was to provide complete transparency in the junk removal industry and add more value to our clients. Today, we still strongly stand behind this concept. Our residential customers and commercial accounts love that they only pay for the exact weight of what is taken away rather than volume or the time that it takes to load the truck. At the end of the day, we all pay by weight at the transfer stations as well so it’s a win-win.
When we started 505-Junk in 2011, we saw an industry that had not changed in a very long time. Junk removal prices were always based on volume estimates. So while you’re getting charged based on how full the truck looks, the true cost-per-pound can often be a lot less at the transfer station. That is where our unique pay-by-weight system came into play, providing total transparency for our customers. Barry Hartman, Co-Founder and CEO
Cheers to the Next 10 Years
We want to take a minute to thank our team of 30 employees who helped shape the company into what it is today. To our entire truck team, our operations team, our sales centre team, our marketing team, and our business development team, thank YOU.
We also want to thank the (more than) 10,000 clients that have entrusted us to serve you. We’ve got a lot to celebrate, from the awards to the charity events, but we’re most excited to continue to serve you every single day.
By the way, stay tuned for our free clothing donation pickup service launching later this year.
Thank you for all your support over the last decade,
The entire 505-Junk team