Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains member Nathan Lawrence takes trash seriously. As the owner of Valley Waste, a dumpster company based in Asheville, he provides customers 13-cubic-yard containers for short- and long-term waste hauling and recycling. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, that work became essential to the region’s recovery.
“It was five months of doing everything in our power to get as many containers as possible to as many people as possible,” says Lawrence, who worked alongside his team at full capacity, delivering containers across Western North Carolina as demand for waste removal surged.
“People had a lot to deal with,” he says. “We were just trying to do our part to help them move forward.”
Built in the Field
Lawrence got his start in construction, working for a general contractor in high school in rural Virginia. After studying business management at James Madison University, he relocated to Asheville in the early 2000s, where he built spec homes and later shifted into remodeling.
By 2016, he was ready for a change, so he took on a part-time role with Valley Waste. Two years later, he purchased the company, turning what began as a temporary pivot into a long-term opportunity.
Today, Lawrence leads a growing operation that supports contractors and homeowners across the region.
“When people have a challenge ahead of them, they don’t always know how they’re going to handle it,” he says. “Then we bring a dumpster, and it ends up being much easier than they expected.”
Rethinking What Goes to Waste
With so much material moving through job sites every day, Lawrence is always looking for ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Often, it starts with educating contractors and homeowners on what can and cannot be salvaged.
Lawrence has also been known to roll up his sleeves and climb into dumpsters, pulling out materials that can be reused, such as lumber, metal, cardboard, and concrete. (Along the way, he has come across his fair share of unexpected finds, from vintage Rolling Stone magazines to decades-old scrapbooks filled with World War II-era news clippings.)
“We do our best to recycle and keep as much as we can out of the landfill,” he says.
For Lawrence, this is one more way he shows up for the building industry.
“At the end of the day, we’re all trying to get the job done and support each other along the way,” he says. “That’s what makes a difference.”
Showing Up Beyond the Jobsite
Lawrence brings that same mindset to his involvement with the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains (BABRM). A longtime member and active leader on the Social Committee, he has consistently contributed his time and energy to the organization, helping support events that bring members together, from Casino Night to the annual Sporting Clays Tournament.
That steady, behind-the-scenes involvement led to Lawrence being named the 2025 Tracy Carver-Scott Volunteer of the Year. The award honors members who reflect the generosity and dedication of its namesake, Tracy Ann Carver-Scott, a longtime BABRM member who left a lasting impact on the organization before her passing in 2024.
“It’s nice to be recognized,” Lawrence says. “It always feels good knowing the time you spend volunteering is seen and appreciated.”
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The Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains is powered by members who are committed to strengthening Western North Carolina’s building industry. Join BABRM to connect with fellow professionals, expand your network, and support initiatives that help shape the future of building in our region.
