What Size Dumpster Do I Need?

The single most common question we get on the phone is also the easiest one to answer once we know a little about your project: what size dumpster do you actually need? Guess too small and you're calling for a second container halfway through; guess too large and you've paid for space that never gets used. Here's how we size it, in plain terms.

Start with the project, not the yard number

A "20 yard dumpster" doesn't mean much on its own. What matters is what you're clearing. A single bedroom's furniture and boxes is a different job than a whole-home cleanout, even though both might feel like "a lot of stuff" standing in the middle of it. We ask two things on the phone: what kind of project (cleanout, remodel, construction, yard debris) and roughly how much of the home or site is involved.

Our five sizes, at a glance

We run 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 yard roll-off containers. The 10 yard suits a single room or a light declutter. The 15 yard is the sweet spot for a full garage or a bathroom remodel. The 20 yard is our most popular size, covering whole-home cleanouts and kitchen-and-bath remodels. The 30 yard steps up for new construction and major renovations. The 40 yard, our largest, is built for major demolition and heavy estate cleanouts with a house plus outbuildings.

Weight matters as much as volume

Dense material — roofing shingles, tile, concrete, soil — can hit a container's weight limit long before it looks full. If your project involves anything heavy, mention it on the phone. We'd rather size the container correctly the first time than have you deal with an overage fee you didn't expect.

When in doubt, call rather than guess

We size dumpsters for a living, and honestly, we'd rather put you in a slightly smaller container and have you call for a swap than sell you a 30 yard for a job that needed a 15. Describe the project on the phone — number of rooms, type of debris, whether it's demolition or just decluttering — and we'll tell you the size that fits.