Dumpster Rental Costs

No matter what sort of home improvement or construction project you are tackling, it is always a good idea to price out a dumpster for the duration of the job, or for those moments when a lot of debris will accumulate. Solid waste disposal is often done through the use of a dumpster, and they are available in a broad array of sizes.

Keep in mind that they are often priced according to the materials they will contain. For example, the homeowner cleaning a lot of items out of the house may pay a different rate than a contractor disposing of the building materials inside of a home. Regardless of the rate paid, however, it is always far more cost-effective to have a dumpster than to haul individual loads to the nearest transfer station or waste disposal facility.

Dumpsters, as noted, come in many sizes, and it is best to shop around for pricing based on both size and estimated weight of the debris it will contain. A good rule of thumb to follow where sizing is concerned is this: 10 yards (small for small projects or single room clean-outs), 20 yards (medium projects or double rooms), and 30 yards (large-scale project, or remodeling or emptying a home).

Keep in mind that there are many other sizes, including enormous 40-yard dumpsters and much smaller 12-yard options. While it is tempting to get a huge dumpster, remember that it has to be delivered and removed. If your property does not have enough space for the dumpster and the delivery vehicle, there are no workarounds. Opting for a smaller dumpster and more frequent pickups may be the only solution.

There are collapsible dumpsters sold in many big box home improvement stores or made available by dumpster companies, and these come with pickup fees but can accommodate even small spaces.

Other considerations and costs

• If there is authentically no space for a dumpster, junk removal firms can often do all of the hauling to and from the property to the curbside dumpster truck, and this can be a viable solution at around $150, or incremental fees based on the amount of the dumpster the job requires.
• Some rentals also factor in the length of time that the dumpster is at the property. The average method is for a single week and then a per-day price of $5 to $10 until pickup
• Depending upon location, a permit may be needed for the dumpster to be parked at the property or alongside the road in front of the home.
• The materials most commonly placed in dumpsters include trash, solid waste (usually building materials), and materials like asphalt, masonry, concrete, and dirt.

DIY considerations

• The only part of a dumpster rental that is DIY is making the arrangements to have it arrive and ensuring permitting has been done. Other than that, you must work with experts who can provide timely drop-off, pickup, and responsible disposal.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY Web sites.