When renting a dumpster it’s important to choose the best size according to your project, the items you are putting in it and one with weight limits that you can stay within to be cost-effective.
Three Different Sized Dumpsters for Different Projects
Some of the most common dumpster sizes are 12 yards, 15 yards and 20 yards. Choosing from these three sizes allows you to get the best size according to your project. If you haven’t rented a dumpster very often, it can be confusing when trying to get the right size. You don’t want one too large because it will be wasted money and if you get one too small and overload it, you will be looking at extra costs associated with the extra volume or weight. There are several things to consider when ordering a roll-off dumpster.
Determine Your Exact Needs
Before you decide on a dumpster size for your project, you should determine your exact needs. Are you throwing away heavy material or light material? What exact items are you throwing away, such as shingles, siding or wood? Dumpster rental companies serve a variety of people including homeowners, businesses, realtors, landlords and contractors with removal services.
Determine Your Roll Off Container Size
Dumpsters are rated by sizes, which correspond to the amount of cubic yards that will fit into them. for example a 12 yard dumpster holds 12 cubic yards of waste in it.
12 Yard Dumpster
The 12 yard dumpster is usually rented more often than other sizes because it fits the needs of just about any project you may encounter. It holds 12 cubic yards of waste to accommodate many jobs. It’s usually used for cleaning out a small garage and basement to dispose of items that you don’t use or need anymore. A deck removal of about 250 to 300 square feet will easily fit in a 12 yard dumpster. Roofing jobs with a single layer of shingles to remove and about 1500 square feet will fit in this size roll off container. You can also fit a driveway tear out or a concrete tear out job in a 12 yard dumpster as well as dirt removal jobs.
15 Yard Dumpster
A 15 yard dumpster is used often by homeowners, businesses and contractors alike. The volume is of course 15 cubic yards and the actual size of the roil off container is commonly 12 feet long, 7 feet wide and 5 feet high. The most typical uses for this size dumpster are cleaning out a medium sized garage or a large yard clean up. You can also fit debris from a medium basement remodeling project in a 15 yard dumpster as well as a medium size kitchen remodel job.
20 Yard Dumpster
The 20 yard dumpster is another popular size that is small enough to fit easily in a driveway but in addition, it is also big enough to tackle larger projects like home construction or building, large demolition jobs and large landscaping projects. Some of the more common uses for a 20 yard dumpster are large garage, attic and basement clean outs. Any large home’s carpet or flooring removal in order to put in new floors will fit in this size roll off container. You can fit 300 to 400 square feet of deck removal in it or 2,500 to 3,000 square feet of a single layer roof shingle removal. It is also a great size for large bathroom and kitchen remodel jobs.
Understanding Dumpster Rental Costs and Fees
Before you rent a roll off dumpster, you should be familiar with the rental costs and fees so you won’t be surprised by extra costs involved in your materials removal.
Base Rate
The base rate is the flat rate cost of the dumpster size that you rent. This is the largest cost of your rental and these costs don’t change much. You may find prices on a dumpster rental website or you can call a rental company to ask for the base rate.
Tonnage Fee
The tonnage fee is the amount in tons over the weight limit for the size dumpster you rent. For example, if your weight limit for a 20 yard dumpster is 3 tons and you put more weight in it than 3 tons, you would be charged a flat rate tonnage fee.
Tipping Fee
Tipping fees are fees that the landfill charges the dumpster rental company each time they tip the junk off their roll off to dispose of it into the landfill. These fees vary by state and area.
Late Dumpster Rental Return Fee
You may find that your project will take longer than you expected, so you will need the dumpster for a longer time than you decided on when you rented it. Late charges may be by the day or by the week depending on the rental company.
Hazardous Waste Fee
This fee can be expensive, so it’s best not to throw hazardous waste in your dumpster. Hazardous waste products include solvents and paints, motor oil or antifreeze, pesticides, electronics, batteries and cleaning agents.
The best idea if you aren’t sure what size dumpster you need is to tell the rental company exactly what your project is, what size the project is and what items you will be putting in the dumpster. Rental companies work with a wide variety of people in different types of professions and they can help you to choose a size that is perfect for your needs.
Thanks for mentioning that different projects require different rental dumpster sizes to make the most of your space while also containing everything you need to throw away. My wife and I are remodeling our home and we want to make sure all our drywall is properly disposed of. We’ll be sure to keep your tips in mind as we find a rental dumpster service near us!