When you’re renting a dumpster, you want to make the right call the first time. Returns are kind of a pain with something this big. Once you’ve been around the block a couple times, you’ll have a pretty intuitive sense of what you need. But if this is your first time, let’s talk about how to figure out what dumpster you need. And when you’re ready to rent, just let us know!
Factors to Consider
The basic questions you need to answer to choose a dumpster are fairly simple. What’s the total expected volume of garbage (how much stuff is it?). What type of debris are you getting rid of? And of course, location. We rent big dumpsters, sure, but they might not fit on your one-car driveway. So let’s address all of these, in some sort of order.
How To Estimate How Much Garbage You Have
First off, I want to be clear on one point – when in doubt, you want to lean towards the bigger dumpster. That’s because most of the cost is not in the dumpster itself, but the delivery, pickup, and dumping. We send the same driver, in the same truck, no matter what size dumpster you rent. So on our end, it’s fairly easy to just bring you a bigger tub. But if you mis-calculate and need a second dumpster later on down the road, that means we have to make a whole second trip to bring it to you, another again for the pick up, and we have to make another trip to the dump. So for everyone’s sake, round up instead of down.
Trash Bag Estimates
There are a few different ways to visualize the amount of garbage you are getting rid of. Trash bags are usually the simplest – everybody has seen one before. So in your mind’s eye, imagine your pile of garbage next to a stack of trash bags. Then check the table below to see what size dumpster that shakes out to.
| Size | Estimated Capacity |
|---|---|
| 10 cubic yards | 50-70 trash bags |
| 20 cubic yards | 110-130 trash bags |
| 30 cubic yards | 170-190 trash bags |
| 40 cubic yards | 230-250 trash bags |
Pickup Truck Estimates
If you’ve got a pickup truck, you can use that as a visualization tool, too! Obviously every truck is different, but this can be a good starting point.
| Size | Estimated Capacity |
|---|---|
| 10 cubic yards | 3 pickup trucks |
| 20 cubic yards | 6 pickup |
| 30 cubic yards | 9 pickup trucks |
| 40 cubic yards | 12 pickup trucks |
The Cabinet Method
This graphic is shamelessly borrowed from budgetdumpster.com. Picture a small dresser, about 4-5 feet long. That’s one square yard. Have you got that size in your head? Great, now apply it to whatever you’re throwing away. How many small dressers is it equal to?
Common Applications
You can also just cheat off of other people’s homework. You’re not the first to rent a dumpster, so if your planned use lines up with what everyone else is doing, you can be reasonably safe in following the herd. So here’s a few examples.
| Size | Estimated Capacity |
|---|---|
| 10 cubic yards | Roofing, small home renovations, garage cleaning, landscaping |
| 20 cubic yards | concrete, medium home renovation, siding, window replacement |
| 30 cubic yards | Construction projects, partial demolition |
| 40 cubic yards | If you need it, you will know |
Consider The Materials
We figured out how much you are getting rid of. But /what/ are you throwing away? Metal, concrete, dirt, and other dense materials get heavy very quickly. For this reason, we limit the size of the dumpster that you can put them in to 20 yards. We don’t want to end up with a gigantic, un-towable load. You gotta break that up a bit.
Consider The Location (And Purpose)
Is this dumpster being loaded by a person? Is this dumpster going to your house, or to your construction site? A smaller dumpster is easier to load by hand. It is fits more easily on your driveway. Take that into account when renting, and maybe think twice before renting a 30-yarder for residential use.
Consider Renting Your Dumpster With US
AAA Service Company is all geared up and ready to bring our dumpsters to you! We proudly serve the greater Tampa Bay area, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and Pinellas County. Visit our sister site to order today. Your next project is waiting!
