How Long Can You Keep A Dumpster?
Key takeaways
- The 10, 15 and 20 include 1 day. The 7 yard includes 3 days.
- Extra days are $5 on the general containers and $20 on the 7 yard.
- Most companies quote 7 to 14 days then charge $10 to $25 a day past it. Ours is a shorter window at a much lower daily rate.
- Keeping a container two extra days is almost always cheaper than paying for a second delivery.
The included window is short on purpose
The 10, 15 and 20 include 1 day on site. That sounds restrictive next to a competitor advertising a week, and it is worth explaining rather than defending.
A longer included window is not free. It is priced into the base rate, so a customer who loads a container in an afternoon pays for six days they never used. Charging a short window and a low daily rate means the fast jobs are not subsidising the slow ones.
What extra time costs
| Container | Days included | Each extra day |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | 1 | $5 |
| 15 yard | 1 | $5 |
| 20 yard | 1 | $5 |
| 7 yard, fill only | 3 | $20 |
Industry norms sit at 7 to 14 days included, with $10 to $25 a day after that. At $5 a day, a fortnight on a 20 yard costs less here than the daily overage alone would at most companies.
Planning a long project
For a renovation running several weeks, there are two workable approaches and the right one depends on how the debris arrives.
- Steady output, such as a phased remodel: keep one container and pay the daily rate. Simplest, and usually cheapest.
- Bursts, such as demolition then a quiet stretch then fit out: take a container for each burst. You pay two deliveries but no idle days.
If you are not sure which shape your job is, describe it on the phone. We would rather work it out in advance than have you paying for an empty container in the middle.
One thing to check before a long stay
A container on your own driveway is your business and no permit applies. A container that needs to sit on a public street is a different question, and the answer depends on your city. That is worth settling before a multi week rental rather than after.
The Full Guides
Jack Reed
Jack writes for dumpster rental companies across the country, which means he has worked through hundreds of rate cards, tonnage models and local permit rules. That comparison is what lets these guides say whether a price is normal rather than just quoting one. The Middle Tennessee specifics come from William Shackelford, who runs the trucks.
Book A Container
Pick a size and book online any hour, or call and describe the job and we will tell you what it is likely to weigh.