What Size Dumpster Do I Need?
Four sizes cover almost every job. The quick version: a single room takes a 10 yard, a kitchen or bath takes a 15, a whole house or a roof takes a 20, and heavy fill like concrete or dirt goes in the 10-yard fill container. The detail is below.
Which One Fits Your Job
Most homeowners land on the 20 yard, because a whole house clearout, a full renovation and a single layer roof tear off all fit it, and those are the jobs people book most. Step down to a 15 yard for one kitchen or bathroom, a 10 yard for a single room or a packed garage, and choose the 10-yard fill only for dense fill like concrete, brick and dirt, where weight runs out long before space does.
If you are between two sizes, take the larger one. A container with room to spare costs the same base price, since you are billed by the ton on what you actually throw away, so the only risk in going bigger is a little extra driveway. Running out of room mid job is the expensive mistake, because it means a second delivery.
Sizes, Side By Side
Every standard container is the same base price. The 10-yard fill is the one exception, priced on weight for heavy fill. Tap through for the full spec on any of them.
$200
10 Yard
Pick this for one room stripped back, or a garage emptied out. The smallest footprint we run.
- Pay only for the weight you use
- 1 day, extra days on request
- Fits most driveways
$200
15 Yard
Pick this for a single kitchen or bathroom gut, or for flooring coming up across a floor.
- Pay only for the weight you use
- 1 day, extra days on request
- Room for cabinets whole
$200Most booked
20 Yard
Pick this for a whole house, a full renovation or a roof tear off. The size most jobs settle on.
- Pay only for the weight you use
- 1 day, extra days on request
- Fits most driveways
$200
30 Yard Dumpster Rental
Large home cleanouts, bulky furniture, and major renovation debris.
Holds about 12 pickup truck loads of waste
- Pay only for the weight you use
- 1 day, extra days on request
- More room for bulky cleanups
The Full Comparison
Base price, the days that come with it, the tonnage each one includes and the job it is built for. Every figure is published, nothing waits for a call.
| Size | Base price | Days included | Tonnage included | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | $200 | 1 | no tonnage included and none wasted | One room, a garage, a light clearout. Roughly about 4 pickup truck loads, based on a standard 2.5 cubic yard bed. |
| 15 yard | $200 | 1 | no tonnage included and none wasted | A kitchen or bath gut, flooring across a floor. Roughly about 6 pickup truck loads, based on a standard 2.5 cubic yard bed. |
| 20 yard | $200 | 1 | no tonnage included and none wasted | A whole house, a full renovation, a roof tear off. Roughly about 8 pickup truck loads, based on a standard 2.5 cubic yard bed. |
| 30 Yard | $200 | 1 | No included tonnage | Large cleanouts and renovation debris |
Standard 10, 15, 20 and 30-yard dumpsters start at $200 for one day, plus $140 per ton. Concrete and fill use a separate 10-yard service; call to confirm the load and pricing.
Match The Size To Your Job
The most common jobs, and the container each one usually calls for. When a job sits on a line, size up rather than down.
| Job | Usual size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single room or garage clearout | 10 yard | Household clearouts are bulky but light, so space runs out well before weight. The smallest box is usually plenty. |
| Kitchen or bathroom remodel | 15 yard | Cabinets, tile and old flooring add up fast, and tile is heavier than it looks. The middle size gives room without overbuying. |
| Whole house clearout or full renovation | 20 yard | Mixed debris from every room needs the volume, and the 20 yard is still one truck and one drop. |
| Roof tear off | 20 yard | Shingles are the heaviest common job. A single layer on a typical house fits a 20 yard. Two layers may need a second haul. See roofing dumpster rental. |
| Concrete, brick, dirt or asphalt | 10-yard fill | Dense fill hits the weight limit in a small volume, so the 10-yard fill is built for it. Nothing else goes in it. See concrete and fill. |
Not sure where your job lands? Call (615) 200-0865 and describe it. You will be told the smaller size when it is genuinely enough, because a right-sized container is a repeat customer and an oversold one is not.
When Weight Decides It Instead
Space is only half of the question. Dense material reaches the tonnage long before it reaches the top rail, so on heavy jobs the weight, not the volume, is what picks the size.
Light and bulky
10 to 20 yard
Volume decides
Furniture, boxes, packaging and general household clearout fill the space first and barely trouble the scale. Here you size on how much there is, and per ton pricing keeps the cost low.
Mixed renovation
15 to 20 yard
A bit of both
Tile, plaster and old flooring sit heavier than they look, so a renovation load can hit the weight and the walls at about the same time. Sizing up a step gives you margin on both.
Heavy fill
10-yard fill
Weight decides
Our bigger truck lets us take 10 yards of concrete or fill in a 10-yard can. Keep the load clean and confirm the material before booking.
Roofs are the classic trap. A tear off looks like it should fit a small container by volume, then the shingle weight tells a different story. If your job is heavy, work from the weight down, not the volume up, and call if it sits near a line.
Still Deciding? We Can Help
Pick a size and book online in a couple of minutes, or call and describe the job to someone who will size it with you on the spot.