Choosing the right dumpster for your renovation, moving, or cleaning project is crucial. You want to match the dumpster to your project needs, considering the amount and type of materials you'll be removing. It might seem daunting at first, but with the right guidance, you can avoid misunderstandings or situations that could affect your project's budget or timeline. So, let's dive into this guide to help you sort your materials and pick the perfect dumpster for your needs.

Materials

General Debris

General debris includes a variety of materials such as household waste, construction debris, and demolition leftovers. Think drywall, roofing, tiles, metal, cardboard, paper, wood, and more. Basically, anything you'd find in your home, both structural and junk.

This type of dumpster is typically used for renovations, demolitions, moves, or general cleanouts. There are different sizes available, ranging from small 10-yard dumpsters to large 40-yard ones. When renting one, you'll encounter two separate costs: the rental fee and the waste management fee. The latter is charged by transfer stations based on the material type and weight, averaging around $150 per ton.

Usually, your dumpster rental provider will include a ton of weight for every 10 cubic yards of volume in the price. For example, if you rent a 20-yard dumpster and the dump fee considers 3.3 tons, you'll be charged for 1.3 tons overweight. Here's a common volume-to-weight ratio provided by most suppliers, but it's always wise to ask yours how many tons are included in the price:

Some items may incur additional costs due to being non-recyclable and more difficult to handle. You can check our article on how transfer stations work for the list of items and their management fees.

Clean Concrete or Clean Soil

The "clean" category, whether it's for soil or concrete, demands that the material is free from contaminants. The reason is simple: both materials can be recycled, reducing the overall management costs. These dumpsters are typically used in demolition, excavation, and landscaping projects.

To ensure recyclability, it's crucial to keep the material clean. Concrete shouldn't include rebar, while soil shouldn't have stones, grass, or roots. Some providers allow for a 3-5% contamination tolerance, so it's best to check if your material qualifies as clean or mixed. Dumpster sizes for this material usually range from 6 to 10 cubic yards, depending on your provider's truck capacity. Filling larger dumpsters might pose a higher risk due to weight during lifting and transportation.

Heavy Mix

The Heavy Mix category is designed for various heavy materials, which can often be mistaken for general debris. For instance, materials like drywall, stucco, or roofing might seem heavy but should be handled as general debris.

These dumpsters accept materials such as soil, concrete, gravel, sand, bricks, stones, blocks, and asphalt, all in the same container. Similarly to clean materials, they're available in 6, 8, and 10-yard dumpsters. There's no weight limit for these dumpsters as long as the material doesn't exceed the fill line. Remember not to mix materials from other categories like General Debris, as it could change the dumpster's classification and potentially increase costs due to waste management fees.