Dumpster Rental Cost Calculator
| Size (one week) | Band | Mid |
|---|---|---|
| 10-yard | $300-500 | $400 |
| 20-yard | $400-650 | $500 |
| 30-40-yard | $500-800 | $700 |
Roll-off dumpster pricing runs by size, in three honest bands for a standard week-long rental: a 10-yarder for a bathroom gut or small deck tear-out runs $300-500; the 20-yarder - the whole-home default for kitchens, flooring and garage clean-outs - runs $400-650; and the 30-40-yard construction sizes run $500-800. The base price includes delivery, one swap-free pickup and a weight allowance; everything else on the invoice is an adder with a name.
The two named adders are where quotes diverge: overage - exceeding the tonnage allowance, typically 2-3 tons on a 20-yard - bills around $250 in per-ton charges, and it bites the projects that fill a dumpster with the wrong materials: shingles, dirt, concrete and sod are weight bombs that max out the allowance before the box looks half full. Extension - keeping the box past the included week - runs about $100 a week, which is the cheap surprise; the expensive one is the second trip nobody budgeted because the 20-yarder was one pallet of tile too small.
That is the honest sizing rule: go one size up from your estimate when the debris is dense (tile, plaster, shingles) and stay put when it is bulky-but-light (insulation, cardboard, furniture). The EPA puts construction and demolition debris at roughly 600 million tons a year - double the entire municipal waste stream - and almost all of it moves through boxes exactly like these, which is why the weight allowance on page two of the quote is the line to read twice.
How to use
- Estimate debris honestly by project type: a bathroom gut fills a 10-yarder, a kitchen or flooring job wants the 20, whole-home or roofing wants the 30-40.
- Read the weight allowance before the price - 2-3 tons on a 20-yard is standard, and shingle, dirt or concrete loads blow through it by themselves.
- Check the municipal fine print: many towns require a street permit for anything on public pavement, usually $25-75 and a few days of lead time.
- Plan the fill like an engineer: flat, layered, heavy stuff low and first - an overfilled box is an over-height box, and drivers leave those on your curb.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a dumpster?
For a week: a 10-yarder runs $300-500, the 20-yard workhorse $400-650, and 30-40-yard construction boxes $500-800 - delivery, pickup and a weight allowance included. Extensions run about $100 a week and per-ton overage about $250 when the allowance blows. The same size can vary a hundred dollars by metro; the quote spread is usually the allowance and the disposal facility fee hiding underneath.
What size dumpster do I need?
A 10-yard handles a bathroom or small deck; the 20-yard is the residential default for kitchens, flooring and garage clean-outs; 30-40 yards is for whole-home gut renovations and roofing. The honest rule: dense debris (tile, plaster, shingle, dirt) buys one size up, bulky-light debris (insulation, furniture) does not. When torn, remember the second rental costs more than the bigger box would have.
What cannot go in a dumpster?
Paint, chemicals, tires, batteries, appliances with refrigerant, and anything hazardous - the same refusal list junk haulers carry, enforced by the disposal facility gate, not by your rental company. Concrete, brick and dirt are usually accepted but only in small, dedicated loads because of the weight math. The gate inspection is where the fine print becomes an invoice; the rental company refusal list on their website is the version to read before the box arrives.
Do I need a permit for a dumpster?
Only if the box sits on public property - the street or sidewalk. A driveway placement needs nothing but clearance. Municipal street permits typically run $25-75 and take a few days, so order them when you order the box. The ticket that hurts is not the permit fee; it is the code complaint from a neighbor that moves the box after a week of full placement.
How fast can I get a dumpster delivered?
Next-day is common in metro areas and same-day happens in slow seasons, but the honest schedule pads two days: permit lead time in permit towns, and the delivery window that is "sometime between 7 and 5". Sequencing matters more than speed: the box should arrive the day demo starts, not the week before - an early empty dumpster collects every neighbor's couch.