how much does it cost to rent a dumpster

Last Updated: Thursday, March 31, 2022

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How Much Does it cost to Rent a Dumpster?

	Low $185 – $385	Average Cost $265 – $595	High $600 – $900
Dumpster Size	5 – 10 Yards	10 – 20 Yards	20 – 40 Yards
Length of Rental	5 – 7 Days	7 – 14 Days	14 – 30 Days
Extra Surcharges (Tires, etc)	No	Yes or No	Yes
Very Heavy Materials	No	Some	Some to Mostly
Distance to Home	Less than 10 Miles	5-20 Miles	More than 15 Miles
Rental Company	Local	Local/Regional	Regional/National
Rental Length	Up to 1 Week	Up to 1 Week	1 Week or Longer

Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | DIY or Pro

Overview of Renting a Dumpster

Dumpster rental is popular because  materials can be thrown directly in without bagging them. Also called roll-off containers, they are the most convenient way to get rid of construction debris and junk you don’t want.

This dumpster cost estimate and comparison uncovers all the details – dumpster rental cost by size, restrictions on weight and what goes in the dumpster, cost factors such as how long you use it and associated fees.

We’ve gathered costs estimates from established sites and invited other readers (and you) to share the dumpster rental price they paid for their project.

Common Reasons to Rent a Dumpster

• Cleaning out a home or estate to sell
• Downsizing while preparing to move
• Spring / Fall cleaning or de-cluttering your home
• DIY roofing tear-offs
• Demolition for home remodeling or putting on an addition
• Demolition of a small outbuilding or deck
• Storm and flood cleanup
• Neighborhood cleanup and recycling projects

Renting a roll-off container is much more convenient than hauling the material to the landfill in a truck or trailer in multiple loads, even if you might save a few bucks doing it.

Common Roll-off Dumpster Sizes

Dumpsters come in cubic yards that are commonly 10, 20, 30 and 40, but other sizes are offered by some waste disposal companies. If you’re wondering how big they are, a rough estimate is that a pickup truck bed holds about 3 yards. So a 15-yard dumpster holds about 5 pickup truck loads of material.

Here’s a size chart:

Capacity	Height	Width	Length
10-Yard	3.5′	8′	10′
15-Yard	3.5′	8′	14′
20-Yard	3.5′	8′	22′
30-Yard	5.5′	8′	22′

The dumpster can be filled only until level with the top of the side walls, since it must be tarped and made safe for transport.

What is a Bagster Dumpster?

It is a heavy-duty 3 cubic yard bag that can handle 3,300 pounds, an innovation of Waste Management. Other waste disposal companies are beginning to offer bags too.

To use the Waste Management system, buy a bag at Home Depot or other retailer or online from Amazon or Waste Management. Then call Waste Management and schedule a pickup. It’s ideal for small cleanup projects.

Bagsters are not available in all areas, so you’ll need to check their website by typing in your zip code to see if service is available locally. If it is, you’ll also get an instant quote for bag pickup.

If Waste Management doesn’t service your area, check with those companies that do. One of them might have a similar bag program.

Items allowed in bagsters are restricted to “household junk, construction debris and dirt/concrete/rocks.” However, if you fill it with heavy materials like concrete, rocks or bricks, the amount is limited to 1 cubic yard rather than the 3 cubic yard capacity.

What Size Dumpster do You Need?

Here are common sizes and the projects they are used for:

10 yard dumpster: Garage/attic/basement cleanout, bathroom remodeling, de-cluttering, roofing tear-offs on homes to 1,500 square feet.

20 yard dumpster: Kitchen remodel, larger cleanout projects, roofing tear-offs on homes to 2,000 square feet.

30 yard dumpster: Entire home remodeling – homes to 1,500 square feet, roofing tear-offs on homes larger than 2,000 square feet. Clean-out of multiple homes.

40 yard dumpster: Entire home remodeling – homes to 2,500 square feet, neighborhood cleanup projects.

Too big is much better than too small. The incremental cost of renting a larger dumpster is small compared with having to rent a second dumpster or having the first one emptied and returned. This will be clear in the list of prices below.

Rental Cost Details

Dumpster Price Factors

There are several important factors in how much a dumpster costs to rent.

• Dumpster Size – Rental prices for specific sizes are below.
• Location – The company will factor travel time and cost to your home for delivery and pickup of the container. For this reason, it makes sense to get estimates from companies with locations nearest your home.
• Base Fee & Extras – Some companies charge a flat rate regardless of what is put in the dumpster, not including prohibited items, or what it weighs. Others charge a base fee and surcharges for items that require special handling – tires, mattresses, old TVs, propane tanks and more.
• Heavy Materials – Many companies charge a base fee for a set weight of 1-3 tons depending on the size of the dumpster. Additional charges apply when exceeding the weight limit. If the container will hold heavy materials that cannot be recycled, expect an upcharge of about 5% to 25% from most companies, depending on the additional weight.
• Recyclable Material – If you are renting a container for material that can be recycled rather than sent to a landfill, such as concrete, brick and steel, your cost might be 15% to 20% lower.
• Who You Rent it From – In our research, we found that some local disposal companies have rates 10% to 20% lower than national waste management companies serving the same area.
• How Long You Have the Container – Most companies allow 3-5 business days, not counting weekends. Fees increase with additional time.
• Where You Live – Disposal fees vary greatly across the country. Also, the further away the landfill is from your cleanup location, the higher your rate will be.

These dumpster cost factors vary by the company. For example, not all have extra costs for heavy materials.

What can be put in a dumpster? What can’t?

Acceptable items include:

• Most appliances, Small and Large
• Construction/Demolition Waste from Residential and Commercial Projects
• Yard Waste
• Garage/Basement Items such as gym equipment, bicycles, car parts, tools, lawn equipment, furniture and similar

Prohibited items or those that incur a surcharge include:

Adhesives in large quantities, since they cause materials to stick to the inside of the container that must be “dug out” and lead to extra fees

• Appliances containing refrigerant
• Asbestos shingles, tiles and other materials containing asbestos
• Batteries
• Cleaning agents and other chemicals
• Contaminated soils
• Food waste
• Fuel – gas, oil or other type
• Paint and stain
• Propane tanks

Most companies allow tires, but a per-tire surcharge of $2-$3 is typical. A better choice for tires is to ask if your local recycling center takes them. Most have a no-fee limit of about 10 tires. Typically, tires can be dropped off on 2 to 4 scheduled days per year.

Dumpster Rental Costs in Most Areas

We researched costs from multiple waste disposal companies across the country. Actual quotes are used to create the cost list below.

Most estimating sites show pricing that is too low. Perhaps their research isn’t up to date.

• $28 – $40 | WM Bagster Cost for the bag
• $130 – $200 | Bagster pickup for the first bag. $30 to $40 less for each additional bag.
• $380 – $550 | 10 Yard Roll-off Container
• $470 – $700 | 20 Yard Roll-off Container
• $600 – $825 | 30 Yard Roll-off Container
• $725 – $900+ | 40 Yard Roll-off Container

These are base fees that take dumpster size and your location into account. The price ranges are based on the cost factors listed.

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

• $25 – $100+ | If the dumpster is placed in the street rather than on your property, you might need a street permit. The dumpster rental company should know, or you can call your local municipal office for information.

Related Costs and Installation Time

As noted, most companies allow you to have the dumpster for 3-5 business days for their flat rate. Cost increases slightly for each additional day.

Plan your project carefully, so that all work requiring a dumpster can be accomplished in the time allowed in the base charge.

• Do demolition work in all parts of the house before installation of new materials begins.
• Use the garage as temporary storage when de-cluttering your home or cleaning out a home entirely.
• Have a crew available large enough for a DIY roof tear-off or deck or shed demolition project to be completed in one weekend.

DIY or Hire a Pro?

We ask this question at the end of every cost estimate page, but this topic is different than plumbing, electrical and most home improvement projects.

Should you rent the dumpster if a pro is doing the work? Probably not. Let them do it. They likely get a volume discount, so the cost they pass along to you for waste disposal might be less than if you rent the dumpster.

A more debatable question is this: On DIY projects, should you rent a trailer and haul the waste to the landfill rather than renting a dumpster? No again.

First, when considering disposal fees, gas and the wear and tear on your vehicle, the cost savings are probably small. And it’s a big hassle and time drain compared with the convenience of pitching stuff into a dumpster set in your driveway.

What do you think? For DIY projects, give a thumbs up for renting a dumpster. Give a thumbs down for hauling waste to the landfill.