If you’re thinking about renting a dumpster, it’s important to understand the real cost of dumpster rental, what to expect when renting dumpsters, and what you can’t toss out.
In this article, we’ll look at the average cost of dumpster rental and factors that influence the price, including dumpster size, prohibited items and price variations based on the location. After reading this, you’ll have a close estimate of what you would pay and how you can get a better deal when you are disposing of junk and bulk waste on your time.
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Things to Know When Renting a Dumpster
It isn’t “all the same” when it comes to what you put in a dumpster. Some things are recyclable while others must be disposed of differently, and some of the things you’re planning on throwing out may be considered hazardous or could damage the dumpster.
The company you rent a dumpster from should give you a list of what is and isn’t allowed in the dumpster. If you put prohibited items or materials in the dumpster, you will have to pay a whole lot more than you would have otherwise.
People usually fill rented dumpsters with construction waste and demolition debris. This includes wood, siding, drywall, yard waste, carpeting, wire, foam, flooring and roofing materials, and some small appliances.
❓ Dumpster Rental vs. Junk Removal: LoadUp can help you decide which service best fits the specific needs of your disposal job in just a few simple steps.
Things you’re usually not allowed to put in a dumpster include batteries, automotive parts, pesticides, florescent light bulbs, gasoline, fuel containers, anti-freeze, paint, electronics, and appliances.
Things like tires, mattresses, and furniture are prohibited only in certain locations, but they do usually cost extra in areas where they are not prohibited.
An average dumpster holds about 4 tons (that’s 8,000 pounds of waste sent off to a landfill).
If you go over the weight limit, you will have to pay a per-ton overage fee. This is usually $30 to $100 per additional ton, depending on landfill fees near you.
In most states, you’re required to get a permit before renting a dumpster. This is especially true if your dumpster is blocking a traffic lane or sidewalk, on the street, or within public view.
Permit fees when renting a dumpster cost an average of about $40 to $75 per dumpster, per week. Permit fees can vary depending on what state, city, and county you are renting the dumpster in and are required to obtain permits for.
What is the average cost of dumpster rental?
Depending on the size of the dumpster, rental fees typically range from $300 – $620. Dumpster size is one of the first factors that help determine the price of a dumpster rental. The most commonly rented size is a 20 yard dumpster, with a 40 yard dumpster being the largest size you can rent. Here is a list of common dumpster sizes with their average price ranges, per week of rental:
Dumpster Rental Costs
| Dumpster Load Size | Avg. Cost |
| 4-8 yards | $300 – $400 |
| 10 yards | $325 – $480 |
| 15 yards | $350 – $500 |
| 20 yards | $400 – $520 |
| 30 yards | $450 – $550 |
| 40 yards | $490 – $620 |
The average price of renting a dumpster in the United States is around $530. However, what you can expect to pay for dumpster rental for your project will be different and depends on several different factors.
Causes of Varying Dumpster Rental Costs
Things that can change the price of renting a dumpster include:
- Cost of living in your city
- Landfill rates where you live
- Size/capacity of a dumpster
- Length of rental period
- Weight of a dumpster after filling it
- Overfilling a dumpster
- Types of waste you put in the dumpster
- Whether you have to get a dumpster permit
- Distance & accessibility of your location
The overall cost of dumpster rental is very different from state to state and city to city. Basically, you can expect to pay more to rent a dumpster if you live in a place with a higher cost of living.
Another factor is variations in landfill fees. Landfill fees, sometimes presented as “disposal fees”, are generally determined by supply and demand. Prices tend to be higher in places where there’s not much demand, but prices are lower in cities where there are many dumpster companies and more competition in an attempt to undercut the prices of competitors.
To determine what size you need, estimate the cubic footage of everything you’ll be putting in your dumpster, and then go up one size. It’s much more expensive to overfill a dumpster you thought was going to be big enough than to go ahead and rent a size larger and not fill it all the way.
Most dumpster companies charge by the week. Unfortunately, most companies won’t give you a discount if you only need the dumpster for a couple of days.
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This is because it costs the company the same amount to deliver, pick up, and empty the dumpster’s contents at a landfill, no matter how short a time you have it. If you end up needing to use the dumpster for more than a week, obviously it’s going to cost more.
Dumpster companies will usually charge an additional fee of around $10 to $25 per day if you need the dumpster longer than you originally planned. However, some companies also offer per-day and per-month rates in addition to weekly rentals.
Living in a rural area or far away from the dumpster rental company will also mean you will have to pay more to rent a dumpster and have the delivery driver haul the dumpster to your location.
If a dumpster rental company has to drive very far to deliver your dumpster, they may charge you an additional fee per mile to cover the cost of fuel. These fees are generally based on current gas prices.
Items Prohibited to Throw in Dumpsters
If you decide to rent a dumpster, it’s important to understand what you can and can’t throw in it. As we mentioned earlier, throwing prohibited items in a dumpster will end up costing you more. You can expect to pay additional, hefty fees on top of the cost of renting the dumpster.
Before getting hit with an unexpected charge, check out the graphic below, and know before you throw!
Click here to download a copy of our items prohibited in dumpsters printable flyer.
Should I Rent a Dumpster?
The bottom line is, you’ve got a couple of options when you have a lot to get rid of. You can rent a dumpster and deal with all the costs and considerations listed above, or you can contact a junk removal company, book a pickup, and have them do all the work for you.
If you have a lot of yard waste or construction debris and you want the flexibility to dispose of it all a little at a time over a period of a week or two, then it probably makes more sense for you to rent a roll-off dumpster.
If this is the case, we would suggest using a local dumpster rental company rather than a big name franchise or national corporation since local, small dumpster rental businesses tend to be less expensive and offer better customer service that’s more friendly and tailored to your specific needs.
Junk Removal: The Alternative to Dumpster Rental
If you only have a few large appliances, pieces of furniture, or random boxed or bagged stuff, then going with a junk removal company is likely the better option for you.
Another advantage to junk removal is that many companies use eco-friendly disposal methods and will take your junk to be recycled or donated to charity, whereas renting a dumpster means that everything you put in that dumpster will be dumped in a landfill.
Either of these options will make the disposal part of your project easier than if you were to haul everything yourself, and both can be very cost-effective, depending on how much and what kind of stuff you’re getting rid of.
However, using a junk removal service will probably end up costing you less than renting a dumpster, especially if you’ve got a smaller load of things you need to dispose of. Plus, junk removal is obviously the option that is going to be much less destructive to the environment.
When selecting a junk removal service, there are going to be a few companies in your area to choose from, and some will be a better fit for you than others, depending on your preferences, needs, budget, and situation.
Although we have service areas nationwide, using professional contractors who are local to the cities they serve and green disposal methods makes LoadUp the perfect junk removal company to use if you want to avoid any hassles associated with junk removal.
Choosing the Right Junk Removal Company
LoadUp’s upfront, all-inclusive prices are a huge reason that we are a great choice. With our online booking system, you’re able to find out exactly how much you would have to pay to have us haul away the items you need to get rid of, before you even schedule a pickup.
You don’t even have to wait around for someone to come out and give you a quote! LoadUp makes it easy to find out how much our junk removal services would cost online or by phone.
LoadUp also has some really cool features through a custom app that lets you track your truck, with notifications and GPS links to track your Loader in real-time. The Loader will even call or text you before they arrive so you know when to expect them, and don’t have to wait around.
You can check to see if LoadUp offers service in your area by entering your zip code on our website. You can also chat with a real, living person through the LoadUp website if you have any questions. But, of course, you can always call to speak with one of our friendly customer service representatives.
No matter how you decide to get rid of all your junk, the important thing to remember is that your main goal in this project is to make your life better, easier, and cleaner.
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