What Size Dumpster Do I Need?
Order the wrong size and you'll pay twice — once for the swap, once in lost crew time. Here's how to size a dumpster without guessing.
Quick answer, by job type
- 10-yard: Single-room cleanout, small concrete tear-out, driveway demo. ~2 tons included.
- 20-yard: Roofing tear-off on a 1,500–2,500 sqft roof, bathroom or single-room remodel. ~3 tons.
- 30-yard: Whole-room remodels, new construction cleanout, large roofing. ~4 tons.
- 40-yard: Commercial demo, big cleanouts, retail remodels. ~5 tons.
The sizing rule nobody tells you
Weight matters more than volume on most Houston jobs. A 20-yarder holds a lot of air — but if you're loading concrete, asphalt, or wet roofing shingles, you'll hit the tonnage limit before the container is half full. Overage is billed at a flat per-ton rate.
Rule of thumb: If the debris is heavy (concrete, roofing, dirt, tile), size up OR split across multiple smaller drops instead of one big one. Two 10-yarders beat one 20-yarder when weight is the limit.
By scenario
Bathroom remodel (one bathroom, gut to studs)
20-yard. You'll pull cabinets, tub, tile, drywall, and flooring. Tile alone is heavy enough to eat your tonnage on a 10.
Kitchen remodel (2,000 sqft home)
20 to 30-yard. Full cabinet tear-out, counters, flooring, appliances. Size up to 30 if you're gutting the pantry and island too.
Roof replacement (2,200 sqft roof, shingle)
20-yard for a single-layer tear-off. 30-yard if it's a tear-off-over-tear-off or you're adding decking replacement.
Concrete driveway demo (600 sqft, 4-inch slab)
Two 10-yarders, scheduled back-to-back. Concrete is ~150 lb/cubic ft — a single 10 hits tonnage fast.
New home cleanout (post-construction, 3,000 sqft)
30-yard. Drywall scrap, packaging, carpet cutoffs, appliance cardboard. Size up to 40 if you're also clearing scrap lumber.
Things that can't go in any size
Tires, liquids, paints, batteries, freon appliances (fridges, A/C units), hazardous waste. Any of those show up in the load and you eat a disposal surcharge. Ask dispatch if you're not sure — we'll point you at a proper disposal route.
The swap move
Mid-job, most people realize they sized light. One call to dispatch, we swap the full one for a fresh one, usually same day across Greater Houston. Swap fee is flat — no volume penalty. Plan for a potential swap on jobs lasting more than a week; it's cheaper than waiting.
Bottom line
Pick by weight first, volume second. When in doubt, size up one step and keep the rental to one container instead of chasing swaps. Or just call dispatch — we size hundreds of Houston jobs a week and we'll do the math for you.