When taking on a construction or demolition project, there are several things to consider when renting a dumpster. Some of the considerations include volume of debris, project duration, types of materials, and the availability of the dumpster. These are all important things to evaluate as they can contribute to reduced dumpster rental costs saving you 20% or more.
For example, a contractor rents from a company that only has four 20-yard dumpsters available at $400 each. This comes out to be $1600. If they had scheduled with a different company that had two 40-yard dumpsters available, they would’ve only spent $500 each, or $1000 in total. That would be a savings of $600 for the same container volume. While this is a hypothetical scenario, situations like this happen all the time. Planning ahead truly does make a difference.
In most cases, it is most cost-effective to rent the largest dumpster that works for the debris your site is creating. Larger dumpsters will save you from having to rent several smaller dumpsters as needed which can save you hundreds.
Additional tip: Ask the dumpster rental company if they offer special pricing for contractors, or for renting multiple dumpsters. Some local haulers will work out a deal with a contractor willing to rent multiple dumpsters for an ongoing basis.
Estimating the Amount of Debris
When renting a dumpster, start by estimating the amount of debris you’re anticipating to generate from your job. This calculation is critical to minimizing costs. These basic formula can assist in your calculations:
For Building Demo:
Length x Width x Height x .33/27 = Cubic Yards of Debris
For a Single Family Home:
Length x Width x Number of Stories x .20 x VCM (vegetative cover multiplier) = Cubic Yards of Debris
*As a general note, one ton of construction and demolition debris is roughly 2 cubic yards.
Once you’ve estimated the volume of debris, you can more accurately determine your dumpster needs. If you have a high volume of debris, consider going with a larger dumpster, such as a 40-yard container. This is particularly helpful for industrial jobs. For clean, high density, low-volume loads, such as shingles or concrete, 10 or 20-yard dumpsters are the best option. Check with your dumpster rental company on their requirements for heavy materials like these first though as some companies require the use of smaller containers for heavier loads.
Ready to Rent a Dumpster for Your C&D Project Near Mobile, Alabama?
Circle J Roll Offs offers several convenient dumpster sizes to help with your construction project. Give us a call at (215) 661-0001 or fill out our online form and we’ll get in touch with you.