What size dumpster do I need?
Picking a dumpster size is mostly about two things: how much debris you have, and how heavy it is. Order too small and you pay for a second haul; too big and you pay for air. Here is the quick version, then the detail for each size.
The 30-second answer
Most residential projects fit a 20-yard — it is the size ~60% of homeowners pick. Go smaller (10–15 yard) for single-room or heavy-material jobs, and larger (30–40 yard) for whole-home renovations or new construction.
- 10 yard — small cleanouts, bathroom remodels, concrete & dirt (heavy loads)
- 15 yard — single-layer roofing, kitchen remodels, medium cleanouts
- 20 yard — most popular: two-layer roofing, full remodels, large cleanouts
- 30 yard — new construction, major demolition, whole-house cleanouts
- 40 yard — commercial jobs, large construction, bulky light debris
Match the size to your project
A roll-off is measured in cubic yards of volume. As a rough rule, one cubic yard equals about three pickup-truck loads of debris. So a 20-yard holds roughly 6–8 truck loads.
- Garage or single-room cleanout → 10 yard
- Single bathroom or small kitchen remodel → 15 yard
- Full kitchen remodel, large cleanout, or two-layer roof → 20 yard
- Whole-house cleanout, addition, or new build → 30 yard
- Commercial build-out or large demolition → 40 yard
Weight changes everything
Volume is only half the story. Concrete, dirt, brick, and asphalt are so dense that a full 20-yard would exceed the legal road-weight limit. That is why heavy material always goes in a 10-yard "clean load" can with heavy-load pricing — never a big box.
Roofing shingles are also heavy: a 20-yard of shingles can hit its weight limit before it looks full. That is normal, and a good flat rate includes the tonnage allowance for a typical re-roof.
When in doubt, size up one
A second haul costs more than the next size up, and you cannot legally overfill past the top rail. If you are on the line between two sizes, the larger one is almost always the cheaper mistake. If you are still unsure, tell us the project and we will size it for you — and swap it free if we get it wrong.
Frequently asked
The 20-yard is the most popular roll-off — it suits roughly 60% of residential projects, from full remodels to large cleanouts and two-layer roof tear-offs.
Roughly three pickup loads per cubic yard. So a 10-yard holds about 3 loads, a 20-yard about 6–8, and a 30-yard about 9–12.
Always a 10-yard with heavy-load pricing. Concrete and dirt weigh about 2 tons per cubic yard, so a larger can would exceed the legal road-weight limit before it is full.