What Size Dumpster Do You Actually Need? A Straight Answer
Every dumpster company says "we'll help you pick a size." Here's the actual math, so you can pick one in two minutes.
The three sizes, translated into real life
A 12 yard (12×5×8 ft, $399) holds about three to four pickup truck loads. That's one packed garage, one finished-basement teardown, or one bathroom taken down to the studs. Its lower sidewalls also make it the easiest container to load by hand.
A 20 yard (15×6×8 ft, $599) holds about six pickup loads. This is the size roofers order for a full tear-off on an average Connecticut colonial, and the size we deliver most. Kitchen renovation, deck demolition, multi-room cleanout: this is your container.
A 30 yard (19×6×8 ft, $799) holds nine to ten pickup loads. Whole-house cleanouts, estate clearances, additions, major demo. If the word "everything" appears in your project description, start here.
The weight math matters more than the volume math
Each size includes disposal tonnage: 1 ton on the 12, 2 tons on the 20, 3 tons on the 30. Overage runs $160 per additional ton, weighed at the facility after pickup. Light, bulky debris (furniture, cabinets, trim) hits the volume limit first. Dense debris (shingles, plaster, tile) hits the weight limit first. A full roof tear-off on a big house can weigh more than you'd guess: three-tab shingles run roughly 200 to 250 pounds per square (that's one 10×10 ft area of roof), so a 30-square roof is already around 3 tons.
The one rule when you're between sizes
Go up. The jump from a 12 to a 20 costs $200; a second delivery costs another full rental. Nobody has ever finished a cleanout and said "we had too much dumpster." If you're torn, the bigger box is the cheaper mistake.
Still not sure?
Call us at (203) 268-3739 and describe the project. We size these all day, and we'd rather send the right container than upsell you into the wrong one. Or just book online; it takes about two minutes.
Ready to get the box? Book now in about two minutes, or call (203) 268-3739.