Picking a dumpster size is the one decision that determines whether the rental feels cheap or expensive. Go too small and you're paying for a second container or a swap-out. Go too big and you've paid for air. After delivering roll-offs across Wyandotte, Taylor, Southgate, Dearborn, and the rest of Downriver for a lot of projects, here's how we actually recommend sizes when someone calls.
The short version: think about volume first (how big is the pile?), then weight (how dense is the material?). Bulky-but-light jobs like cleanouts are about volume. Heavy jobs like roofing and plaster demo are about weight, and the weight allowance matters more than the container size.
How dumpster sizes work
A "yard" is a cubic yard, about the volume of a standard washing machine. So a 10 yard dumpster holds roughly ten of those, a 20 yard holds twenty, and so on. Every size we rent also comes with a weight allowance, measured in tons, and that's the number people forget about.
Our four sizes: the 10 Yard Dumpster ($300, 2 tons included), the 15 Yard Dumpster ($350, 2 tons), the 20 Yard Dumpster ($400, 4 tons), and the 30 Yard Dumpster ($500, 4 tons). Going over the allowance costs $45 per ton, so heavy material can make a "cheaper" small dumpster cost more than a bigger one.
The pickup-truck test
The easiest way to estimate: picture how many full-size pickup-truck beds your pile would fill, heaped up.
- About 3 loads → 10 Yard Dumpster
- About 4–5 loads → 15 Yard Dumpster
- About 6 loads → 20 Yard Dumpster
- About 9 loads → 30 Yard Dumpster
Sizing by project
Here's what we usually send for common Downriver projects. These assume typical amounts of material; if your house has been collecting stuff for 40 years, round up.
- Garage cleanout (one car): 10 Yard Dumpster. Two-car garage with bulky items: 15 Yard Dumpster.
- Basement or attic cleanout: 15 Yard Dumpster. Finished basement tear-out with drywall and carpet: 20 Yard Dumpster.
- Single bathroom remodel: 10 Yard Dumpster. Kitchen remodel with cabinets and flooring: 15 Yard Dumpster or 20 Yard Dumpster.
- Roof tear-off: 20 Yard Dumpster. Its 4-ton allowance handles most single-layer roofs on a typical home.
- Whole-house or estate cleanout: 20 Yard Dumpster for a lightly furnished home, 30 Yard Dumpster when rooms are full.
- Deck, fence, or shed teardown: 10 Yard Dumpster for a small deck, 15 Yard Dumpster for a large deck or a shed with contents.
- Construction or addition debris: 20 Yard Dumpster, with a swap-out scheduled if the job runs long.
- Yard and storm debris: 10 Yard Dumpster or 15 Yard Dumpster, depending on how many branches you're looking at.
The two mistakes that cost money
Mistake one is sizing down to save a few dollars. The price gap between the 10 and 15 yard is small, but the cost of a second container when the first one fills up is not. If you're between sizes, go up.
Mistake two is ignoring weight on heavy jobs. Shingles, plaster, tile, and wet lumber are dense. A 15 yard full of plaster can blow past its 2-ton allowance while looking half empty. For those jobs the 20 yard's 4-ton allowance is usually the cheaper container even though its sticker price is higher.
And a hard rule: we don't accept concrete or dirt in any size. They're so heavy that even a small amount pushes a container over its limit.
Still not sure? Just call
Describe the project and roughly how big the pile is, and we'll tell you which size to book. We'd rather put the right container in your driveway the first time than have you call for a second one. Call 734-846-1432 or request a booking online.
Related questions
The 15 Yard Dumpster is the one we deliver most often for homeowners. It handles a basement cleanout, a kitchen remodel, or a pre-move purge with room to spare and still fits in a normal driveway.
Too big. The price difference between neighboring sizes is small, while a second delivery when the first container fills up is a full extra charge. If you're on the fence, size up.
Picture it in pickup-truck loads, heaped. Three loads is a 10 yard, four to five is a 15, six is a 20, and nine is a 30. For a cleanout, walk each room and count large items like couches, mattresses, and dressers; each one eats about a cubic yard.