So if you’re looking for a dumpster, and not our full-service junk removal, our Junk King Mini Dumpsters are 12 cubic yards.  It’s a great size for a lot of projects.  Tearing down a normal size deck?  No problem!  Cleaning out a basement?  Easy.  It’ll work for a lot of projects.  But it’s not the perfect size for everything.  Our dumpsters are about the size of a car.  Projects vary considerably, and as I’ve been doing it for a while so I figured I’d try to give some feedback.  Sometimes we have disappointed customers who thought the dumpster was going to be larger.  

What to Consider When Determining What Size Dumpster You Should Get

Laying Out Your Junk

So, to start, a cubic yard is about the size of a washing machine.  So, If you’re getting rid of bulky furniture, it doesn’t take much to fill up a dumpster.  If you’re getting rid of small little things from the attic it’ll take a lot of them.  As you look at the photos, you can get a sense of what a dumpster can hold. 

But the thing I wanted to mention is that you lay things flat, you will fit a lot more in a dumpster.   It’s like a game of Tetris.  Don’t just throw things in there. Try to lay them flat, and sometimes items can be nested in one another.  Also, you might also be able to break down some furniture items, like an entertainment center or table to make them fit better.  

Weight

Another thing I wanted to talk about; because the question comes up quite frequently, is why we include 2000 pounds of disposal with each dumpster.  Basically, it’s because no matter the weight of the contents of our dumpster, our transfer station charges a one ton minimum fee, and then charges us for every pound over a ton which is why we charge the overweight fee to cover our additional cost from the transfer station.  

So, what are the advantages of our 12 yard dumpsters.  Well, one advantage is weight.  Our dumpsters (empty) weigh in around 2200 pounds.  That weight is concentrated on the wheels and on the rails that run to the front of the dumpster, as with all dumpsters.  And that’s the empty weight.  The typical rental for one of our dumpsters sees people put right around the included 2000 pounds, or maybe a little bit more into the dumpster.  However, it is certainly possible to have more in there.  If you are doing demolition, and removing a large amount of sheetrock, or adding chunks of concrete, shingles or other dense materials the weight can climb quickly.  

If you are renting a 20, 30, or 40 yard dumpster, the weight goes up even more.  According to a quick web search, the weights go up to 6500 pounds at the top end for empty dumpsters.  For the most part, none of this usually matters, driveway damage is pretty rare, but it does happen and that potential with heavier dumpsters is more likely.  So, one of our dumpsters with a ton of material in it gets up to 4200 pounds, and at max capacity of 3 tons, you have 8200 pounds sitting on your driveway.  And at the heaviest, a 40 yard can hold 12,000 pounds in it’s 6500 pound box, which puts you up around 18,500 pounds on your pavement.  It’s a pretty big weight difference. 

Location, Location, Location 

If your driveway is starting to age, and has cracks in it, you should probably be careful when renting larger dumpsters.  Also, if your dumpster is very new, you do not want to put a dumpster down, for at least a year. The asphalt needs to cure.  You’d be better off protecting your investment by using a junk removal service.  The tires from a truck are much more forgiving than the steel wheels found on a dumpster.

Another thing to think about is, how long will it take to load this dumpster?  Our dumpsters are a weekend project size.  You decide to clean out your basement or garage on Friday, and in a half a day, Saturday morning, you could get it done, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your weekend.   With a larger dumpster you might be committing to a weeklong project.  

Also, will it fit in your driveway?  Ours, being car sized, they measure in around 11 feet long and 8 feet wide, can fit in a lot of tight spaces, where you wouldn’t think about placing one of these large sized dumpsters.  This is especially true on City streets, whether you’re in Lynn or Haverhill, Peabody or Methuen, there are a lot of small cities in Massachusetts that just don’t have a lot of driveway space for the larger sized dumpster.  

Beware of Dirt

Oh, and let me just also mention dirt.  Dirt is heavy.  A lot of people don’t realize how heavy.  One cubic yard of dirt weighs in at about a ton.  One cubic yard.  So, an amount equal to the size of the dishwasher that you might have in your kitchen.  And that’s if it’s dry.  Because dirt just sucks up moisture.  So, if you put more than a yard of dirt in your dumpster, you are in for a rude awakening.  For this reason, we stopped taking dirt in our dumpsters.  I tell you this, because I want you to be aware. Be very specific with your dumpster company that you have dirt.  And more than that, find out the rules.  In a lot of cases, the dirt needs to be clean, no trash, no wood, no debris.  Rock will probably be fine.  There will be an amount you can put in your dumpster.  If you put too much, it will be extremely expensive! 

If you have a question about if our dumpsters are right for your weekend project, give us a call!