If you are planning a major home remodel, or are taking spring cleaning to a whole new level with a major de-clutter, you need to start thinking NOW about what you are going to do with the waste that you collect. Even relatively minor home renovations often lead to a significant amount of construction and demolition (C&D debris) being accumulated. In 2018, Americans generated around 600 million tons of C&D debris, which is more than double the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). If your home renovations will lead you to getting rid of some old furniture or appliances in favor of newer and more efficient models, those large, bulky items will take up even more space in the growing trash pile. 

While most people think that the “last order of business” with any renovation or de-clutter is dealing with the waste collected, planning ahead can help you avoid a series of problems. If you live in relatively cramped quarters, not having a destined spot for putting the junk and waste that you collect can actually delay or hinder the renovation process. Also, if you are planning on simply storing the trash in your driveway or front yard, you´ll probably get some odd looks from the neighbors. 

Sidewalk dumping not only can make neighborhoods look unsightly, but is costly to the taxpayers and can present safety hazards by obstructing pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. Depending on what is left on the curb, you might also be attracting vermin, bacteria and mold, not exactly a neighborly thing to do. Even temporarily placing your bulky trash and junk items on the curb can lead to expensive fines. In the city of San Francisco, the Public Works Department states: “It is illegal to leave furniture, appliances, garbage bags, or anything on the sidewalk at any time unless you have a scheduled pick up from a licensed hauler or donation facility.”

Instead of illegal dumping or trying to store all of the accumulated waste in your garage, what other options to businesses or individuals have when doing a major home retrofit or de-clutter? Renting a dumpster or planning ahead for professional junk removal are two strategies that can help you quickly, easily, and efficiently deal with the excess junk items that result from any major home or business renovation. In this short article, we look at when dumpster rental is the best option for business owners or homeowners, and when it makes more sense to simply call a junk removal service. 

When to Rent a Dumpster 

A dumpster rental generally makes sense for people when they are going through a long, drawn-out renovation or de-clutter process where junk and waste will slowly accumulate over several days or weeks. For example, let´s say that you have hired a green contracting company to help you make a complete energy efficiency retrofit of your home. Over the course of several weeks, the company will most likely replace certain parts of your home´s insulation, upgrade to more efficient HVAC equipment, and maybe even replace your old, single pane windows with more efficient double or triple pane options. 

The end result will be lower energy bills for long-term savings. However, the process of improving the energy efficiency and thermal performance of your home will most likely take several weeks, at best. If the home had a spacious driveway or expansive backyard, a dumpster rental would most likely make the most sense as it would offer an option for safely storing the accumulated waste until the energy efficiency renovations were finished. 

Dumpster rentals tend to be the most affordable option for dealing with large amounts of trash. If you have a trailer and a heavy duty pickup, you might even be able to haul away the dumpster´s accumulated contents once the job is finished. Even if you plan to hire a junk removal company to get rid of the dumpster contents at the end of the renovations, you can expect to pay less for one large junk removal service rather than several smaller jobs. 

While dumpster rentals can be an efficient and affordable way to deal with waste, you need to first ask yourself the following questions: 

• Do I have enough space in my yard or driveway to put the dumpster? If a dumpster is going to be blocking you (or your neighbor´s) car from getting in and out, and dumpster rental probably isn’t the best option. 
• Will you be accumulating any sort of hazardous waste? Local disposal ordinances in San Francisco prohibit some types of debris from being thrown away in either dumpster rentals or your regular trash can. Some of these hazardous options include batteries, paint, tires, gasoline, railroad tires, and other materials with potentially toxic substances that could leach into the surrounding area. If you are not sure if your renovation or de-clutter process might contain prohibited items, you can call Junk King San Francisco today to clear up any doubts you might have.  Dumpster rentals are usually best for completely non-toxic waste materials such as normal construction debris, household waste like furniture, yard debris, and roofing debris. 
• Are there any other regulations, ordinances, or laws that might make impede a dumpster rental in your region? You can read a detailed explanation of the ordinance regulating the placement of dumpster rentals and debris boxes in San Francisco here.  

When to Hire a Professional Junk Removal Service 

Junk Removal services tend to be the best option for quick renovations or de-clutters where lots of waste is accumulated in a short amount of time. With professional junk removal you don’t have to worry about where to store the excess waste, what your neighbors might think or say, or whether or not you are infringing on some local ordinance that might result in a fine. Also, hiring a junk removal service means that you won´t have to do any of the heavy lifting, as you simply have to point to the junk items that you need removed. This “hands-free” junk removal service is obviously best for people who do not have the physical stamina to be taking heavy waste items out to the dumpster you´ve rented and placed at the end of your driveway. 

Whereas a dumpster rental will usually take several days to totally get rid of your waste, professional junk removal generally only takes a couple of hours at most. With Junk King of San Francisco, you can simply text us an image of what you need removed and we´ll text back a price estimate. Once you´ve agreed upon the price, we´ll give you the nearest two-hour window for pickup, and will notify you 15-30 minutes before we arrive. 

Lastly, junk removal is usually the best option for extremely bulky items such as large furniture and appliances that simply won´t fit in a dumpster.

Junk King of San Francisco is America´s greenest junk removal service. We offer both junk removal and self-service dumpster rentals to help you deal with your waste in the most affordable and efficient way possible. We also offer the best customer service, and are proud to have a 5-star rating on Yelp. We promise to beat any written estimate and can help you get rid of your junk in an easy and professional manner. Call us today at 1-888-888-5865 to speak with a booking specialist who can help set up your junk removal appointment.