Guide
What Size Dumpster Do I Need?
By Cesar Hurtado, owner · Published
For most home projects, an 18 or 21 yard dump trailer is the right size. The 18 yard ($395) fits garage cleanouts, carpet tear-outs and move-in cleanups, and the 21 yard ($440) fits whole-house moving cleanouts and larger property cleanups. Choose the 15 yard ($350) for a single room or heavy material, and the 24 yard ($485) for big, bulky loads like yard waste. Every rental includes 7 days and 1 ton.
What sizes do your dump trailers come in?
We rent four dump trailer sizes. Each one is a flat rate that includes 7 days on site and 1 ton of weight. The yard number is the volume of the box in cubic yards.
| Trailer | Inside box (L × W × H) | Flat rate | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 yard | 14 ft × 7 ft × 4 ft | $350 | Smaller cleanouts, single-room projects, yard debris |
| 18 yard | 14 ft × 7 ft × 5 ft | $395 | Garage cleanouts, furniture removal, renovation debris |
| 21 yard | 16 ft × 7 ft × 5 ft | $440 | Estate cleanouts, full-property cleanups, heavier debris loads |
| 24 yard | 16 ft × 8 ft × 5 ft | $485 | Whole-home cleanouts, construction debris, major projects |
If you need it longer, $50 per day starts on the 8th day after delivery. Weight over the included ton is $120 per ton. See the full terms on our pricing page.
What have customers actually used each size for?
These are real rentals from our recent jobs, so you can match your project to something that already worked.
18 yard
- A new homeowner in Parkland rented an 18-yard trailer for 7 days to clear moving boxes, old furniture and construction debris before moving in.
- A repeat customer in Parkland rented an 18-yard trailer for 7 days to remove old carpet and declutter, with the trailer parked on their paver driveway.
- A pool company in Weston used an 18-yard trailer for a pool deck demo. The load was kept as clean fill (concrete and dirt) and recycled, saving the customer disposal fees.
21 yard
- A customer in Weston cleaning out before a move kept a 21-yard trailer from Sunday to Thursday for furniture, boxes and household items.
- A repeat customer in Plantation needed a fast drop-off of a 21-yard trailer to clear out a property.
- A national demolition contractor rented a 21-yard trailer for 14 days for work at a Best Buy store in Boca Raton. We supplied the trailer; the contractor did the demolition.
- For a full house cleanout in Weston before a remodel and resale, we removed over 60 yards of household items using a 21-yard trailer.
24 yard
- A landscaping client in Pompano Beach used a 24-yard trailer to clean up branches, brush and yard waste.
15 yard
The 15 yard is our compact trailer for single rooms, smaller cleanouts and yard debris. Its 4-foot walls also make it the sensible pick when the material is heavy, because a smaller box keeps you from loading more weight than you planned.
How do I estimate how much space my project needs?
Measure the pile, not the room. Multiply length × width × height in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A pile 10 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 feet high is about 9 cubic yards.
In general, plan for more space than the pile looks like it needs:
- Furniture, mattresses and appliances don't stack flat, so they take more room loaded than they do standing in a garage.
- Breaking down boxes and taking furniture apart where you can saves real space.
- Cleanouts tend to grow. Closets, attics and sheds usually turn up more than expected once you start.
- If you're torn between two sizes, the bigger trailer usually costs less than a second rental. A Dump & Return is charged as a new rental at the full flat rate.
When does weight matter more than size?
Concrete, dirt, tile, pavers and roofing fill your 1 ton long before they fill the trailer. Using EPA's volume-to-weight conversion factors, a cubic yard of concrete averages about 860 pounds and dirt and sand about 929 pounds — and those are averages. Solid chunks, wet soil and tightly packed loads weigh more, so a few cubic yards of either can use up a ton. By comparison, clean lumber averages about 169 pounds per cubic yard.
For heavy jobs, a smaller trailer is often the better choice, and clean fill trailers are available upon request. Our guide to dumpster weight limits and overage fees walks through it in detail.
How do your trailers compare to 10, 20, 30 and 40 yard roll-off dumpsters?
Roll-off dumpsters are commonly sold as 10, 20, 30 and 40 yard containers and are dropped by a roll-off truck. The yard number works the same way it does for our trailers: it names the volume in cubic yards. So compare by the number, not the name.
- Our 15 and 18 yard trailers fall between a 10 and a 20 yard roll-off.
- Our 21 and 24 yard trailers fall between a 20 and a 30 yard roll-off.
- We don't rent anything in the 30 to 40 yard range. For a bigger job, a second load or a Dump & Return usually covers it.
Sizes, dimensions and included weight vary from company to company, so ask any provider for the actual box measurements and how much weight is included before you compare prices. Our guide to dump trailers vs. roll-off dumpsters covers the other differences.
What's the fastest way to get a size recommendation?
Text a few photos of the pile or the space to (954) 247-1399 and tell us what's in it. We'll recommend a size and tell you if anything in the load is heavy enough to change that. You can also request a quote online.
Some items can't go in any of our trailers, including refrigerant appliances, tires, batteries, paint and propane tanks. See what can't go in a dumpster before you start loading.