Roll-off dumpsters get described in cubic yards, which tells you almost nothing useful unless you work in waste. This guide translates the numbers into things you can actually picture: how much driveway each one eats, how much it holds, and what kind of project it's built for.
The three sizes at a glance
| Size | Dimensions (L × W × H) | Capacity | Weight | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 yard | 16′ × 8′ × 4′6″ | ~4–5 pickup loads | 2 tons | $350 |
| 20 yard | 23′ × 8′ × 4′6″ | ~6 pickup loads | 3 tons | $400 |
| 30 yard | 23′ × 8′ × 6′ | ~9 pickup loads | 4 tons | $450 |
15 yard: the driveway-friendly one
At 16 feet, this is the one that fits where others don't — single-car driveways, older neighborhoods with short approaches, tight alleys. The 4′6″ walls are low enough that you can toss debris over the side instead of walking everything through the door, which speeds up a clean-out considerably.
Ideal for: garage and basement clean-outs, kitchen or bath remodels, whole-house carpet removal, small deck demos, pre-move decluttering.
20 yard: the one most people need
Seven feet longer than the 15, same easy-loading wall height. It's the size we rent most, because it covers the broad middle of real projects: a couple of rooms being redone, a whole-home purge, a deck coming down. If you're renovating and don't know what you'll find behind the walls, this is the safe pick.
Ideal for: 1–2 bedroom remodels, whole-home clean-ups, full deck demolition, house-wide flooring swaps, mid-sized contractor jobs.
30 yard: the whole-project container
Here's the detail most people miss: the 30-yard has the same 23′ × 8′ footprint as the 20. It doesn't need more driveway — the extra 10 cubic yards come from taller 6-foot walls. The tradeoff is loading: at that height you'll want to use the rear swing door rather than heaving things over the side, so leave about 8 feet of clearance behind the container.
Ideal for: large renovations and additions, commercial clean-outs, foreclosures and estate clearings, multi-room gut jobs, community cleanups.
Not sure which one your project needs?
That's a one-minute phone call, and we'll give you a straight answer — including when the smaller size is enough.
Call 303-883-6050Measuring your space before delivery
Whatever size you land on, check three things:
- Length: the container itself, plus room for our truck to line up straight.
- Height: overhead clearance free of low branches, wires, and eaves.
- Door swing: about 8 extra feet behind the container if you plan to load through the rear door.
Uneven or gravel driveway? A little leveling beforehand makes placement and pickup smoother. And if you want to protect decorative concrete or pavers, ask us to set the container on plywood — we do it all the time.
Size isn't the only limit — weight is too
Each container includes a tonnage allowance (2, 3, or 4 tons), with overage at $60 per ton and a landfill receipt sent to you either way. Bulky-but-light debris fills the space first; dense material like plaster, tile, or wet carpet can hit the weight limit while the box still looks half full. Tell us what you're throwing out and we'll flag it in advance.
Also worth repeating: no dirt, rock, concrete, shingles, or tires, and nothing hazardous. Those aren't our preferences — they're what the landfill accepts.
Choosing in one line
- Tight driveway or one room: 15 yard
- Most homes, most remodels: 20 yard
- Big renovation or commercial: 30 yard — same footprint as the 20, taller walls
See full specs and photos on the 15 yard, 20 yard, and 30 yard pages.
Keep reading
One call and we'll match the container to your project — no guesswork.