This is the question we answer more than any other, and the honest truth is it takes about sixty seconds on the phone. But if you'd rather work it out yourself first, here's the same thinking we use.
Think in pickup truck loads
Cubic yards mean nothing to most people. Pickup loads do. So here's the translation:
| Size | Pickup loads | Dimensions | Weight included |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 yard | ~4–5 | 16′ × 8′ × 4′6″ | 2 tons |
| 20 yard | ~6 | 23′ × 8′ × 4′6″ | 3 tons |
| 30 yard | ~9 | 23′ × 8′ × 6′ | 4 tons |
Notice that the 20 and 30 have the same footprint — 23 feet long either way. The 30-yard gets its extra capacity from taller walls, not more driveway. That matters when space is tight.
Match the size to the project
Go with a 15 yard if you're doing…
- A garage or basement clean-out
- One room's remodel — a kitchen or bathroom
- Whole-house carpet removal (bulky but light)
- A small deck tear-down
- Spring cleaning or pre-move decluttering
It's also the easiest to place — at 16 feet, it fits driveways that can't take anything bigger.
Go with a 20 yard if you're doing…
- A 1–2 bedroom remodel
- A whole-home clean-up (multiple rooms, garage, basement)
- A full deck demolition
- Flooring across an entire house
- A mid-sized construction or contractor job
This is our most-rented size for a reason: it handles the majority of real-world projects with margin to spare.
Go with a 30 yard if you're doing…
- A large renovation or home addition
- A commercial clean-out or tenant finish
- A foreclosure or full estate clearing
- A gut job spanning multiple rooms
- A neighborhood or community cleanup
Still on the fence between two sizes?
Describe your project to us and we'll tell you which one fits — including when the smaller one is enough.
Call 303-883-6050When in doubt, size up (here's the math)
The price gap between our sizes is $50. The cost of guessing too small is a second rental — the full price all over again, plus another delivery wait in the middle of your project. That asymmetry is why we tell people to round up when they're genuinely torn.
What we won't do is push you up a size just to pad the invoice. If you describe a single-bathroom remodel, we're going to tell you the 15-yard is plenty. We'd rather earn the next call than squeeze this one.
Don't forget weight
Volume fills a dumpster; weight is what gets billed. Each size includes a tonnage allowance, with overage at $60 per ton. Light-and-bulky debris — carpet, cabinets, furniture, drywall — you'll fill the space long before you hit the limit. Dense material like plaster, tile, or wet debris can hit the tonnage while the container still looks half empty.
And remember what can't go in at all: dirt, rock, concrete, shingles, tires, and anything hazardous. Those are landfill rules, not ours. Read the full list in our FAQ.
Quick rule of thumb
- One room? 15 yard.
- Multiple rooms or a whole house? 20 yard.
- Full renovation, addition, or commercial? 30 yard.
- Truly can't decide? Size up — it's cheaper than a second rental.
One more trick: load it well
You can fit noticeably more by breaking down bulky items, laying flat pieces flat, putting heavy things in first, and filling gaps as you go. Just keep everything below the rim — we can't legally haul a container with debris above the walls.
Compare all three sizes side by side on the 15, 20, and 30 yard pages.
Keep reading
Describe the project, get the right container — no overselling, ever.