Nobody wants to pay for something they don’t need, but you also don’t want your dumpster to be overflowing when there are still 3 days left before the next collection.
Trashco Inc. to the rescue!
In this post, we’ll be laying out all of the insider tips you’ll need to make the best decision (for your wallet and the environment) for what size dumpster to hire. Whether you’re a small commercial business or a massive construction company, we’ll give you the lowdown on what you should choose.
Let’s get started.
Choose what type of dumpster you need
Before making any progress on deciding the size of dumpster you’ll need you should figure out what type of dumpster you’ll require. Generally there are two types to choose from, as demonstrated by our rental services:
Source by WORT News Department, image used under license CC BY 2.0
This should be a fairly easy choice, as it all comes down to what kind of business you’re running and what kind of waste you’re getting rid of.
Front load dumpsters are better for commercial purposes, especially so in the case of small businesses which generate regular, relatively small amounts of waste. These are entirely enclosed which is ideal for bags of mixed waste. Think about it - you don’t want your customers to be able to smell your waste before we pick it up!
As such, front load dumpsters tend to hold a more limited amount of waste than roll-off containers, but they’re still a much better option for general purposes and those who don’t need the capacity of a massive container.
Roll-off containers, on the other hand, are ideal for bulkier waste. These are open-topped containers that literally rolled off of a truck, and they’re usually much larger than front load dumpsters as a result. Roll-off containers are the best choice for construction businesses and the like - those that generate bulky waste regularly and not much in the way of waste which will start to smell if left out.
A guide to dumpster sizes
The first thing you need to do is to estimate roughly how much waste you’re producing regularly. It doesn’t have to be an exhaustive survey that’s accurate to the nearest ounce, the main point is to have a ballpark figure of the capacity you’ll need from your dumpster.
One easy way to think of your waste is as follows; are you using a front load dumpster or a roll-off container? If the former, measure your waste as the number of bags you’ll generate between pickups. If the latter, measure in terms of the number of pickups it would take to dispose of the waste between container pickups.
Let’s break down dumpster sizes according to the type of dumpster you’ve chosen. However, remember that this is a rough guide, and that our expert team is more than happy to discuss your needs with you to find the perfect fit. Click here to talk to us right away!
Front load dumpster size guide
Source by David McElwee, image used under Pexels license
Capacity for front load dumpsters is most easily measured in the number of bags that each can hold. The sizes are as follows:
2 yard dumpster
4 yard dumpster
8 yard dumpster
10 yard dumpster
2 yard dumpsters can hold around 400 pounds of waste, or 20 bags. This makes them perfect for commercial companies with up to 25 employees.
4 yard dumpsters can hold up to 800 pounds of waste, which is equivalent to around 40 bags. As such, they’re suited to companies with up to 50 employees.
8 yard dumpsters are slightly more space-efficient, holding up to 1,800 pounds of waste, or 80 bags. They’re a great choice for mid-to-large-sized businesses with up to 500 employees.
Finally, 10 yard dumpsters can contain up to 2,400 pounds of waste, which is roughly 100 bags. These are only really required when your company employs over 500 employees.
Roll-off container size guide
For roll-off containers a great rough guide to the amount of waste you generate is the number of pickups it would take to dispose of. These are the size of roll-off containers we offer:
15 yard roll-off container
30 yard roll-off container
Roll-off container sizes are equivalent to their waste capacity. That is, 15 yard containers are 15 yards long and hold roughly 6 pickups’ worth of waste. 30 yard containers are 30 yards long and hold roughly 14 pickup loads of waste.
Don’t forget to set your collection schedule
No matter what type of dumpster you decide to use, it’s vital that you set your collection schedule. This can be whatever suits you, but it will also affect the size of your ideal dumpster - the more frequently it’s emptied, the smaller the dumpster you’ll need will be.
Obviously this still depends on the amount of waste overall, but think of it as the amount of waste you’re generating between each collection.
Source by Mike Baird, image used under license CC BY 2.0
For example, let’s say that you’re using a front load dumpster because you’re a commercial business. You generate roughly 100 bags (2,400 pounds) of waste every week. Knowing this, you could either choose to have a 10 yard dumpster which is collected once per week, a 40 yard container to be collected 3 times per week, or even a 20 yard dumpster that’s emptied 5 times per week.
The specifics of pricing (a larger container dumpster infrequently vs a smaller, more frequently emptied one) are something you’ll need to talk to our team about so that we can give you the best advice. However, make note of the size you have available for a dumpster - if you really need the space, it might be better to go for a smaller dumpster and arrange for collection to happen more often.
Remember, Trascho’s maximum collection amount is 5 times per week, so don’t skimp on size and count on waste being collected every day of the week.
Don’t get caught out - let us help you make the right decision!
Here at Trashco Inc. we’re passionate about waste management. We want to see Laredo become a clean, environmentally friendly location that’s as nice to visit as it is to live in.
That’s why we’re Laredo’s leading trash hauler. We show up on time, every time.
If you need any kind of waste management service, get in touch with us and we’ll make sure that the entire process is as easy (and cheap) as possible. Talk to us today!