What size dumpster do I need?
Debris volume, weight, and the container size that fits your project. Free, no email required to see the math.
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The math, in plain English.
Every project type has a typical debris volume — a bathroom gut is 3–5 yards, a kitchen 8–10, a roof tear-off about a yard per 1.5 squares — and for the by-the-number types (roof, flooring, deck, drywall) we scale it by your quantity. Then we add 15% headroom, because torn-out cabinets and drywall never stack the way they did on the wall, and pick the smallest container that holds it.
The catch is weight. A 20-yard can might legally hold 3 tons, and a 25-square shingle tear-off weighs more than that even though it fits by volume. When that happens the calculator steps up a size and flags it. Concrete, tile, plaster, and wet yard debris hit the same wall — for those, ask the hauler about a heavy-debris can before you order.
If you are hiring the demolition out, the dumpster is usually inside the bid, and a surprise like a second roof layer or subfloor rot becomes a change order rather than an argument. Get that written before demo day, and you'll keep scope creep off the invoice.
Dumpster Size questions
What size dumpster do I need for a bathroom remodel?+
A 10-yard container covers almost every bathroom gut — tub, tile, vanity, drywall, and the subfloor if it goes. Go to a 20 if you are doing two bathrooms at once or the tile is on a mortar bed.
Why does a roof need a bigger dumpster than it looks?+
Shingles are dense. A single layer runs about 250 lb per square, so a 25-square roof is over 3 tons — past the weight limit on a 20-yard can even though it fits by volume. Two layers doubles it. Order by weight, not by how tall the pile looks.
Can I put concrete in a dumpster?+
Usually only in a dedicated heavy-debris container, and haulers often cap it at a few tons or fill the can only partway. Broken concrete, brick, and dirt weigh far more than a standard can is rated for. Ask before you load it, or you will pay an overage.
Does CRM Services handle haul-away?+
Yes. On our remodels and repair jobs the container, the loading, and the disposal are inside the estimate, so you are not renting a dumpster or negotiating with a hauler. If we are only doing part of the job, we will tell you which debris is ours.
Where does construction debris go in Clark County?+
Clark County runs public transfer stations that accept construction and demolition debris by weight, and a few private recyclers take clean wood, metal, and cardboard. Rates and accepted materials change, so check the county solid-waste page before you drive a load out.
What does a dumpster rental cost in Vancouver, WA?+
These ranges reflect the Vancouver, WA / Portland metro market — outside the area, treat them as a rough guide. A typical range for a week-long rental is a few hundred dollars for a 10-yard up to more for a 30 or 40, with overage fees per ton past the limit. If the demo is part of a remodel we are doing, request a free estimate — haul-away is priced in.
Get a free estimate for your remodel.
You've got the numbers — we've got the crew. Free onsite consult and a line-item quote, usually same day to 48 hours, depending on scope.