Beware of Affordable, Budget, Cheap Dumpster Rental type companies.

The Hidden Costs of "Affordable" Dumpster Rentals

They will promise a lower price up front to deliver the dumpster but then charge hundreds of dollars on the back end when the dumpster is finally weighed at the landfill. This could cost you an extra $300-$400 for a residential home cleanout. You could pay $600-$1200 extra for a construction, remodeling dumpster.

When tonnage caps are set 1-2 ton you will save $50 when ordering but you will probably pay a considerable amount more in the end. 

Understanding tonnage and why is it important?

1 ton = 2000 lbs.

Here is how it works.  Most contractors know how much weight typically go into a dumpster. They understand how quickly common household and building materials can add up in weight.Dumpsters have a large payload and when they are filled up and packed up, the weight adds up very quickly.  Looks are deceiving and most people do not know what loading a ton feels like until they have done it a couple times. Affordable type companies will tell you that your dumpster will probably not even hit the ton cap.  When it does it will be your problem.

Tonnage on a residential home clean out dumpster - After the Math - 

Affordable, Budget, Cheap Dumpster Rental type companies take advantage of this.  They will offer you that lower price on the onset but charge you after 1 ton.  Some will charge you $7 per 100 lbs. of the 1 ton cap.  This is equal to $140 per ton.  A household cleanout generally requires a 20 yard or 30 yard dumpster.  A typical weight for household 30 yard dumpster is 3–5 ton.  This is based on our 25 years experiences with loading and renting dumpsters for residential clean ups all throughout Wisconsin. Expect to pay for 2-4 ton at $140 per ton after the dumpster has been weighed with this type of dumpster rental company.

This could be an extra $420 or so for a residential home clean up.  You may need multiple dumpsters depending on the size of the home and how long the family has lived there.It has been said that we accumulate 1 cubic yard of extra stuff for every year we live in our homes.

Tonnage on a remodeling, construction dumpster - After the Math - 

If you are a new contractor or you are going to start your first remodeling project or perhaps build you first home, you are going to want to know what your dumpster is going to weigh.When remodeling an older or a newer building you may need to discard a good deal of plaster.  As you perform the demolition on your project you may find this material in and on the walls. It is made of lime or gypsum, water, sand and cement.  It is very heavy and when loaded into a 20yrd dumpster can weigh up to 12 ton.  Remodeling dumpsters are the heaviest in the demolition phase, they typically contain drywall, wood, plaster, masonry, wood or tile flooring.  A typical 30 yard demo dumpster can weigh 7-9 ton. This could cost you an extra $800-$1300 per dumpster for your project.

A new home 30 yard construction dumpster has an average weight of 3.5 ton.  This number is based on the hundreds of dumpsters we have loaded and rented throughout our 25 years in the cleanup business.  When taking on a new construction job you can expect your 30 yard dumpster to weigh on average between 4-7 ton. Expect to pay for 2-6 ton extra at $140 per ton after the dumpster has been weighed with a cheap, affordable type dumpster rental with a 1 -2 ton cap.

Tonnage on roofing shingles – After the Math –  

A 12 yrd for roofing shingles can hold up to 3.5 ton

A 20 yrd for roofing shingles can hold up to 7 ton

A 30 yrd for roofing shingles can hold up to 9 ton

It does not matter if the hauler charges $100 per ton or $7 per 100 lbs.  With a 1-2 ton cap you are more likely to pay more for your dumpster rental in the end based on our real life data.

Doubts or questions?

Check the Google or Yelp reviews of the affordable cheap budget-type dumpsters to see. If you find it difficult or impossible to leave a review right in the area where they post their ever-so-awesome reviews, you will know that they are trying to hide something.