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Guide

How to choose a dumpster size

Guessing is how people end up paying for a second haul. Ten minutes with a tape measure gets you close.

Four steps

  1. Measure the pile

    If it's already stacked, multiply length by width by height in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A pile 12 by 6 by 4 feet is about 10.7 yards.

  2. Add for awkward pieces

    Chairs, bikes and branches don't pack flat. Add a quarter or so to your number.

  3. Check the weight

    If most of it is tile, shingles, concrete or soil, plan by weight instead, and go smaller.

  4. Round up one size

    Running out of room costs more than a little empty space. The company can tell you if you've gone too far.

If the pile isn't made yet

For a remodel or a cleanout that hasn't started, describe the rooms instead. Say how many rooms, what's coming out of each one, and what the floors are. Companies hear these descriptions all day, and they can turn them into a size quickly.

Photos help. If the company offers a way to send pictures, use it.

One big or two small?

Two containers in a row can beat one large one when:

  • You have a clean load of concrete or dirt plus general debris
  • The driveway is short and a large container won't fit
  • Demolition happens first and the cleanup weeks later

Swapping a full container for an empty one is common. Ask what a swap costs compared with a second rental.

Low container with broken concrete slabs and pavers, a wheelbarrow beside it

Signs you went too small

Debris above the rim, a lid that won't close if there is one, or a pile still waiting in the garage on pickup day. If you see this coming halfway through, call the company early. A swap scheduled ahead is easier than one arranged on the last day. The sizes page lists what each size typically holds.

Fort Myers and nearby Lee County

Get a size, a drop-off date and a price

Tell the company what you're throwing out, which spot on the property you have in mind and how many days you need it. Booking is up to you.

Rent by phone

You'll speak with an independent local dumpster rental company. Have the address and a rough list of what's going in.

Call (239) 312-9438

Phone hours: Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Eastern time

You speak with an independent company, not with this website. See the referral disclosure.

Call (239) 312-9438