Dumpster for a Whole-House Cleanout
Most whole-house cleanout jobs need a 30 yard dumpster, which runs a median of $520. Expect 2 to 4 tons of debris.
How much it weighs
Household goods are bulky but light. You run out of volume long before weight. A 1,500 sq ft home of furniture and boxes fills a 30-yard.
What to watch for
Mattresses, tires, paint and electronics are commonly refused or surcharged. Ask for the prohibited list up front.
Will it go over the weight allowance?
Very likely, and this is the number that decides your bill. A 30 yard typically includes 2 tons. This job runs 2 to 4 tons, so you should expect to be 2 tons over. At a median $76 a ton that is roughly $0 to $152 on top, against a median rental of $520.
That is not a reason to book a bigger container. Volume and weight are priced separately, and a 30 yard that is half full by volume can still be over on weight. The move is to tell the yard what the debris really is before they quote, so the allowance is set for the job rather than for the box.
What goes in
furniture, boxes and clothing, carpet, general household.
What does not: paint, solvents, tyres, batteries, appliances containing refrigerant, and anything with a fuel tank. Most yards surcharge mattresses and some refuse them outright. Ask for the prohibited list when you book rather than discovering it on collection day, because a load that has to be sorted at the gate is billed for the sorting.
Is the 30 yard the right call?
A 30 yard is 22′ × 8′ × 6′, roughly 9 pickup loads. If you are between sizes, the 40 yard gives you 12 loads instead. The step up costs about $80 more at the median. Going up a size buys volume, not weight allowance, so it is the right move when you are running out of room and the wrong one when you are running out of tons.
Other jobs like this one
- Estate Cleanout 30 yd
- New Construction Debris 30 yd
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Questions
- What size dumpster do I need for a whole-house cleanout?
- A 30 yard dumpster handles most whole-house cleanout jobs, 22′ × 8′ × 6′, about 9 pickup truck loads.
- How much does a dumpster for a whole-house cleanout cost?
- A 30 yard runs a median of $520, with most companies between $445 and $600. Weight over the included allowance is extra, typically $76 per ton.
- How much does whole-house cleanout debris weigh?
- 2 to 4 tons. Household goods are bulky but light. You run out of volume long before weight. A 1,500 sq ft home of furniture and boxes fills a 30-yard.
- What can I put in it?
- Typically furniture, boxes and clothing, carpet, general household. Mattresses, tires, paint and electronics are commonly refused or surcharged. Ask for the prohibited list up front.
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