What Size Dumpster Do You Need? 10 vs 15 vs 20 Yard
A 10-yard dumpster handles garage cleanouts, small remodels, and single-layer roof tearoffs. A 15-yard — our most-booked size — covers basements, attics, and kitchen or bath remodels. A 20-yard takes whole-home cleanouts, large renovations, and construction debris. Stuck between two sizes? Go up one: the jump costs less than a second haul.
Here's how to match the container to the project, using the dumpster rental sizes we deliver across the Merrimack Valley every day.
What does "10-yard" actually mean?
The number is volume — cubic yards of debris the container holds — not the length of the box. In pickup-truck terms: a 10-yard holds about three full-size pickup beds, a 15-yard about four to five, and a 20-yard about six.
Here's the part most people don't expect: all three of our sizes sit on the same 14' × 8' footprint— roughly one parking space. Only the wall height changes. So a bigger dumpster doesn't need a bigger driveway; it just holds more.
| Size | Dimensions | Included weight | Holds about | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | 14' L × 8' W × 3' H | 1 ton | 3 pickup loads | Single-layer roof tearoffs, single-room remodels, small driveway cleanouts, yard cleanups |
| 15 yard | 14' L × 8' W × 4' H | 1.5 tons | 4–5 pickup loads | Basement and attic cleanouts, kitchen or bath remodels, flooring tear-outs |
| 20 yard | 14' L × 8' W × 6' H | 2 tons | 6 pickup loads | Whole-home cleanouts, large renovations, construction debris, garage demos |
What fits in each size?
10 yard.The workhorse. A garage's worth of accumulated stuff, the debris from one remodeled room, a yard cleanup — and, the one that surprises people, a single-layer roof tearoff. Shingles are a weight question more than a volume question, which is why the smallest container is the right call for most roofs. With 3-foot walls it's also the easiest to load over the side.
15 yard.Our most-booked size, and the one that ends most guessing. Basement or attic cleanouts, a kitchen's cabinets and counters, bath remodels, flooring tear-outs. If you're clearing a whole apartment or handling a downsizing move, start here.
20 yard.Whole-home cleanouts, multi-room renovations, construction debris, garage demos. If you're staging a house for sale and clearing years of accumulation in one shot, a 20 saves you the second trip — and with the same footprint as the 10, it still fits the driveway.
We deliver all three sizes next-day throughout the area, including dumpster rental in Lowell, Dracut, and Tewksbury.
What size for your project?
| Project | Size to book |
|---|---|
| Garage / basement / attic cleanout | 10–15 yard |
| Roof tearoff (single layer) | 10 yard |
| Small bathroom remodel | 10 yard |
| Kitchen remodel | 15 yard |
| Flooring tear-out | 15 yard |
| Estate or whole-apartment cleanout | 15–20 yard |
| Whole-home cleanout before a sale | 20 yard |
| Garage demo / construction debris | 20 yard |
| Yard debris (brush, branches, leaves) | Any size — book it as a yard-waste load (see FAQ) |
Do you rent 30 or 40 yard dumpsters?
We carry 10, 15, and 20 yard containers — and anything bigger, we handle with 20-yard swap-outs: we drop an empty and haul the full one in the same visit, or stage multiple containers if the job calls for it. There's a practical reason the biggest boxes are rare around here anyway: a 30 or 40 yard can doesn't suit the tight driveways and dense streets in towns like Lowell, and an oversized half-empty container costs more than a right-sized full one.
Weight limits and Massachusetts disposal rules
Every size includes a weight allowance — 1 ton on the 10, 1.5 on the 15, 2 on the 20. Loads over the allowance are billed by the pound off the transfer-station scale ticket; current rates are on the pricing page. Volume fills a dumpster, but weight is what the scale charges for — which is why a 20-yard of shingles is a different conversation than a 20-yard of furniture.
Two Massachusetts-specific things to know before you load:
- Heavy materials— dirt, concrete, and shingles in bulk are priced as their own load type. Tell us what you're tossing when you book and we'll set it up right.
- State Waste Ban items — mattresses and box springs, TVs, refrigerators, freezers and A/C units, propane and helium tanks, and tires carry separate state-driven handling fees; bulk yard waste is handled as its own stream too. The current item fees live on the pricing page.
Will it fit in your driveway?
Yes, in almost every case — the footprint is one parking space, and we place wood under the wheels on every delivery to protect the surface. The truck needs about 45 feet of straight-on approach to place a container, though we can sometimes work with less depending on the driveway and setup. The usual snag isn't the driveway at all; it's overhead — low wires and branches. Not sure about your spot? Text a photo when you book and we'll tell you straight.
FAQ
Can yard waste and household junk go in the same dumpster?
Keep them separate — brush, branches, and leaves are processed as their own material stream with their own handling, and mixing them into a junk load means the whole thing gets billed at the higher mixed rate. Tell us it's yard debris when you book and we'll set it up as the right load type.
Do I need a permit?
On your own driveway, no. On a street or public way, usually yes — that's town by town (and sometimes HOA), and it's the renter's responsibility, though we know which local towns require one and will flag it when you book.
How long do I keep the dumpster?
Every rental includes 3 days, with 7-day and open-ended options if the project needs longer — and extending mid-rental is a phone call, not a problem.
Can I fill it above the rim?
No — debris can't extend above the top rail. The load has to sit level for the truck to tarp and haul it legally. If you hit the rail with debris left, call us and we'll sort the next step.
What if I book the wrong size?
You're not stuck. If the container fills mid-project, we'll swap it — drop an empty, haul the full one, same visit. Call us and we'll fix the size, not lecture you about it.
Ready to book? Reserve your 10 yard, 15 yard, or 20 yard online in about two minutes, or call/text 978-225-0786 and we'll size it with you. Serving Tyngsborough and the surrounding MA and NH towns.
Ready to clear it out?
Text a photo for an instant quote, or book a dumpster online in under two minutes.