Guide
How to choose a dumpster size
You don't need an exact number. A rough count of what's going out, plus a sense of how heavy it is, gets you close enough for the company to fine-tune on the phone.
Booking hours: Monday to Saturday 8 to 8, Sunday 8 to 1 (Eastern time)
A three-part estimate
Picture the pile
Imagine everything stacked in one heap. A pile 3 ft high, 6 ft wide and 6 ft deep is about 4 cubic yards. Measure a room's floor and guess how high the junk would reach.
Allow for air
Chairs, bikes and branches never pack flat. Add about a third to your number for awkward shapes. Broken-down boxes and bagged debris need less.
Sort by weight
Split the heap into light material and heavy material. Heavy material sets the limit, so mention it first on the call.
Common choices people weigh up
One size up, or one size down?
If you're between two sizes and the load is light, the bigger box often costs less than a second haul. If the load is heavy, the smaller box stops you overloading it.
A box that's too full to tarp or that has debris above the rails may not be collected until it's leveled off.
One big container, or two trips?
A long project with separate phases, such as demolition then a garage purge, sometimes works better as two smaller rentals. You keep the driveway open between them.
Ask whether a swap (pick up full, drop off empty) is possible and how it is priced.
Rules of thumb by job
- One room of furniture and boxes: small to mid-size, around 10 to 15 yards.
- Garage or basement packed for a decade: 15 to 20 yards.
- Roof tear-off: decided by the number of shingle layers and squares, so give the roofer's figures.
- Whole-house clear-out before a sale: 30 yards, or two rounds of a 20.
- Soil, brick or concrete: the smallest box offered, and not filled to the top.
These are starting points, not promises. For dimensions, see dumpster sizes.
Book a roll-off for your Albany address
Pick up the phone with three things in mind: the debris, the drop spot and your dates. A locally run, independent roll-off company picks up, recommends a container and quotes a drop-off day and a total.
This number is for rentals, not trash pickup. Albany's regular trash and recycling are handled by the city's Department of General Services.
Booking hours: Monday to Saturday 8 to 8, Sunday 8 to 1 (Eastern time)
Conversations can be recorded; details are in our referral disclosure and privacy policy.