Guide
Where to put a dumpster
The truck sets the container down where you choose, so choose before it arrives. A few minutes with a tape measure saves a scraped driveway or a box parked in the wrong place.
Booking hours: Monday to Saturday 8 to 8, Sunday 8 to 1 (Eastern time)
Protect the surface
Steel rails and a heavy load can mark asphalt, especially on a warm day, and can crack thin concrete. Sheets of plywood or long boards under each rail spread the weight.
Some companies bring boards; others expect you to set them out. Ask, and put them down before the truck turns into the street.
Measure three things
- LengthThe container plus room for the truck to line up behind it. Ask the company for the total run they need.
- WidthGateposts, a fence or a parked car can narrow a driveway. Leave a little more than the box's width on each side.
- HeightAs the hoist tilts, the front of the container rises. Low wires, gutters and tree limbs above the spot are a problem.
Rules from someone else
Homeowners associations
Many HOAs limit how long a container may stay, where it may sit, or require a tarp at night. Read the rules or ask the manager before booking.
Get approval in writing if the rules mention containers at all.
Leases and shared lots
In a rental or a shared driveway, the container affects neighbors' parking. Agree on the spot and the dates with the owner and anyone sharing the drive.
Leave a clear path to doors, meters and the garage.
When the street is the only place
Attached rowhouses and two-family homes without a driveway often have no off-street option. In the city of Albany that means a permit and, if you need the spaces held, a parking request. The permit guide has the steps.
Snow changes things from late fall onward. Keep the box off a plow route's turning space if you can, and clear a path to the doors so loading isn't a slip hazard.
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)
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