Dumpster Rental in Seattle, WA

Seattle Dumpster Rental Tips

Renting a roll off dumpster from a great locally owned dumpster company should be simple, even if it's your first time. Below are a few commonly asked questions and answers for those that have never rented a roll off container before.

How much does it cost to rent a dumpster in Seattle?

Most Seattle dumpster rental companies quote a price that contains two separate components: a hauling fee and a disposal or "dump" fee. The amount charged depends on the hauler.

The hauling fee is typically around $200 for a 10 or 20 yard dumpster. That covers the cost to deliver the dumpster, pick it up when full, and haul it to the landfill or recycling center.

Dump fees or landfill fees in Seattle Metro are some of the highest in the country. It typically costs between $98 and $120 a ton (a ton = 2000 lbs.) to dispose of general bulk trash and debris. Recyclable materials usually cost less. Most dumpster rental services in Seattle just pass this cost on directly to their customers without marking it up. That means you can expect to pay about $100 or so per ton of debris you need disposed. That cost comes down if some or all of the material can be recycled.

So, in most cases, you won't know a final price for your dumpster rental until your debris is weighed at the landfill. If you rented a 20 yard dumpster with a $200 haul fee and a $100/ton dump fee, your total cost to rent a dumpster that weighed in at 1 ton (2000 lbs.) would be $300 + tax. A dumpster that weighed in at 2 tons would be: $200 haul fee + $200 dump fee = $400 + tax. This example assumes your debris is general trash or junk that can't be recycled. The landfill fees decrease by about 1/3 if your debris is recyclable.

Help me understand dumpster sizes. What container size should I rent?

Roll off dumpster sizes are described by the number of cubic yards held within the trash container. So, a "10 yard dumpster" will hold 10 cubic yards of debris. Typical dumpster sizes are 10 cubic yards, 20 cubic yards, 30 cubic yards, and 40 cubic yards.

For each dumpster service above, we provide the dumpster sizes in both cubic yards and in feet (length X width X height) to help you better understand the size of trash container you may need for your particular cleanup project. Estimating the amount of debris you have can be tricky. Feel free to contact a local dumpster rental service for their advice on trash container size.

Learn more about dumpster sizes

Tell me more about the dumpster rental process. What are the steps to rent a dumpster?

1. Consider what size roll off container you may need based on the amount of rubbish or debris you need removed.
2. Contact one or more of the Seattle dumpster services above. Ask about their pricing, standard rental period, weight included in the price, materials not allowed in the trash container, and other rental policies.
3. Schedule a date for delivery of a temporary trash dumpster or construction dumpster to your home, job site, or place of business.
4. When your finished loading the trash or debris into the container, call the company back and they will pick the trash container up and haul it away to the landfill, transfer station, or recycling center.

Learn more about how to rent a dumpster

What can I use a roll off dumpster for and why are the called "roll off" dumpsters?

Temporary dumpsters for rent by homeowners and contractors are referred to as "roll off" dumpsters (or roll off containers) because they "roll off" the back of the truck onto your driveway, street, or parking lot.

Roll off containers are great for large household trash removal projects. Spring cleaning, foreclosures, estate cleanouts, and moving in or moving out of a home are common examples. Dumpster rental is also the ideal solution for construction debris removal. Remodeling projects, reroofing, and new construction projects often require a temporary waste dumpster on site.