If you are not an industrial, commercial or construction and renovation company, it is likely that you have never rented waste containers (dumpsters), and perhaps you will do it only once in your life time. This post has been thought of for people like you who say, ”but what should I know before renting a dumpster?”. Let’s go with some tips that we hope will greatly help you make a better choice. We all know that waste management has become a real headache and must be planned as an expenditure in all our renovation or construction work, big or small. ​

All customers are asking outright, but how big should the container be? This question is more than relevant, that is why we have created a simple equivalence table to help you in your calculations. We have chosen green bins and a trailer to illustrate the equivalence because they are easy to compare by the vast majority. It is also here that we introduce the concept of the mini-container since you have to know that there are a multitude of container sizes, commonly measured in cubic yards. The smallest size is 10 cubic yards and fits in a garage, driveway or alley. You do not want too big a container if you want be able to place it anywhere on your property. You just need the right size to avoid the need to rent a second dumpster while in the middle of your renovations. So planning is required. According to the number and types of rooms you are remodeling (bathroom or kitchen creates more bulky waste) you can easily estimate the ideal container size. To help, see our chart here.

Remember that the weight also has a great influence, as well as the volume of your waste. A shower unit is not heavy but bulky. There must be some managing of your container space to maximize its use. Also, if you need to add rocks, bricks or heavy material, mention it while you are making your reservation, you may have to restrict the volume if the weight is too heavy to meet the permitted load limits.

As mentioned previously, there is a marked difference between the materials you are going to throw in your container. The type of waste and its content are to be considered. For example, gravel cannot be mixed with other materials. Some wastes are banned outright, the detailed list is explained in the recycling guide that we have prepared for you. We must not forget that the rental dumpster company is responsible for managing the content of the waste. It is subject to the laws and regulations related to waste management and the rental company assumes full legal and moral responsibility as well.

At Tri-O-Bac we have also taken the environmental route for some time, and we are proud to recycle our waste to the maximum possible. Ignoring the basic rules may cause extra expenses when toxic waste, or any other exceptions are treated. Hence the importance of planning the type of waste to dispose. To do this, try to make the list of wastes by determining each step of your anticipated work. Remember that municipalities have several services to help you deal with prohibited waste to be disposed ecologically.

Another consideration is certainly the duration of the rental that must be estimated. It not only affects the price, but also your permit application (see Tip 4). From experience, it is preferable to keep the container as long as you have work in progress, as is often at the end of the work that the final amount of waste is really known. Do not be caught off guard and plan some scheduled time extensions.

Another consideration to take into account is the difficulty to install a container in a public space. If you live in a dense urban environment, you might be tempted to use an express service that lets you rent a container for approximately two hours. This service allows you to place a container in your lane, or elsewhere, the time to complete waste loading. To optimize such a solution, you should find a space to store the waste in anticipation of the service.

In any case, do not underestimate the time, because going back and forth with the containers have a cost.

Another consideration is certainly the duration of the rental that must be estimated. It not only affects the price, but also your permit application (see Tip 4). From experience, it is preferable to keep the container as long as you have work in progress, as is often at the end of the work that the final amount of waste is really known. Do not be caught off guard and plan some scheduled time extensions.

Another consideration to take into account is the difficulty to install a container in a public space. If you live in a dense urban environment, you might be tempted to use an express service that lets you rent a container for approximately two hours. This service allows you to place a container in your lane, or elsewhere, the time to complete waste loading. To optimize such a solution, you should find a space to store the waste in anticipation of the service.

In any case, do not underestimate the time, because going back and forth with the containers have a cost.

In the end, it seems clear that proper planning will ensure you the best quality-price for your rental. You can also combine services with the ecocentres in your municipality to optimize your waste management. You can also benefit by optimizing the use of your waste volume by discarding them wisely. The use of cardboard boxes could also be useful to hold similar debris more easily, both in volume and weight. Remember that the waste containers are large open bins. There is no magic, as we say, “Garbage in, garbage out! “. An expression that makes sense knowing that your waste will be treated at the end of the chain and end up in the right place if we have a place for authorized waste. Hence the importance of choosing a container company environmentally responsible.

Now you are ready to rent a container, make your choice!