What Size Dumpster Do I Need? A Project-by-Project Guide

By Double D's Dumpsters Team · Published May 2, 2026 · 6 min read · Category: Sizing

The single most common phone call we get at Double D's starts with: I have no idea what size dumpster I need. That is fine. After you have hauled enough Jacksonville driveways and job sites, the right size becomes obvious from the project description. This article translates that experience into a guide you can use to pick the right roll-off the first time, with concrete examples for the projects we see most often.

Quick Capacity Reference

A roll-off is measured by cubic yards. A pickup truck bed (8 foot bed, level fill) is roughly 2.5 cubic yards. A 10 yard is about 3 to 4 pickup truck loads. A 15 yard is about 5 to 6 truck loads. A 20 yard is about 6 to 8 truck loads. A 30 yard is about 9 to 10 truck loads. Most homeowners overestimate the volume they have, and most contractors underestimate it. The right answer is usually one size up from your gut feel for a homeowner, and one size up from the pile estimate on a job site for a contractor.

10 Yard: Small, Heavy, or Tight Spaces

The 10 yard is the right pick for: garage cleanouts in a tight driveway, small bathroom or single-closet renovations, single-room flooring rip-out, yard waste from a small property, and any project that is heavy by volume (concrete, dirt, brick, tile, asphalt). Concrete in particular almost always goes in a 10 yard because the included 1 ton fills it about a third full and the weight cap on the truck does the rest. Dimensions sit around 14 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. It fits on a standard residential driveway without overhanging the sidewalk.

15 Yard: Mid-Size Residential

The 15 yard handles: kitchen remodels with cabinet and countertop tear-out, single-bathroom remodels with full demo, mid-size garage and attic cleanouts, small roofing jobs (1 to 12 squares of asphalt shingle), single-room flooring with subfloor, and small estate cleanouts. It is the size most homeowners actually need for a project they describe as medium. Dimensions run around 16 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. The 2-ton included tonnage covers most mid-size residential debris streams without overage.

20 Yard: Active Job Sites and Large Renovations

The 20 yard is the workhorse for active general-contractor jobs and serious homeowner renovations: full kitchen and bath remodels, multi-room flooring projects, mid-size roofing tear-offs (12 to 25 squares), pool deck demolition (drop a 10 yard for the concrete and a 20 for the rest, or run two pulls of a 20), large home cleanouts, and most commercial fit-outs. Dimensions are around 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 4.5 feet tall. The 3 tons included covers a typical mixed C&D load without overage.

30 Yard: Demolition, New Construction, Major Cleanouts

The 30 yard is for projects where volume is the constraint: full house cleanouts, structural demolition, new-construction debris, large commercial work, multi-trade renovations on a tight schedule. Dimensions sit around 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 6.5 feet tall. The 4 tons included is enough for high-volume framing scrap, drywall, packaging, and mixed light C&D. For weight-heavy demolition the 30 yard is not the right size; pick the 10 or two pulls of the 15.

Project-by-Project Sizing Table

How to Estimate Without a Tape Measure

Walk the project. For a renovation, count the rooms being demoed. For a cleanout, count the bedrooms and garages. For a roof, get the squares from the contractor (1 square = 100 square feet of roof). For demolition, double whatever you think the volume is; demo always lands bigger than the eye estimates. If the project is on a deadline and you are between two sizes, take the larger one. Paying for a second pull on the smaller container almost always costs more than the next size up.

When to Run Two Pulls Instead of One Big Container

Two pulls of a 20 yard ($550 + $550 = $1,100) cost more than one pull of a 30 yard ($650). Two pulls of a 15 yard ($450 + $450 = $900) cost more than one pull of a 30 yard. The reason to run two pulls anyway: weight. If your project is concrete, brick, soil, or tile, the included tonnage on a 30 yard does not cover the second half of the container, and the overage at $65 per ton turns the bigger container into the more expensive option. Two 10-yard pulls beat one 30-yard pull on any heavy load.

Still Not Sure?

Call (904) 395-CANS with your project description and we will recommend a size based on what we have hauled on jobs that look like yours. The size guide has dimensions and weight limits in detail. The cost article explains how the size choice maps to the final invoice. Or use the online booking form and we will follow up with a sizing recommendation before we dispatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size dumpster do I need for a kitchen remodel?

Most full kitchen remodels in Jacksonville fit in a 15 or 20 yard. Cabinets, countertops, flooring, and drywall add up faster than people expect. If you are also tearing out a wall or moving plumbing, lean toward the 20 yard.

What size dumpster do I need for a roofing tear-off?

For up to 12 squares of asphalt shingle, the 15 yard is sufficient. For 12 to 25 squares, the 20 yard is the right pick. Weight is the constraint on roofing, not volume; the 2 tons on the 15 yard covers about 12 squares of standard asphalt shingle without overage.

What size dumpster do I need for a whole-house cleanout?

Most three-bedroom whole-house cleanouts in Jacksonville need a 20 yard, and four-bedroom or larger homes usually need a 30 yard. Furniture is bulky and unpacks volume faster than you estimate.

Is it cheaper to rent a bigger dumpster or two smaller ones?

On volume-driven projects, bigger is cheaper. One 30 yard at $650 beats two 20 yards at $1,100. On weight-driven projects (concrete, dirt, tile, brick) two 10 yards is cheaper because the included tonnage on the bigger container does not cover the load and per-ton overage adds up fast.

Call (904) 395-CANS for a flat-rate Jacksonville dumpster rental quote, or use the online booking form to request delivery.