Most construction and demolition debris goes in a 30 yard: 11,005 of 17,101 C&D orders in our provider network.1 A 20 suits remodels and roofs, a 40 large, light loads, and a 10 or lowboy concrete and dirt. A typical construction quote includes 3 tons on a 20 or 30, 4 on a 40, and 14 days.1
Size by job
Debris figures use EPA's construction and demolition generation rates and loose densities.23 Roofs run 229 to 300 lb per square, depending on the shingle line.4
| Job | Debris (EPA rates) | Suggested by our dumpster calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel (EPA's 150 sq ft example) | About 23 cu yd, 4.8 tons | One 30. Ask for 5 tons on the quote. |
| Roof tear-off, 30 squares, 1 layer | About 10 cu yd, 3.4 to 4.5 tons | One 20. Ask for 4 tons. |
| Roof tear-off, 30 squares, 2 layers | About 20 cu yd, 6.9 to 9 tons | One 20, filled to the top. Get the tons in writing. |
| New home, 2,500 sq ft | About 26 cu yd, 5.5 tons (3 to 14 across EPA's sample) | One 30, or plan a swap. |
| Demolition, 1,000 sq ft wood-frame house, no foundation | About 120 cu yd, 20.5 to 26.5 tons | Several 40s. Plan swaps and quote the tons for each haul. |
| Slab, driveway or footings | See concrete disposal | A 10 or lowboy on a heavy-debris quote |
Which sizes construction jobs use
C&D orders across our provider network over the past two years, by size.1
| Size | C&D orders | Share | Bar | Typical tons included | Typical days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | 518 | 3% | 2 | 10 | |
| 15 yard | 410 | 2% | 2 | 10 | |
| 20 yard | 2,778 | 16% | 3 | 14 | |
| 30 yard | 11,005 | 64% | 3 | 14 | |
| 40 yard | 2,390 | 14% | 4 | 14 |
Tons and days are medians across all orders for each size. On 30s and 40s, a quarter of orders included 30 days or more.
What to get in writing
Pricing depends on market, size, tons and days included. Every site gets its own quote.
Heavy debris and roofing
Concrete, brick, asphalt and dirt hit the weight limit long before the container is full. Order them on a heavy-debris quote in a 10 yard or lowboy, or in a 20 the provider fills only partway. See concrete disposal and the debris weight calculator.
Shingles are dense too. A single-layer, 30 square roof weighs about 3.5 tons, more than the 3 tons most 20 yard quotes include.41
Diversion and weight tickets
If the project reports waste diversion for LEED or a city ordinance, you need weight tickets from the disposal or recycling site for every haul, not just the container. Our construction waste management plan page explains what to track. Running jobs in several markets? See construction site services.
Send the address, the job, the materials and how long you need it. We come back with a size, tons and days included, and a price from the provider network.
Questions
30 yards for most jobs. It's what 64% of C&D orders in our provider network used.1
3 tons on a typical 20 or 30, and 4 on a 40.1 Heavy-debris quotes for concrete usually include 10.
14 days on a typical 20, 30 or 40 quote.1 Longer terms are common on 30s and 40s; ask for the days you need.
No, not on a standard quote. Mixed heavy loads run over the included tons fast. Order concrete separately.
Several. A 1,000 sq ft wood-frame house with no foundation makes about 120 cubic yards and 20 to 26 tons of debris.2
Construction and demolition debris: concrete, wood, drywall, brick, shingles, asphalt and metal from building, remodeling and tearing down.5
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Sources