Site services glossary

Waste and containers

Roll-offAlso: roll-off container, dumpster

An open-top waste container delivered and collected by a truck that rolls it off the chassis. Sized in cubic yards, commonly 10 to 40 on construction sites.

Dump trailer

A towable container that tips to unload, used where a roll-off truck cannot access or turn around. Frequently listed under a yard size but not interchangeable with a roll-off.

SwapAlso: exchange, switch out

Removing a full container and delivering an empty one in the same visit, so the site is never without capacity. Each swap is a billable haul and a separate record.

Haul

One trip to collect or deliver a container. Many providers bill per haul plus disposal tonnage rather than a flat rental, which is why two quotes at the same rate can settle very differently.

C&DConstruction and demolition

Mixed construction debris: wood, drywall, metal, packaging, general jobsite waste. The default material class for construction containers and the cheapest per ton of the mixed streams.

InertAlso: clean fill, heavy inerts

Dense non-organic material such as concrete, brick, block, asphalt, dirt, and sand. Priced and loaded differently from C&D because weight, not volume, is the constraint.

Tons included

The disposal weight bundled into the container price. Weight above it is billed as additional tonnage. A quote with zero tons included is a haul price, not an all-in price.

Additional tonnageAT

The per-ton charge for disposal weight above the tons included, assessed from the scale ticket. Shingles, concrete, and wet debris are the usual causes of an overage.

Concrete washout

A contained unit for rinsing concrete equipment so slurry does not reach soil or storm drains. Usually a permit or stormwater plan requirement rather than a convenience.

Compactor

A container with a powered ram that compresses waste, reducing haul frequency. Common on long-running facilities rather than short construction projects.

Portable sanitation

Portable restroomAlso: portable toilet, porta potty

A self-contained restroom unit delivered to a site and serviced on a schedule. Construction and event specifications differ in interior fit-out and service assumptions.

Hand wash station

A standalone unit with fresh water, soap, and towels, placed alongside restrooms. Often required separately by contract or site rule rather than assumed to be included.

Restroom trailerAlso: luxury restroom trailer

A towable multi-stall unit with flushing fixtures, running water, lighting, and climate control. Needs a level pad and, in most configurations, power and water or a holding tank.

Holding tank

A sealed tank collecting waste from trailers or temporary fixtures, pumped on a schedule. The pumping cadence, not the tank rental, usually drives the cost.

Service cycleAlso: cycle

The recurring interval at which a unit is cleaned and pumped. Priced per cycle rather than per day, which is why the frequency matters more than the rental rate on a long placement.

Service frequency

How often a unit is serviced: weekly, twice weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, daily, or one time. Crew count and unit count together determine what is adequate, and under-servicing is the most common complaint on a construction site.

Septic pumping

Emptying an on-site septic tank by vacuum truck. A scheduled requirement for buildings not on municipal sewer, which is why it dominates rural retail and facilities programs.

Wastewater dumping

The disposal charge for discharging collected waste at an approved facility. Varies by location and by the receiving facility’s rate, so it rarely carries a single national price.

Rental terms and billing

Days included

The rental days bundled into the base price before overage begins. Counted from delivery, not from the day work starts.

Additional daily rateADR

The per-day charge once the days included are exhausted. On construction work where removal is triggered by a phone call rather than a date, ADR is where budgets quietly drift.

Overage days

Days on site beyond the days included, counted through removal or through today if the unit is still active. The basis for additional daily rate billing.

Delivery fee

The charge to place the unit. Some providers apply it on initial delivery only; others apply it to every swap, which materially changes the cost of a high-turnover container.

Long-term rental

A placement billed on recurring cycles rather than a fixed term, used where the end date is unknown. Standard on construction sanitation, where removal follows the schedule rather than a contract date.

Dry runAlso: failed attempt

A trip where the provider arrives but cannot complete the service: the container is blocked, the gate is locked, the tank is inaccessible. Most providers bill for it; whether it reaches you depends on who is reconciling.

Final removal

Permanent collection at the end of a placement, closing the rental and stopping recurring charges. Distinct from a swap or a scheduled service visit.

Consolidated invoicing

One invoice covering every location, service line, and provider on an account, with the underlying detail retained behind it. The alternative is one invoice per provider per site.

Procurement and compliance

Certificate of insuranceCOI

Evidence of coverage issued to a named certificate holder. Usually the first document requested and the most common cause of a delayed mobilization.

Additional insured

An endorsement extending a policy’s protection to another party, typically the contractor or property owner. Requested by name and address, and not automatic.

Waiver of subrogation

An endorsement giving up the insurer’s right to recover from another party after paying a claim. Frequently required by master service agreements.

UEIUnique Entity ID

The twelve-character identifier assigned in SAM.gov that replaced the DUNS number for federal registration. Required to receive a federal award.

CAGE codeCommercial and Government Entity code

A five-character code issued by the Defense Logistics Agency identifying a legal entity at a specific physical address. Tied to the address, which is why a relocation requires revalidation.

NAICS codeNorth American Industry Classification System

The classification federal buyers use to scope solicitations and size standards. Site services commonly fall under 562991, 532490, and 238910.

MobilizationAlso: demobilization

Standing a site up at the start of work and clearing it at the end. Sanitation and waste are usually among the first services in and the last out, which is why a program measured only on peak months understates duration.

Laydown yard

A staging area for materials and equipment, often separated from the main work area and requiring its own sanitation and waste coverage. A frequent omission when scoping a large site.