Sizes guide
Roll-off dumpster sizes
Roll-off containers are measured in cubic yards of space. The numbers below are typical ranges, not a promise: sizes and weight allowances vary by company, and the one you reach confirms both on the call.
Phone hours: Monday–Saturday 8am–8pm, Sunday 8am–1pm ET
Common sizes at a glance
| Size | Often about (L × W × H) | Typically holds | Fits jobs like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yard | 12–14 ft × 7–8 ft × 3–4 ft | 3 to 4 pickup-truck loads | A bathroom gut, a small patio of broken concrete, a few rooms of carpet |
| 15-yard | 14–16 ft × 7–8 ft × 4–4.5 ft | 4 to 6 pickup-truck loads | A one-car garage or basement cleanout, a small single-layer roof |
| 20-yard | 20–22 ft × 7–8 ft × 4–5 ft | 6 to 8 pickup-truck loads | A kitchen remodel, flooring through a whole house, an average roof |
| 30-yard | 20–22 ft × 7–8 ft × 6 ft | 9 to 12 pickup-truck loads | A whole-house cleanout, a large move-out, an addition |
| 40-yard | 20–22 ft × 7–8 ft × 7–8 ft | 12 to 16 pickup-truck loads | Major renovations and very large estates; tall walls make hand-loading slow |
Pickup-truck loads assume a full-size bed heaped level with the sides. Treat them as a rough yardstick.
Weight comes with every size
Each container is rented with a weight allowance, and the company sets it. A 20-yard box of sofas and boxes might weigh a ton or two. The same box half full of wet shingles, tile or dirt can weigh far more and still look half empty.
Heavy material usually goes in a 10 or 15-yard container. Some companies mark a fill line for dirt or concrete, or ask that a heavy load be only one material. Ask what happens if you go over, and get the answer before the container arrives.
Words you'll hear on the call
- Roll-off
- The container rolls on and off a hoist truck on steel rails. No lifting equipment stays behind.
- Rear door
- A swing-open end on most containers. Walk a dresser in instead of lifting it over the side.
- Rental period
- The days the container stays before pickup. Extra days are usually possible if you ask.
- Swap
- A full container is hauled away and an empty one set down, for jobs too big for one load.
If you live in Shively, check the length
Shively's dumpster ordinance caps a temporary container at 20 feet long, 10 feet wide and 8 feet high, with no more than two on a home lot. Larger roll-offs can run longer or taller than that, so ask for exact dimensions and read the Shively page before you book.
Unsure which size fits? The size chooser walks through it project by project.
Book the container while it's on your mind
Say what you're clearing out, where the dumpster can sit and which day suits you. By the end of the conversation you'll know the container, the delivery morning and what you'd pay.
Reach a Louisville roll-off company
Call (502) 833-5023Phone hours: Monday–Saturday 8am–8pm, Sunday 8am–1pm ET
The network and the company you reach may record the conversation. Details sit in our referral disclosure and privacy policy.