What Size Dumpster Do I Need? A Miami Homeowner's Guide
Published June 18, 2026 · Updated September 28, 2026
Most Miami home projects fit a 20 yard dumpster: a kitchen remodel, one or two bathrooms, a single-layer shingle roof up to about 2,000 square feet, or a garage cleanout. Get a 30 yard for a whole-house cleanout, a renovation that runs for weeks or a big yard overhaul. If the pile is under about four pickup loads, skip the container and book junk removal. We rent 20 and 30 yard dumpsters across Miami-Dade and Broward.
What size dumpster do I need for a kitchen remodel?
- A 20 yard dumpster is the right size for a kitchen remodel in most Miami homes. Cabinets, countertops, the old dishwasher and range, tile or flooring, and the drywall from one or two walls fill a 20 close to the rim without going over.
- Step up to a 30 yard when the kitchen is part of a bigger job, like a wall coming down to open the space or new flooring through the whole house. If the counters are stone or the floor is tile set in mortar, say so when you book. That material is heavy, and we size heavy loads by weight.
- An old refrigerator can't go in the container because of the refrigerant. We take it on a separate haul the same day.
| Job | Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 20 yard | Cabinets, counters, flooring and some drywall fill it close to the rim |
| Bathroom remodel | 20 yard, or junk removal for one small bath | One bathroom rarely fills a container |
| Shingle roof, one layer, up to about 2,000 sq ft | 20 yard | Bulky but light |
| Tile roof or two layers of shingle | Sized by weight: a 30, or a 20 with a same-day swap-out | Tile reaches the truck's weight limit before the box is full |
| Garage or shed cleanout | 20 yard | Holds about six pickup loads |
| Whole-house cleanout, 3+ bedrooms | 30 yard | Holds about nine pickup loads |
| Renovation that runs for weeks | 30 yard, or scheduled swap-outs | The crew keeps loading while the full box leaves |
| Concrete, dirt or pavers | 20 yard loaded partway, with swap-outs | Limited by weight, not space |
Why size matters more than you think
Picking the wrong dumpster costs you money either way. Too small and you pay for a second haul or a swap-out mid-project. Too big and you pay for space you never fill. Most homeowners overestimate what they need because they picture everything spread across the garage floor. Once it goes into a dumpster, it compresses. Here is what each size actually holds and when to use it.
Too small for a dumpster? Skip the 10-yard
- We rent 20 and 30-yard containers, and we skip the 10-yard on purpose: for a single bathroom remodel or a garage corner, renting any dumpster is usually the expensive way to do it.
- For jobs that size, our junk removal crew is the better deal. We bring the truck, we do the loading, and you pay for the volume we haul, not for a container sitting in your driveway for a week.
- Rule of thumb: if your debris is less than about 4 pickup truck loads, call for a junk removal estimate before you rent anything.
20-yard dumpster
- Dimensions: roughly 22 ft long, 8 ft wide, 4.5 ft tall.
- Holds about 6 pickup truck loads.
- Best for: a kitchen gut, a full roof tear-off (single layer, under 2,000 sq ft), a medium estate cleanout, or a garage plus shed cleanout combined.
- This is the workhorse size and the biggest part of our fleet. If you are not sure, this is probably the one. Most of our residential rentals are 20-yard.
30-yard dumpster
- Dimensions: roughly 22 ft long, 8 ft wide, 6 ft tall.
- Holds about 9 pickup truck loads.
- Best for: a whole-house cleanout (3+ bedrooms of furniture and junk), a large renovation with mixed debris, or a major landscaping overhaul with dirt and brush.
- At this size you need to think about weight. Miami-Dade disposal facilities charge by ton, and 30 yards of construction debris gets heavy fast. We will tell you if a weight-based surcharge is likely before you book.
Need more than 30 yards? Swap, don't supersize
- We top out at 30 yards, and that is deliberate. A 40-yard container is 8 feet tall, needs about 60 feet of straight clearance to drop, and most Miami residential driveways cannot take the weight or the truck.
- For gut renovations and construction jobs that outgrow a 30, we schedule swap-outs: when the container fills, we haul it and drop a fresh one the same day, so your crew never stops working.
- Swaps also keep each load street-legal on weight, which matters in Miami-Dade where disposal is charged by the ton.
Miami-Dade permit and placement notes
If your dumpster sits on your own driveway or property, no permit is needed. If it has to go in the street or on the swale (the strip between the sidewalk and the curb), Miami-Dade County requires a right-of-way permit. The city of Miami has its own process on top of the county one. We handle the paperwork, but it adds 1 to 3 business days, so plan ahead. Also: Miami-Dade prohibits placing dumpsters within 10 feet of a fire hydrant or blocking a sidewalk. HOAs often have their own restrictions on top of that, and some ban dumpsters entirely. Check with your association before booking.
FAQ
What size dumpster do I need for a kitchen remodel?
A 20 yard dumpster for most Miami kitchens. Cabinets, countertops, flooring and the drywall from a wall or two fit with room to spare. Go to a 30 yard only when the kitchen is part of a larger remodel, such as flooring through the whole house or walls coming down. Old refrigerators go out on a separate haul because of the refrigerant.
Can I mix different types of debris in one dumpster?
Yes, for most materials. You can mix furniture, drywall, wood, metal, and general junk in a single container. The exceptions are dirt, concrete, and roofing shingles, which are heavy and priced by weight. Mixing heavy material with light junk means you pay the heavy rate for the whole load. If you have a lot of concrete or dirt, ask us about a separate heavy-debris container.
How long can I keep a dumpster?
Standard rental is 7 days. Extensions are available for ongoing projects, usually in 7-day increments. If your project wraps up early, call us and we will pick it up sooner at no extra charge.
What happens if I fill it past the top?
The load cannot extend above the rim of the container. It is a safety and DOT regulation: the truck cannot legally haul an overloaded dumpster on public roads. If material is above the rim when we arrive, we will either need to remove the excess or bring a second container.
Do I need to be home for delivery and pickup?
No. As long as the placement spot is clear and accessible, we can drop off and pick up without you there. Just make sure cars, hoses, and basketball hoops are out of the way.
Get Your Free, No-Pressure Estimate
Call or text a photo of your junk to (305) 986-0692. We estimate it straight, you decide.
