Renting a Dumpster in Charleston in 8 Easy Steps

We get it, you’ve probably never noticed a roll-off dumpster until you decided to rent one for your upcoming project. Fear not. When it comes to renting a dumpster in North Charleston, SC we at Big Red Box Dumpster Rental have you covered. Follow these 8 easy steps to make your dumpster rental process go as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

1. Figure Out What Size You Need

The first step when renting a dumpster is figuring out what size dumpster you need for your job. Luckily, we have two different size dumpsters to give you options. Our 15-yard dumpster is 16.5 feet long, 8 feet wide, and about 4 feet tall. This dumpster is perfect for smaller projects, tight spaces, and holds the equivalent of about 6 pick-up trucks. The larger of our two size, the 30-yard, is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and about 6 feet tall, but don’t worry both dumpsters have doors that swing open to make loading easy. The 30-yard is perfect for large construction projects, or house cleanouts that have bulky items, and can hold about 12 pick-up truck loads worth of debris. If you still are having trouble choosing a size, then give us a call and we can help point you in the right direction.

 

2. Checking for Delivery Issues

Once you’ve picked out what size dumpster you need, its time to make sure the dumpster will fit, or look for any other issues that could come up the day of delivery. For example, our trucks need about 60 feet of length and 25 feet of height to place a 30-yard dumpster. Are there low hanging tree branches, wires, or other obstructions that could cause problems? If so, let us know so that we can figure out a place to put the dumpster without causing any damages. Additionally, you will want to see if there are any other obstacles that could be an issue as far as delivery. Is there a gate that may need to be unlocked? Or a timing issue due to a nearby school’s release schedule that could cause issues? What about a septic tank or water line we need to avoid? All of these are things to consider.

3. Shopping Around

Of course, we want you to choose us but we understand, as with any purchase, it’s important to shop around. Every dumpster rental company in Charleston charges a bit different so when it comes to making your selection, make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. Some people will include everything up to a certain amount of tonnage and days in what is called “flat rate pricing”. For example, we give you a certain amount of weight and days included in the price and as long as you stay under those then there are no additional charges. However other companies will charge other fees, some of which are hidden, you will want to look out for. When shopping around you will want to make sure to inquire about fuel surcharges, taxes, environmental fees, delivery charges, haul rates, daily rental, and disposal fees. These are the most common fees, but there could be others so it’s always important to ask when getting a price, “Are there any other taxes, fees, or charges?” Once you get the rates, add them up to see how they all stack up with each other. You will want to make sure to include about 2 tons in your estimated pricing for a 15-yard dumpster and about 4 tons for a 30-yard dumpster rental. In addition to pricing, you will want to ask what their typical service times are. There is nothing worse than paying a crew to stand around because your dumpster is filled.

 

4. Placing an Order-

Now that you’ve figured out what size you need, checked for delivery issues, and shopped around for the best deals, it’s time to call and book your dumpster. When calling to set up an order for a dumpster rental, confirm the pricing you were quoted as prices can change based off demand as well as other factors such as landfill fees. Once you’ve confirmed your rate, select the day that is best for your delivery. Our recommendation is to have your dumpster delivered the day before your project starts. This way you won’t spend the day waiting for a dumpster to be delivered and will have it on site that morning to start your project. If this means you need an extra day of rental to accommodate this, just ask and we would be happy to do that for you. If you don’t feel like picking up the phone feel free to use our easy online ordering tool to set up your delivery.

5. Day of Delivery

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The big day you’ve waited for is finally here, your dumpster is set to be delivered today. Your dumpster can be delivered anytime from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm unless otherwise requested, so please be patient. On the day of delivery make sure to clear out the area you would like us to place the dumpster or be on the look-out for our driver’s call which you should receive about 30 minutes prior to delivery. If you don’t feel like being there, that’s fine too, just give us the placement orders over the phone or mark the area you would like the dumpster to be placed. Just make sure there are no locked gates, parked cars, or other items that could prevent a successful delivery.

6. Loading Your Dumpster

You’ve ordered a dumpster and now it is sitting on your jobsite. Now what? First, no matter what kind of job you are attempting to tackle a little bit of planning ahead will help ensure you get the most out of your dumpster. If you have a construction dumpster you will most likely come across a plethora of different debris. Everything from sheetrock to wood, cabinets to tubs, and anything else on a jobsite. The best thing to do for construction dumpsters is to put in large, bulky items that may be difficult to load in first. Make sure to load these items evenly to avoid the risk of a dumpster tipping over when it is being picked up. Next, if you can, put flat items such as plywood or paneling flat on top of these or on the bottom before you place these items in the dumpster to make sure you are leaving as little wasted space as possible. After that find all of your 2×4’s, 4×4’s, and anything else that is long and straight and load them into the container lying in the same direction. Try to avoid making it look like a game of pick-up sticks. You may see some “holes” developing. This is the perfect place to put your smaller items such as wood trimmings, pieces of sheet rock, shingles, and anything else that will fit there. Continue this process until your container is loaded “water level” or you have no remaining debris. House cleanouts can be a little bit different, but your game plan is still similar. First, look for those large bulky items like couches, chairs, tables, cabinets, and place those in the dumpster. Next, try to find some larger items that can be broken down into easier to manage pieces and use these to fill the big gaps in between the larger items. After that use your smaller items to feel the other, smaller holes. Doing this is even more important with a household cleanout so you don’t waste any space. As with any project, make sure you are doing all this in a safe manner.

7. Readying the Dumpster for Pick-Up

Now that you’re all done with your project, it’s time to get your dumpster ready to be picked up. You’re going to want to make sure nothing is hanging over the top of the dumpster, that the door is shut, and the safety pins are put in place. After that give us a call and schedule the dumpster for removal. When doing so let us know of any scheduling issues.

8. Day of the Pick-Up

Sit back, relax, and let us take that trash to the landfill for you. All you need to do it make sure the dumpster isn’t being blocked in and we’ll do the rest. Our driver will call you about 30 minutes before arrival so you’ll know when we’ve picked the dumpster up.