If you are renting a dumpster for a home or business project, you will likely want to get the best deal available. While it is important to consider the base price of your rental, it is also important to assess the additional expenses that you may incur while renting your dumpster. If you know about additional expenses ahead of time, then you can plan the best way to utilize your dumpster while getting the best price. For example, you may choose to go slightly over on the weight limit of a smaller dumpster and pay the overage fee rather than pay the additional cost of a larger dumpster. Below are some of the additional expenses of dumpster rentals you should be aware of.
Specific Drop-Off Times
Many dumpster rental companies will give you a specific day to expect your rental but not a specific time. This works fine for many people, especially if you are on-site working on a project. Additionally, most dumpster rental companies do not require that you are there when the dumpster is dropped off or picked up as long as you have clearly discussed the drop-off location with a representative before hand.
However, if you need the dumpster at a certain time, it is usually possible to arrange a short window for an additional fee.
Overage Fees
Overage fees refer to the weight of your debris. Most dumpsters have a specific amount of weight they can hold, and you will be charged a fee for each ton of trash over that amount. Usually, you only have to worry about going over your weight limit if you are loading dense material, such as stone, concrete, or dirt, or if there is wet weather that soaks your debris. It is important to know your weight limit and have a general idea of what types of material will make you exceed your weight limit. However, it can be more cost-effective to go over your weight limit rather than pay for a larger dumpster, depending on the overage fees.
Late Fees
A late fee is the amount you are charged if you need to keep your dumpster for an extra day or two in order to finish your project. As long as you call the rental company at least a day before your scheduled pick-up, the late fee is usually minimal. Often, paying a late fee is a better idea than trying to power through your project to finish on time. Working too many hours or trying to work quickly can lead to injuries or damages that can be more expensive than a late fee.
It is also worthwhile to note that paying a late fee is often significantly less than ordering a new dumpster a week after your original pick-up time.
Tipping Fees
The tipping fee is the amount that the local dump charges for your dumpster to be dumped there. Often, this is included in the price of your rental. However, if can often be refunded if you fill your dumpster with recyclable material, as recycling centers generally have smaller fees than dumps. If a tipping fee is not included in your base price, you should expect to add it to your overall cost if you will be utilizing a dump.
Specialty Debris Fees
There are usually two types of specialty debris fees. The first relates to prohibited items such as tires, paint, and e-waste. The fees for these items are usually quite high and are best avoided. The second specialty fee includes specialty items that are not generally prohibited but can be more difficult to dispose of. This generally includes things such as mattresses and appliances. For these items, it may be worthwhile to pay the additional fee, or you may want to pay a specialty disposal agency to take care of those items.
