Your dumpster is on the ground, and the hard part is behind you. This page is everything you need for the rest of your rental: how many days you have, how to load it so it can be hauled, what has to stay out, what the 2 tons means, how to set up pickup, and how the final bill works. It takes about five minutes to read, and it can save you real money.
Keep it handy. If you ever have a question, call or text us at (903) 865-3867. A real person answers, Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm.
Step 1: Know Your Rental Clock
Every TrashCo DFW rental includes 5 days. The day we deliver counts as day 1 when the dumpster arrives before noon. If it arrives at noon or later, day 1 starts the next morning, so an afternoon delivery doesn't cost you a day.
The clock stops the moment the dumpster leaves your property on our truck. It doesn't keep running while we drive to the landfill or wait in line at the scale.
| What's included | 14-Yard ($350) | 21-Yard ($450) |
|---|---|---|
| Rental days | 5 days | 5 days |
| Weight | 2 tons | 2 tons |
| Delivery and pickup | Included | Included |
| Each extra day | $20 | $20 |
| Each ton over 2 | $80 | $80 |
Need more time? That's normal and easy. Text us and keep loading. Extra days are $20 each, and you only pay for the days you actually keep it. More detail is in our rental length guide.
Step 2: Load It the Right Way
How you load makes a bigger difference than the size you picked. A well-packed 14-yard holds a surprising amount, and a loosely thrown one fills up fast. Use this order:
1. Heavy and flat first
Tile, brick, shingles, concrete and dirt go flat on the floor, spread across the whole length. Never pile heavy debris in one corner.
2. Long, flat pieces next
Lumber, drywall, plywood and flooring lay flat along the walls on top of the heavy layer.
3. Fill the gaps
Flatten boxes, bag loose trash, and pack it tight and level. Take cabinet doors off and break furniture down.
4. Big flat items last
Mattresses and flat furniture go on top like a lid. They hold the light stuff down and keep the top even.
Flattening boxes and breaking down furniture can free up 20 to 30 percent of the space. You pay the same flat price whether it's packed tight or loose, so packing tight is free room.
For a full walkthrough by project type, see how to load a dumpster right.
Step 3: The Two Rules That Matter Most
Never load above the top edge
Everything has to stay at or below the top of the walls. Nothing sticking up, nothing hanging over the side, no pile in the middle. A dumpster loaded above the rim can't legally go down Texas roads, because debris can fall off on the highway. If we arrive and it's overfilled, the extra has to come out before we can haul it.
Nothing sharp or sticking up on top
Before you call for pickup, walk around the dumpster. Bend over or hammer down nails, lay boards with broken ends pointing down, keep pipes, rebar and wire low in the load, and box up glass. A flat, smooth top is what lets the load ride safely.
Step 4: What Has to Stay Out
Landfills check loads, and a prohibited item can get a load turned away. Please keep these out of the dumpster:
| Item | Allowed? | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Paint, solvents, chemicals, motor oil | No | Your city's household hazardous waste drop-off |
| Tires | No | A tire shop or the city's tire collection |
| Batteries (car and household) | No | Auto parts stores take car batteries |
| Propane tanks | No | Tank exchange or the supplier |
| Asbestos and hazardous waste | No | A licensed abatement company |
| Any liquids, used oil filters | No | Let water-based products dry out solid. Auto parts stores take oil and filters. |
| Fluorescent tubes and light ballasts | No | Your city's household hazardous waste drop-off |
| Barrels or drums over 5 gallons with the top still on | No | Cut the top off and empty it first |
| Medical waste and needles | No | Pharmacy sharps programs |
| Fridges, freezers, A/C units, dehumidifiers, wine coolers | Set aside | We haul them separately for $30 each. Just tell us how many. |
| Furniture, drywall, wood, flooring, shingles, yard waste, household junk | Yes | Load it in |
Not sure about something? Text us a photo. The full list is in what can go in a dumpster in Texas, and what happens if a prohibited item gets in explains why it matters.
Step 5: Watch the Weight
Your rental includes 2 tons of disposal weight. Most cleanouts, furniture and household junk fill the dumpster before they get close. Heavy materials are different: concrete, brick, tile, dirt and roofing can reach 2 tons while the dumpster still looks half empty.
If the load goes over, it's $80 per extra ton, and only for the actual amount. The landfill weighs every load on a certified scale, and we attach that scale ticket to your invoice so you can see exactly what it weighed. Nothing is estimated.
Two easy ways to stay under:
- Keep heavy material to a thin layer unless you planned for it. If your project is mostly concrete or dirt, call us first and we'll help you plan the load. See the weight limit guide.
- Keep rain out of absorbent debris. Drywall, carpet, cardboard, insulation and mulch soak up water and get much heavier. If storms are coming, cover the dumpster with a tarp. More in our rain and weather guide.
Step 6: While It's at Your Place
- Don't move it or let anyone else move it. It sits where the truck can reach it again.
- Keep the path clear. The truck needs the same room to pick up that it used to deliver: about 60 feet straight behind the dumpster, with nothing low overhead. Move cars, trailers and trash cans out of the way before pickup day.
- Stay safe. Wear gloves and closed-toe shoes, don't climb on the pile, and keep kids and pets away from it. The steel walls get very hot on Texas summer afternoons.
- Watch for extra dumping. Neighbors sometimes add their own junk, and it counts against your weight. A tarp helps.
- Protect your driveway. The driveway protection guide explains what to watch for.
Step 7: Schedule Your Pickup
When you're done, or when you can see the day you'll be done, text or call us at (903) 865-3867. If you have a TrashCo customer login, you can also request the pickup in the app. Tell us the date you'll be finished. That's the day the dumpster is ready to go, and we'll confirm when we're coming.
You don't need to be home for pickup. Just make sure the path is clear and the load is at or below the top edge with nothing sharp sticking up.
Step 8: Your Final Bill
After pickup we take the load to the landfill, where it's weighed. Then the bill is simple:
- If you paid up front and stayed within 5 days and 2 tons, you're all set. There's nothing more to pay.
- If there were extra days or extra weight, you'll get an updated invoice by email showing each charge, with the landfill scale ticket attached.
You can pay by card from the link in the invoice (cards have a 3.5% processing fee), or by Zelle, check, cash or wire with no fee.
Thank You for Choosing TrashCo DFW
We're a small, local, family-run company out of Cedar Hill, and every rental matters to us. If we did a good job, a quick Google review helps other families and contractors find us. And when the next project comes up, you know who to call.
Want to read more? All of our tips are on the Guides page.
Need Another Dumpster?
Starting a second project, or helping a neighbor with theirs? Call or text (903) 865-3867, or book below.
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