Ever calculate how much removing debris from your construction site actually costs you?
Say you have a small crew of 4.
Each person puts in their time walking back-and-forth from your trailer, slowly filling it up.
You pay each their hourly rate, plus whatever benefits they get: health insurance, retirement savings, paid vacation, and so on. Or, if you have independent contractors, you pay your agreed rate.
Plus you pay the almost absurdly expensive payroll taxes if you have employees.
Then your workers have to haul it all to the landfill, which could be 30 minutes or more away. It takes that time to drive it there and back, plus the time needed to unload your trailer.
And then they have to repeat that a number of times until all the debris is gone from your construction site.
Is that really what you hired these personnel for? Is that the best use of their time?
And after looking at all the costs, what do they total?
Plus, you have the potential risk of a worker hurting themselves. And you know how costly it gets when someone is hurt and unable to work!
Compare Your Costs to Renting a Roll-Off Dumpster
So now that you know your costs, compare that to a commercial dumpster rental. Typically, a useful commercial dumpster rental runs about 20-30 cubic yards and costs no more than $500 for 10 days.
You still have to use your employee’s time to fill it up. However, you can use machinery to load up your dumpster more comfortably because it’s built for that purpose (as compared to your trailer, which isn’t built for the same load size).
You don’t have to ever transport your dumpster to the landfill. That means you save your employee’s time simply sitting in a truck and traveling back-and-forth. And you don’t have to pay them to unload your trailer at the landfill.
Instead, you simply place a single phone call or text message to your dumpster rental company, they take your dumpster away, and they come back.
So, you save a ton of employee time by not having to pay them to do menial tasks. And, you get much better value from your employees because they can spend that time saved doing work that requires actual skill and experience.
A dumpster rental with a single fill-up and unloading costs no more than $500 for 10 days.
You can also talk with your dumpster rental company about using their dumpster for weeks or months if you have a large project.
Compare that cost to your employees loading, driving, and unloading your trailer several times to do the same task.
Plus, this reduces the wear and tear on their bodies and their risk of injury.
Of course, it won’t in all cases make sense to go with a dumpster rental. But you can see from simple analysis at what point it does make sense for you.
Other Ways to Keep Your Dumpster Rental Cost-Efficient
Figuring the best way for your employees to use their time helps you identify the greatest cost savings if you’re considering a dumpster rental.
But it’s not the only thing you can do to keep your dumpster rental costs in check. Here’s what else you can do:
Choose the Company You Trust Most
Take the time to talk to 3 companies, and especially so if you’ll need your dumpster for more than just a single fill.
Read their online reviews. Understand those can be manipulated a little, and usually by competitors adding negative reviews to drag down their competition.
Most importantly, call and talk to the company. You know how services up to no good get complicated, can’t explain things easily, get irritable with you, or just yammer through their information as fast as possible because they see you as a number and don’t want to spend the time getting to know and genuinely serve you.
Reputable roll-off dumpster companies have simple, quick, and easy-to-understand answers to all your questions.
And that includes your questions about their fee structures.
When you finish talking to the company, you should have full confidence you know exactly how they work.
If you come away confused in any way, avoid that company.
And also make sure you talk directly with the dumpster rental company. Brokers do exist who do the marketing and sales to attract customers, but then they turn the customer over to the actual service provider.
Stay Within Your Weight Limit
Here’s where making a good choice for your dumpster rental company in the first place comes into play.
Trustworthy companies disclose their fees up front and want to help you avoid any extra fees on the backend so that you have a positive experience and come back again in the future.
Of course, you can’t know exactly how much weight you’ll put in your dumpster on any given trip.
But, the dumpster rental service can tell you how to fill your dumpster based on what you need to dispose so you avoid any annoying extra fees.
Let them know what you need to get rid of up-front. And then chat with them as you fill your dumpster so you specifically know how to fill it in the most cost-efficient way.
Make Drop-Off and Pick-Up Efficient
Be present when the company drops off your roll-off dumpster. That way, you can show them exactly where you want your dumpster so there’s no confusion.
“On the driveway” may mean one thing to you…and another thing entirely to your dumpster rental service.
Rather than relaying instructions, be present so it’s done right the first time. Relocating your dumpster leads to additional fees.
Also, make sure your dumpster’s location is easily accessible for your dumpster rental company.
Leave no doubt.
If they can’t access your dumpster when trying to pick it up, they have to come back another time and charge you for that additional trip.
With the right company, it’s not hard to easily save money on disposing debris from your construction site.
Simply make sure you hire a company you explicitly trust, let the savings roll in, and watch your employees add more value for your company.
