How to estimate your debris without a calculator
Count pickup-truck loads. A full-size pickup bed, loaded level, is about 2–2.5 cubic yards. Divide the pile into truck loads and multiply: 8 loads is a 20-yard, 12 is a 30-yard, 16 is a 40-yard. For roofing, concrete and dirt, weigh instead of measure.
Weight rules of thumb
- Asphalt shingles: roughly 250 lb per square for three-tab, up to 400 lb for architectural. A 30-square single-layer tear-off is 4–6 tons — a 20-yard's 3 included tons will not cover it, so we quote the overage up front.
- Concrete: about 2 tons per cubic yard (4,000 lb). A 20-yard container full of concrete would weigh 40 tons, far past the legal road limit, which is why concrete goes only in a 20-yard container, loaded to roughly 10 tons and never to the rim. A 30 or 40-yard of concrete could not be moved legally, so we do not offer it.
- Dirt and fill: 1–1.5 tons per cubic yard depending on moisture.
- Household junk and construction lumber: light. Volume decides the size, not weight.
Send photos instead
The fastest accurate quote is two or three photos of the pile or the room. Text them to (863) 445-4416 or attach a description to the quote form, and Samuel will size the job personally, usually within the hour during business hours.
See the full size comparison, the 20 vs 30 yard guide, or check what can go in the container before you load.