You can keep a dumpster rental from us for any window you pick between 1 and 30 days, and longer if you call. That covers jobs from a one-weekend garage cleanout to a kitchen remodel that runs long. Family Trash is a family-owned dumpster company in Charleston, based on James Island, and Tony works out the rental length with you when you book.
Plan the time so the dumpster is there while you're filling it and gone when you're done.
How many days come with each size?
Every size comes with included rental time. The 7-yard, 13-yard and 17-yard come with 5 days. The 22-yard comes with 7 days. For a garage, an attic or a single room, the included time is usually enough.
If the job needs more than the included days, say so when you book. Days past the included time are covered in your booking terms, and the price for your dates shows when you book online.
How long can a rental run?
A rental can be as short as one day or as long as 30. Past 30 days is fine too: call, and Tony works out the longer rental with you.
When you book, you pick a delivery date and give a rough idea of how long the project will take. A short cleanout might need a day or two. A remodel, or a project you work on weekend by weekend, might need a couple of weeks. If you're unsure, pick the longer estimate. Finishing early is easy: call or text, and Tony will come get it.
How do you estimate the days for your project?
Count the days you will spend loading, then add a day or two for the last sweep and for weather. These estimates cover common jobs.
A garage or attic cleanout. Sorting takes longer than loading. Plan one day to pull everything out and sort it into keep, donate and trash, and one or two days to load. The included 5 days on a 13-yard dumpster covers it.
A bathroom or small kitchen remodel. Demo takes a few days, but debris keeps coming as old cabinets, drywall and trim come out and the new work starts. Book the window around the demo dates. If the install crew will create more scrap later, plan a second rental for that stage.
A patio or slab tear-out. This goes in the 7-yard dumpster, which is for soil, dirt, concrete and brick. Concrete work goes in stages: break, load, then break some more. A clean load can go to the rim, so the days depend on how fast you can break the slab and carry the pieces.
An estate cleanout or a move-out. Sorting through a house takes time, and family members may need to come in on different weekends. The 22-yard dumpster comes with 7 days and 2 tons included, which gives more time on a bigger house.
New construction or a long renovation. These run for weeks or months, with debris coming in waves. Plan for a longer rental and call for a swap each time a dumpster is full.
What is the difference between more days and a swap?
More days keeps the same dumpster on site longer. A swap gives you an empty dumpster. Tony picks up the full one and sets an empty one in the same spot, and you keep working.
Use more days when the job is slow and the dumpster still has room. Use a swap when the dumpster is full and there is still debris coming. A long project can use both: a rental past 30 days, with a swap each time one fills. If you know going in that you'll fill more than one, mention it when you book so the swaps can be planned around your schedule.
How does the size affect the days?
A dumpster that fills on the first day needs a swap before you can keep going. Picking the size first keeps the rental days for loading.
Concrete, dirt and brick go in the 7-yard. Household junk, furniture, old wood, drywall and yard brush go in the 13, 17 or 22. A small shingle roof goes in the 13, and bigger roofs go in the 17 or the 22. A full kitchen goes in the 17. The dumpster size comparison puts the sizes side by side.
How do you make the rental days count?
Do the prep work before the dumpster arrives. Sort the garage or the closets ahead of time, line up helpers for the heavy days, and have the tools ready: gloves, a hand truck, a pry bar and contractor bags for small loose items. If a charity is picking up furniture you're giving away, set that pickup for before delivery so the good pieces are gone before you start loading.
Load as you go. Carry debris straight from the room to the dumpster so you handle each piece once.
Plan around the weather. Charleston gets heavy afternoon rain in the summer, and wet drywall and carpet are harder to carry. Put the indoor work on rainy days and the yard work on dry ones.
What if the dumpster sits in the street?
On your own driveway or lot, the dumpster needs no permit. If it has to sit in a City of Charleston street or right-of-way, it needs a city permit, which you pull. The city's Traffic Operations Division monitors "the placement of storage devices and dumpsters in the public right-of-way." If you pull a permit, make sure its dates cover the full rental, and extend both together if the job runs long.
How do you end the rental?
When the job is done, call or text and Tony will tell you when he can be out. Leave the path to the dumpster open on pickup day, with cars, trailers and material stacks moved out of the way. If you need a few more days, call before the included days run out. Toni and Tracy answer the phone, and Tony answers after hours.
Common questions about rental length
Can I rent a dumpster for just one day?
Yes. Rentals start at one day, which suits a focused cleanout or a single weekend project.
What if I finish before the included days are up?
Call or text and Tony will pick it up. You can end the rental as soon as the job is done.
What if my project runs past 30 days?
Call and Tony works out the longer rental. If the dumpster is full before the job ends, ask for a swap.
Can I push the delivery date back if the job starts late?
Yes. Call or text before the delivery date and ask to move it, so the rental starts when you're ready to load.
Family Trash has been placing dumpsters around James Island and the towns we serve since 2023. To plan the rental length for your project, call or text (843) 800-0689.
Need a dumpster in Charleston? Call or text Tony at (843) 800-0689, or order online.
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