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Skip & Dumpster Size Calculator

Work out the container size a job's waste needs, and check it against the weight limit before the volume runs out.

  • Answers as you type
  • Every formula cited
  • Calculated in your browser
SettingsSettings for this calculationUS
Market
Imperial · sales tax
Volume of waste as it will be thrown in.

Loose, not compacted. Broken plasterboard and stripped timber occupy far more than the same material did in place — a rule of thumb is that strip-out waste is one and a half to two times its installed volume.

What is going in.

Density decides whether volume or weight runs out first. A skip filled with rubble hits its weight limit long before it is full, which is why heavy waste is hired in small containers.

The hire company's stated limit.

Overloading is refused at the gate or surcharged, and an overweight container may simply not be collected. Ask for the limit rather than assuming — it varies by container and by operator.

Container volume required

7.75 yd³

Medium confidence

Volume is the binding constraint at this density.

Estimated weight
3,657.65 lb
Metric tonnes
1.66 t
Cubic yards
7.75 yd³
Volume this container can take at the weight limit
37.37 yd³
Containers needed on weight
1 load
Then change the inputs to see how far the answer moves.

Show calculation logic

How this was calculated

Formula source(s)

  • Typical loose waste densities: mixed construction 200-300 kg/m³; soil and rubble 1400-1600 kg/m³; timber 200 kg/m³
  • Skips and roll-off containers carry a weight limit as well as a volume; heavy waste reaches the weight limit first

Inputs used

Loose waste volume
7.75 yd³
Waste type
Mixed construction waste (472 lb/yd³)
Container weight limit
17635 lb

Intermediate steps

Estimated weight
3,657.65 lb
Metric tonnes
1.66 t
Cubic yards
7.75 yd³
Volume this container can take at the weight limit
37.37 yd³
Containers needed on weight
1 load
Final result7.75 yd³

Confidence note: Volume is the binding constraint at this density.

What this calculation does not cover

  • Densities are typical loose figures. Wet soil and saturated plasterboard weigh substantially more than the values used here.
  • Segregating waste usually costs less than mixed disposal and is required for several materials — hazardous waste, plasterboard in some jurisdictions, and anything containing asbestos, which must never go in a general container.

Part of bigger jobs

This trade is one line of several job takeoffs. Run the whole job and every other trade comes back with it, off the same measurements.

Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Presented in US customary units and US trade terminology. Where a formula follows a published standard, that standard and its edition are cited beside it on this page; where none governs, the page says so. Local amendments override model codes — verify against the code in force where you build.

Sources checked 2026-09-05 · in the site-wide review of 2026-09-06 · v1.1.1

Regulatory standards & verification citations2
  1. Typical loose waste densities: mixed construction 200-300 kg/m³; soil and rubble 1400-1600 kg/m³; timber 200 kg/m³
  2. Skips and roll-off containers carry a weight limit as well as a volume; heavy waste reaches the weight limit first
Cite this page

Your workspace

Most jobs need more than one number. Add the calculators you need next and they open right here, underneath this one — your figures stay on screen and nothing is lost to a page change.

Tools and safety for this job

To segregate and remove waste. Generic types, no brands, no prices.

Protection this work requires

  • Boards, blocks and bagged material cause most lasting back injuries on small sites: two people or a lifter for full sheets, and never a bag on one shoulder up a ladder.
  • Knives cause more site injuries than any power tool: cut away from your body, change blades often, and wear cut-resistant gloves to EN 388 level C for repeated cutting.
Show the 2 tools this job needs

Essential

  • Shovel and spade

  • Wheelbarrow

what each site-management tool is for, and the spec that decides which to buy where one does.

Now that you have the number

These guides cover the work this quantity is for — the first ones run this calculator inside the section that raises the question.

Called something else where you work? Skip / dumpster — the term in each market, how close the equivalence really is, and the standard that governs it.

Still deciding? Mixed Skip vs Source-Separated Waste — the factors that actually differ, with no invented prices.

Worked examples: Shingle roof replacement — step 2 of 11 · Paver patio — step 3 of 10 · Brick garden wall — step 7 of 8

The data behind it: Production rates by operation · Bulk densities of construction materials

How to calculate skip & dumpster size in 4 steps

  1. Loose waste volumeVolume of waste as it will be thrown in.
  2. Waste typeWhat is going in.
  3. Container weight limitThe hire company's stated limit.
  4. Container volume requiredThe tool computes the container volume required from those figures and shows the formula, its sources, and a confidence rating alongside it.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my skip look half empty and get refused?
Because you filled it with rubble. At 1500 kg/m³ a heavy waste stream reaches an 8-tonne limit at about 5.3 m³ — roughly half a large skip. Hire companies size heavy-waste containers small for exactly this reason, and the breakdown shows the volume your limit actually allows.
How much waste does a strip-out actually produce?
More than the material occupied in place — commonly one and a half to two times. A tonne of plasterboard broken off a wall takes far more space than it did on the wall. Estimate the installed volume and then increase it, rather than measuring the room.
Can everything go in one container?
No. Plasterboard is separated in several jurisdictions because it produces hydrogen sulphide in landfill; paint, solvents and batteries are hazardous waste; and anything containing asbestos must be handled by a licensed contractor and never put in a general skip. Segregating is also usually cheaper than mixed disposal.
Preliminary estimate, not certified engineering. This tool produces an indicative quantity calculation for planning purposes only — it is not a certified structural analysis, a guaranteed material takeoff, or a substitute for building department approval. Always verify measurements on-site and have a licensed contractor or structural engineer review any load-bearing, code-sensitive, or safety-critical work before purchasing materials or starting construction. Spotted an arithmetic or standards error? Report it to contact@craftquantities.com with your inputs — a confirmed fix gets a permanent check of its own, so the same mistake cannot come back.