20-Yard Dumpster Seattle

The 20-yard dumpster is the middle size in the Payload Dumpster Rental lineup and the most common pick for Seattle remodels. It measures about 22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 4.5 feet tall, with walls low enough to toss in flooring, cabinets, and drywall without a ramp. The 20-yard holds roughly 8 pickup-truck loads; the 10-yard holds about 4, the 30-yard about 12. For a single-room gut, a bathroom plus kitchen tear-out, or a garage and basement cleanout in neighborhoods like Wallingford, Greenwood, or Columbia City, the 20-yard is usually the right call.

Decision guidance: if the job is one bathroom or a small deck tear-off, the 10-yard ($595) covers it; if it is a whole-house flooring swap or a roof tear-off generating heavy shingle weight, step up to the 30-yard ($795) so the container does not fill before the work is done. The trade-off is driveway footprint versus debris volume, a 20-yard still fits most Seattle driveways and even many of the narrower ones in Ballard and Fremont, while a 30-yard needs more straight clearance. Heavy loads like concrete, dirt, or roofing shingles pack dense, so a 20-yard can hit its weight limit while still looking half-empty; for clean concrete or dirt, ask about a smaller container loaded shallow.

Critical detail worth knowing before booking: a dumpster rental is not junk removal, the container is dropped and you load it, then it is hauled on the scheduled pickup day. Seattle placement matters too. On private property such as a driveway or yard, no permit is needed. If the only space is the public street or planting strip, the City of Seattle requires a street-use permit from the Seattle Department of Transportation, and arterials and marked no-park zones in Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and West Seattle can rule out street placement entirely. Household hazardous waste, paint, solvents, batteries, electronics, cannot go in any dumpster and is handled separately through King County disposal channels. Keeping the load level with the top rail keeps it legal and safe to haul; overfilled containers above the rail cannot be transported.

Step 1: call (425) 270-4066 or text a photo of the debris. Step 2: confirm the 20-yard fits the space and get the flat $695 quote. Step 3: pick a drop day and a spot the truck can reach straight-on. Step 4: load it at your own pace within the rental window. Step 5: call for pickup and the container is hauled to a licensed King County transfer station.