If you're planning to rent a roll off dumpster, one of the biggest factors that will affect your cost is the number of pickups you require. Here are some ways that you can tell how often you'll need to schedule a dumpster pickup. 

Types of Waste

The types of refuse can greatly affect the number of pickups you need. If you're throwing away mostly inert materials such as building scraps, then you won't need to schedule pickups too frequently. If you have organic matter to throw away, it can rot quickly and cause unpleasant smells on your site. Frequent pickups will be needed to promote health and a pleasant work space. 

Sizing

There are two main sizes for roll off dumpster for rent. Twenty yard containers are common for small home projects. Forty yards may be used in some cases. Sometimes it's a better deal to opt for the larger bin and schedule less frequent pickups, provided that you aren't storing organic waste in the bin. 

Other Waste Methods Used

You can also reduce your need for frequent pickups and trash hauling by using complementary waste methods for your project. Contact a recycling services center to see what they would charge for occasional pickups of metals, plastics and glass. In certain cases, you may even turn a profit on your used metal trash hauling. Compost is another consideration if you're doing a lot of yard work. If you're throwing out perfectly usable items, you might be able to have a donation center pick them up for free. If nothing else, you can often write off these donations and offset the costs of having them hauled independently of your roll off dumpster. By throwing less material into your roll off dumpster, you can save money and potentially help out the environment. 

How Tightly You Pack 

Finally, packing the dumpster tightly can be valuable for reducing pickups. You may want to invest in a saw so that you can cut down the waste into smaller chunks that take advantage of all available dumpster space. 

When you are unsure how often you need to empty your roll off dumpster, it can be a good idea to start conservatively. Weekly or biweekly pickups are useful for many projects, and if you find that your bin gets full more quickly than that, you might be able to work out a good deal for adding more roll off dumpster pickups to your schedule.