Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing, sizing, scheduling and what's allowed — answers for Irvine and the surrounding cities we serve.
- Licensed & insured
- Same-day in Irvine
- Flat-rate pricing
- All 15 area communities

Everything people ask before they book
Below are the questions we hear most from Irvine and Irvine-area customers, grouped by topic. Permits and the local city-government structure get their own section further down this page, because the correct office genuinely depends on whether your address is in Irvine itself or one of the surrounding cities.
If your question is not covered here, call (949) 867-1538 and we will answer it directly.
Part 1
How Pricing Works
How is a dumpster rental in Irvine priced?
One flat number covers delivery, the agreed rental period, pickup, disposal and a stated tonnage allowance. We do not quote a bare container rate and add fees afterward — call (949) 867-1538 and we will price your specific job on that call.
What happens if my load goes over the weight allowance?
Every rental includes a tonnage allowance based on container size. A load that comes in heavier — common with concrete, roofing tear-offs or wet debris after a storm — is charged per ton over that allowance, which is exactly why we ask what is going in the box before we quote a size.
Is there a difference in price between a driveway placement and a street placement?
The container itself is priced the same either way, but a street or right-of-way placement in Irvine can add a permit cost through the city's own process, while a container kept entirely on a private driveway typically avoids that cost altogether.
Do you charge more for a longer rental period?
The standard rental window is built into the base price. Extending beyond it has a daily rate that we will tell you upfront on the phone, not add to the invoice afterward.
Are commercial and residential jobs priced differently?
The container and the disposal drive the price, not the label on the job. A 20 yard for a house cleanout and a 20 yard for a commercial swap-out are priced the same way — base rate, rental period and tonnage allowance.
Part 2
Choosing the Right Size
What size dumpster do I need for a garage or basement cleanout?
A 10 or 15 yard container usually covers a single garage or basement — enough volume for furniture and boxes without paying for space you will not use.
What size do I need for a roof tear-off?
Roofing debris is dense and heavy for its volume, so a 10 or 15 yard container with the right weight allowance typically handles a standard residential re-roof better than a larger, lower-allowance box.
What size for a kitchen or bathroom remodel?
A 20 yard container is the common choice for a single-room remodel involving cabinets, fixtures, tile and drywall.
What size for new construction or a large addition?
20 and 30 yard containers are built for that volume — framing offcuts, packaging and general construction debris across a longer build.
Can I swap for a bigger or smaller container after delivery?
In most cases yes, if we catch it early. Call (949) 867-1538 and we will swap the container before it is too full to move safely, rather than after.
Part 3
What Can and Cannot Go In
What materials can go in the dumpster?
General household junk, construction and demolition debris, yard waste, furniture, flooring, drywall and most non-hazardous bulk material are all fine. Tell us what you are disposing of when you book so we can size the container and set the right allowance.
What is not allowed in the container?
Hazardous waste of any kind, paint and solvents, fuel and oil, propane tanks, asbestos, ammunition and medical waste are always excluded. Several other categories need separate handling under California's landfill rules rather than going in with general debris — see below.
What materials does California keep out of the landfill?
California does not run a broad statewide ban list, but several materials are kept out of lined municipal landfills and need their own path rather than a general debris load: whole scrap tires, lead-acid (vehicle) batteries, used motor oil and filters, major appliances and other white goods (especially units holding refrigerant), and yard trimmings. Hazardous materials are never accepted. City of Irvine residents can take many of these to the Irvine Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. Ask us before you book if you are not sure which category something falls into.
Can a mattress go in the dumpster?
Mattresses are not banned from disposal in California, but they take up a lot of room for their weight and some facilities handle them separately, so tell us ahead of time — we will fold them into the plan or point you to the cheaper option.
Is there a weight limit for concrete, brick or dirt?
Yes. Dense material like concrete, brick and dirt is heavy in small volumes, so these loads often need a smaller, low-fill container priced by weight rather than a large general-debris box — we will walk through that when you call.
Part 4
Delivery & Scheduling
How fast can you deliver in Irvine?
Call before midday and most Irvine-area orders go out the same day. Tustin, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Lake Forest usually run same- or next-day; Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo and Fountain Valley, farther out, more often run next-day — we will tell you honestly which applies before you book.
Do I need to be home for delivery or pickup?
No. Mark the spot with a cone, a stake or chalk, tell us about gate codes or anything unusual about the driveway, and keep your phone on — the driver will call before setting the container down if anything about the placement looks off.
Can you deliver during or right after a storm?
Access has to be clear on the scheduled date. A driveway blocked by storm debris can mean a wasted trip, so after a real Irvine-area storm we will usually talk through timing on the phone rather than guess.
How much room do you need to place the container?
Roughly the container's length plus room for the truck to maneuver. A typical driveway is usually straightforward; a tight lot, a shared driveway or a sloped surface is worth mentioning when you call.
How do I schedule the pickup once I am done?
Call (949) 867-1538 and we will get a pickup window on the schedule directly — there is no separate app or online portal to deal with.
Part 5
Permits & California local government
Do I need a permit to put a dumpster in Irvine?
It depends on where it sits. On your own private property — a driveway, yard or jobsite — you do not need a permit at all, and that covers most residential and commercial jobs. If the container has to go on a public street, sidewalk or right-of-way, the City of Irvine requires a right-of-way encroachment permit from Public Works before placement. There is no cubic-yard threshold and no fire-department permit involved. We'll tell you which one your job needs before we deliver.
Is there a county permits office I should call instead?
No — a dumpster permit in Irvine is a City matter, not a county one. Orange County doesn't issue dumpster or street-placement permits, and CalRecycle (the state recycling and solid-waste authority) regulates landfills and diversion, not driveway containers. For an Irvine address on a public street that's the City of Irvine Public Works right-of-way encroachment permit; for private property it's no permit at all. We will tell you honestly which applies to your address before you book.
What about the cities outside Irvine — do they have their own permit process?
The neighboring communities we serve — Tustin, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Orange, Fountain Valley and Laguna Woods — are separate municipalities, all in Orange County, each with its own public-works office, not branch offices of Irvine. We have not cataloged a fee or process for each city individually; if your job needs street placement outside Irvine, we will point you to the right city office to confirm before you book, rather than assume Irvine's process carries over.
Talk to a real person
Question not answered here?
Call (949) 867-1538. If it is a question about your specific driveway, your specific load or your specific town, a two-minute call beats any FAQ page.
Mon–Sat 7:00am – 7:00pm