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Tips for removal of construction debris
First – you had better have a receptacle of some sort.
SMALL PROJECT
If you have a small project such as minor drywall repair, visit your local hardware or home improvement store, and purchase a box of 40 gallon, 6 mil thick, contactor debris bags. Don’t even try using regular trash bags, they are way too thin and the bottom will tear open on your way through the living room. Your wife will be upset, and you have just doubled your cleanup. Tie the open end well, set your debris by the curb, and wave goodbye to it.
MEDIUM PROJECT
For larger projects such as the remodel of a small bathroom, you will need a larger receptacle such as an open trailer, or a pickup truck. The best way to get your debris from the house to the receptacle is to carry it in a sturdy vessel such as an outdoor trash can. I prefer to visit my local dollar store and purchase a two handled plastic tub with rope handles. These are usually pretty cheap, and are a real deal, since they are much heavier plastic than trash cans. While you are there, buy a cheap plastic tarp that you can lay in the bed of the pickup. Always have a friend to help carry heavy debris such as tile or plaster from the house to the vehicle, nothing slows a project down like a twisted back.
Line your truck or trailer with the tarp before loading, and when you drive to the landfill, bring along either a garden rake, hoe or a maddock, they work great for removing the bulk of the debris without digging your fingers through it. Once the debris gets to a manageable level, you and your assistant can then each grab a corner of the tarp, pull it free of the truck, and, voila, the truck bed is empty and clean to boot. Bring along a broom to sweep out the dust, and you are done!
LARGE PROJECTS
For really large projects, it is best to rent either a dumpster, or use a rental dump trailers. Either way, use the methods above to remove the debris from the dwelling, and load it in the receptacle. The best part about rentals is that, once full, you just make a call to the dumpster or rental company, and the debris disappears. Be prepared for a tonnage dumping fee, as well as a daily rental fee for the receptacle. Make sure that you are aware of all fees before you agree to the rental.
Be sure to rent an appropriate size receptacle for your project. Dumpsters and dump trailers come in cubic yard sizes, such as 5, 10, 20 yd etc… An example for a roofing project is that a square (10’ x 10’ – 100 sq. ft.) of 3 tab shingles weighs about 200 pounds and will take up approximately ¼ cu. yd of space. If your roof is a typical 3 BR ranch, you probably have approx 15 squares of roofing, weighing about 3000 pounds, so you will need a 5 yard dumpster or trailer. Believe me, you will want a dump bed for debris removal for a large project of any kind.
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