Menu Close

5 Reasons Why Cheap Dumpster Rentals Could End Up Costing You More

I have been in the garbage business for over 19 years. I have spent all of them in sales. I started as a sales manager for a national waste company where I spent 2 years running the sales department and then I branched out on my own and have been here at D&D ever since. Needless to say, I have done a lot of talking with customers!

Every once in a while, I will get a call requesting a price for a container. After giving the person the price, they say they can get it for “much” less elsewhere. Much less. I mention this because D&D is a small company and I run very efficiently and know what you usually make per container. I also know what it costs.

Mind you, I do believe these people when they call. However, I also know that there are some very important factors that could affect the price and therefore the service.

First, remember when your mom told you that if it seemed too good to be true, that it probably was? Well, mom was right! All haulers share similar costs for things such as labor, fuel, insurance, parts and lubrication. There just isn’t any good way to set yourself apart in these areas. A tire costs what a tire costs if you will….

So how can one company be so cheap? Here are a few ways :

cheapdumpster1) Proper licensing

Proper licensing is expensive, but necessary. Licensed haulers have undergone rigorous background investigations into our past, our criminal history, our financial affiliations and stability to name a few. You may not know this, but properly licensed garbage companies are licensed public utility companies.

Just like your electric and gas company, we are regulated by the state. Now if a company circumvents the proper licensing process, it is very possible that the very things these investigations were meant to prevent from being in this business will be dropping a container in YOUR driveway.

2) Hidden Costs

Are there any hidden costs for cheap dumpster rentals? If I only had a dime for every time someone has said to me “well they said it was going to cost x, but then they told me I had to pay Y after they dumped the container”. Every fee charged by D&D is added into the price we quote you over the phone. Period. Overweight fees are explained to every customer as well.

Now, we can never tell which containers will go overweight, but if you do go overweight, you will always be permitted to obtain a copy of YOUR dump receipt showing exactly what your debris weighed. These scales are state certified scales operated by certified scalemasters.

3) Weight Limit

What is your weight limit? We ALL have weight limits. If the company isn’t telling you that there is a weight limit, there is probably a reason why they aren’t telling you. A low weight limit will result in higher overage charges in the end.

4) Lack of Insurance or Very Basic Insurance

Some owner/operator companies where the owner drives a truck may have insurance coverages that leave you at risk. Did you know that as a self-employed person in New Jersey, the owner can opt-out of covering themselves by Worker’s Compensation Insurance? That’s right. You could have a person on your property working heavy and dangerous equipment, not to mention climbing up on top of your debris way atop a container who is not covered by insurance.

Remaining on the topic of insurance, fly-by-night companies usually take bare bones policies with little or no coverage just to obtain vehicle registration cards. What happens if the company damages something? Your insurance may have to kick in if the damage exceeds the limits.

5) Equipment

Not that there aren’t a hundred other reasons to be concerned, let’s talk about equipment. Rolloff trucks are very expensive to operate and maintain. If a company isn’t generating the proper revenue, maintenance is going to suffer I guarantee it. How can this affect you? Well if you have ever seen what a blown hydraulic line can do to a house, car, driveway, lawn and shrubbery, you would understand what I am talking about.

There are so many moving parts that are under incredibly high amounts of pressure. Oil, hydraulic oil, fuel, coolant to name a few. Without proper preventative maintenance, these trucks can leak caustic fluids that will stain your driveway forever. Hydraulic oil stains rarely come out and if the line bursts while in use, the spraying fluids can travel well over 30 feet. Now imagine your driveway and everything you own that is within a 30 foot radius of that spot.

Well, these are a few things you need to watch out for when you hire a company offering cheap dumpster rentals. I hope they help you make your decision. As always, feel free to contact me or leave a question in the comments below.

Be safe, be well and most of all BE HAPPY!

Dale Olander
President
D&D Disposal
(732) 341-6900