Free tool · for pros
Short answer: New homes generate about 4.39 lb of debris per square foot and residential demolition about 115 lb, by EPA averages. Pick your project, enter the size, and get the tons, the number of hauls, and a base dumpster budget at local prices.
| Size | Hauls | Tons per haul | Over allowance | Price per haul | Base total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-yard | 2 | 2.6 | 0.6 t | $635 | $1,270 |
| 30-yard | 1 | 5.3 | 2.3 t | $705 | $705 |
| 40-yard | 1 | 5.3 | 1.3 t | $808 | $808 |
Base totals use 7-day prices for national median and exclude overage, permits, and tax.
| Project | Average | Studies ranged |
|---|---|---|
| New residential construction | 4.39 lb/sq ft | 2.41–11.3 lb/sq ft |
| New nonresidential construction | 4.34 lb/sq ft | 1.61–8.59 lb/sq ft |
| Residential renovation / remodel (per sq ft of project) | No meaningful average | 3.31–72.1 lb/sq ft |
| Residential demolition | 115 lb/sq ft | — |
| Nonresidential demolition | 158 lb/sq ft | 36–358 lb/sq ft |
| Job | Debris (EPA planning figure) |
|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel, minor | 0.75 tons |
| Kitchen remodel, major | 4.5 tons |
| Bathroom remodel, minor | 0.25 tons |
| Bathroom remodel, major | 1 ton |
| Addition | 0.75 tons |
| Asphalt roof replacement | 1.7 tons |
| Wood roof replacement | 1.5 tons |
| Concrete driveway replacement | 7.5 tons |
Volume is estimated at 417 lb per cubic yard, the typical loose density of mixed construction debris. Heavy loads such as concrete hit the weight limit before the container is full; the estimator caps each haul at 10 tons, the maximum major national providers allow per container.
Track the real numbers with the free C&D waste and haul-ticket log, or see which size fits each phase.
The EPA's national estimate is about 4.39 lb of debris per square foot of new home, from job-site studies that ranged 2.41–11.3 lb. A 2,400 sq ft home works out to roughly 5.3 tons.
Far more than building one. The EPA uses an average of 115 lb per square foot for residential demolition, so a 1,500 sq ft house is roughly 86 tons. Foundations and driveways account for much of it.
Divide the debris by what each container holds. Mixed construction debris averages about 417 lb per loose cubic yard, so a 2,400 sq ft new home (about 5.3 tons) is roughly 25 cubic yards: one 30-yard or two 20-yard hauls by volume. The estimator above does the math for your project and prices it for your ZIP.
They are national averages from EPA studies, useful for budgeting and bids. Your real total depends on framing method, packaging, how much is recycled on site, and waste practices, so track actual haul tickets as the job goes.