Planning timeline
- 1 week out: Book a 15-yard for demo morning
- Demo day AM: Fixtures out: toilet, vanity, mirrors
- Demo day PM: Tile and mortar down — load it level on the can floor
- Day 2: Walls, cement board, and the tub last
- Wrap: Call for pickup; done in a weekend
Safety reminders
- Kill water at the shutoffs and cap the lines before swinging anything
- Safety glasses for tile demo — shards fly
- Cast iron tubs: dolly it whole or blanket-and-sledge it in place
- Ventilate — old thinset dust is nasty
Dumpster sizing
A full gut of a standard bath fills half to two-thirds of a 15-yard. Two bathrooms or bath-plus-hallway flooring steps up to a 20. Not sure? Take the 60-second size quiz or see the full comparison chart.
Tips from the pros
- Spread tile and mortar level — never mound dense debris
- A mud-set tile floor can approach the weight allowance alone; mention it at booking
- Break the tub only if you can't dolly it — the rear doors usually win
- Load as you demo instead of staging piles
Recycling suggestions
- Working fixtures and vanities: restore stores take them
- Metal tubs and copper lines: scrap value — metal loads dump free
- Unused tile boxes: sell or donate, don't haul
Common mistakes to avoid
- Underestimating tile weight and blowing the allowance
- Tossing the old water heater without draining it
- Mounding debris above the fill line
- Renting a 20 for one small bath — the 15 owns this job
Want the deeper read? See the full blog guide on this project.