Starting or scaling a dumpster rental business? This Dumpster Rental Business Plan Calculator is your ultimate planning tool. Input your startup costs, operational expenses, and revenue streams to generate a complete financial snapshot for your business. See total profits, 5-year break-even points, and ROI projections: all in one place.
Dumpster Rental Business Calculator
Business Information
Startup Costs
Revenue Metrics
Operational Costs
Additional Revenue Streams
How to use this calculator
This calculator helps you figure out if starting a dumpster rental business make sense financially. I’ve set up default numbers based on market research and cited my sources, but you can change any number to match your situation.
How the calculator works
Step 1: Enter Your Business Info
Start by adding basic business assets. I’ll explain why I landed on certain default settings in the tool.
- Fleet Size: 1 roll-off truck and 5 dumpsters.
- This setup is a common starting point for new businesses. As noted by YourDocket.com:
“5 Dumpsters & 1 Roll-off truck is a good starting point for a beginning dumpster rental business.” — YourDocket.com
- This setup is a common starting point for new businesses. As noted by YourDocket.com:
These numbers provide enough capacity to handle multiple customers without overextending your initial investment. Adjust the fleet size as needed to match your goals and market demand.
Step 2: Estimate Your Costs
The calculator comes preloaded with default costs based on industry research, but you can modify these values to reflect your unique situation:
New dumpster rental from Rolling Operations in Quincy, Illinois.
Roll-off Truck Cost: $95,000
- Gently used roll-off trucks seem to be available starting around $95,000 at ComVoy.com, but check the latest results to see what you can find in your area. Keep in mind, prices can range up to $160,000 or more depending on age, mileage, and condition.
Dumpster Cost: $5,000 per dumpster. Dumpsters typically range from $4,000 to $8,000 each so the default uses a middle range default for simplicity.
Weekly Rental Rate: $384
- The national average weekly rental price for dumpsters is $384, though local rates may vary between $293 and $479.
Customize further by factoring in overhead like driver wages, fuel costs, insurance premiums and marketing expenses
Step 3: Add Extra Income Streams
Expand your revenue streams by offering additional services alongside your core dumpster rentals. Examples include:
- Junk removal services for customers who want help moving waste items. This is common for large appliances like old refrigerators, ovens, washers, and dryers.
- Equipment rentals: Clayton Roll, the owner of Rolling Operations, has found success renting equipment way beyond dumpsters like excavators, skid steers and mobile storage units. “The mini excavator was probably one of the best moves I made,” Clayton said in an interview. “I took it to a junk removal job, something I never really intended to use it for, but it turned a four-load dumpster job into just two loads. That saved me trips and increased efficiency.” These add-ons can make your business more competitive and increase overall earnings.
Our default dumpster rental projections have you breaking even in just over 3 years. Can you get there faster?
Step 4: Get Your Results
The calculator will generate detailed projections, including: Monthly and annual revenue potential, itemized annual expenses, total operating costs, profit margins, investment payback timeline in a nice looking 5-year chart. Print off the data and save to keep for your research.
By starting with these defaults and adjusting to fit your market, you can create a dumpster rental business plan with clear revenue targets.
One man’s dumpster rental is entrepreneur’s cash flow.
Core Dumpster Rental Revenue: The primary revenue calculation uses this formula:
Monthly Rental Revenue = Number of Dumpsters × Average Rentals per Month × Rental Price
Annual Rental Revenue = Monthly Rental Revenue × 12
Additional Revenue Streams: This provides flexibility to add income from junk removal services or heavy equipment rentals.
Total Monthly Revenue = Dumpster Rental Revenue + Additional Revenue Streams
Cost Calculations
Initial Investment:
Total Investment = (Number of Trucks × Truck Cost) + (Number of Dumpsters × Dumpster Cost)
Monthly Operating Costs:
Monthly Operating Costs = Labor Costs + Fuel Costs + Marketing Costs + Insurance +
Software Costs + Loan Payments + (Annual Maintenance Cost ÷ 12)
Labor Costs Calculations:
Monthly Labor Cost = Number of Drivers × Hourly Rate × 40 hours × 52 weeks ÷ 12 months
Profitability Metrics
Net Profit Calculation:
Monthly Net Profit = Total Monthly Revenue - Monthly Operating Costs
Annual Net Profit = Monthly Net Profit × 12
ROI Calculation:
ROI = (Annual Net Profit ÷ Total Investment) × 100
Payback Period (months) = Total Investment ÷ Monthly Net Profit
Break-Even Analysis:
Monthly Break-even Point = Total Monthly Costs ÷ Revenue per Rental
Remember that while the calculator can provide insights, it should be used as one of many tools in your business planning process and is based on your inputs that might not be accurate. Always consult with certified financial advisors before starting or investing in any type of business.
Dumpster Business 201: Strategy
Running a dumpster rental business isn’t just about moving waste; it’s about efficiency, pricing, and creating opportunities to expand your revenue streams. Clayton Roll, a dumpster rental entrepreneur and content creator on YouTube, shared insights from his experience that can directly tie to adjustments you can make in the calculator to refine your business strategy in the 1+ hour interview with Kyle Grimm.
1. Expand Your Offerings
“You’ve got to find those synergies where everything ties together,” Clayton said. “It’s not just about focusing on one thing but making sure all the pieces complement each other.”
Clayton emphasizes the importance of adding services that align with your core business. By including options such as junk removal or equipment rentals, you can maximize your profitability while diversifying your income streams.
Pro Tip: The calculator allows you to input additional services to see how they impact your monthly and annual revenue. This feature lets you experiment with new ideas, like offering equipment rental during slow seasons or upselling junk removal to existing customers.
Outside Rolling Operations HQ.
2. Test Pricing Models for Greater Flexibility
“Most people don’t need a dumpster for two weeks,” Clayton said. “I can offer a three-day rental at a cheaper price and then turn it around for another customer quickly. It’s about time equity and efficiency.”
By rethinking traditional pricing and rental durations, you can better serve customer needs while increasing turnover and revenue potential. This calculator makes it easy to test different pricing strategies by adjusting the default weekly rental rate and the number of rentals per month.
3. Optimize Your Inventory for Peak Efficiency
“My business runs completely off efficiency right now,” Clayton said. “Even though I don’t have a lot of dumpsters, I can operate at peak capacity by managing inventory effectively. It’s about flipping dumpsters quickly and minimizing downtime.” Efficient inventory management can help you maximize profits, even with a smaller fleet of dumpsters.
Calculator Connection:
Input the number of dumpsters you currently own, along with your desired rental frequency. The tool will show you how optimizing your inventory can help you scale revenue without overspending on additional equipment.
Clayton’s insights are a reminder that running a successful dumpster rental business isn’t just about having the right equipment—it’s about strategy. By experimenting with the calculator’s inputs, you can test ideas, refine your pricing, and plan for additional revenue streams.
Related tools:
Self-Storage Facility Investing Deal Evaluation Calculator: Clayton Roll has been testing out RV rentals in the available parking space of his dumpster rental business. You can evaluate this closely related business model too.
About the Author: Brett Lindenberg
