One ton of weight is included with every 10-yard dump trailer rental, and anything over that is billed at $59 per ton. The number that decides whether you owe anything comes from a scale at the disposal facility, not from us, and we hand you the receipt so you can see it. This post explains what is on that receipt and how to read it.
Two trips over the scale
When the truck and loaded trailer arrive at the facility, they drive onto a large platform scale and the whole rig is weighed. That is the gross weight, or weigh-in. The driver tips the load, drives back over the scale empty, and is weighed again. That is the tare weight, or weigh-out. The difference between the two is the net weight — the weight of what was in your trailer and nothing else.
Because the truck and the trailer are weighed both times, their weight cancels out. You are never charged for the trailer, the truck, the driver or the fuel in the tank. Only the material you loaded counts.
What the receipt shows
- The facility name and the date and time of each crossing
- Gross weight — the loaded rig
- Tare weight — the empty rig
- Net weight — the load, usually in pounds and sometimes also in tons
- A material description, which for a standard mixed load is a general construction or household debris category
The line that matters to you is net weight. Divide pounds by 2,000 to get tons. A net of 1,800 pounds is under a ton and nothing extra is owed. A net of 3,200 pounds is 1.6 tons, which is one included ton and 0.6 tons over.
What pushes a load past the ton
Most household cleanouts don't get near it. Furniture, boxes, clothing, toys, plastic and brush are bulky and light. The loads that pass the included ton are the dense ones:
- Roof tear-off — shingles, and especially tile
- Ceramic and porcelain tile with the mortar bed
- Concrete, pavers, brick and block
- Dirt, sod, sand and rock
- Plaster from older homes
- Anything that has been rained on for a week — wet carpet, wet drywall, wet brush
That list is also why rock, dirt, concrete and other heavy material is limited to 5 yards per load. A trailer half full of concrete is already well past a ton; a trailer full of it would be unsafe to tow.
Keeping the net weight down
- 1Separate scrap metal — appliances, grills, aluminum frames, copper — into a pile beside the trailer. It goes to a scrap yard rather than across the disposal scale.
- 2Cover the trailer with a tarp if it will sit through afternoon storms. Water is weight, and Tampa Bay summers deliver a lot of it.
- 3Give away or sell anything reusable: intact pavers, working appliances, solid furniture.
- 4Tell us in advance if the job is heavy so the load can be planned across two rentals rather than one overweight one.
- 5Call for pickup as soon as the trailer is full instead of letting it sit open for the rest of the week.
Frequently asked questions
Is the ton included on every rental?
Yes. Every 10-yard trailer rental — weekly or 28-day — includes one ton. A second rental for a second load includes its own ton.
Do you round up to the next ton?
Additional weight is billed at $59 per ton from the net weight on the receipt. Ask when you book if you want the calculation walked through before delivery.
Can I see the weight before the trailer leaves my driveway?
No — the only scale is at the facility. If you want an estimate first, send photos and tell us the material, and we'll give you an honest range from experience.
Is there a charge if the load is light?
No. There is no minimum weight. A quarter-full trailer of patio furniture costs the flat rental rate and nothing more.
Book a 10-yard dump trailer
Free local delivery, free pickup, and a family-owned crew that shows up when we say we will. Serving Clearwater, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco.
