What debris costs, flat
| Debris | Flat price |
|---|---|
| Mixed construction debris (drywall, lumber, tile, flooring) | $120 per cubic yard |
| Old toilet | $64 |
| Cast-iron bathtub | $185 |
| Rolled carpet | $68 |
| Old water heater — tank / tankless | $131 / $90 |
| Contractor bags | $41 each |
| Old cabinets, doors, fixtures | Photo-priced flat alongside |
A bathroom remodel's debris typically runs a few cubic yards; kitchens more. The crew loads from the backyard, garage or wherever the contractor stacked it — you never touch the pile.
Why the curb is a dead end for C&D
Dallas's rule is written in bold on the city's own page: no building materials, brick, concrete, glass, roofing, or anything with nails — and pointedly, "waste generated from projects requiring the use of a contractor should be disposed of by the contractor." Slip it into the bulk pile anyway and the enforcement design kicks in: collected, then auto-billed at $60 per 5 cubic yards, with citations available. The "free" route costs more than the flat one.
The contractor question, honestly
- Before you sign: make debris disposal an explicit contract line. Negotiating it before demo is cheap; after, it's leverage-free.
- If it's in the contract: hold them to it — that's what you paid for.
- The gap cases are ours: DIY weekends, "haul-away extra" quotes, the contractor who vanished mid-punch-list, and the pile discovered after final payment cleared.
Pile vs dumpster, one line
Debris still being produced → rent the roll-off. Debris that already exists → remove the pile. The full math — rental windows, driveway occupation, loading labor, HOA optics — is in the dumpster comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How much does construction debris removal cost in Dallas?
$120 per cubic yard, flat — loaded by the crew from wherever the pile sits (backyard, garage, side of the house), hauled and disposed at facilities that take C&D. A typical bathroom remodel's debris runs a few cubic yards; a kitchen more. Photo the pile and the quote prices the actual volume; old fixtures price flat alongside (toilet $64, cast-iron tub $185).
Will Dallas bulk trash take renovation debris?
Never — no building materials, brick, rock, concrete, glass panes, mirrors, roofing, or anything with protruding nails. The city's position is explicit: waste from projects requiring a contractor should be disposed of by the contractor. Sneak it into the bulk pile and it's a non-compliant set-out: usually collected, automatically billed at $60 per 5 cubic yards, citations possible.
Shouldn't my contractor haul the debris?
If debris removal is in the contract, yes — hold them to it. The gap cases are where we come in: DIY projects, the contractor who quoted 'haul-away extra,' the one who vanished mid-job, and the pile that appeared after the final invoice was paid. Before signing any renovation contract, make debris disposal an explicit line item — it's cheaper to negotiate before demo than after.
Debris pile vs dumpster — which is right for a Dallas remodel?
Producing debris continuously for weeks? A roll-off on-site wins — that's its purpose. Have a finished pile that exists right now? Per-cubic-yard removal wins: no rental window, no driveway occupation, no loading — the crew arrives, the pile leaves. The full comparison is in our dumpster-rental guide.