Kitchen and Bath Remodel Debris: A Contractor's Game Plan
Kitchens and baths make the messiest debris on a remodel: tile, cabinets, cast iron and drywall. Here's how pros sequence demo and haul-off.
Kitchens and bathrooms are small rooms that make a surprising amount of heavy, awkward debris. Plan the haul-off with the same care as the demo and the job runs cleaner.
What a kitchen or bath demo produces
- Tile and mortar beds: heavy, especially older mud-set floors
- Cabinets and countertops: bulky; stone tops are very heavy
- Cast iron tubs and old fixtures
- Drywall, plaster and lath: older New Orleans homes often have plaster
- Flooring, subfloor and packaging from new materials
Picking the size
- One bathroom or a small kitchen: a 10-yard usually covers it, and it handles the tile weight.
- A full kitchen, or a kitchen plus baths: a 20-yard.
- Whole-house remodel with kitchen, baths and flooring: a 20-yard with a scheduled swap, or a 30-yard if the debris is mostly bulky.
Sequence the demo
- Salvage first. Pull anything being reused or donated (cabinets, fixtures, appliances) before the crew starts swinging.
- Heavy on the bottom. Tile, plaster and countertops go in first and spread flat.
- Bulky on top. Cabinets and framing scraps fill in above.
- Packaging last. Boxes and wrap from new materials are light. Break them down so they don't waste space.
Keep the house livable
Clients often live in the home during a kitchen or bath remodel:
- Put the container as close to the exit door as you can and lay a protected path to it.
- Seal off the work area to keep dust out of the rest of the house.
- Haul daily to the container instead of piling debris inside.
What stays out of the container
Old refrigerators and other refrigerant appliances, paint and liquid chemicals have to be handled separately. See what can't go in a roll-off.
Running remodels back to back?
Remodelers who book regularly should ask about contractor pricing. A local yard means a container on the day you need it, so demo day doesn't slip.
Planning a job in Greater New Orleans? Call (504) 287-2348 or get a quote. We confirm the size, the placement and the price before anything is scheduled.
Frequently asked questions
What size dumpster for a bathroom remodel?
A 10-yard usually covers a single bathroom and handles the weight of tile and mortar.
What size dumpster for a kitchen remodel?
A full kitchen typically fits a 20-yard. A small kitchen can fit a 10-yard.
Can old cabinets go in the dumpster?
Yes. Cabinets, countertops, drywall and tile can all go in a roll-off.