A 10-yard dumpster holds about five pickup-truck loads, which is usually enough for a single-room remodel or an old deck removal. If you expect more debris than that, the 20-yard dumpster holds roughly double. Bulky items like sofas and mattresses are easier to load than you might expect, since you can walk them in through the rear door instead of lifting them over the side.

Downers Grove doesn't list a dumpster-specific permit, and placing the dumpster on your driveway doesn't need village approval, which makes it the easiest option. Anything placed in the street or parkway falls under the village's right-of-way rules. If you're planning to use the street, call Community Development at 630-434-5515 first to confirm what you'll need.

Older Downers Grove homes can contain asbestos in flooring, siding, or pipe insulation, and that material can't go in a VaVia dumpster. The same goes for hazardous waste like paint, solvents, and pesticides, as well as electronics such as TVs and computers. Illinois also bans landscape waste from landfill containers, so you'll want to keep grass, leaves, and brush out of your load. Wood, drywall, and old flooring can all go in.

VaVia can usually deliver in Downers Grove the same day or the next morning, which is a big help when a demo date moves up or a contractor is ready early. Order online or by phone, and let us know exactly where you'd like the container placed. Our driver will take care of the rest.

A teardown or gut remodel produces more construction debris than one container can hold, so it's best to plan on multiple dumpster swaps using the 20-yard dumpster, VaVia's largest size. When it fills up, give us a call, and we'll pick it up and drop off an empty one. We'd also suggest putting foundation concrete and masonry in a separate 10-yard so heavy loads stay within the weight limit.