Frequently asked questions

Appliances, tires, televisions and computer monitors, fluorescent bulbs, lead-acid batteries, corrugated cardboard, yard waste, liquids, and pressurized cylinders are all prohibited. Most of them have a recycling route instead, though fees usually apply at drop-off. Check before loading a mixed container.

Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners hold refrigerant that must be recovered by a certified technician first. L&R Dumpsters accepts appliances across Cedar Rapids, IA for an additional fee, so mention them when booking rather than on pickup day.

Overages are charged per ton once the load crosses the scale, because landfills bill by weight rather than volume. Heavy debris like shingles, plaster, and soil reaches a limit long before the container looks full. Estimating the tonnage first avoids surprises.

Yes. Water soaks into drywall, carpet, and cardboard, and a soaked load can gain hundreds of pounds overnight. A tarp weighted at the corners keeps rain out and stops lighter debris from blowing across the yard. Frozen debris invites a dig-out charge.

No. Give clear placement instructions when you book and leave the spot open all day, since delivery windows shift with the route. Marking the exact spot with a cone or a chalk line removes any guesswork. A photo of the spot helps.

Yard waste is banned from the landfill in Iowa and has to go to the compost site instead. Keep grass, leaves, and brush in a separate pile so a mixed load does not trigger a surcharge at the gate.

A few days is usually enough, and same-day or next-day drop-off often works when the route allows. L&R Dumpsters fills fastest around Cedar Rapids, IA after storms and on spring cleanup weekends. Booking midweek generally beats booking Friday.

Roll-off containers are open-topped and delivered on a cable truck for one project, then hauled away. Rear-load dumpsters have lids, stay on the property permanently, and get emptied on a repeating weekly or monthly schedule. One suits projects, the other suits routines.

Yes, and it is common on projects that outgrow the first estimate. The full container leaves and a fresh one lands in the same spot, which keeps demolition crews and cleanout helpers from standing around waiting. Call before it is completely full.

Loose debris is fine in an open container, and construction scrap never needs bagging. Bag the lightweight material, such as insulation, packing peanuts, and paper, so a gust does not scatter it across the neighborhood. Household waste is easier bagged too.

Heavy inert material is sometimes accepted, but it reaches a weight limit remarkably fast, often before the container is half full. Tell us what you are loading first so the right limit is written into your rental. Clean fill has its own route.

Start with flat, bulky items on the floor, then break down furniture and fill the gaps with smaller debris. Everything must stay below the fill line, because an overloaded container legally cannot be hauled. Loading through the door beats lifting over the side.

Mattresses take disposal fees at the landfill and are treated as bulky waste in larger quantities. Mention how many you have when booking so the charge is clear upfront instead of appearing on a later invoice. Recycling them separately is often cheaper.

Liquid paint is a banned material and cannot ride along in a container. Latex paint can be dried out with kitty litter or hardener and then thrown away solid, while oil-based products need a household hazardous waste drop-off.

Cover the container with a tarp overnight, keep it on private property rather than the street, and park a vehicle near the opening. A simple sign helps too, since most illegal dumping is opportunistic rather than planned. Motion lighting deters late arrivals.