Have you seen ads for a 199 dumpster rental in your area? You’re not alone — these ultra-low-price offers have been popping up in cities across the country. At Trash Daddy Dumpsters, we’ve noticed the same thing, and we want to help you understand what’s really behind that $199 price tag.
We are not going to make any claims about the specific company (or companies) who are behind these ads. We are not familiar with those specific companies. However, we wrote this article to let everyone reading it know that any price anywhere in the country less than $350 for a roll-off dumpster rental is VERY uncommon. And, you should carefully scrutinize any company offering such low prices.
Bottom line, probably not. Our team at Trash Daddy Dumpsters is not aware of any dumpster rental prices that low anywhere in the country, and we have been in the dumpster rental business over 15 years. Take a look at the video we made about this topic:
That doesn't necessarily mean that the company behind this kind of ad is a scam. It could mean that the HAUL price is $199 and you pay for the tonnage (the total weight of the dumpster) separately. If this were the case, it wouldn't be a scam, but at the very least it is incredibly misleading. Under this scenario, while the price of the haul may be $199, your ultimate cost will be considerably more - typically closer to $500, or more. Keep this in mind if you see these ads!
While it could be possible a company offering a very low price (let's say $200 or less) is not a scam, we know that some of them definitely are scams. We say this because we have seen it and have evidence of this. The scam goes like this:
The company places ads online offering dumpster rental services. When you click on the ad, you go to a website (which often looks very generic). It will either state the price, or tell you to call for a price. The price is VERY low - usually $200 to $300, or somewhere in that range.
The scammers take advantage of customers by making them think they have lower dumpster rental prices than anyone else. They take your credit card information and service address and charge your card. They normally will also email you an invoice to make themselves appear legit.
Then the dumpster just never shows up. Most often when the customer tries to contact the company AFTER they have paid, their calls and emails are not answered. Unfortunately, lately we have been helping more and more customers get the dumpsters delivered that they need, after they have already been charged by the scammers.
It's important to note that not every dumpster rental company offering very cheap prices is a scam. We just want everyone to keep in mind that if something seems too good to be true, sometimes it is. And the fact is that in the last few years the number of dumpster rental companies you can find online has increased exponentially. But, many of them aren't "companies" at all. Many are just one or two people with no dumpster rental experience, some are leads providers, and some of them are the same company using different names.
We mentioned that in the last 5 years the number of dumpster rental companies online has grown exponentially. If you search on Google for "dumpster rental near me", you'll see a huge list of companies. Out of all the companies listed, many will be legit dumpster rental companies, but some may not be. Below are a few suggestions to help you find a legitimate dumpster rental company.
A good way to know if a dumpster rental company, or any company, is legit is to look at their internet presence. Specifically:
The average price for a roll-off dumpster rental in most parts of the country ranges from $450 to $600. Of course this is very general, and several things affect the price like the dumpster size, the rental period, and ultimately the final weight. But this gives you a general idea. If you come across a company offering dumpster rentals for around $200, you should be highly skeptical. That is almost half the price of what a typical dumpster costs, and there is almost always a "catch", assuming it's not an outright scam.
One of the very BEST ways to know you are dealing with a legit company is to look at their "about us" or "our story" page. Personally, if I'm doing business with someone online, I want to know who I'm dealing with and know they are real people.
Here is an example of a real picture - Gia at Trash Daddy.
Here is an example of a stock photo.
It's surprising how many companies online have a very generic, plain bio page. But, this is one of the easiest ways to know if you are dealing with a legit company or not.
Most of the time, no. A $199 dumpster rental offer usually is the cost of the delivery ONLY (if it's legit at all), and it excludes key costs like delivery, pickup, tonnage, and rental time. Once all fees are added, the total is typically much higher.
In most areas, dumpster rentals range from $450 to $600 depending on the size, rental length, and final weight. Be cautious of anything priced far below that.
Stick with companies that offer flat-rate pricing and have a clear online presence, including real customer reviews and an “About Us” page. Avoid companies with vague pricing or generic websites.
In almost every case, a true 199 dumpster rental doesn’t exist. We know some of the companies making these claims are scams. Others are simply hiding major fees in the fine print.
With so many roll-off companies online now, it’s harder to know who to trust. We hope this article helps you stay informed — and avoid getting burned.
At Trash Daddy Dumpster Rentals, we’ve been in the roll-off business for over 15 years. We offer flat-rate pricing, next-day delivery, and friendly, reliable service. If we serve your area, we’d love to help.
Thanks for reading. 👍
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