A roofing tear-off is one of the few jobs where you can know your debris load almost exactly before anyone climbs a ladder. Roofs are measured, shingles come in standard weights, and the math is straightforward once you know which numbers to use.
The catch is that almost nobody uses roof measurements to size the container. They guess based on how big the house looks, order a 30-yard, and end up either paying for space they never touch or going over on weight anyway.
Why roofers count squares instead of cubic yards
A square is 100 square feet of roof surface. It is the unit shingles are sold in, estimated in, and billed in, so it is the unit to think in when you order a container, too.
The first thing to sort out is that your roof is bigger than your house. A 2,000-square-foot single-story home does not have 2,000 square feet of roof. Pitch and overhangs add to it, usually somewhere between 10 and 25 percent for common residential pitches, and more than that on a steep or cut-up roof with multiple dormers and valleys.
So that 2,000-square-foot house is realistically 22 to 25 squares. If you have a roofing estimate in hand, the square count is already on it. Use that number rather than your own guess.
What a square of shingles actually weighs
This is where the two main shingle types split badly, and it is the single biggest variable in the whole calculation.
- Three-tab asphalt: three bundles per square, roughly 230 to 250 pounds per square
- Architectural or dimensional: heavier bundles and often four per square, roughly 350 to 450 pounds per square
Architectural shingles can weigh close to double what three-tab does. On a 20-square roof, that is the difference between about 2.4 tons and about 4 tons of debris coming off the same-size roof.
Run the two side by side on a 20-square job, single layer:
| Per square | 20 squares | |
|---|---|---|
| Three-tab | ~240 lbs | ~4,800 lbs (2.4 tons) |
| Architectural | ~400 lbs | ~8,000 lbs (4 tons) |
If you are not sure which you have, look at the edge of the roof from the ground. Three-tab lies flat and uniform with visible, evenly spaced slots. Architectural has a layered, staggered look with varying shadow lines.
Count your layers before you order
Then double-check whether you are pulling one layer or two, because it changes everything above by a factor of two.
Plenty of roofs have a second layer installed over the original rather than a full tear-off. Go to a gable end or a rake edge where the shingle edge is exposed and count the courses stacked at the edge. You can usually see it clearly from a ladder, and a roofer will confirm it in thirty seconds.
Two layers of architectural on that same 20-square roof puts you at roughly 8 tons of debris. That is not a one-container job at any size, and finding out on tear-off morning is an expensive way to learn.
Matching squares to a container
Here is what we run and what each includes by weight:
| Size | Price | Weight included |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | $369 | 1.5 tons |
| 20 yard | $469 | 2 tons |
| 30 yard | $559 | 3 tons |
| 40 yard | $659 | 4 tons |
All prices are plus tax for a 7-day rental. Overages are $75 per ton, and we quote them before you book.
Shingles are dense enough that most tear-offs hit the weight allowance before they fill the container. That is the same principle covered in our post on why weight fills a dumpster before volume does, and roofing is probably the clearest example.
Practically, that means ordering the biggest container isn't automatically the cheapest route. Take that 20-square architectural job at 4 tons. A 40-yard covers the full 4 tons with no overage at $659. A 20-yard holds that volume of shingles comfortably in most cases, and even with 2 tons of overage, it comes in at around $619. The smaller container can come out ahead, and it is easier to load from a ladder because the walls are lower.
The right answer depends on your square count, your shingle type, and your layer count. Give us those three numbers, and we will tell you which container is actually cheapest for your job, not just which one is biggest.
What else comes off the roof
Shingles are the bulk of it, but a few things get left out of estimates and then show up in the container:
- Underlayment and felt. Not heavy on its own, but it takes up more room than people expect once it is balled up.
- Nails, flashing, drip edge and ridge vent. Minor on weight, but flashing and vent runs are awkward and eat volume.
- Decking. This is the one that wrecks estimates. If any plywood or OSB comes off because of rot or soft spots, figure roughly 150 pounds per square of decking replaced. On a job where half the deck needs replacing, that is a substantial addition on top of the shingles.
- Old wood shake. If there is shake under the asphalt, throw out your numbers and call us. Shake tear-offs are their own category.
Where the container sits matters more on a roofing job than on most others, because crews drop debris from height rather than carry it. Placing it close to the eave on the tear-off side, with clearance for the truck, saves real labor. Our guide on where to put a roll-off on your property covers the clearances we need.
Get the number before the crew shows up
Three numbers get you an accurate answer: square count, shingle type, and how many layers are coming off. That is a two-minute phone call, and it is the difference between a clean job and an unexpected line on the invoice.
Call (512) 688-7000 or schedule your delivery.
