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Bagster Bag vs. Dumpster Rental: Which is Right For You?


Blog - posted by Benjamin - July 18, 2024

If you have a lot of junk to remove and are committed to doing the work yourself, two of your best options would be to purchase a bagster bag or do roll off dumpster rental to gather and haul your junk. But which is better, bagster bag or roll off rental? Which option gives you more savings and value?   In this post, we’ll give you an in-depth breakdown of bagster bag vs dumpster rental. We’ll look at what each option offers and how you can determine the right choice for your project. 

Key Takeaways

  • Both roll off rentals and bagster bags require some effort on the part of customers.  
  • Bagsters can be bought in certain stores, but you still have to rely on a pickup service. 
  • Roll off dumpsters can handle more junk types and provide more options based on the project.
  • Larger jobs tend to be best suited for roll off dumpster rental.
What is a Bagster and How Do They Work

What is a Bagster and How Do They Work?

Bagster bags, or just bagsters, are large, durable bags developed by Waste Management Company to provide an inexpensive alternative to self-junk removal projects. The premise is pretty simple. These bagsters are sold commercially at many retail stores.. You just need to locate a store in your area, make sure they carry bagsters, and purchase them for your cleanup.  While prices can vary, typically bagsters sell for about $29.99. However, some stores sell bagsters as high as $49 total, so you may have to compare your local options. Because bagsters are made of canvas, they’re easy to transport home and begin using. These bags are rated to hold about 3 cubic yards of waste. That’s about 1.65 tons of weight. After you’re finished loading your bagster, it’s then your responsibility to call for its removal and have it hauled away.  As you can see there’s more that goes into just buying a bagster and filling it. What’s more, is that you might not be saving as much money as you think you are.

The Downsides of Bagsters

The Downsides of Bagsters
Bagsters can be a great resource depending on your project, but regardless, the steps you have to go through are much more than you think as opposed to a straightforward dumpster rental. Don’t be fooled by a low purchase price because there are other costs involved with bagsters that will compound to the point it might make sense not to use them in the first place. Let’s break down a few below-the-surface pitfalls of bagster bag use. 

Cost

You can’t beat $29.99 to remove all your junk right? Well, that’s a great low price but it’s only one component of bagster costs. Again, you need to also call to have the bagster hauled away and dumped by their creator, Waste Management. This will require you to pay a collection fee for the service.  This exact fee is determined by a couple of factors, including how many bags you have and where you’re located. You may also have to pay a Guaranteed Day Service (GDS) charge if you want the pick up on a certain day. Otherwise, your bagster(s) will likely be retrieved within seven days. This is so that the company can dispatch the appropriate vehicle to retrieve the bagster for removal. Before all this, prices for bagster pickup can range between $100-$300.  Already, you can see that this is not the super cheap option it might originally appear to be. In fact, some sources have reported that bagster customers ended up paying 30% more on the entire bagster process than they would have with junk movers. This is because other costs will compound with the initial bagster purchase: the booking fee, and other costs. While average pickup estimates are about $180, customers end up paying over $200 – probably more than they were expecting given the inexpensive appeal of the bagster.  

Weight and Junk Limitations

Canvas is strong, but not nearly as durable and sturdy as a typical construction roll off, or another dumpster you might rent from us at Temporary Dumpster. Currently, bagsters are only available in one size, which means that if you need to remove multiple pieces of large furniture or appliances, they won’t be able to fit and be removed. Also, the size of the bagster is actually very small, roughly about the size of our 10-yard dumpster, but lacking the ability to transport some of the same materials that risk puncturing the canvas.  Due to the size of the bagster, you really don’t have as much available space as you think. If your junk removal project is of a large scale, this might not be an ideal solution. In order to get all of your junk removed, you may need to buy more bagsters to complete your single project, fill them, and have to schedule multiple pickups (increasing cost). Additionally, weight is also a key consideration. Bagsters, like roll off dumpsters, have a weight limit. With dumpster rental though, you have multiple dumpster sizes to choose from for your project ranging from the following:  Bagsters only have one size with a maximum tonnage allowance of roughly 3,300 pounds (approximately 1.65 tons). But while this seems like sufficient space, most experts state that this isn’t enough space for major projects like a muli-room cleanout. You’ll need more space and tonnage capacity. On top of that, bagsters are extremely difficult to handle as they fill, so you need to be mindful of this as you fill. 

Versatility 

It’s important to understand that junk is not just a catch-all concept, each type of junk has its own weight requirements, disposal rules, and challenges. Therefore, every type of junk cleanout you have is unique to the point that one type of container, in this case, a bagster, might not be effective.  There’s a reason why we offer multiple types of dumpster rental, it’s because this gives you more available junk removal options based on your waste and project scale. But this isn’t the case with bagsters – you only get one option, and this comes with more restrictions than dumpster rental. For example, bagsters are not designed for things like yard waste, including large tree limbs, grass, and leaves. This rules out large-scale outdoor cleanup jobs for bagsters, instead, you’d be better off a yard waste dumpster rental, which is far more reliable for the task.  Additionally, bagsters typically cannot accept any type of appliances, even those without fuel or chemicals. Ideally, these bagsters work great for a small residential junk job, maybe clearing out a single room or cleaning up after a small renovation. If you’re undergoing a large renovation or are a construction firm, you really need a more fortified container. 

How Do Roll Off Dumpsters Compare?

How Do Roll Off Dumpsters Compare
When comparing a roll off rental to buying a bagster, many of the same considerations apply. It is important to know that with both options you’re still saving money by not paying for the labor of junk removal specialists. The question is how much everything is considered in terms of timing and convenience, and how cost-effective each option is. To give you some perspective, here are a couple of considerations for context on why dumpster rentals typically offer a better deal and experience. 

Cost-effective

You have more dumpster sizes available based on your precise requirements. Instead of having to invest in multiple bagsters, a single dumpster, will be sufficient. Plus, you have an upfront cost when you use Temporary Dumpster. You also get the option of rental size and period based on what you need. Additionally, Temporary Dumpster offers highly flexible rental periods to give you more savings and convenience. 

More Versatile for DIY Junk Removal 

From a multi-room junk haul, garage cleanouts, summer yard waste removal, or construction site demolition cleanup, specific roll off dumpsters can be matched to your project. If you have a large-scale project, roll off dumpsters are a much better option than bagster. With a dumpster rental, you can toss out heavier materials and a larger volume of trash.. Plus, your dumpster rental company will haul the full dumpster away for you fast. 

More Convenient

If you consider the logistics of finding and buying a bagster and then scheduling and waiting for a pickup, dumpster rental is more streamlined. You call us, we discuss your junk and recommend a dumpster, and then schedule you for delivery when you want it. There’s no waiting seven days and when we are scheduled to pickup and drop off your roll off, we cater fully to your schedule. In any case, you simply choose your dumpster, load it, and we take care of dumping your junk for you.  

Faster

Another benefit of working with roll off rental services like Temporary Dumpster is that our service is catered to your schedule. That means fast dumpster rental deliveries and pickups. Instead of heading to a store and trying to find a bagster, with one call, you can have a dumpster rental en route to you. We can deliver your roll off as soon as the same day or the next day of your reservation!

More Eco-friendly

More Eco-friendly
Another consideration is that dumpster rental is more environmentally friendly. The bagster you buy is a one-time-use item that’s dumped with your waste. Roll off dumpsters are reusable and dumped in a way that won’t expend more gas than necessary – helping reduce pollution. 

Safer and Sturdier

If you’re dealing with sharp, heavy, or potentially dangerous items, you’re better off having a more resilient container like a roll off dumpster. Besides offering a sturdy metal container for you to safely maneuver around and place junk in, there’s no need to manipulate the junk as much with the dumpster. A bagster grows tight as you fill it, and if you need to move it around or try to cram items in you risk injury. Again, there is a risk of the canvas bagster ripping. With a dumpster, you just toss items in.

Bagster Bag vs. Dumpster Rental: Which Is Better?

Bagster Bag vs. Dumpster Rental
When it comes down to which option is better, it generally comes down to your preferences and the type of junk and project you’re dealing with. If you have a small or maybe medium-scale home cleaning project, and don’t mind purchasing a bagster that you’ll only use once, then this might be a good option for you. Just remember that you still have to pay for retrieval and dumping in addition to this. 

If you need to get rid of yard waste, have multiple types of waste, or have a larger project to clean up from, go with a dumpster rental. This option not only gives you more rental options and a more efficient way to deal with the junk, it’s all within a consolidated process. Within this process though our dedicated dumpster rental specialist will guide you to the best dumpster selection needed to save you time and money.  Get Fast, Cost-Effective Dumpster Rental Now

When it comes to convenience and more value for your do-it-yourself junk removal project, dumpster rental just offers more use and utility than bagster bags. That’s because, besides a roll off dumpster rental, you also get our team of specialists who are ready to help you with everything from dumpster selection to operating your roll off dumpster.  Our effectiveness at providing the best dumpster rental deals and on-time delivery ensures that we can help your junk project be as fast and inexpensive as possible. Whether you need a construction dumpster or a roll off that’s more suited for roofing projects and cleanups, we will help you select the right dumpster for the job.To get started, call us at 1-800-513-4973 or get a free quote now. We’ll do our best to get you the dumpster you need as soon as you need it, with no extra charge.

Call Temporary Dumpster Today to Book Your Roll-Off Dumpster Rental!

When you're ready to tackle that big project, Temporary Dumpster is your go-to provider for roll-off dumpster rentals. With a simple call to 1-800-513-4973, you can obtain an online dumpster rental quote and learn more about the various services offered to suit your needs.

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