Updated December 8, 2023
Dumpster brokers are the middlemen involved in a dumpster rental deal.
They're not exactly "bad guys," but it's still best to steer clear of these companies from a customer's perspective.
We'll go over common issues with renting a dumpster from a broker and how to avoid them.
Jump to:
Find a locally-owned dumpster rental company near you
Common Issues With Renting From a Dumpster Broker
Brokers often act as if they are a local dumpster service, when in actuality, they don't own any dumpsters and likely aren't local.
After the broker takes your order, they contact a dumpster rental provider local to your area to deliver and pick up the dumpster.
They essentially act as a middle man for a service that you could easily arrange yourself, all while charging more than the local company actually providing the service.
Here's the problem with booking a dumpster through a broker:
- You often pay more. Brokers usually charge a higher price so they can take a cut and still pass on the local service provider's normal fee.
- You're not in direct contact with the actual delivery company. This can often result in poor service or confusion.
Dealing direct is far better than dealing with a broker in both a customer service and total cost aspect.
Dumpster brokers are hard to spot because they typically don’t announce the fact that they are a broker.
You can avoid these companies by calling known dumpster providers in your area or by booking dumpster rental services through Hometown.
Dumpster pricing can be a bit confusing, but Hometown has surveyed dumpster companies in all 50 states to find the average cost of renting a dumpster in metro areas across the country to give you an idea of what to expect.
How to Avoid Renting From a Dumpster Broker
Hometown is neither a dumpster broker nor a dumpster rental company. Think of us as a very specific search engine, designed to help connect you with reputable disposal companies that service your area.
We publish locally-owned and operated dumpster rental, commercial waste management, and junk removal companies all over the U.S. to make it easy to request free quotes and get the best price for your disposal project, whatever that may be.
By searching your zip code and filling out our single quote request form, you can request free estimate from up to 3 local services to compare pricing, customer service, and availability.
Getting multiple quotes is an essential part of price shopping dumpster rental services, and can be one of the easiest ways to spot a dumpster broker.
Local companies do not pay a fee to be listed on Hometown Dumpster Rental and unlike a broker service, you're in complete control of who you hire.
In a brokering situation, you may have no idea which dumpster service is actually delivering your dumpster rental, making it difficult or impossible to ensure you're getting quality service.
We verify every company we list to make sure they are appropriately licensed and insured before publishing their information for consumers.
Whether you contact a company through our site or through theirs, you will be given the same price because unlike dumpster brokers, we don't charge you a fee to do your own research and make your own arrangements.
We have our own team dedicated to following up with customers who find their dumpster rental through our site to learn more about their experience. These verified, real customer reviews are then published on our website to help potential clients make informed purchasing decisions.
Any company that fails to meet our quality guidelines are removed from the Hometown website.
The bottom line—we don’t work with companies that have poor reputations or bad customer service, and we don't think you should either.
You'll never be charged for a quote request and you'll never be pressured to hire a dumpster rental company you request quotes from.
Keep reading:
- How Many Dumpsters Do I Need?
- Dumpster Rental Dos and Don'ts: Tips for a Hassle-Free Experience
- Dumpsters: The Landlord's Secret Weapon for Streamlining Turnover
- Waste Not, Save a Lot: The Art of Neighborly Dumpster Sharing
