DIY Remodeling Tips, and How a Dumpster Rental Can Help

The DIY home remodeling bug has bitten many people! If you’ve ever watched home renovation television shows — or even browsed on Pinterest – you’re sure to have seen homeowners finding new and creative ways to update their homes to make them match their tastes.

DIY remodeling, as seen on TV, always seems like a pleasant and perfect experience, but at Small Haul Containers , we know the truth! Even small, single-room remodeling projects can leave you with a big pile of garbage, and you’ll need a residential dumpster rental to take care of it for you.

When you’re ready to tackle home renovations yourself, keep Small Haul Containers in mind for when you need to rent a dumpster in South Kansas City.

Any home DIY project that results in trash of any kind will require you to find a way to dispose of it, and your household garbage pick-up might not take your construction waste. Weekly garbage services also don’t tend to take bulk items, so a dumpster rental will be important in cleaning up after your projects.

You’ll need to rent a dumpster for any project that will exceed the trash allotment of your weekly pick-up. If you aren’t sure what the limits are, you must call your local refuse service to inquire, especially if you’re doing one of the projects we’ve compiled here.

When solid-surface or carpeted flooring wears out or becomes heavily soiled, replacing it is often the most desired solution. If you’re redoing the flooring in your entire house, you will need a receptacle to dispose of waste. Even 900 square feet of carpet – the equivalent of a small house – will be too large for city sanitation workers to pick up.

When you’re ready to replace flooring, experts say there are a few things you should consider:

• Determine what your current flooring is made of. Vinyl and asphalt floors installed before 1978 might contain asbestos, so you won’t want to rip those up without proper abatement. Many people choose to simply place new flooring over any old materials that may contain asbestos. If it needs to be removed, you will need a professional. Unfortunately, you cannot put asbestos material in most residential dumpster rentals because it is considered a safety hazard. A professional will know the safest way to dispose of those materials.
• Consider the durability you need in your home. If you have lots of pets, you might want a type of flooring that is nearly indestructible and easy-to-clean, like vinyl planks. If you want something you can refinish and refresh over and over again, you might spring for hardwoods that you can sand, stain, and seal year after year. If you’re looking for a quick solution for small spaces, particularly basements and bathrooms, you might consider self-sticking vinyl tiles – which have come a long way from the 1980s linoleum you’re thinking of!
• Different flooring materials and even brand names vary in price. Keeping your budget in mind will be important when choosing your new flooring. Be sure to measure the square footage of your room carefully before ordering your flooring so ensure you have enough, or aren’t overspending on unnecessary square footage.

When it’s time to install new flooring, these tips can make your work a little easier.

• If you’re installing solid-surface, plank- or tile-style flooring, you’ll want to work parallel to the longest side of the room first. It makes it even easier if you can start near a door.
• Make sure your subfloor is level. You can use a hammer and chisel to remove higher spots, and fill low areas with leveling compound. Then, you should clean your sub-floor with a broom to remove any debris before installing your new flooring.
• Buy about 10 percent more flooring than you need, especially if you’re buying ceramic tile or wood! Some pieces will break, or you won’t like the wood grain in others. If you have extra, you’ll also be able to make repairs in the future without having to search for replacement materials years after it is no longer sold in stores.
• Always install a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from damaging your new floors, especially if your subfloor is concrete. You also should always use an underlayment. Some flooring has underlayment built in, for your convenience.
• To dispose of old carpet, you should consider renting a dumpster from Small Haul Containers, serving South Kansas City and Johnson County. Small residential dumpster rentals will hold your carpet waste, and Small Haul will come pick up your full dumpster at the end of your rental period. Roll up old carpet and place it in the dumpster to save your space and keep your container organized.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to refresh your house’s kitchen! In fact, you might be able to change the entire look of your home’s kitchen for less than you spend each month on groceries. Unfortunately, any kitchen renovation that involves removing cabinets or old appliances will require you to rent a dumpster to dispose of your waste.

There are so many money-saving ideas for upgrading your kitchen; these are sure to get you started in brainstorming what you can do to change-up the heart of your home.

• Consider painting your cabinet doors for a whole-new look. Sealing your freshly-painted cabinets with water-based polyurethane will keep them from chipping and make them easier to clean. Apply at least four coats, using very fine grit sandpaper between coats to help with adhesion.
• Replace cabinet doors, instead of your entire cabinet box. Simply switching out doors can change up the whole look of your kitchen. If your existing doors are ornate or dated, choosing cabinet doors with cleaner lines – and modern hardware – is a great choice for your renovation.
• Replace your tile backsplash with newer styles. This seems simple, but it can actually be hard work! If your backsplash tiles were installed with thinset or another adhesive, it will take more work to remove them. You can use a wide putty knife to get under the tiles and pry them off. Be aware you might need to scrape off mortar from your walls before applying your new tiles. Tile is heavy, so you will not be able to place your broken debris into your regular trash. You should consider a rental dumpster for this purpose. If you don’t have enough items to fill the rental dumpster, ask your neighbors if they have anything they’d like to dispose of in exchange for giving you a small donation toward the price of a Small Haul Containers rental dumpster.

Fixtures like bathroom toilets, large chandeliers, and more can be very heavy and unwieldy. And while you could sell some of these items secondhand — but please not the toilet — it’s usually a frustrating experience to coordinate payment and pickup with buyers. Sometimes it’s just easier to dispose of these fixtures or even older appliances in a dumpster rental. If you’ve found that you have lots of heavy fixtures that you’re replacing, you’ll want to rent a dumpster to dispose of them, rather than waiting around for a buyer to take them off your hands.

Small Haul Containers rents out dumpsters of many sizes to the South Kansas City and Johnson County, Kansas areas. Our dumpsters — no matter what size you need — take up only the equivalent of a single parking space. One of our team members will deliver your empty dumpster to you, protect the driveway or other solid surface you’re having the dumpster placed on, and then carefully set the dumpster exactly where you want it. All of our dumpsters feature large barn-style doors, so you don’t have to lift anything heavy over your head to dispose of your waste.

Once your dumpster is full, Small Haul Containers will pick it up again! You don’t have to lift a finger.

If you’re ready to get started on some basic home DIY projects, contact Small Haul Containers to order your small residential dumpster for rent! You can even place an order for delivery on our website.

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