Bin There Dump That: One Man's Trash Blog

You might assume you missed the boat on tackling that home renovation project. It’s winter, after all. Time to settle in for a few months of good television, popcorn and your couch.

Nice try.

Winter is actually a great time to re-do your basement, remodel the bathroom, and (or) tear out that kitchen backsplash that’s been bugging you since 2003.

But can you rent a dumpster bin in the snowiest, blowiest season? You bet.

Here’s a look at a few things to keep in mind when it comes to winter dumpster rental:

Love those house flipping shows on TV? They make it look easy, don’t they? Even when major problems arise, everything is tidily wrapped up after a couple commercial breaks.

Well, it isn’t easy.

But it helps if the flipper has a few qualities that give them the fortitude and know-how to get in, get the job done and get out. With profit.

What are some of the qualities of successful house flippers?

Sometimes a house needs a lot of work.

Seriously, A LOT of work.

Maybe it’s your house (sorry). You might have outgrown it, but you love your neighborhood and don’t want to move. Maybe you’re a house flipper who got a great deal on a fixer-upper and you’re looking for a big profit.

Do you renovate or do you tear the thing down and start from scratch?

We’re not gonna lie — either way, be prepared for some turmoil. No home-cooked meals for a while. Dust everywhere. At least two missing toothbrushes. Serious threats to your sanity.

And that’s if everything goes perfectly.

Which way to go? Here are a few factors to consider when deciding between renovate or rebuild.

If you have to stare at those shabby varnished kitchen cabinets and speckled pink countertops much longer, you’re going to scream.

A kitchen remodel — starting with a really big sledge hammer — is the only way to save your sanity.

Real-estate experts are with you on this one. Wisely chosen home upgrades can pay off in the long run with increased home value. But you have to come up with the money to get things rolling.

Time for a home equity loan, right? Well, maybe. If you have enough equity in your home.

But since 2008, when the sub prime mortgage bust hit, many homeowners have seen their home equity disappear.

If that’s the case, you’ll have to look for other funding sources. The good news is, there are options that don’t require collateral. Pink speckled counters, buh-bye.

Here are six suggestions for how to finance a remodel without equity.

Everybody knows the kitchen is the heart of the home — and the room that can make or break the sale when you have a house on the market.

When you’re flipping a house, timing is everything. You want to get in, fix it up, and make the sale.

So what’s the best way to attack a kitchen remodel when you’re flipping a house? Let’s take a look. But before you dive in, know that remodeling a kitchen for resale isn’t the same as redoing a kitchen for yourself.

First, a few kitchen renovation tips to keep in mind:

Home renovation can be overwhelming.

How much paint will you need? Can you install your own back splash? Where the heck did you leave your level?

As long as you know where your smartphone is, you’re all set. There are mobile apps designed just for home renovators and remodelers like you, ready to turn your smartphone into tools, inspiration, and handy little home repair reference guide.

Here’s a look at some of the best home improvement apps to get you on your way. Now, where did you leave that phone charger?

When you’re planning a home renovation, every new idea comes with dollar signs attached. Lots of dollar signs.

“Let’s do new kitchen counters and backsplash.” Ka-ching.

“The bathroom tile is gross. What if we...” Ka-ching.

“So, I saw this idea in a magazine and...” Ka-ching

You get the idea.

But there are ways to trim the cost of your home renovations. You’ll need a crow bar, some paint, some planning and creativity. Here’s a look at five home renovation tips to take a bit of the ka-ching out of your renovation project.

So you’re staring at a mounting pile of old tile and drywall fresh from your bathroom remodel. Or you finally listened to that voice in your head that told you to clean out the basement.

You need a dumpster.

But how do you make sure you hire the right dumpster rental company for the job? Pretend you’re a professional interviewer, and ask some questions.

We’ll make it easy for you.

If you want to know how to compare dumpster rental companies, start by asking these 10 questions:

We all know a square-shaped object won’t fit in a round hole, no matter how hard you try. Similarly, there are some things that just won’t go into a dumpster rental.

Dumpsters range from 9 to 12 feet long and 5 1/2 to 8 feet wide, with 20-yard bins also available for large projects. If your items are larger than these parameters, they are not going to fit.

So, instead of (unsuccessfully) stuffing things like vehicles, play sets and storage units into a dumpster, you can try these ways of disposing large items.

Like many homeowners, you’re bound to have questions about renting a dumpster, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. One of the top questions we get asked is...

what all is required to have a dumpster at my home? Do I need a permit for my dumpster rental?

Well, the answer to that depends on a few things.

If you want to put the dumpster on your yard or driveway, you won’t need a permit. However, if you want the operator to leave it on the sidewalk, street or a public alley, it requires you to do research with your municipality on whether you will need to apply for a permit with your city’s Public Works Department or not. For most municipalities, you indeed will need to secure a permit.

When you want to put a roll-off dumpster in the public right-of-way, here’s what you’ll need to know about acquiring a permit.