# Starting a Trashout Business..



## RNH524

Whats up everyone I just joined this forum to see if I can get some help and tips into the right direction. I've been doing a lot of research about starting a business like this. I'm in Michigan and so far from what I've researched is I don't need any kind of license so what I've done so far was set up and filed in a business name and filled out the forum for a LLC. Getting business cards made up.. So far I've been saving up money to cover my overhead for the first couple months. I have a really good digital cam, I have a f250 super duty and in the process of looking for a dump trailer... Is a dump trailer the way to go or would any good heavy duty trailer be good? I'm not looking to start off doing any kind of repairs even though I know thats probably where the money is at but just trying to start off slow and keep working my way up. I will be doing lawn, snow removal, lock changes, ect. 

I appreciate any sort of input. 

Thanks!


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## brm1109

First, best of luck with your new business. I have been doing this for about 7 years now and am finally to where pp is only about 20 - 25% of our business. 
First for the truck or trailer. I have had both but I personally prefer a box truck. I have always found that I can fit more on the 16' box truck which is equal to a 20 yd dumpster. Also it allows me to keep supplies and equipment in the rear and I use the front for debris.
I would try to get more business from realtors and private clients the pp business is not what it used to be.


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## HollandPPC

Where are covering in Michigan?


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## RNH524

brm1109 said:


> First, best of luck with your new business. I have been doing this for about 7 years now and am finally to where pp is only about 20 - 25% of our business.
> First for the truck or trailer. I have had both but I personally prefer a box truck. I have always found that I can fit more on the 16' box truck which is equal to a 20 yd dumpster. Also it allows me to keep supplies and equipment in the rear and I use the front for debris.
> I would try to get more business from realtors and private clients the pp business is not what it used to be.


Thank you. That was going to be another question of mine.. I was looking into box trucks since I've seen you can get them a lot cheaper then a dump trailer.. Just was in-between with the cost of the two in the long run as in maintenance wise. But that was my plan to go through realtors and private clients.


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## RNH524

HollandPPC said:


> Where are covering in Michigan?


St. Clair County, Sanilac County, & maybe part of Macomb County.


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## GTX63

After using landscaping and flat bed trailers for everything for years, I picked up a 20' cargo trailer last year and love it. I always seem to end up taking it now over everything else. Everything is contained so no tarping or debris falling off. 7500 lb axles good enough to transport vehicles and we recently cut down a 35'x100 lot of approx 250 maple saplings, and every single tree fit inside of the trailer. Only downside is the trucks burn more fuel with the wind drag.


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## RNH524

GTX63 said:


> After using landscaping and flat bed trailers for everything for years, I picked up a 20' cargo trailer last year and love it. I always seem to end up taking it now over everything else. Everything is contained so no tarping or debris falling off. 7500 lb axles good enough to transport vehicles and we recently cut down a 35'x100 lot of approx 250 maple saplings, and every single tree fit inside of the trailer. Only downside is the trucks burn more fuel with the wind drag.


Yeah I also been looking into enclose trailers.. Have any of you guys ever had to remove a car from a clean out before? I'm going to be getting a car trailer soon with a winch on it just because I'm into drag racing but figured the winch would come in handy if I ever came across having to remove a car or something heavy from a property..


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## RNH524

The only thing I can't figure out or find is the whole bidding thing.. Do you just get ahold of a realtor and if they give you a place to look at do you just go take a look at it and then get back with them on how much you would charge to do the clean out and then they call you back if they accept your offer?


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## Craigslist Hack

GTX63 said:


> After using landscaping and flat bed trailers for everything for years, I picked up a 20' cargo trailer last year and love it. I always seem to end up taking it now over everything else. Everything is contained so no tarping or debris falling off. 7500 lb axles good enough to transport vehicles and we recently cut down a 35'x100 lot of approx 250 maple saplings, and every single tree fit inside of the trailer. Only downside is the trucks burn more fuel with the wind drag.


How do you empty a cargo trailer at the dump?


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## RNH524

Craigslist Hack said:


> How do you empty a cargo trailer at the dump?


Probably just removing it from the front and work your way back.. or some enclosed trailers have doors on the side so could probably get behind some things and push them out if possible.


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## Craigslist Hack

RNH524 said:


> Probably just removing it from the front and work your way back.. or some enclosed trailers have doors on the side so could probably get behind some things and push them out if possible.



That's alot of extra work!

The problem we have with dump trailers is they don't hold much volume. THey are great for weight but they are all too small in size. We rarely work within 30 minutes travel time from our dump so if we make 3 trips in a day that's 3 hours of driving plus the time at the dump. I prefer large car trailers with sides. I've used box trucks and there is too much climbing in and out and moving stuff to stack. I built a Spider for the front of each trailer and there is a chain attached to it. When we arrive at the dump they hook onto the chain with the loader and unload the trailer in seconds. 

I can also take the sides off and load vehicles or heavy debris with a winch mounted on the front. I would like to design a trailer for our needs it would be useful. I've never seen a trailer set up perfectly for this business.


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## GTX63

I should have gone into more detail. It isn't a primary tool for trashouts. I use it mainly for transporting materials. We tried it on the tree job by loading the trees into the trailer back to front. Most trees were 15'-18' and being maples, didn't need to trim many limbs off. I had planned on 4 16' utility trailer loads, this did it in one. It doesn't work for the guys that just like to toss everything into a trailer with no plan. If you bag and organize, then it works very well. I'll always have flat bed trailers for rock, vehicles, etc. It is a great vehicle for keeping goods out of the weather when doing construction/private work. This is a plan B trailer for preservation work, but a strong B.
And no, other than for roofing, I have little use for dump trailers.

Not a great picture, but you get the idea.


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## RNH524

GTX63 said:


> I should have gone into more detail. It isn't a primary tool for trashouts. I use it mainly for transporting materials. We tried it on the tree job by loading the trees into the trailer back to front. Most trees were 15'-18' and being maples, didn't need to trim many limbs off. I had planned on 4 16' utility trailer loads, this did it in one. It doesn't work for the guys that just like to toss everything into a trailer with no plan. If you bag and organize, then it works very well. I'll always have flat bed trailers for rock, vehicles, etc. It is a great vehicle for keeping goods out of the weather when doing construction/private work. This is a plan B trailer for preservation work, but a strong B.
> And no, other than for roofing, I have little use for dump trailers.



So what do you think the best trailer set up would be to start out with? I was thinking a car trailer but one I can put removal walls on but haven't found one yet.. I keep going with pros and con with them all but can't make up my mind on which one to go with.


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## Craigslist Hack

GTX63 said:


> I should have gone into more detail. It isn't a primary tool for trashouts. I use it mainly for transporting materials. We tried it on the tree job by loading the trees into the trailer back to front. Most trees were 15'-18' and being maples, didn't need to trim many limbs off. I had planned on 4 16' utility trailer loads, this did it in one. It doesn't work for the guys that just like to toss everything into a trailer with no plan. If you bag and organize, then it works very well. I'll always have flat bed trailers for rock, vehicles, etc. It is a great vehicle for keeping goods out of the weather when doing construction/private work. This is a plan B trailer for preservation work, but a strong B.
> And no, other than for roofing, I have little use for dump trailers.
> 
> Not a great picture, but you get the idea.


I have a trailer like that we use for windows and siding. It's also a nice place to get in out of the cold in the winter!


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## GTX63

RNH524 said:


> So what do you think the best trailer set up would be to start out with?


Since you are just starting out, the cheapest used 16' landscape trailer you can find. 2" ball and no bells or whistles. Use plywood to build up walls when you have a lot of garbage to move. You will beat your equipment to death for nationals. Cars can be towed off with a wrecker.
If you make it 6 months in this business, then you can build on what you have. If not, you can sell the trailer and get you money back out of it.


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## GTX63

Craigslist Hack said:


> I have a trailer like that we use for windows and siding. It's also a nice place to get in out of the cold in the winter!


Yep, construction goods don't walk away so easily and the interior can be used to sleep, eat, change clothes and pizz (into a bucket) in. That one is wired with led lighting inside and we keep gennies and pumps, etc on board for quick delivery.


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## RNH524

If there is a car on the lot are you allowed to keep it and part it out if there are good parts on it? Either way I'm going to have a trailer that can haul a car with a winch so i think my best bet would be to find one where i can put removal walls on.. And with the bidding do I just get ahold of a realtors and if they give me a place do I just go and look at it then give them a price ?


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## Craigslist Hack

RNH524 said:


> If there is a car on the lot are you allowed to keep it and part it out if there are good parts on it? Either way I'm going to have a trailer that can haul a car with a winch so i think my best bet would be to find one where i can put removal walls on.. And with the bidding do I just get ahold of a realtors and if they give me a place do I just go and look at it then give them a price ?


Essentially yes. I hope it is that easy for you. Good luck:thumbup:


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## ezdayman

*dump trailers all the way*

I would never use a flat trailer did it for 2 years.. wasted too much time. bought a 20ft dump tailer 6ft wall.. pretty much a mobile 30yr dump.. I also have 2 16ft dumps that I use on smaller days.. but the 20footer I can use for 2-3 houses.. save 13k but yourself a nice dump and build up the walls. with steps on the side to get to the top to tarp etc. :thumbup:


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## Craigslist Hack

ezdayman said:


> I would never use a flat trailer did it for 2 years.. wasted too much time. bought a 20ft dump tailer 6ft wall.. pretty much a mobile 30yr dump.. I also have 2 16ft dumps that I use on smaller days.. but the 20footer I can use for 2-3 houses.. save 13k but yourself a nice dump and build up the walls. with steps on the side to get to the top to tarp etc. :thumbup:


That is a nice set up! I am jealous!


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## nurumkin

*re*



RNH524 said:


> So what do you think the best trailer set up would be to start out with? I was thinking a car trailer but one I can put removal walls on but haven't found one yet.. I keep going with pros and con with them all but can't make up my mind on which one to go with.


Honestly I wouldn't dream of operating without a dump trailer. What do you plan on doing when you get a house with 10 cyd's of clothing? Bag it up? Unload it by the armfull? I haven't unloaded a trailer by hand in many years but I would guess you will spent at least 20-30 minutes unloading a 14' trailer by hand. This gets nasty depending on what you threw in there. Whereas it takes me less then 5 to dump it.


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## Craigslist Hack

nurumkin said:


> Honestly I wouldn't dream of operating without a dump trailer. What do you plan on doing when you get a house with 10 cyd's of clothing? Bag it up? Unload it by the armfull? I haven't unloaded a trailer by hand in many years but I would guess you will spent at least 20-30 minutes unloading a 14' trailer by hand. This gets nasty depending on what you threw in there. Whereas it takes me less then 5 to dump it.



We own a dump trailer and never use it. Sides on the car trailers give us more space to fill than the dump trailer will hold. Also many of the dumps we have to uise in rural areas are transfer stations and have low rafters. 

We have the loader driver hook onto our chain and back up, The trailer unloads in seconds. The other nice thing about car trailers is we have 12,000 winches on all of them. We can pull trees, abandoned vehicles whatever up into the trailer. Can't do that with a dump trailer.

EZdayman has a great dump set up though. I have never seen a trailer that big locally. I have been doing some research though it looks like I can get one pretty easily.


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## Wannabe

Dump trailer. 14-16' with extended steel mesh sides. You can load the car on it if you want, skid loader and THEY HOLD THEIR VALUE. Enclosed trailer? Been there done that. Ask landfill to put a chain on and pull the debris off...forget it--to much liability and 99.9% will say no. Car hauler/flatbed? I hate throwing trash twice!


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## Gypsos

Dump here has a giant tree trunk for everyone to tie off to pull out there loads. We loop a steel cable through a trailer tire rim around a steel post and then to a 20' chain. The tire & post get set up in the front of the trailer and the chain goes on the floor out the back of the trailer. Takes less time than a dump trailer to unload. 

We had a dump trailer. Holds less than half my 16' trailer. Don't miss it. 

Concrete we can dump for free at one landfill. 

All clothes go to a local church that separates and cleans them and gives them to needy families.


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## LaCaSa

Its definitely a personal preference in what you want and how you plan to operate your own business. There is pros and cons for everything. We have used box trucks, bread trucks, Hino 20ft box commercial trucks, open trailers of all sizes, a few dump trailers, and a handful of enclosed... they all work great and have disadvantages too. Do you have nice equipment that you want to keep out of the weather and limited on garage space? Get an enclosed trailer. Do you plan to scrap? Get an open trailer or dump....Do you plan on saving as much time as possible or keep as much money in your wallet? Go with an open utility or dump. Quite honestly it also comes down to your work load for the day too. You would not want to drive around a 20ft commercial or 16ft box with a light work day burnin diesel, better off with a small work truck with trailer if ya need it. but you have EVERYTHING you need with those. So far the best versatile setup ive seen is a box truck, 16ft is the smallest you would want to go, with a trailer hitch so you can tow either a enclosed or open. the ONLY reason for enclosed is to lock up and protect equipment. if thats not a worry for you, open is the way to go. Dumps are great for when you come across concrete, shingles, C&D material etc... its a bi**h to yank off with a chain or cable on utility. BUT if you have the money for a decent size one, like goose neck with tandem axles, oh yeah those are sweet! Easydayman knows what im talking about.


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## Driftweed

This was our setup. Forget closed trailers, they are such a pain to load/unload. We had the truck, a 12' single axle, and a 16' dual axle for larger jobs. On the truck, we used a metal bunk bed frame as the gate on over sized hinges.:thumbsup:

The only thing better is a dump trailer.


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## Framer1901

My 14' dump trailer holds 15cy to the top of the sides, mattress' and couches go above that as "toppers", holds roughly 20cy. I can get from the scales, dumped and back to the scales in less than 10 minutes.

Many people use 16' landscape trailers with 4' sides, cheap way to go but I've also hauled away 3 of these setups over the years that someone just "parked" and walked away from. As for the dump hooking to your chain and puling the load out - I wouldn't count on that -- you have to kiss some big butt for that around here. The heck with that loading and unloading by hand - our dump trailer paid for itself in maybe four months, but them again, we were working.

A great thing is the Izuzu or whatever cab overs with 16-20' dump beds, siderails are too tall to dump a trash can over - a guy here in MI had three of them - oh yea, he's bankrupt and owes me three grand.

The dreams of glamour and riches in this business are gone dude. Here in Michigan, full time million dollar a year companies are closed. Is there work still happening, oh yea, but the people doing the real $$ work have been at this for many years, they deal direct and they get it done. When you start working third or fourth hand, you are working for peanuts and could make more actual money flying a sign on a good street corner.

I quit last year and should have walked away sooner - the money I made helped me build what I have now, but what I also have now is right at $100,000.00 in work completed and I'll never see a dime of it. 

Unless you have some super major in with someone, what false pipe dreams of workloads has someone lead you to believe?


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## Framer1901

Oh yea - just looked at that single and dual axle trailer pic above - those are both probably illegal here in MI - you need fenders. MI commercial vehicle enforcement would love to waste a hour of their time.

Hauling cars away from vacant properties in MI, that's illegal too, unless you are registered with the state as a "caretaker" if I remember the wording correctly. Anything titled is personal property that has to go thru the state hoops of notifying the owner of where its at. Towing companies (any I've dealt with) are the ones that handle cars, quads, boats etc after the local PD has filled their report out - and you pay them to haul it away.....

Licensed? Don't do a roof patch or anything construction related for more than $600, you need some form of builders license in MI.


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## HollandPPC

Driftweed said:


> This was our setup. Forget closed trailers, they are such a pain to load/unload. We had the truck, a 12' single axle, and a 16' dual axle for larger jobs. On the truck, we used a metal bunk bed frame as the gate on over sized hinges.:thumbsup:
> 
> The only thing better is a dump trailer.


That is a craigslist death trap trailer if I ever saw one.


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## Craigslist Hack

Like I said we have a dump trailer it's just not big enough to do most of our jobs. Those big trailers cost 15k or more and we can buy the car trailers for $1,800 all day here. All of our dumps pull the debris off for us so we never handle debris twice.

We only do maybe 7 debris removals a month. We are not crazy about trash outs. Often times they come with a sales clean and we don't do sales cleans.


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## LaCaSa

We purchased this 16ft for just over $1k....its been really good to us in putting up with sh**. We used the wood sides for hauling junk, and take them down when were cutting grass. Its nice to "collapse" your trailer, then it become less wind resistant. The more versatile you are the better, I think anyways. We put a wood deck sealant on top to increase longevity of the trailer, and used the spray can bed liner on the frame...really doubles the life on these things. Would like to put a winch up front for heavier stuff.


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## GTX63

That old Dodge truck has working man written all over it.


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## GTX63

LaCaSa said:


> We purchased this 16ft for just over $1k....its been really good to us in putting up with sh**.


The dump trailer vs x trailer is a lot like Dodge vs Chevy, etc. Whatever works for you is the right trailer.
That 16" tandem axle is a meat and potatoes trailer and probably the most versatile of them all. As I said before, they are a low level investment with little risk of losing your money in them.


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## HollandPPC

LaCaSa said:


> We purchased this 16ft for just over $1k....its been really good to us in putting up with sh**. We used the wood sides for hauling junk, and take them down when were cutting grass. Its nice to "collapse" your trailer, then it become less wind resistant. The more versatile you are the better, I think anyways. We put a wood deck sealant on top to increase longevity of the trailer, and used the spray can bed liner on the frame...really doubles the life on these things. Would like to put a winch up front for heavier stuff.


Its nice to see someone else rolling around with a Dixie Chopper!!!!!!!


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## LaCaSa

HollandPPC said:


> Its nice to see someone else rolling around with a Dixie Chopper!!!!!!!


I love the machine, it does not play well with over grown grass, and small saplings, it will eat it up! It also provides us a good quality cut too considering its more like a bush hog then like a scag. That one on the trailer is a Classic 2760 with a Generac engine. We tried to run xblades on it and the PTO clutch does not like the extra weight, so we keep it to single blades. Here are some cut examples.


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## LaCaSa

here are some more


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## HollandPPC

LaCaSa said:


> here are some more


I agree x-blade set up sucks.


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## ctquietcorner

My husband has 4 different trailers. Two landscape ones 14' and 16', 20' dump, and 20' car trailer. Plus he has an EZ dump on one of the pick-ups. All of them come in so handy.


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## hammerhead

LaCaSa said:


> We purchased this 16ft for just over $1k....its been really good to us in putting up with sh**. We used the wood sides for hauling junk, and take them down when were cutting grass. Its nice to "collapse" your trailer, then it become less wind resistant. The more versatile you are the better, I think anyways. We put a wood deck sealant on top to increase longevity of the trailer, and used the spray can bed liner on the frame...really doubles the life on these things. Would like to put a winch up front for heavier stuff.


Next time you remove a dog kennel use the panels instead of plywood. cheaper and less drag.


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## brm1109

This is our trailer, 16'. It is good for debris (equals 15 yards). It is also good for all of our equipment. The only thing is if we know we are only doing grass cuts in the city then we just out the equipment on the back of the truck. Trailers are a pain to park in the city.


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## STARBABY

not that I do many trash out anymore! This my main trailer I use to us for them. Stopped working for Cyprixx`s ,got to the point I was breaken even or losing money on there thrash outs. Was forced to do recurring stuff to get trash outs. I mainly do work for five brothers and NFR. Do not get a lot of trash out with them, but when I do I makehttp://www.preservationtalk.com/images/attach/jpg.gif pretty good money on them.


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## Driftweed

The first trailer in my pics was a "specialty trailer". It was designed with the missing panel and extra rail for couches, big ass televisions, and pianos. This way we could fold the bar down, load the big item last, lift the bar and strap it securely. 

We got tired of having to put couches on top of the load as a "lid" so we gave it its own special place.


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## ezdayman

*Dot..*

Dont most of your states have dot inspections? im not knocking your trailers but i know where im at Our dots wouldnt allow that.. Thats why i got dumps. solid walls with a tarp that fits quater way down the trailer.. Dot here looks for anything to fall out of the trailer and tag you on it..


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## nurumkin

STARBABY said:


> not that I do many trash out anymore! This my main trailer I use to us for them. Stopped working for Cyprixx`s ,got to the point I was breaken even or losing money on there thrash outs. Was forced to do recurring stuff to get trash outs. I mainly do work for five brothers and NFR. Do not get a lot of trash out with them, but when I do I makehttp://www.preservationtalk.com/images/attach/jpg.gif pretty good money on them.



How well did the panels keep stuff in? We've been using hardware cloth for years but I always though that chainlink would be better.


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## cover2

I'm sure someone has mentioned this before but the best "tarp" for covering a load is an old trampoline. It stretches and breathes so its not flapping in the wind. Just thought I would throw this out there:yes:


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## STARBABY

nurumkin said:


> How well did the panels keep stuff in? We've been using hardware cloth for years but I always though that chainlink would be better.


works really good! don`t have anything falling trailer and no tarping load. we have DOT here and was pulled over . didn`t at time have a trailer breakaway. Dot didn`t have a problem did set up. I had to get DOT number and in Kentucky found I had to have a solid waste licences.


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## Trailer Bob

Craigslist Hack said:


> We own a dump trailer and never use it. Sides on the car trailers give us more space to fill than the dump trailer will hold. Also many of the dumps we have to uise in rural areas are transfer stations and have low rafters.
> 
> We have the loader driver hook onto our chain and back up, The trailer unloads in seconds. The other nice thing about car trailers is we have 12,000 winches on all of them. We can pull trees, abandoned vehicles whatever up into the trailer. Can't do that with a dump trailer.
> 
> EZdayman has a great dump set up though. I have never seen a trailer that big locally. I have been doing some research though it looks like I can get one pretty easily.


We have dump trailers, as well as just about every other trailer you could use to move things. The dumps are great when you go to the dump and just push a button and the junk falls out. My problem is that I have a roofing company contract and do about four roof jobs a week. Roofers could care less about your trailers. They will fill it to the max, and then some over the top. Securing the load is a nightmare sometimes. People tell me to just dump some out right in the customers drive way, but I highly doubt that would fly very well. Any of you find a way to end the roofers abuse on dump trailers?


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