A Skip Hire and Removal Guide: Everything You Need to Know about Skip Hire

Renovating a house, clearing out your garden or working on a construction project is tiring work, so the last thing you want to be doing is going back and forth to the dump to get rid of your waste. Luckily, skip hire saves you the time and hassle, providing a convenient one-stop place to put all your rubbish. Skip hire services are extremely useful, but if you’ve never hired a skip before, where do you start?

Skips come in a range of different sizes and there are other aspects to consider, such as whether you need a permit. It’s also important to know what you can and cannot place in a skip, to avoid causing damage to the environment or even a fine. If you’ve been thinking about hiring a skip for your next project, read on for our guide to everything you need to know about skip hire.

What can I put in a skip?

The first thing you need to know is which materials can be put in a skip. You can place all the main types of recyclable waste into a skip, including plastic, glass, paper, cardboard, metal, wood and green waste. You can also dump old furniture, construction debris (like bricks, concrete, stones and rubble) and old clothes.

What can’t be put in a skip?

Skips accept a wide variety of waste but there are some restricted items that you can’t dispose of this way. Placing forbidden items in a skip may result in a fee for the item to be disposed of correctly, or the skip hire company will simply refuse to collect the skip until the items have been removed. Save yourself the hassle and avoid placing any of the following restricted items in your skip:

●     Asbestos

●     Batteries

●     Fuels (like oil, petrol or diesel)

●     Aerosols

●     Electrical appliances

●     Tyres

●     Paint cans

●     Fridges and freezers

●     Plasterboard

●     Fluorescent tubes.

If you’re unsure about any items, it’s always best to call your skip hire company and double check before you dispose of them.

Which skip size do I need?

Skips are available in a wide range of sizes, from mini skips all the way up to 40 cubic yard maxi skip hire. The size you need will depend on your requirements, including how much waste you have and how much room there is to place the skip. It’s usually best to go for a skip that’s slightly larger to allow for some flexibility, but don’t go too large or you’ll be paying for empty space.

Mini skips

These skips are a popular option for domestic work like a kitchen renovation or garden clearance. The most popular mini skips have a volume of four cubic yards and they can hold between 40 and 45 average household rubbish bags. They’re often small enough to be placed on a private driveway or on the road outside your property and they’re the most affordable option to hire.

Medium skips

An eight yard skip is the most popular medium-sized option and they can hold between 80 and 90 rubbish bags. Most councils don’t allow skips larger than eight yards to be placed on a public highway, so bear this in mind if you think you might need something larger.

Medium skips are ideal for larger jobs like a house renovation, loft conversion or commercial renovation work.

Maxi skips

Maxi skips start from a volume of 12 yards, all the way up to 25 or even 40 cubic yards. A 12 yard skips holds approximately 120 average size bags of rubbish, or they’re a good option for bulky furniture or large pieces of packaging and plastic. 25, 35 or 40 yard skips are used for large scale commercial operations, like construction projects or demolitions. They can hold huge amounts of waste, including rubble, construction waste, window frames, demolition waste and more. Maxi skips are very rarely used for domestic projects.

Do I need a permit?

You’ll need a skip permit (also known as a skip licence) if you plan to place the skip on a public highway. This includes the road outside your house, as well as public roads in city centres. You’ll need to organise a permit before the skip is delivered, but many skip hire companies will arrange this on your behalf.

Skip permits take a few days to process and you may also need a parking suspension if the skip is being placed in a controlled parking zone (like single yellow lines). You do not need a permit if you’re placing a skip on private property, such as your driveway or front garden.

How much does skip hire cost?

The price of skip hire varies depending on the size of skip you need and how long the hire period is. You can also expect to pay slightly more if you live in the South (especially in London) and the total cost will be higher if you need a skip permit.

As a rough guide, expect to pay between £90 and £130 for a week’s mini skip hire. An eight yard medium skip will cost around £250 to £300 and large skip hire costs start at around £300 for a 12 yard skip. Remember to avoid placing any restricted items in your skip to avoid further charges.

Duration and collection

If you’re quoted a price for skip hire, this will normally cover a duration of up to two weeks. You can extend the skip hire beyond two weeks if necessary, but of course this will cost more. Collection dates are usually very flexible and you can simply give a date and time for when you’d like the skip to be collected.

Some people arrange a collection date at the time of hire, or you can do this later if you’re not sure how long the job will take. Some skip hire companies offer same day collection, but bear in mind that it can take a couple of days. If you need the skip gone by a certain date be sure to give enough notice in advance. If you do need to extend the duration of your skip hire, don’t forget to extend your skip permit too if required.

Weight restrictions

Skips do have weight restrictions, but this is very unlikely to be an issue with domestic skip hire. The maximum weight limit for a four yard skip is four tonnes, but most householders aren’t disposing of waste that’s anywhere near that limit.

A 12 yard skip has a weight limit of eight tonnes, but these skips are more likely to hold heavier waste like rubble or concrete. Even so, it’s unlikely that the entire skip will be filled with heavy waste, so weight restrictions are only a consideration if you’re planning some serious demolition work.

If you’re looking for local skip hire across Coatbridge, Hamilton, Motherwell and Airdrie, get in touch with the experts at Henry Waste, Skip Hire & House Clearances. With over 15 years in the industry, we’re proud to offer a range of skip sizes, including mini skip hire and maxi skips to suit your needs. We’re also committed to protecting the environment and aim to recycle as much collected waste as possible. Whether you’re clearing out the attic, renovating your entire house or working on a commercial building project, we’ve got the skip to suit you.

For more information about our skip sizes, wait and load skip services, or to get a quote, give us a call today or contact us via the website.