Skip Hire Guide

What is a skip?

Skips are usually identified by their unique trapezoid shape and usually yellow colour - although other colours aren't uncommon.

Often referred to as a large open-top container, it's designed in such a way that it's able to be lifted up and onto a lorry quick and easily before being taken to a landfill site to be emptied. For people moving home or undertaking large property or garden work, it's a simple and efficient way of disposing of waste safely and concisely.

Skips can also come in numerous sizes with a typical domestic skip weighing around 250kg when empty. However, due to restrictions, the lorries that carry skips can only carry around 8000kg at a time when waste is included.

Why is a skip called a skip?

The origins of a skip being called a skip has its roots in the Old English word sceppe or skep which refers to a basket and over time this evolved to skip. Today, the word skip is regularly used when referring to the various sizes and is a catch-all term used for all types.

How does skip hire work?

The standard practice when it comes to skip hire can vary depending on the company.

Usually, you'll discuss what you need a skip for, how much waste you're looking to get rid of and also what materials you may be looking to remove. A good skip hire company will then suggest the size of skip you might need and inform you of the total costs included with bringing the skip to your property. This will allow you the time required to fill it before they remove it from your property and dispose of the waste correctly.

Should your circumstances change or you need more time, the best thing to do is to discuss your options with your skip hire company. They may be able to accommodate and either leave you with the skip for longer or swap it for a bigger one if needed.

Why do I need a skip?

There are many reasons why you might want to hire a skip.

Skips are often hired during house moves to get rid of a large number of items. This could be due to the difficulty in moving them or because there is a limited amount of space available within the new property. You may also need a skip if you're doing extensive decorating or renovation work, such as a new kitchen or when making significant changes to your garden.

Skips can hold a variety of different materials and even soil, but you must inform the skip hire company of the material you're intending to put into the skip before receiving it.

In general, skips are used not only to deal with larger quantities of waste removal but also to get around costly charges at a waste disposal site which you might incur should you decide to take it down yourself. The cost of a skip hire can undercut these costs and present a financially viable way of removing unneeded items without incurring a hefty loss.

What to ask a skip hire company

When it comes to booking a skip, you want to make sure that you've got the right skip not just in terms of size but also for the material you need to get rid of.

Therefore, when talking to a skip hire company, make sure you ask them for guidance on what skip size you might need, where the best place might be to place the skip, whether you need a permit and also whether the materials you want to dispose of can be placed within the skip you're hiring.

Getting advice on where to place the skip is vital as once it's dropped off, you won't be able to move it.

Asking these basic questions will allow you to not only understand what you can dispose of and where to place your skip but also mitigate any future problems ahead of time.

How much does a skip hold?

Skips come in numerous sizes, from the small 2-yard mini skips right the way through to large 40-yard roll-on roll-off versions. The latter of which can hold tonnes of waste with relative ease.

To give you a better idea, skips are measured in cubic yards, with one cubic yard able to hold around a tonne of waste. Therefore, the 2-yard mini-skip is able to take around 2000kg with the largest domestic skips able to take around a total of 7000kg.

Can I overload a skip?

In short, no. There are a host of reasons why you shouldn't overload a skip with many focused around health and safety. For example, many domestic skips are limited to holding around 7000kg to 8000kg worth of material, this is because most lorries are limited carrying 8 tonnes of material within a loaded container.

They will also need to cover the top of the skip to prevent loose debris from getting onto the road or other vehicles. A skip that is overloaded will prevent this sheet from being fitted.

Should a skip be too small for you then you'll need to discuss your option with your chosen skip hire company. You may find that hiring a bigger or second skip is the right way to go to avoid any future problems, which could save you money and a headache in the long-run.

What size skip do I need?

The size of the skip you need will depend entirely on what you need to put in it. There's a range of skip size options with many domestic skips falling between two yards and forty yards, with a range of between two and eight tonnes worth of capacity to fill with waste.

Whether you need to put in general waste, wood, timber, metal or soil, make sure to discuss your options with your preferred skip hire company and ensure that you get not only the best available size but also don't need to revisit your decision.

What can I put in a skip?

In general, there are a wide array of items that you can put into a skip. However, there are also many items that contain hazardous or dangerous material that you might want to be aware of, such as:

• TVs
• Computer Monitors
• Tyres
• Fridges
• Paint
• Asbestos
• Mattresses
• Plasterboard

If you're unsure, it's best practice to discuss the items you want to put in the skip with your chosen skip hire company to make sure that you're not wasting time and money.

How much does a skip cost?

The cost of skip hire will vary on many factors.

For starters, the type of waste you wish to remove can have a bearing, as can the length of time you need to hire the skip for. There may also be rate changes depending on the area, with more urban cities potentially costing more than rural locations, although the cost passed on to the skip hire company when it comes to getting rid of the waste by local authorities will also have an impact on the cost.

As a general rule, the cost of an 8-yard skip can vary between £200 to £300 including VAT. However, this price will fluctuate from region to region.

Where can I find a recommended skip hire company?

If you're looking for a recommended skip hire company then you're in the right place. All you need to do is visit our Skip Hire page and search for a skip rental company in your local area. From there you'll be able to find the contact details and previous customer reviews of all of the local skip providers near you.