Whenever you renovate your home, have a garage clearout or cleaning up the garden, you’ll need to get rid of the stuff you don’t want anymore. For a small amount of waste, you probably won’t need a skip. You could put it out for your regular domestic waste collection or take it to your local waste recycling centre. For a larger amount, you will need a skip or take multiple trips to the recycling centre. Average skip hire prices around the country are low enough to easily get rid of large amounts of waste.
It is always easier to hire a skip and your car interior won’t become dirty or damaged. The average cost you pay will depend on a number of factors. The skip’s volume, the duration of hire, where you want the skip placed, your location, whether you need a permit and what kind of waste it is.
There are many regulations regarding the disposal of waste in the UK. If you hire someone to remove it from your property they must be fully registered and licenced by the Environment Agency. By using a licenced company your waste is tracked from your home to its final resting place, preventing it from being dumped on the roadside.
We will discuss these later on in this article as well as other commonly asked questions
Skip Hire Prices UK
When you hire a skip from a registered company you will find that the usual hire period is one week but can be a minimum of one day, until it is full or for several weeks. Some of the largest costs to the skip hire company are the transport of the empty skip to the customer and the full skip to the waste disposal site along with the fees to the site owners.
The fees depend on what volume the skip holds and what is actually in the skip. Each skip company disposes of the waste by a combination of recycling, landfill and incineration. Which one depends on the type of waste and what disposal facilities are available. The skip company prefers that you segregate waste into categories. If you don’t, they will charge you more because they will have to segregate it themselves. Ask the skip company what types of waste you must keep separate and be strict with yourself. On average, over 80% of skip waste is recyclable so definitely keep it separate if you can. If you throw everything into the skip ‘willy nilly’, don’t be surprised at how much it costs to hire a skip for a day. If you plan it sensibly, It should work out cheaper to have 2 or 3 smaller skips and segregate the recyclables.
The UK officially uses the metric system for dimensions and volumes. However, we still refer to skip sizes by their old pre-metric names such as a 2-yard, 3-yard etc. The ‘yard’ in this case refers to a cubic yard or 3ft x 3ft x 3ft.
The following sections show the types of skip commonly used by domestic customers and building companies.
Mini Skip Hire
Two skip sizes fall into this category.
- The 2-yard measures 5ft(1.52m) long x 4ft(1.2m) wide x 3ft(0.9m) high, and holds 25 full black bin liners. They cost between £60 to £100.
- The 3-yard skip measures 6ft(1.8m) long x 4ft(1.2m) wide x 3ft(0.9m) high, and holds about 35 bin liners. Their hire charge is between £75 to £120.
Hiring a mini skip comes into its own if you have a domestic clearing job. Clearing the garage or some garden waste are typical uses. Sometimes a builder may want to separate restricted building waste such as plasterboard.
Medium Skip Hire
Two skip sizes fall into this category:
- 4-yard skip measures 7ft(2.1m) long x 5ft(1.5m) wide x 3ft(0.9m) high, holds about 45 bin liners. These cost between £85 and £140.
- 5-yard skip measures 7.5ft(2.3m) long x 5ft(1.5m) wide x 3.5ft(1.1m) high, holds about 55 black bin liners. This costs between £100 and £160.
Small builders use these to segregate different types of waste and householders use them for garden waste.
Large Skip Hire
There are many sizes in this category.
- The 6-yard skip measures 10ft(2.3m) x 5ft(1.5m) wide x 4ft(1.1m) high, and holds about 65 bin bags. They cost between £110 to £180.
- The 8-yard measures 12ft(3.6m) long x 6ft(1.8m) wide x 4.5ft(1.3m) high, and holds about 80 bin bags. They cost between £130 and £200.
- The 10-yard measures 12ft(3.6m) long x 6ft(1.8m) wide x 6ft(1.8m) high, and holds about 100 bin bags. They cost between £170 and £210.
- The 12-yard measures 13ft(3.9m) long x 6ft(1.8m) wide x 6.5ft(2m) high, and holds about 120 bin liners. They cost between £190 and £240.
- The 14, 16, 18-yard skips are even larger and are only of use if you have a large amount of waste to get rid of. The costs of these go from £240 for the 14-yard up to £315 for the 18-yard.
- There are even larger skips up to 40-yards capacity but these are rarely used for domestic purposes. They can cost up to £500.
It should be obvious that to get your money’s worth, you must pack the skips properly to prevent any air spaces. You also need to make sure you have the correct number of skips of the correct size to accommodate the segregated waste. Finally, make sure you have space at home for them. And if you don’t, ensure you have a permit to stand them on the road.
Skip Hiring FAQs
Why it is important to avoid restricted Items?
You can’t dump everything into the skip and hope that the hiring company will take it away. National and local regulations state the disposal procedures for everything. Some harmful and hazardous items need special disposal methods and it is a criminal offence to dispose of these contrary to them. If you try to hide restricted items within the skip you will be found out, charged by the skip company and possibly fined by the courts. The following list covers most of the restricted categories. Contact your local council, the environment agency or the skip company for more information.
- Batteries (car & domestic)
- Gas cylinders (even when empty)
- All chemicals (bleach, detergents etc)
- Electrical equipment (cookers, washing machines, computers, microwaves, televisions etc)
- Fluorescent bulbs (these contain mercury)
- Fuel (petrol, diesel, heating oil)
- Medical waste
- Oil (cooking, hydraulic, engine)
- Solvents (glue, paint etc)
How to avoid overpaying when hiring a skip?
Avoid paying extra for your skips by following certain simple procedures.
If you have restricted waste to get rid of, you must use a company licenced for that type of waste. The skip company may or may not hold a special license so always ask first. Don’t forget that the skip company will be charged extra to dispose of restricted waste. It will also be charged to dispose of items to landfill so you will be charged extra for both of these. It is an offence for an unlicenced skip company to handle restricted items.
Always go through old rubbish to check there are no restricted items hidden within. Also, make sure that neighbours don’t add items to your skip without your permission. You can take it to your local recycling centre for disposal or most councils run a collection service to pick it up from your house.
Unlicensed dumping of restricted items harms the environment and when it is traced back, the owner will be charged with a criminal offence. Always use a registered waste carrier.
Pack your rubbish properly inside the skip. Put solid and heavy items at the bottom and infill around those with smaller and lighter objects. If you have hollow items such as old cupboards or boxes, fill them to use the space more efficiently. To save space, dismantle items as much as you can.
Do not overfill the skip. Remember that it will be carried along a public road and must be safe. The driver stretches a net over the top to prevent things from being blown around, but this won’t stop large and heavy items from moving. Therefore, the skip won’t be moved if the load is unsafe. If you have more than can be safely carried in one skip never try to overload it. You should hire a second smaller one to hold the extra or hire a larger one in the first place.
Get multiple quotes from various registered skip companies. You don’t have to choose the cheapest provider but you can choose your preferred company. Then, negotiate a lower price by mentioning the other quotes you have.
Do I need a parking permit for skip hire?
If you park a skip on your own land such as a driveway you don’t need a permit. If however, you park it on the public road, on a grass verge or any other land under the council’s control, you will need a permit. The local council issues these and they cost anything from £15 to £60 depending on the council. Don’t forget that while it is on public land the skip must be insured, have lights and warning signs around it. Check with the council to find out what you need to do for safety. The skip provider usually handles these requirements but make sure. Check with the provider if there is any doubt.
How to find a reliable and experienced skip company?
A reliable skip provider will always have insurance and a waste carriers’ licence. Local councils will not issue a skip hire permit unless the provider has £5 million public liability insurance.
The Environment Agency issues the waste carriers’ licence allowing the holder to carry waste commercially. A company carrying waste from your home to the disposal site is legally required to be licenced. If you don’t use a licenced company you can face criminal charges and prosecution. Check the search tool on the Environment Agency’s website to find a registered skip provider.
Possible alternatives, if you don’t want to pay for a skip?
- You can always bag up the rubbish yourself and take it to your local waste recycling centre.
- Donate useful items to a charity shop or sell them yourself. Many people use the marketplace facility on Facebook to sell unwanted items.
- Compost garden waste yourself to add nutrients to your garden or ask a gardening neighbour if they would like it.
Building contractors usually remove their own waste from your house, so make sure your contract states this before employing them.
Next Steps
Now you know all about hiring a skip, it’s time to get one. If you cannot sell or give away unwanted items, calculate the size you need and what items you are going to dump. Contact a few local waste carriers and ask for a quotation listing their skip hire prices. Make sure they are a fully licenced waste carrier and have the necessary insurance before using their services. Ensure you have room on your land for the skip and for the delivery lorry. Remember that if the skip is on council land it will need a permit, warning signs and ‘after dark’ lights. Finally, get cracking and clear out the rubbish.
