Average cost of skip hire

Summary: How much does it cost to hire a skip, average skip hire prices and costs.

If you need to get rid of significant volumes of household or builders’ waste, you could benefit from hiring a skip. But without the correct preparation you could be heading into a minefield of problems. Read on for some helpful tips for an easy skip-hiring experience. Typical costs range from around £50-60 for a small to mid sized 3 yard skip through to £400 or more for a 50 yard roll-on, roll-off skip.

Average Cost

Factors to consider

What can I put in a skip?

Skips are only for building waste and general household waste. You cannot use them for disposing of hazardous items such as:

• Asbestos, solvents and paints.
• Plasterboard.
• White goods, electrical items, TV’s or monitors.
• Food waste.
• Batteries or fluorescent tubes.
• Gas cylinders or pressurised items.
• Liquids of any type.

Positioning and Permits

When you hire a skip you will need to apply to the local council for a skip permit. This permit needs to be obtained before you place the skip on any public road, footpath or highway. Permits can be issued for one day up to four weeks. It is essential that the permit covers the dates during which your skip will be in place. The permit needs to cover the type of waste that is going to be disposed of in the skip. Charges vary according to which part of the country you live in.

If your skip is put completely on private land then you probably won’t need a permit but it would be prudent to confirm this with your local council, as councils vary slightly in their rulings. If you are putting it on public land or on the road, do check which exact positioning the council will allow.

Most skip hire companies will apply for this permit on your behalf, but do check this as this should not be assumed. If you place a skip without a permit you can face having the skip removed or impounded, which could seriously impact on your work timings and costs. It is also worth noting that wherever you choose to place your skip, most skip hire vehicles require approximately 10ft access width to get the skip into place. If the skip is to impede a highway or road, it is essential for it to have a light at each end of the skip and cones around it. If your hire company does not supply this, you can obtain them from a local tool hire company.

Remember you will need to think ahead as to how to protect the area your skip will be positioned on – be it on your lawn or drive; you don’t want any residual damage caused by the skip.

Waste disposal

All companies that carry and dispose of waste must, by law, have a waste carrier’s license. The Environment Agency has a list of approved waste carriers on their website. Do check your hire company’s credentials.

Costs to consider

Types of skip

You need to completely honest with yourself as to how much waste you need to dispose of. Its far better to get a larger skip to start off with then to face the additional costs of adding a separate skip to an initial smaller skip. Skips must only be level loaded to the top of the skip and not piled above this line. It is not acceptable to place boards around the edge of the skip to increase this level – the skip hire company will not take the skip. Not all skips can deal with the added weight of purely inert builders waste (rubble, bricks, hardcore), as the hire company vehicle may not be able to lift the skip safely or legally, so build this into your calculations when choosing a skip. Generally, if the skip is larger than 8 cubic yards it is NOT suitable for heavy waste.

There is a vast choice of skip sizes with everything from mini skips with 1 ½ cubic yards of capacity, through to large skips with 7 cubic yards capacity that can offer the options of having a drop down door for easier access, or lockable lids for extra security. This size holds about 7-8 tonnes in weight. Following on from that you can have extra large skips, ideal for light bulky waste such as cardboard, plastics and packing with a lowered end for easier access. The highest capacity skips are of the roll on-roll off variety – these have capacities up to 50 cubic yards and are suitable only for light waste.

How long do I need to hire the skip for?

Many companies have a maximum hire period. Plan carefully when you book the drop-off and pick up times to give you most benefit. For example, for a 10 day hire period if you have a drop off on a Friday and pick up on Monday you can incorporate two weekends.

So look ahead, plan carefully and check the legalities; your experience hiring a skip will run so much more smoothly.