Skip hire basics: what you need to know before you hire a skip

If you’ve never hired a skip before, you might be wondering exactly how skip hire works and what you’ll need for your waste management project.

And while SunSkips prides itself on making skip hire simple, there is a bit more to hiring a skip than you might have thought.

So to make sure you’re ready and that your skip hire goes as smoothly as possible, here’s everything you need to know about skip hire, including what it’s going to cost, why you might need to talk to the council first, and what you can and can’t put in it.

How does skip hire work?

Book your skip hire online (or over the phone if you’d rather speak to a human being), letting us know what size skip you need, when and where you want it, and if you have any special items you need to dispose of. Our customers have reported that they actually prefer to book online with our simple platform, because it saves time and they can do it at weekends or in the evening when they have more free time.

On the day of delivery, we’ll give you a call to let you know we’re on our way before dropping it in the most convenient location for you to load it up. If you’ve hired a 4-8 yard skip, you may want the drop-down door facing in a certain direction, so all you have to do is tell us and we’ll make it happen.

Once you’ve filled your skip, we’ll return at the agreed time to collect it. If you later discover that you’ll need the skip for a little longer than anticipated, just give us a call and we’ll make the arrangements.

How much does it cost to hire a skip?

SunSkips offers unbeatable prices on skip hire. Thanks to our dedication to properly managing the waste we collect and sorting recyclables at our sites, we’re able to pass our lower landfill tax savings onto our customers.

We also offer advice on the correct size skip for your waste management needs so you don’t end up paying more than you need to for your skip hire.

For SunSkips’ latest pricing, visit the relevant location page in the top menu (the Cambridge skip hire page, for example).

The cost of your skip hire includes delivery, up to seven days of skip hire, collection, and the proper sorting, recycling and disposal of your waste.

Investing in proper waste management with a company like SunSkips guarantees that your waste will be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way in accordance with local regulations. Failure to comply with local waste management laws is likely to attract a fine of up to £50,000, so cutting corners is really not worth it.

Do you pay for skip hire on delivery or collection?

SunSkips tries to make hiring a skip simple by taking payment through our new online booking platform, or we can just as easily take a credit card over the phone.

We understand that renovation and construction projects that require a skip can be difficult to manage as it is, so we prefer not to add any further complications that might arise when dealing with payment onsite.

Do I need a permit to hire a skip?

If you plan on placing your skip on private land, there’s no need for you to obtain a permit. However, if you need to put your skip on public land (on the street outside your property, for example) then you’ll need to file the necessary paperwork and wait for your permit application to be approved.

SunSkips has handled this process countless times, so for a small fee (the cost of the permit varies depending on which council you need to apply to), we can submit the application to the council on your behalf, so that when we deliver your skip, you’ve got all the necessary paperwork to go with it. That way, if a local government inspector was to call by, you can rest assured that your skip hire is 100% above board.

It can take several days for the permit to be approved, so be sure to book your skip hire in good time.

What skip size do I need?

Because we offer such a wide range of skip sizes, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the choice.

SunSkips aims to make the choice easy for you with our skip size guide, featuring handy graphics that help you visualise the skip size and roughly how many black bags you’ll be able to get in it.

As a general rule, an eight-yard builders’ skip is the typical size you might see outside a property on the street and is our most popular skip size. Anything above this skip size and you’ll be limited as to how heavy you’re able to fill it.

How much can you get in a builders’ skip?

A builders’ skip is the most common skip size and can fit eight cubic yards of waste (6.1 cubic metres). This will be plenty for an average home/small office renovation project.

In terms of general household rubbish, an eight-yard skip will be able to hold 60 black bags worth, or 10 standard trailers.

How heavy can I fill a skip?

For any skip up to eight yards, you can fill it with whatever kind or waste and debris you want (except for hazardous waste, see below).

If you have lighter, bulkier waste (like clothing, for example), you might be able to hire a large skip (10-, 12-, 14-, 20-, or 40-yards) and fill it all the way up without making it difficult to collect.

How high can I fill a skip?

Our skips come with a handy fill line so you can see up to which point it’s safe to fill your skip with waste.

Failure to adhere to the guidelines is likely to result in our team being unable to collect your skip and safely dispose of the waste until some of the overflowing refuse has been removed.

Is there anything I can’t put in a skip?

There are several things that SunSkips doesn’t accept, so do not load your skip with any liquids, asbestos, food water or faeces, paint tins with liquid, gas bottles/cylinders, clinical waste (e.g. sharps tools, needles, medicines…) or upholstered seating (sofas, chairs, etc.)

However, there are some items that we can take away for you by special arrangement (and will incur a small fee): TVs/monitors, fridge/freezers, mattresses, tyres, dry paint, fluorescent tubes, batteries, plasterboard and WEE equipment (anything that falls under Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006, such as microwaves and kettles).

Can I mix different types of waste in a skip?

Yes, we don’t expect our customers to sort through their own waste – that’s what we’re here for!

We’ll take your skip to our site to sort through so you can rest assured that the maximum amount of waste possible is being recycled and put to good use.

Will the skip hire firm help me fill it up?

SunSkips will do everything we can to make your skip hire as smooth as possible, from a courtesy call to let you know we’re on our way to placing the skip facing exactly where you need it.

But we don’t provide any labour to help you load the skip up. If you feel like you might need help loading your skip, we recommend hiring a labourer for the day.

How do I get my waste into the skip?

Depending on the skip you hire, you might need to consider exactly how you’re going to load your skip. The smallest skip we offer is two yards, so it’s pretty simple to throw your waste into it.

Four to eight-yard skips come with a drop-down door to make it easy for you to load it up with a wheelbarrow.

Can you still hire skips during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Government has given the green light for construction projects to go ahead, including during the third lockdown in 2021. But even though it’s OK to hire a skip during the pandemic, we still need to prioritise the safety of our customers and staff.

Payments are exclusively taken online or over the phone, so there’s no need to get close to our drivers, who will arrive wearing the proper PPE. Our masked drivers sanitise their hands regularly and will operate with the correct amount of social distancing (at least two metres at all times).

Can I put a skip on the pavement outside my house?

No, you cannot block public walkways.

If you’re not able to place the skip on private land, you’ll have to apply for a permit so you can legally keep the skip on the street where a car would normally park.

Where is my waste taken after the skip is collected?

After we collect your filled skip, we’ll take it directly to our nearest waste management site to sort through it. We’ll take the recyclable waste and sort it to be taken away to the relevant plants, and we may even be able to put some waste aside to be treated and turned into alternative fuels.

Any waste that we can’t find an environmentally-friendly use for will then be taken to the local landfill site.

Still got a burning skip hire question? Give us a call on 01449 360 036 so we can answer it for you and confirm your skip hire booking at the same time.