Skip Hire Prices 2021
Alternatives
Updated Skip Hire Prices For 2021
Get a Quote For a Waste Disposal Service
All About Skip Hire Costs and Waste Disposal
Skip hire is the most convenient way to dispose of waste; order the skip to arrive on a specific date, fill it up at your leisure and give the hire firm a call when you’re ready for them to collect it.
Unfortunately, it isn’t the cheapest way to dispose of waste.
Garden waste, for example, often takes up lots of space inside a skip and you may need a larger skip or a second one.
Whatever your reason for needing skip hire, check out this guide to skip hire prices where we’ll:
- Show you alternative products to consider.
- Reveal how much it costs to hire a skip.
- Point you to the best place online for a waste disposal price.
- Show you a trick or two that’ll save you a fortune if you have lots of waste.
An alternative to Skip Hire – Skip Bags!
These are perfect for smaller projects such as:
- Garden waste.
- Old kitchens.
- Old bathrooms.
- Small home improvement projects.
Just order the skip bag size that best suits your needs, it will arrive by post and will be flat-packed. Then order and pay for the bag to be collected when you’re ready.
These skip bags are strong and sturdy so you can drag them around the garden and then when it gets heavy, move it closer to the edge of your property for collection.
The main benefit of a skip bag isn’t so much cost, it’s flexibility – you can keep the bag as long as you want, even for months. Just phone and arrange collection at any time.
Skip Bag – Small
Use this small skip bag for domestic and garden waste.
Key benefits:
- Waste up to 1 tonne.
- Holds 1 cubic yard and measures 90cm x 90cm x 90cm
- Mixed waste.
- More flexible than a skip that can’t be moved.
- Reusable bag.
- Phone and pay for collection when you’re ready.
Skip Bag – Medium
A medium skip bag holds more weight and is larger than a small bag:
Key benefits:
- Waste up to 1.5 tonnes.
- Holds 1.5 cubic yards and measures 180cm x 90cm x 70cm
- Mixed waste.
- Ideal for heavier items that don’t take up too much space.
- Reusable bag.
- Phone and pay for collection when you’re ready.
Skip Bag – Large
Use this large skip bag for small construction and home improvement projects.
Key benefits:
- The maximum weight is the same as the medium bag – up to 1.5 tonnes.
- Holds an impressive 4.5 cubic yards and measures 210cm x 165cm x 100cm
- Mixed waste – ideal for bulky items that aren’t too heavy.
- More flexible than a skip that can’t be moved.
- Reusable bag.
- Phone and pay for collection when you’re ready.
Skip Hire Prices
If you don’t need the flexibility of a skip bag then skip hire could be your best option, but how much does it cost to hire a skip and are there any hidden charges?
The cost to hire a skip has increased over the last few years, the price of landfall charges and recycling has gone up and this has now translated into higher prices for the consumer.
As with all our cost guides here at Quotation Check, we source prices from dozens of firms and then publish an average price, that we call a benchmark.
In 2021 we contacted two dozen skip hire firms from around the UK and asked how much it costs to hire a skip from them.
The skip hire prices below are what we feel are a national average.
We’ve shown prices for the two most common skip sizes:
| Location: | 6 Yard Skip Hire Prices | 8 Yard Skip Hire Prices: |
|---|---|---|
| London and South | £285 | £315 |
| Midlands | £240 | £265 |
| North | £195 | £215 |
The Most Popular Skip Sizes and Maximum Weights
Here’s a list of the most popular skip sizes, their dimensions and roughly how much volume and weight they can hold.
8 Cubic Yard – Large Builder’s Skip
The 8 cubic yard skip is a popular size and is typically used by builders on larger projects as it’s perfect for mixed waste that is a combination of heavy items and lighter yet bulky waste.
The 8 yarder will hold around 80 bin bags of waste and measures approx. Height: 1.22m Width: 1.68m Length: 3.66m.
6 Cubic Yard – Medium Builder’s Skip
The maximum weight for the 6 and 8-yard skips is the same, so this slightly smaller skip is ideal for smaller projects or waste that’s compact but heavy like waste from new driveways, gardening projects and roofing work etc.
The 6 cubic yard skip is the original builder’s skip and is still the most popular skip size.
The 6 yarder will hold around 60 bags of waste and measures approx. Height: 1.22m Width 1.52m Length: 2.66m.
4 Cubic Yard Skip – Small DIY Projects and Home Renovations
Ideal for kitchen or bathroom refurbishments and also small garden projects.
This skip can contain as much heavy waste, like soil and concrete etc. as required.
The 4-yard skip holds around 35 bin bags and measures approx: Height: 0.97m Width 1.29m Length: 1,83m.
Large Skips
12 cubic yard skips aren’t very popular as they can’t be fully loaded with heavy items, if they were, the lorry wouldn’t be able to lift the skip.
12 yarders are best for projects where only a minimal amount of heavy waste will be deposited into it. Plastics, packaging and mixed waste can be put into 12-yard skips.
Roll-on/roll-off skips go up to 35 cubic yards in size and again are best for mixed waste.
Maximum Skip Weight When Fully Loaded
As you can see from the table below, the maximum weight of a skip is not directly proportional to its size:
| Size: | # of bin bags: | Max Weight: |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Yard | Up to 20 | 2 tonnes |
| 4 Yard | Up to 40 | 4 Tonnes |
| 6 Yard | Up to 60 | 6 Tonnes |
| 8 Yard | Up to 80 | 8 Tonnes |
| 10 Yard | Up to 100 | 8 Tonnes |
| 12 Yard | Up to 120 | 8 Tonnes |
Prohibited Items
The list of prohibited items below cannot be placed into a skip.
Plasterboard should be separated from other waste and will require its own skip. For projects with mixed waste, consider a small 2 or 4 yard skip for plasterboard and a larger skip for mixed waste:
| Item: |
|---|
| Plasterboard (use separate skip) |
| Asbestos (some skip hire firms have specialist sealed asbestos containers) |
| Creosote, oil, diesel, petrol, grease, lead-based paints or any container that has contained these |
| Liquid waste |
| Batteries |
| Fluorescent light tubes |
| Gas container or any pressurized container |
| Tyres or engines |
| Fridges or freezers |
| TVs and computer screens |
| Japanese Knotweed |
| Clinical waste |
Hidden Skip Hire Costs and Extra Charges to Look Out For
There is a big difference between the skip hire prices for the disposal of inert and mixed waste.
Mixed waste is difficult to recycle as all the rubbish is combined together, and the skip hire firm will assume that most of it has to go to costly landfill sites. While some can be separated and recycled, the extra processing adds to the cost.
Inert waste, that’s concrete, rubble, bricks, sand and soil etc. will be much cheaper to dispose of as most can be recycled.
If you’ve paid for the collection of one type of waste, make sure you only fill the skip with that otherwise they may refuse to collect the skip or request an additional payment.
If you need to place the skip on an area outside of your property, you’ll need a licence from the local council. The fee varies from council to council but is usually between £30 and £100 and can take up to four days to arrange.
Other Ways to Save Money Off Skip Hire Cost
Skip hire prices keep going up, but for some projects, the waste can be disposed of for much less.
Consider these options:
House Clearance
You’ve probably heard of the old saying “one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure”, and this rings true for house clearances.
Most local house clearance firms will inspect the property and either offer to take all the items for free or if there’s little value in them suggest a price.
The items are then separated into three categories: waste/recycle, low value or high value. Low-value items are then either given to charity shops or sold at car boot sales while higher value items may go on eBay, Facebook MarketPlace or sold to antique shops etc.
The cost of a house clearance is usually much more favourable compared to skip hire, and you don’t need to waste your time loading the skip,
Man With a Van
There are plenty of “Man with a Van” local traders out there and you pay for their services by the hour or by the day. For getting rid of rubbish, the only extra is the cost of waste disposal.
This type of service is perfect for getting rid of lots of bulky waste where you would otherwise need lots of skips.
Van Hire
The cheapest way to get rid of large amounts of waste is to do the labour yourself.
Hire a van, load it with the waste and take it to the local commercial waste disposal centre. Your van will be weighed before entering the yard and again upon exit, and you’ll pay by weight.
Most council tips no longer accept vans unless by prior arrangement, but you might be able to take some home and garden maintenance waste there, for example; hedge cuttings, old mattresses etc. All other waste will need to go to a commercial waste and recycling centre.
The downside of van hire is that it’s the least convenient, you need to hire the van, take trips to and from the waste centre, load and unload the van and then take it back to the hire company. But for large amounts of bulky mixed waste, it’s the cheapest option and if you hire a tipper truck, unloading the waste will only take seconds.
The Best Place to Get a Price For Waste Disposal and Skip Hire
Rated People have hundreds or reviewed and rated tradespeople and waste disposal firms on their books waiting to help you.
Just fill in the form here with details of your project and up to three firms will get in touch with prices for you to compare.
Waste Disposal and Skip Hire Prices
Get a Custom Quote
Skip Hire FAQs
When Were These Skip HIre Prices Published?
Our skip hire cost guide was published in January 2021.
Where Did The Skip Hire Prices Come From?
We contacted 26 skip hire companies from various locations around the UK. We then calculated and published an average figure, which we refer to as a benchmark price.
Do These Skip Prices Include VAT?
Only tradespeople and businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold need to register for and then charge their customers this tax.
All of the skip hire firms we contacted were VAT registered so the skip hire prices in our guide include this tax.
How Long Can a Skip Be Hired For?
Skips are usually hired for a set period of time as part of the contract, so if you want to lengthen the hire period, you’ll need to give them a call and pay for an extension.
If you fail to contact the skip hire firm, they may arrive at any time after the contract period has ended to collect the skip.
What's the Deal With Plasterboard?
For health and safety reasons plasterboard cannot be mixed with general waste so in most cases, you’ll need to hire a separate skip for it.
Where is the Best Place to Find House Clearance, Man With a Van and Skip Hire Services?
We’ve partnered with Rated People who have plenty of waste and rubbish disposal firms on their books ready to help you.
Discover More Price Guides:
By Quotation Check
Roofing Price Guides
Discover all of our roofing and guttering cost guides here; from flat roofs and straight-forward repairs to new roofs and Upvc roofline installations + much more.
Gardening Projects
From patios and fence panels to lawn turfing and tree felling + much more. See how much common garden improvement projects cost in the UK.
Driveways
Visit our driveway cost guide to see how much the going rate is for tarmac, block, concrete and resin driveways currently cost.