The Ultimate Skip Hire Guide

Need to hire a skip but don’t know where to start? Our Ultimate Skip Hire Guide is here to make the process simple, stress-free, and affordable. Whether you’re clearing out your home, tackling a renovation project, or disposing of garden waste, this guide will walk you through everything from choosing the right skip size to understanding costs and regulations.

Hiring a skip doesn’t have to be daunting task. It should be a simple process that removes the stress of getting rid of your old junk and clutter from around the home.

To help put you on the right track and ensure you order the right service from us, this quick and easy guide will handle all those unanswered questions you have and will make understanding some of that skip hire jargon that little bit easier.

What Is Skip Hire?

Skip hire is a convenient and affordable solution for disposing of waste during projects like home renovations, garden clearances, or moving house. At SkipHire UK, we offer a variety of skips, from compact 4-yard skips for small projects to 8-yard builders’ skips for larger loads. For a full range of skip sizes see our skip hire page.

Each of our skips offer up to 14 days fixed price hire meaning it is the ideal solution for clearing out the shed or garage over a weekend or holiday period.

Skip hire provides you with a basic container to load your waste into throughout your project.  Then when it’s full our collection partners will take it away for safe and legal disposal at a licensed facility.

How Much Does Skip Hire Cost?

The amount you pay depends on two key things: your location and the size of skip required. Prices in the UK typically range from £120 for a small skip to £350 for larger sizes, but this can vary due to local disposal fees and competition.

For a more accurate price, use our Skip Hire Calculator for an instant, no-obligation quote tailored to your project. Simply answer a few questions about your waste and location, and we’ll recommend the best option for you.

What Can I Put In A Skip?

While skips can handle most household and renovation waste, there are restrictions to ensure safety and compliance with environmental laws. Here’s a quick guide:

• Fridges/Freezers – Read our Fridge Disposal Guide For More Information
• Upholstered items
• Paint tins
• Mattresses
• Electrical items like TV’s and DVD players
• Florescent Tubes
• Solvents
• Liquids
• Oils
• Batteries
• Carpet
• Plasterboard
• Hazardous/Toxic Materials
• Gas Cylinders

If you have any of these items and need to get rid of them in a safe and environmentally friendly way, then Contact our friendly team and they can advise a specialist collection to help.

Skip Hire Sizes

Skips come in all shapes and sizes but we have handpicked a range of skip sizes that we feel are best suited to household collections. Whether you are taking part in a small garden clearance, or a complete home renovation, our range caters for all sizes and loads of waste you may have.

4-Yard Skip:

• Dimensions: Approx. 1.8m x 1.3m x 1.0m
• Ideal For: Small garden clearances, garage tidies, or minor home projects.

6-Yard Skip:

• Dimensions: Approx. 2.6m x 1.5m x 1.2m
• Ideal For: Medium-sized renovations or kitchen/bathroom refits.

8-Yard Skip:

• Dimensions: Approx. 3.7m x 1.7m x 1.2m
• Ideal For: Large renovations, bulky waste, or construction debris.

12-Yard Skip:

• Dimensions: Approx. 3.7m x 1.7m x 1.8m
• Ideal For: Large-scale clearances, commercial projects, or heavy bulky waste.

Where Can I Put My Skip?

Providing you have room, our skips can be delivered and placed on your driveway or anywhere on your private property, you just need to be sure there aren’t any access issues that would stop delivery for our vehicles.

In some cases, you may find that you’re without the room in your private property for us to deliver a skip, so you need another solution. Well, there are two options available; you can try our Man & Van Waste Clearance Service, or your can apply for a skip hire permit.

A Skip Hire Permit enables you to store your skip on the public highway (road) for a period agreed by the local authority.  Additional charges apply for skip hire permits but SkipHire UK can take care of all this for you.  Visit our Skip Hire Permit guide for more information.

Our Man & Van Clearance is the perfect alternative solution for you when you’re without the room to place a skip.  As long as our clearance crew can park within 50 meters of your waste in a safe and free manor, we should be fine to collect.

What Happens To My Waste?

Once your skip is full and is ready for us to collect it, your waste will be taken to a licensed waste transfer station to be disposed of.  Here your waste will be processed and as much content as possible will be recycled to help protect the environment.

When hiring a skip, you should always ensure the company you employ has a waste carriers licence and will be taking your waste to a licensed waste transfer station.

It’s your legal obligation to ensure your waste is disposed of correctly and you are at fault if this waste is not disposed of correctly.  For more information on the risks involved, give our blog a visit.