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Waste carrier’s licence: CBDU61392
Skip Hire
FAQs
We operate a nationwide Skip Hire service that is available to both home and business customers.
Whilst our ‘Man & Van’ rubbish removal service is our most versatile solution, Skip Hire is still a very popular way to clear waste.
SKIP HIRE
Skip Hire FAQs
When choosing a skip, there are various considerations which will impact upon what skip size and type is the most suitable, such as where you plan to place it and what you plan to put inside of it. We have detailed the main skips below but we can provide almost any type of skip.
BENEFITS OF OUR SERVICE
Why hire a skip?
Hassel free online booking
Fixed price skips
Secure containment
Range of sizes available
Great of heavy waste
14 day hire period
Skip sizes available
What sizes do skips come in?
Skips are still sized in a bit of an old-fashioned way and are usually referred to in cubic yards. These skips also have names which can make it difficult to know exactly what you are getting. For example, some companies call a 6 yard skip a ‘Builders Skip’, whilst others call an 8 yard skip a ‘Builders Skip’. The smallest skips are usually 2 cubic yards in size and are sometimes called a ‘Mini Skip’. These are not too common these days, so a 4 yard ‘Midi Skip’ is usually the smallest size available. Going up from this is the ‘Builders’ skips which are 6 - 8 cubic yards. After this there are the ‘Maxi’ and ‘Extra-Large’ skips which range from 10 - 12 yards. At the very top are the Roll On, Roll Off (RORO) containers, which are really for big commercial projects and are usually priced on a transport and tonnage rate.
What skips do Clearabee offer?
We offer almost any skip size or type that you may need. However, our website lists the most popular everyday skips. These are: The ‘Midi Skip’ - 4 cubic yards, The ‘Midi Skip’ is perfect for small home, garden or construction projects. They can be placed on or off the road and it's usually fine to fill these skips with heavy and dense waste such as bricks, rubble and soil. The ‘Builders’ skips - 6 and 8 cubic yards. We sell both of these skip sizes separately although both sizes are not always available in all areas. These are usually the largest skips which can easily go on the road and require a permit. The 6 yard skip is the skip you're most likely to see on a driveway and our best seller. An ‘all-rounder’, these skips are suitable for heavy and dense waste as well as bulky waste. ‘Maxi’ and ‘XL’ skips - 10 and 12 cubic yards. These skips are perfect for large projects such as a house or office clearance. Due to their size, they cannot usually be placed on the road. They are not suitable for heavy and dense waste as the weight could be too great for the lorry to lift, but are great for bulky waste and light installation waste.
How long can I hire the skip for?
How long can I hire the skip for?
Skips are hired for 14 days unless you are placing the skip on the road and the permit is due to expire before this. If you need to extend the hire period you can contact us to organise. There may be an extra charge on this depending on demand. Whilst we always try to keep you updated, we may collect the skip on the 14th day or when the permit expires even if you have not requested removal, as the hire period will be up at this point.
What do skips cost?
Skip costs vary significantly depending on the area of the country and the size of the skip. We provide a cost based on your location and also a comparison with our Man and Van service, as sometimes this can be cheaper and quicker.
How do skips scale in price?
Generally the larger the skip you buy, the lower the cost per cubic yard or metre. This is because skips are delivered by a large HGV and a substantial part of the cost is the transport. Delivering and collecting a larger skip does not cost much more which means the transport element is divided by a larger volume.
Are there additional costs?
There can be additional costs associated with skip hire, but with planning these can all be mitigated. Skip permits / suspensions - if your skip needs to go on the public highway you will need a skip permit and possibly a parking suspension. This will incur an additional cost and you may need to contact us to organise this for you. Wasted journeys (failed collections and deliveries) - these will usually incur a cost when it is not our fault, as a lorry would have been sent out to drop off the skip. Please ensure the skip can be dropped off and collected (please see guidance on access and delivery). Overfilling - if you overfill your skip you could be charged extra or the collection may fail. It is a legal requirement that the load is safe to transport. Prohibited items - hazardous waste (fridges, tv, paint, etc) are not allowed in skips and if found could incur a substantial additional cost. Please see guidance on what can go in a skip.
What can go in a skip?
Skips are generally quite a flexible waste removal solution. However, there are restrictions on what waste can go in a skip and restrictions on the mixing of waste types.
Generally, standard household and business bulky waste can be thrown in, as well as standard garden and construction waste.
Electrical waste
In most cases, only small nonhazardous electrical items such as a kettle or a toaster may be allowed in a skip. Large electrical items like washing machines and dishwashers will usually need to be authorised in advance as this waste cannot be thrown away with other waste streams. Hazardous waste is not allowed in a skip. For these waste streams our Man and Van service is often more suitable.
Bulky waste
Almost all bulky waste found in the home or business can be thrown in a skip. Unless you’re breaking everything up, do be careful that the skip is level loaded, which means that nothing is protruding from the skip. Also, white goods such as washing machines and dishwashers need to be moved in line with the WEEE regulations. These are not usually suitable to be thrown into a skip without prior agreement or a dedicated WEEE container.
Garden waste
Garden waste can be thrown into most sizes of skip. However, if your garden waste is predominantly heavy and dense rubbish like soil or rubble, then you will be limited to an 8 yard skip in most circumstances. Generally, a 4 or 6 yard skip is the most suitable for a typical garden or small renovation project.
Construction waste
Most skips (Mini, Midi and Builders) are perfect for construction waste and usually a much better option than our Man and Van or Skip Bag service. They are designed for heavy and dense waste. There are limits as the skip must be liftable and capable of being transported, so usually an 8 yard skip is the largest standard skip for large amounts of heavy construction waste. There are, however, larger skips which can be supplied, or even a RORO, but these will require you to contact us first to help.
Plasterboard / gypsum waste
Plasterboard and gypsum is a specialist waste which means they cannot usually go in a skip, they definitely cannot go in a mixed skip. This is because when it is mixed with other waste or gets wet it can putrefy over time and generate hydrogen sulphide. In some cases, we can organise for you to add a little plasterboard if it is clearly bagged and separated or we can supply a dedicated plasterboard skip.
Food waste
Food waste is not a suitable waste stream for a skip and should be avoided. Category 3 ABP (raw meat, food and dairy) should always be avoided. For these waste streams we recommend our man and van service or if you contact us we will be able to organise the most effective solution for the amount of food or category 3 ABP waste you have.
Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste is a broad waste stream and includes anything from asbestos to fridges, computer monitors, and chemicals. These should never be thrown into a skip unless a specialist hazardous waste container has been supplied. It is a legal requirement that any hazardous waste is declared to ensure it is moved properly. You will need to contact us to discuss removing small amounts of home and business hazardous waste as our Man and Van service could be an option.
What cannot go in a skip?
General skips can be restrictive if you have specialist waste or a very mixed waste stream.
What cannot go in a skip?
The following items are prohibited from skips unless prior agreement (and a specialist skip) has been supplied: food waste, large electrical items and white goods, all hazardous waste such as fridges, TVs, fluorescent tubes, monitors, chemicals and solvents, plasterboard and gypsum. Remember, there can be weight limits on larger skips (over 8 cubic yards) so if you are planning on filling your skip with very heavy and dense waste, do contact us so we can provide a specialist or more suitable skip.
Are there additional costs?
There can be additional costs associated with skip hire, but with planning these can all be mitigated. Skip permits / suspensions - if your skip needs to go on the public highway you will need a skip permit and possibly a parking suspension. This will incur an additional cost and you may need to contact us to organise this for you. Wasted journeys (failed collections and deliveries) - these will usually incur a cost when it is not our fault, as a lorry would have been sent out to drop off the skip. Please ensure the skip can be dropped off and collected (please see guidance on access and delivery). Overfilling - if you overfill your skip you could be charged extra or the collection may fail. It is a legal requirement that the load is safe to transport. Prohibited items - hazardous waste (fridges, tv, paint, etc) are not allowed in skips and if found could incur a substantial additional cost. Please see guidance on what can go in a skip.
Skip placement
Before you place your order you need to decide where you will place the skip and whether it is a suitable location, and understand if there is a cost implication.
Off road (private land)
Off road means on private land. Usually this is a driveway, private car park, courtyard or similar. It must be land you control or have permission to use for a period of time. All skips can be placed off road on private land and they can usually be delivered fast, often as fast as the next day.
On the road (public land)
Placing your skip on public land requires a lot more consideration and in almost all cases will incur an additional charge which is levied by your local council in the form of a ‘skip permit’. There are several implications beyond cost, which include as follows. Skip sizes - Skip sizes larger than 8 cubic yards are not generally able to be placed on the road. There are exceptions, such as for building sites but these can require planning permission.
Timings
It takes 1-5 days to get a skip permit depending on where you live. Councils issue permits for 3 - 14 days, which means depending on your location you may need to renew it or have the skip filled and removed quickly.
Lighting: Skips placed on the road will need to be coned off and sometimes lit. Although we will usually handle this, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure the skip is visible after it has been placed and is not a risk to other people or vehicles.
Fly tipping: Skips ‘in the open’ are at extra risk of attracting unwanted third-party rubbish and they may be fly tipped. If someone else throws waste into your skip you are liable for it. If they throw waste which attracts surcharges, or if the skip can't be collected because of this, you will be liable for the additional charges. Because of this, one option would be an enclosed skip which can be locked, and whilst this may cost a little more, it will prevent fly-tipping of your skip.
Skip permits
If you are placing your skip on the public highway you will need a skip permit. Skip permits are issued by your local council and they can vary considerably from area to area.
In most areas, we will provide the skip permit for you and we will simply pass on the additional cost.
As skip permits expire, we must ensure your skip has been removed by this date. This means that if you haven’t requested a collection, your skip may have to be taken, regardless of whether or not you have finished using it. This is because it is a legal requirement to have a valid skip permit.
If you plan to place your skip on the road, you may need to contact us to get the most up to date pricing.
Parking suspensions
If you live in an area which has permit parking or you plan to place the skip in a Pay and Display parking space, you will also need a parking suspension in addition to the skip permit. These are usually charged by the day and can add considerably to the cost, as the council will need to put up a notice and suspend the space. If the space is suspended but there is a car or an obstruction in the way when we attempt delivery, there will usually be a wasted journey charge applied. Therefore it is important that this space is free and that there is enough space for the skip to be placed and for the lorry to manoeuvre.
Booking a skip
Booking a skip with us is very easy. Our contact centre is open 7 days a week and you can book online 24/7 using our website. Most standard skips are available online with real-time pricing. If you have a specialist skip requirement, we may need a couple of hours to provide a bespoke quote.
The skip I want isn't available online
We can supply almost any skip, but due to the massive range of skips potentially available you may need to contact us. We’ll come back to you within a couple of hours, often less, during normal business hours.
How do I pay for my skip?
When you book your skip you will be asked to make payment. This can be made using any major credit or debit card. This should be the only payment you need to make as long as the skip can be placed, collected and is filled correctly.
I've ordered the wrong skip, can I change it?
You can cancel your order or update your delivery date as long as the skip is not out for delivery. If it is out for delivery a wasted journey fee will apply. If the skip has been delivered and you decide you need a bigger one, you will need to order another skip once you fill your existing one or supplement the skip with our man and van clearance service.
Skip delivery
Now you have decided what skip to hire and it’s been paid for, you need to make sure that the delivery goes smoothly.
How is a skip delivered?
A skip is delivered using an HGV (heavy goods vehicle). This is because the skip itself is quite heavy and the waste you will throw into it will add considerably to the total weight. Because an HGV will be delivering the skip, you need to ensure there is enough access for the vehicle to manoeuvre safely.
Is there a risk of damage?
You are responsible for telling us where to place the skip and ensuring it is suitable. A skip lorry and a full skip can be very heavy so there is a risk of damage, particularly on paved driveways. We are not able to accept responsibility for any damage caused as a result of your instruction. If you’re worried about your drive being damaged and have a lighter waste stream, our rubbish clearance service may be more suitable.
What information do I need to provide for my delivery?
The more information you can give us the better. As a minimum we need to know where the skip will be placed, what access there is and who we should contact if we encounter any problems.
Do I need to be in when my skip is delivered?
If the delivery is going to be very straightforward, you don’t necessarily need to be in. However, if a delivery fails, a wasted journey charge could be applied. If you are not going to be in, you must ensure that detailed delivery instructions have been supplied, we have contact details and you must remain contactable
Can you place behind a wall or a car?
There must be clear access to the delivery location, we cannot lift over large obstructions like a wall or a car.
Must the area be clear?
The drop off area must be completely clear for when the lorry arrives. This means clear of cars and other obstructions.
What if a third party blocks access?
It is your responsibility to ensure the area is clear. If we arrive and are unable to place the skip a wasted journey charge is likely to apply.
Special access requirements (narrow entrances, low arches etc)
If you have special access requirements like low arches or narrow entrances, please contact us before booking. We may be able to supply a specialist vehicle or we may suggest our Man and Van skip hire alternative service.
Can I set a delivery time?
Skips are delivered between 8am and 6pm. We are able to take requests for a time but these cannot be guaranteed. If you need a precise time and have a light waste stream our man and van service should be considered. If you do need an arrival time or have special access requirements please contact us as we may be able to accommodate through a bespoke quote.
Filling a skip
Filling a skip is a fairly easy task for most people, the challenge is filling it properly and efficiently.
We recommend breaking items down to minimise the volume and placing the waste in the skip in an efficient manner. If you just chuck items in the skip there’s likely going to be a lot of gaps which you may not be able to utilise.
Level load
The skip must only be filled to a level load and there should be nothing protruding above this line. Do not build up the sides to stack more waste, as this will likely incur a wasted journey charge upon collection until the excess waste is removed. A load must be safely removable in order to be carried on the public highway, so it is very important the skip is not overloaded.
Collecting your skip
Once you have finished loading your skip it will be time to organise the pick up. Pick up is generally very straightforward as long as the skip has been filled correctly and is accessible.
How do I notify you that my skip is ready for collection?
When your skip is ready for collection you can call, email or request a pick up from inside your account. We’re open 7 days a week.
How much notice do you need to collect?
We can often pick up the next business day as long as we know in the morning, but this is not guaranteed and should not rely on this, as it may be several days later. Depending on where you live and how busy the vehicles are it can take 7 working days to have your skip collected, but it is usually much faster. If a skip must be removed by a certain date we suggest giving us as much notice as possible or even select the collection date when you make the booking.
What days do you collect on?
We collect skips Monday to Saturday. Saturday collections are not available in every area and cannot always be guaranteed or offered.
What time will my skip be removed?
We remove skips between 8am and 6pm and are not usually able to offer a precise time. If there are access times that we need to be aware of, please let us know at the time of booking so we can be sure to accommodate your request.
Do I need to be in?
You do not need to be in as long as the skip is clearly accessible and has been filled correctly. However, you must be contactable should we need any help or guidance to remove or access the skip. This means that there must be enough room for a lorry to manoeuvre in order to collect the skip, with no obstructions such as parked cars. The skip must not be overfilled and there should be no prohibited waste inside the skip. If the skip pick-up fails due to it being filled incorrectly, overloaded or if there is a lack of access, a wasted journey fee will apply.
What if the pick-up fails?
If the removal fails, we will contact you to organise a new date. A wasted journey fee may apply if it has failed due to the skip being overloaded, filled with the wrong waste or if we cannot gain access to the skip.
My skip has been removed
Skips are hired for a maximum of 14 days unless agreed otherwise. On the 14th day we reserve the right to remove the skip. If you need the skip for longer please contact us so we can extend the hire period. If the skip is placed on the public highway and the permit is due to expire, we will remove the skip, even if this is less than 14 days. If a skip has been removed but not fully utilised we will not be able to issue a refund so please do ensure you keep us up to date if you are running behind or need to extend the hire. Wherever possible we will contact you first but this is not guaranteed.
Skip hire alternative
We offer a fast and flexible skip hire alternative using our man and van fleet of vehicles, which can be a great skip hire alternative when you have lighter waste to be cleared or you need it going fast.
Benefits of 'Man and Van'
Only pay for what we remove and we can clear as much or as little as you like on the day, versus using a skip, where you need to decide the size upfront. We will load for you - we will send a team who will collect the waste from most locations and load it into our vehicle, saving you the effort. Same-day clearances and time slots - we can turn up almost anywhere in the country on a same-day basis and we also offer time slots, making this a very convenient option. Eco-friendly - only one visit per collection, we offset all of the carbon from our vehicles and we divert from landfill over 95% of the waste we collect. Flexible waste types and mixed loads - we can generally collect most waste streams in the same vehicle, including some hazardous and specialist waste (extra charges may apply).
WASTE CALCULATOR
Not sure how much waste you have, or how to calculate it?
If you’re stood there scratching your head and wondering how do you even begin to calculate how much waste you have, then our waste calculator will help you out.
Have you got a mixture of waste, some furniture as well as some other items? You can use our waste calculator to add all items together to give you an estimated size in cubic yards as well as how much it will cost to get it removed. You can explore a house, garden and office to add all your desired items into a basket. From there we can even recommend the best type of service to have your waste collected.
REVIEWS
Don't just take our word for it
OUR SERVICES
More Clearabee services
We offer a range of clearance services to suit your needs.
If you have heavy, dense waste then our skip hire service is ideal if you have more furniture items to get rid of, our furniture removal service is perfect, skip bags are available too and if you are finding that your wheelie bin is at bursting point, our bin collection service will come in handy.
