Skip Hire Costs: Sizes, Permists, and Tips
If you’ve never hired a skip, the process may seem daunting. After all, hiring a skip is a big cost, and waste disposal is often overlooked as an overall project budget line item. It’s important to find accurate pricing information so you can figure your skip bin costs into your project budget.
This blog will explain skip hire prices and how to vet local skip hire companies to find the right one for you.
How much does skip hire cost?
The first step in estimating your skip hire price is to decide which size skip you’ll need. If you need more information, check out this page on What Size Skip Do I Need?
The table below provides descriptions of our skip sizes and their costs. Once you know the right skip size for your project, you can use it to estimate the cost of your skip hire.
| Skip Hire Sizes | Description | How many bin bags? | Cost |
| 4-Yard Skip | This skip, often called a “mini skip”, is perfect for garden waste or small home projects that generate light bulky waste, like a garage clear-out. | Volume: 3.0 cubic metres | about 40 bin bags | No cost provided |
| 6-Yard Skip | This is often called a “small builders skip”. It’s ideal for medium-sized construction waste, renovation tasks, or small amounts of heavy waste. | Volume: 4.6 cubic metres | about 60 bin bags | No cost provided |
| 8-Yard Skip | A popular choice for builder and construction waste, as well as larger projects like kitchen and bathroom refits. | Volume: 6.0 cubic metres | about 80 bin bags | No cost provided |
| 12-Yard Skip | Suitable for bulky items and substantial waste volumes. | Volume: 9.2 cubic metres | about 120 bin bags | No cost provided |
| 16-, 20-, 30-, and 40-yard Skips, or Ro-Ro Skips (Roll-on, Roll-off) | Specialist skip sizes designed for industrial projects and other commercial skip hire needs. | No cost provided |
Calculating skip hire costs
Once you’ve decided on the right size skip, you’ll need to find the cost of a skip permit in your local area. Council permits are granted for a specific hire period, and they’re required if your skip will be resting on public land (such as the street or a footpath) or shared land (such as a shared driveway).
Talk to your local council about the cost of a skip hire permit and the options for hire periods. Those additional fees must be added to the overall skip hire cost.
If you’ve chosen a reputable skip provider, the cost of recycling and otherwise disposing of your waste should be included in the skip hire price. But a smaller operation might charge extra for waste disposal, so find out whether or not that’ll add to your costs.
How much does a skip cost near me?
Skip hire prices vary depending on your location. For example, in London, it’s almost twice as expensive to hire a skip as it is in Glasgow. You can enter your postcode for a quote based on your area on our Hire A Skip page.
Factors affecting skip hire costs
We’ve touched on these above, but here’s a quick outline of the factors that affect skip hire prices:
Size
Skip-hire prices are directly related to skip sizes: the bigger the skip, the higher the hire cost. So to avoid paying for more space than you need, it’s essential to study the chart closely to determine which skip size you’ll need and choose the one that’s right for you. But remember, choosing a skip size that’s too small can prove more costly than ordering a slightly larger size skip. If you need to order a second skip, you might wish you’d chosen a bigger one to begin with.
Location
London and its surrounds (most of the South East) are the most expensive places to hire a skip. At The Waste Group, we supply skips nationwide, and we’re always working to provide the most competitive rates to our clients throughout the country. You can use this Hire A Skip page to receive a quote tailored to your location.
Duration
The length of time you’ll need your skip will affect the cost. It’ll be cheaper to hire it for fewer days, but you should also be realistic about the amount of clear-out you’ll be able to do in a short amount of time. If you’re working alone or with a very small crew, you may need more time to complete your clear-out. Ask your local skip hire companies how much they charge daily to extend the original skip hire price and make sure that’s a cost you can live with if necessary. Otherwise, you should hire your skip for longer.
Skip hire permit
As mentioned above, you’ll need to figure the cost of a skip hire permit into your waste disposal budget. The cost of permits varies from council to council, so call your local council office to discuss the terms and prices of skip hire permits. Talk to your skip hire service about whether the skip permit cost is included in their quote, and whether they’ll help you obtain one. The paperwork can be tricky, so having an experienced team to help you apply is ideal.
Tips to save money on skip hire
When hiring a skip, use these tips to find competitive skip hire prices and decide which company is right for you.
Experience and professionalism
Whichever skip hire company you choose, look for one that’s experienced and well-regarded. A lower price might ultimately prove more costly if your skip hire service is subpar.
Learn the rules
Even if you hire someone else to take away your waste, it’s still your responsibility in the eyes of the law. So again, make sure it’s someone you can trust; if they dispose of it incorrectly, it’s your fault, and you might incur hefty fines for the transgression.
Know the type and size of skip you need
Educating yourself on various skip sizes and prices will help you know a good deal – or avoid a bad one – when you see it.
Fill your skip strategically
Once you’ve hired a skip, you can use this guide to fill it efficiently, saving you money on overage charges, and ensuring you make the most of the skip you’ve hired.
Why choose The Waste Group for your skip hire services?
We know that cost is a significant factor in your decision to hire a skip. Here at The Waste Group, we pride ourselves on delivering the best service possible, ethically and professionally.
The Waste Group is upfront and honest about our costs. We may charge higher than the average price of skip hire in your area. But there’s a reason for our slightly higher prices: we want to be the skip hire you can trust.
We’re committed to ethical waste disposal, so we recycle upwards of 98% of the waste materials we remove from building sites and homes. The environmental impact of waste is monumental, and we know we can make a difference by recycling and reusing as much material as possible.
Our commitment to reducing waste sent to landfills and incinerators means you can feel good about managing your waste. Plus, you’ll know you won’t be landed with a fine or fee for waste that’s been improperly disposed of.
The Waste Group is a trusted and respected skip hire company servicing the entire UK. Our skip hire services make it easy to remove your waste and reduce your environmental impact with one exemplary waste management solution.
Contact us via our website or by calling our expert team on 0800 652 0160 for your skip hire needs.
