First Time Hiring a Skip? A Quick Guide for Absolute Beginners

Hiring a skip for the first time is simpler than most people expect - but there are a handful of specifics you need to know before you book. This is the 10-minute beginner's guide.

1. How skip hire actually works

You book a skip online or by phone. On the delivery day, our truck drops the skip where you've asked - usually your driveway, sometimes the road (permit required). You load it up over the next 2-14 days. We come back and collect it. The waste goes to a licensed transfer station where it's sorted, recycled and disposed of.

That's it. No stress.

2. Choose the right size

Three standard UK sizes:

• Mini (2yd): small job - shed clear, garden tidy, bathroom. £165 starting price.
• Midi (4yd): mid-sized job - kitchen strip, loft clear, mid garden. £225 starting price.
• Maxi (8yd): big job - full clearance, major refit, builder's rubble. £325 starting price.

See our full size guide for detailed matching.

3. Decide where the skip will go

Driveway / private land - no permit needed

If you have driveway space, this is the easy route. Skip arrives, drops on your drive, no paperwork. Most of our customers use this.

Road / pavement - permit needed

If you don't have a driveway, or if it's too narrow for the skip, we'll apply for a council skip permit on your behalf. This takes 2-5 working days to approve and costs £60 in our flat fee (covering the council's charge and our admin). See our permits explainer.

4. Know what can and can't go in

Fine to include:

Household waste, wood, rubble, tiles, metal, garden waste (bulky but fine), furniture (wooden), cardboard, carpets.

Not allowed:

• Fridges and freezers (WEEE - need degassing)
• Paint (liquid - dried is ok)
• Tyres
• Asbestos
• Gas bottles and aerosols
• Car batteries
• Clinical waste
• Chemicals and oils

Allowed with a surcharge:

• Mattresses (~£15-25 each)
• Upholstered sofas and armchairs (~£15-30 each)
• Plasterboard (small quantities in general skips, dedicated skips for larger)

Full list: see What You Can't Put in a Skip.

5. Check how long you've got

Standard hire is 14 days from delivery. That's plenty for most household jobs. If you finish in 3 days, ring us for an early collection at no extra charge. If you need longer, we can extend for £15-20 per additional week - see our hire-period guide.

6. Understand the delivery day

• We'll give you an AM or PM window on the booking date
• We'll ring ahead when the driver's 20-30 mins away
• You need to be home (or someone who can show where to put it)
• The drop-off spot needs to be clear - move cars, bins, plant pots
• The driver will guide the skip into place on the truck's arm

7. Load it properly

Three rules:

1. Heavy/flat stuff at the bottom
2. Nothing above the rim (it's illegal - why)
3. Break down bulky items to maximise space

See our loading guide for the full method.

8. Collection day

• We'll give you an AM or PM window on the agreed collection day
• Be home or have someone there if the skip is on private land
• Make sure nothing's been added above the rim in the final loading push
• Driver leaves a Waste Transfer Note - keep this for 2 years (Duty of Care)

9. How much will it really cost?

Published price + VAT = the total most of the time. The only extras are:

• Road permit (£60 flat, only if you need one)
• Declared surcharges for mattresses, sofas or plasterboard
• Over-weight or overfill penalties (very rare)

See our pricing breakdown for why prices vary slightly between depots.

10. Book

Enter your postcode on the homepage - we'll match you to your nearest depot and show live prices. Or ring your local depot directly. In our Manchester, Leeds and Preston teams (and the other 100+ depots across the UK), first-time bookings are our biggest single group - we walk you through it on the phone.