Last edited 19 Feb 2021

Hiring a skip when clearing your house out

Whether you are planning to have a major renovation or just a simple spring clean at home, it is important to consider proper waste management beforehand. Many people hire skips because of the convenience it can offer.

Skips are large, heavy duty open top bins that can be rented and filled, then the skip hire company will take care of the collection and disposal.

Hiring a skip can be easy and convenient, however, there are things that you have to know before talking to your skip hire company to avoid unnecessary problems:

1. Determine what size of skip you are going to need. This is probably the most important decision prior to hiring a skip. It is best to hire a size bigger than you think you need. You are not allowed to over-fill your skip as an overloaded skip would make the load unbalanced and unsafe to transport.

2. Determine where you'll place the skip on your property. Take note that once you have your skip filled up, it can be difficult for you to lift it or move it to another place. Also, if you are planning to put the skip on public property such as the side of the road, you need to request for a permit from your local council. This takes time though so you might have to prepare this beforehand.

3. Know what you should not put in the skip. You cannot put things like televisions, laptops, computer monitors, batteries, electronic items, chemicals, freezers and other hazardous wastes in skips. If in doubt, you might have to discuss this first with your skip hire company to prevent problems later.