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How to pick a skip for your project?
Whether you’re embarking on a home renovation, a garden overhaul, or managing waste from a commercial project, choosing the right skip can save you time, money, and stress. You’ve found this guide because you don’t know exactly what size skip you need, and that’s ok. This guide will help you understand which skip is suitable for different types of projects, from small-scale refurbishments to large demolition jobs. We’ll break down the factors you need to consider, such as the size of your project, the weight of the materials, and which skip sizes are available, while offering further advice through detailed guides on specific project types.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Skip for your Project
Before selecting a skip, it’s important to think about the following key elements:
- Project Size: The scale of your project will largely dictate the size of skip you require. Smaller skips are ideal for DIY projects, whereas larger ones are better suited to major renovations or commercial work.
- Material Weight: Heavier materials such as soil, bricks, and concrete require skips that can handle weight, but they also fill up faster. Many skip companies will only supply 6 or 8 yard skips if they are to be filled with heavy waste..
- Waste Type: Different projects produce different types of waste. Knowing what kind of waste you’ll be disposing of will help you determine the most appropriate skip size. Hazardous materials often need specialised disposal methods, so make sure your skip provider can handle those if necessary.
- Space Available: Depending on where your skip will be placed, the physical space you have available might limit your options. If you need a larger skip but have limited space, you may need to consider a permit to place the skip on the road.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at different types of projects and the best skips for each. For more in-depth information on a particular type of project, follow through to our detailed guides.
Home Renovations and DIY
Home renovations come in all shapes and sizes and have a varying impact of how much waste material will be produced. DIY jobs that you expect to take the course of a few weeks might be able to be negotiated amongst trips to the local waste recycling plant (or tip as we like to call it). There also may be time factors to consider and if you are doing a task yourself, you exactly don’t want to be spending that time going to and from the tip on your days off.It all comes down to your needs for the project, but these guides should help you understand and recognise what those needs are.
Smaller DIY Projects
Smaller DIY projects, such as redecorating a room or replacing furniture, typically don’t require large skips. For these types of tasks, a 2-yard or 4-yard skip is ideal. These mini skips can handle household waste like old carpets, wood, and packaging materials without taking up too much space on your driveway or property. If your DIY project involves heavier materials like plasterboard or small amounts of brickwork, the 4-yard skip will give you the extra capacity needed while still being manageable for residential areas.
Loft Conversions
Loft conversions can create significant amounts of waste, especially when removing insulation, plasterboard, or timber. For these projects, a 6-yard skip is often sufficient, though larger conversions might require an 8-yard skip. These sizes can hold bulky materials while remaining manageable for a residential property.
Kitchen Refit
Kitchen refits usually involve ripping out old cabinets, countertops, and potentially flooring, which means a mix of light and heavy materials. A 6-yard skip is typically ideal for medium-sized kitchens, handling waste like wood, metal, and some masonry without overloading.
Bathroom Renovations
Bathroom renovations often involve disposing of heavy items such as tiles, porcelain, and concrete, meaning a skip that can handle weight is essential. A 6-yard skip should suffice for smaller bathrooms, but larger projects may require an 8-yard skip.
Getting a skip for DIY projects and home renovations comes with its own set of challenges. To help you make the most of your project and keep the stress to a minimum, check out our DIY and Home Renovations Guide for practical tips and advice.
Home Structural Work
If you’re planning significant structural changes to your home, like removing walls, demolishing old extensions, or tearing up patios and driveways, you’ll need the right skip to handle the waste. Even if contractors are managing the heavy lifting, it’s often up to the homeowner to organise the skip hire. Different types of structural work might require the collection and ordering of multiple skips which we make easy for you.
Removing Walls or Extensions
When knocking down internal or external walls, you’ll be dealing with heavy materials like bricks, plasterboard, and rubble. For this kind of structural work, a 6-yard skip or 8-yard skip is ideal. These skips can handle a mix of heavy and bulky materials, making them a great fit for medium-sized residential knockdown projects.
New Driveways
Laying a new driveway produces a substantial amount of concrete, stone, and paving slabs. A 6-yard skip is usually sufficient for this type of work, as it provides enough capacity for dense materials without exceeding weight limits. If your project is particularly large, an 8-yard skip might be more appropriate to avoid multiple collections.
Taking Down Garages and Outhouses
If you’re planning to remove an old garage, shed, or outhouse, you’ll need a skip that can handle a variety of materials, from wood and metal to concrete and bricks. These structures can generate a surprising amount of waste.For most garage or outhouse demolitions, a 6-yard skip is a good starting point. It’s large enough to handle heavier materials like bricks and roofing. If the structure is particularly large or you’re also clearing out the contents, an 8-yard skip may be necessary to ensure you have enough room.
Full-Scale Renovation Projects
For bigger renovation jobs where multiple parts of the house are being structurally altered—such as removing an old garage, chimney breast, or part of the roof—you’ll need a larger skip, such as a 12-yard or 14-yard skip. These can accommodate high volumes of mixed waste without the need for frequent pickups.Whether you’re coordinating a contractor for a big job or managing the project yourself, it’s important to choose the right size skip to keep your project moving efficiently and within budget. If you’re unsure which size is best, you can consult our team or your contractor for guidance.
Managing waste during home construction projects can be tricky, but having the right skip can make all the difference. For guidance on choosing the right skip and keeping your construction site organised, read our Home Construction Waste Management Guide to ensure your project runs smoothly from start to finish.
Commercial Waste Management
A project is a project and waste management is just as important aspect of a project for businesses as it is for domestic. The aim is to keep costs as low as possible and this might be by being efficient with skip hire so managing waste efficiently is crucial. Whether you’re dealing with packaging waste, office clearances, or larger-scale industrial waste, every project can be properly managed and choosing the right skip is essential for smooth operations.
Office Clearances
If your business is undergoing an office clearance or refurbishment, a 6-yard skip is generally ideal for furniture, fittings, and light construction waste.
Shop Refit and Light Refurbishment
Refitting a coffee shop or a takeaway can create a whole lot of mess, some recyclable, some not, but being able to dump it all in a skip to be sorted later is the easiest method to keep the cost of a refit down. As the longer it takes you to complete the refit,the more it will cost in shop closures and invoices.
Retail or Warehouse Waste
Larger commercial spaces like retail units or warehouses generate significant amounts of waste, often requiring a 12-yard skip or more. These larger skips are perfect for bulky waste such as packaging materials, shelving, and general commercial debris.
Industrial Waste
For heavy-duty industrial waste such as metals, machinery parts, or large quantities of packaging, you’ll need a 14-yard skip or bigger. These skips are designed for maximum capacity and are perfect for businesses that regularly handle large amounts of waste.
Read more on business waste management and what tricks your business could be missing out on with our complete guide on waste management for businesses.
Skips for Landscaping and Gardening
Gardening and landscaping produces a surprising amount of waste. Your first point of call would be to compost anything that can be composted, mulch your flower beds with leaves, flatten out a bit of garden with any left over soil, or even build a bug hotel with chopped down branches. These are all great suggestions if you have the time and patience to make the most of the waste that gardening and landscaping often produces.
From turning your lawn to removing fence panels or a wall, to full scale landscaping projects can all generate a fair amount of waste and being from the garden, it’s often the heavy stuff, soil, bricks concrete and with many tips now charging for this kind of waste, why bother bagging and lugging it to the waste recycling plant just to pay for the privilege.
Soil Works and Drainage
For garden projects involving soil, such as creating new flowerbeds or installing drainage, you’ll need a skip that can handle the weight. A 4-yard or 6-yard skip should be adequate for smaller projects, but larger landscaping efforts may require an 8-yard skip.
Removing a Patio
If you’re removing a patio as part of a landscaping project, much like with driveway removal, you’ll be dealing with heavy materials such as concrete and stone. A 6-yard skip is usually ideal for these materials, providing enough space without risking overfilling.
Tree Removal
Tree removal generates bulkier but lighter waste. Branches, stumps, and leaves can quickly fill a skip, but they’re much lighter than soil or concrete. For this kind of project, a 6-yard skip can often accommodate all the waste. However, if you’re clearing an entire garden, a larger skip might be required
Helpful garden waste tips
Check out our detailed guide on garden and landscaping skip hire here where you can find helpful tips and guides that will help you when carrying out all types of tasks in the garden.
Choosing the right skip for your project ensures that waste is handled efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively. By understanding the scale of your project and the type of materials you’ll be disposing of, you can make an informed decision about the best skip size for your needs. If you’re still unsure, contact our team for personalised advice.
For more details, visit our Skip Hire Guides section, where you’ll find specific advice tailored to different types of projects.
