If you are considering clearing the garden or office or sorting the house, then hiring a builder skip can be a huge help. It will help you get rid of a considerable amount of household or construction waste material, including heavy, bulky items as the skip is quite large. There are two sizes of builder skips, and they are the two most common skip sizes hired throughout the UK.
Still, you may want to know a few things about builder skips before hiring your first one. Here’s all the information you’ll need to decide if this is the right type of skip for your waste.
What Is a Builder’s Skip?
It’s a large skip bin mostly used by builders in the UK. People use it for both domestic and commercial purposes, and UK skip hire companies offer them in two different sizes – 6-yard and 8-yard skip. These skips are highly versatile. They are spacious enough for various jobs and projects, but small enough to be accommodated on private property.
What Size is a Builder’s Skip?
Builder skips come in two different sizes – 6-yard and 8-yard skips. Mind you, these terms don’t refer to the skip’s length, but to its capacity. Find out more on the exact measurement and capacity below.
Measurement & Capacity
Even the smaller builder’s skip can hold an impressive number of large bin bags which is one of the reasons why they are widely used in domestic, industrial, and commercial projects.
- 6-yard builder’s skips are around 5 inches (1.52m) wide, 8.6 inches (2.6m) long, and 4 inches (1.22m) high. They can hold between 55 to 60 large bin bags or around 19 wheelie bins worth of waste. Their capacity is 4.600m3 or 6 yards.
- 8-yard builder’s skips are usually around 5.6 inches (1.68m) wide, 12 inches (3.66m) long, and 4 inches (1.22m) high. They can hold between 70 and 80 large bin bags or around 25 wheelie bins worth of waste. Their capacity is 6.100m3 or 8 yards.
What Are Builder’s Skips Used For?
Builder’s skips are the most popular skip size hired in the UK thanks to their capacity which is neither too large, not too small. This allows you to use them for accommodating any type of waste, from domestic and lightweight to commercial and heavy waste.
When it comes to domestic use, people usually hire them for:
- Small gardening jobs and bulky waste
- Small home renovation projects
- Complete home clearouts or large domestic refurbishments
- Garage or home clearouts
- Common maintenance
- Storage or shed clearance
- Garden refurbishments or clearance
Their most common commercial or industrial uses include:
- General landscaping
- Digging foundations
- Wall removal or replacement
- Removing an old driveway
- Bathroom upgrades
- Bathroom or kitchen refits
- Bedroom redesigns
- Retail and office clearouts
- Conservatory removal
What Can You Put in a Builder’s Skip?
You can put different sorts of waste in a builder’s skip, as long as the waste is legal to dispose of in a skip. Builder’s skips are usually hired to remove waste such as:
- Household waste – food, packaging, furnishings, furniture, gas cookers, non-electrical fittings, solidified paint, and packaging like polystyrene, plastics, and cardboard.
- Garden waste – tree branches, foliage, wood, and asbestos-free and oil-free soil.
- Building waste – building rubble, bricks, plastic, metal, and hard core.
What Can’t You Put in a Builder’s Skip?
You can’t use builders skips to store hazardous waste such as asbestos, chemicals, plasterboard, liquid paint, batteries, tyres, and electrical appliances.
Do You Need a Skip Hire Permit for Builder’s Skips?
Although builder’s skips usually don’t require a skip hire permit, you’ll still have to find out for yourself. It mainly depends on the place you plan to put it. If you want to place it in your front garden, driveway, or other private property, you won’t need a skip hire permit. But, if you plan to put it in a parking suspension zone, public road, or another council land, you’ll have to ask your local council for a permit.
How Much Does a Builder’s Skip Cost?
The price of hiring a builder’s skip includes delivery, collection, and removal of waste. The cost depends on your location. For example, hiring a builder’s skip in London is about 50% more expensive than in Leeds.
You can find a 6-yard builder’s skip for a cost ranging from £143 to £278. Hiring an 8-yard builder’s skip in the UK will cost between £186 to £298, depending on the location.