The Definitive Skip Hire Guide

Cleaning out the garden or building a new conservatory? Need to hire a skip but don't know where to look, or which company to go with? Read on for advice and tips to make sure that you find the correct skip at the correct price.

Not All Skip Hire Companies Are Created Equal:
The price of a skip can vary wildly and so to can the terms and conditions of your hire. Some will have minimum hire times whilst some will even wait while you fill it and remove your rubbish immediately. If you have material that can be recycled then finding a company such as skip hire birmingham that is capable of ensuring your waste is reused correctly is a good idea. If you are unsure what can be recycled give the skip hire company a call and they will be able to help you.

Do You Have Hazardous Waste?
If you are looking to remove hazardous waste such as asbestos or high volumes of chemicals, then check that your chosen skip hire company can remove them correctly and if they can what additional costs are involved, due to the specialist handling and storage these materials require.

How Much Waste Are You Removing?
If you are only removing small amounts of waste then 99% of skip companies will be able to help you. However if your project is on a larger scale involving a lot of mixed waste types then you will need to check a few things with the skip company. Firstly can they provide a single skip large enough? Failing that do they have several smaller skips available? Secondly how good is access to the property? If your site has limited access then using a large skip might be a problem. It might be better to find a skip company that offer grab lorry hire. This way the waste can be loaded directly into the lorry and removed very quickly with minimal disruption to traffic or access to other properties.

What Type Of Waste Are You Removing?
You cant just throw any thing into a skip, whilst most items and waste types are fine, there are certain hazardous materials that must be disposed of correctly to comply with UK law.
Electrical items, chemicals, machinery, asbestos, and other such materials are not allowed in a “normal” skip. Special arrangements must be made for these items. Check that your skip hire company can remove them or if not can advice you on the best course of action to take.

How Long Do You Need The Skip For?
As mentioned above some skip companies will have a minimum period of hire, which if you are only doing a bit of garden landscaping might be a little to much to have the skip sat on your driveway for a week, when you know that you are going to fill it and be finished in 1-2 days. Check with the company skip hire Birmingham to see if they offer discount for short term hire.


Where The Skip Be Sited?
You need to know before booking where you are going to place the skip. This of course depends on the size of skip you are booking and how long you intend keeping it for. In some instances you will be unable to place a skip on your driveway. If this is the case then a council permit needs to be arranged to allow the skip to be placed on the road. Most of the time the skip hire company will sort this for you. Ensure that the skip is correctly equipped with reflectors and lights to ensure it is visible at night.

Keep Your Skip Secure:
This might sound a little strange, I mean who steals rubbish? Its not the stealing we are worried about (although if you put a lot of lead or copper wiring in the skip you might find it disappears over night due to its high scrap value) It is people adding to your skip. What many people don't realize is that you the customer are fully responsible for the contents of your skip. So if you've filled it full of soil only to find that in the morning an old freezer and a big pile of half full paint cans are in your skip, you are stuck with it.

Shop Around:
As mentioned above the price of hiring a skip can vary wildly depending on your requirements and location. Get a quote from a few companies and see what they are offering for the price. It might pay to look on-line, many skip hire companies now have a web site allowing you to get a quote or even book on-line. With the amount of competition on the Internet you might find that you can get better deals.

Have Your Information Ready:
The more information you can provide the skip company with when looking for a quote the better. It will enable them to give you the most accurate price and ensure that they can meet your needs. Be realistic about how much rubbish you have, don't just try to order the smallest skip you think you can get away with. This will only end up with you having to hire another one if you cant fit all your waste in.