Talk to the Experts about Your Skip Hire Needs

Whether you’re renovating your own home or working on a full-scale construction project, you’ll inevitably accumulate a lot of waste. Depending on what sort of project you’re working on, this could consist of a whole range of waste materials, like old furniture, excess building materials or electrical items. Knowing how best to dispose of these different types of waste can be confusing, so consulting the experts is often a wise choice.

Opting to hire a skip during your renovation or construction project is a great way to not only keep your site clear from rubbish but will also ensure that your waste is disposed of efficiently and effectively. Here at Brewsters, we provide professional skip hire services, as well as other waste management solutions, and we’re here to offer our expert advice on your skip hire needs.

Skip bin hire: reasons to hire a skip

Before hiring your skip, you’ll need to consider what you may be using it for. Skip hire services are generally used for either domestic or commercial projects; we’ve outlined the reasons you may want a skip on either site:

Domestic use

A skip can be a really handy addition to a home or garden project, as the amount of waste produced at home is often underestimated. Not only is it not ideal to have piles of waste in your garden, but it can also be hugely unsafe – especially if you have children or pets. Containing your rubbish in a skip keeps it safely out of the way and saves you from filling your car up and shuttling back and forth to the local tip.

You may hire a skip at home on the following occasions:

Garden landscaping
DIY projects
Home renovations
Moving house
General clearouts

Commercial use

Hiring a skip for a commercial project is almost essential. The amount of waste generated on larger construction sites can be difficult to manage, and there are specific health and safety laws which mean that site managers must be vigilant when managing waste. A badly kept site can not only be a risk to workers on the site but also to pedestrians passing nearby. If you are managing hazardous waste on your site using a skip can help to keep it contained. If you’re unsure of whether your construction waste is hazardous, the Environment Agency and Local Authorities have laid out some helpful guidelines.

Below are a few occasions for which you should hire a skip in a commercial context:

Construction projects
Demolitions
Premises refits/renovations
Business waste
Moving premises

Skip hire cost: save time, money and the environment

Although it is practically essential that you hire a skip for a commercial project, weighing up the costs of using a skip at home may require a little more thought. Hiring a skip has many benefits and can save on many things:

Instead of hiring a skip, many people simply opt to manage waste themselves. This usually entails having to drive back and forth to the local tip, which can be extremely time-consuming. Skip hire services will come and collect all waste at once, making the waste collection hassle-free for you and allowing you to use your time more efficiently.

The cost of driving to and from the tip combined with fees at the tip may surprise you. A skip hire company will lay out the fees beforehand, and you can feel reassured that no excess costs will incur. The overall costs of hiring a skip will most likely be less than petrol costs too.

The environment. Using a skip is also eco-friendly. It’s tricky to know how to get rid of different materials, and this often leads to items being placed in landfill that could have been recycled. But, your local skip hire company are recycling experts so you don’t have to be. After they’ve collected your skip, they’ll sort through the contents and dispose of everything properly.

So, it’s fair to say that using professional skip hire services can really save on costs. The benefits are massive, but it’s extremely important that you use your skip properly, as otherwise, these savings could be reduced.

Skip hire rules: looking after your skip and arranging waste collection

When hiring a skip there a number of responsibilities you automatically take on; you can seek advice about the rules and regulations of skip hire from skip hire professionals or from regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency and Local Authorities. But ultimately, it’s down to you – don’t get caught out, as failing to abide by the legal requirements set out by the government could see you facing a hefty fine.

Below are a few things that will be expected of you as a skip hire customer:

Know what you can put in your skip. Skips can contain most waste items, including metal, plastic, wood, paper/cardboard, furniture and clothing. However, if there are any materials you’re not sure can go in a skip, or you think could potentially be hazardous, it’s worth discussing with your skip hire company. Also, some companies have certain things they won’t accept, such as plasterboard, so make sure you find out what policies your local skip hire upholds first.

Get a skip permit. If you don’t have space on your private land for a skip, you’ll need to have it on public land or on a public road, for which you’ll need a skip permit. Most skip companies can obtain this for you from your local authority; they know the process back to front and will be able to do it efficiently, saving you from having to spend time applying yourself.

Use your skip responsibly. Although your skip hire company will manage the licencing of your skip, whilst it’s in your hands it’s your responsibility. As mentioned above, be sure you know what you can and can’t put in your skip, and take measures to deter from fly-tipping – opting for an enclosed option is ideal if your skip will have public access. Furthermore, if your skip is on a private road, it’s your responsibility to ensure it can be seen in the dark. You may need to attach reflective markings to your skip or place traffic-cones and night-time safety lamps nearby. If you’re unsure how to do this, consult your skip hire company or local authority for more information.

Cooperate with your local skip hire company. Communicating with your skip hire company should happen from day one. However, it is absolutely essential towards the end of the process, when you’ve worked out when you’d like the skip removed. If it’s on private land and you’re not going to be around, you’ll need to give your skip company access to the property. Equally, if your skip isn’t on your own land, be sure to get the landowner’s permission so that your skip hire company can collect the waste without issue.

Skip sizes: Knowing which skip is best for you

Although it’s difficult to know exactly how much waste you’re going to accumulate, try to make a rough estimate of how much waste you might dispose of, to determine what size skip you’ll need. There is a range of sizes on offer and the different sizes should be allocated depending on whether you’re working on a domestic or commercial project.

At Brewsters, our sizes range from six to sixteen yards. Below are the uses we recommend for each size:

Six or eight-yard skip. Bulky, builders’ waste, about 50 bin bags.
Ten-yard skip. Household clearance & light construction waste, about 100 bin bags.
Twelve-yard skip. Commercial clearance & light construction waste, about 100 bin bags.
Fourteen or sixteen-yard skip. Commercial clearance & light construction waste, about 200 bin bags.

Choosing a skip hire company

Now that you’ve considered hiring a skip, having weighed up the costs, responsibilities and what you’ll use it for, it’s time to find a local skip hire to suit your needs. You may be asking yourself “how do I find the best skip hire near me?”. Well, there’s a few things to look out for:

Experience and accreditations. Find out how long the company has been operating and if they have a good reputation with their customers. The longer established they are, the more likely they are to be reliable. Check if they’ve got any accreditations, as this suggests they operate to high standards in areas like health and safety.

Environmental policies. Skip hire companies will usually say how much of their waste they recycle, which should be at least over 90%. Some companies will also have a zero landfill policy, meaning that anything they can’t recycle is converted into energy. Whether you’re a hardcore environmentalist or not, choosing an eco-friendly waste management company is recommended.

Skip size range. When you can estimate how much waste you’re going to generate, you’ll need to choose an adequately sized skip; picking a skip hire company who has a range of different sizing options is ideal. They’ll be used to hiring out different sized skips and can advise on which is best for you.

Choose Brewsters professional skip hire services

Brewsters have specialised in providing waste management solutions to customers working both on domestic and commercial projects. Operating across London and Essex since 1960, we have a loyal customer base and have several national accreditations, including CHAS, Safe Contractor and FORS Silver. We are also committed to being environmentally-conscious; we recycle around 95% of our waste and have a zero landfill policy.

If you’re looking for convenient and affordable expert skip hire in London or Essex, you’ve come to the right place. At Brewsters we offer a highly efficient skip hire and waste collection service, as well as other waste management services like caged lorry hire, compactor and baler hire and food and confidential waste disposal. For all enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly and professional team, who are on hand to respond to all of your skip hire needs.