It’s actually quite a common question, more common than you may think. When you’ve decided to undertake work within your home, if it’s significant, then the chances are you will need a skip for the waste. The next question is, what size skip do I need?
Quick Navigation
- What are my skip options?
- Which skip do I need?
- Is there anything I can’t put in the skip?
- Get a quote for skip hire
What are my skip options?
Skips are measured in Yards, so typically when you hire a skip it will be called “x” yard skip. Here’s a guide of available skips & rough sizes of each of them:
| Size of Skip | How Much Can It Hold? | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Height (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Yards | 2 Tonnes 20 Black Bin Bags 6.5 Wheelie Bins | 3ft | 3ft | 2ft |
| 4 Yards | 4 Tonnes 40 Black Bin Bags 13 Wheelie Bins | 5ft | 5ft | 2.5ft |
| 6 Yards | 6 Tonnes 60 Black Bin Bags 19.5 Wheelie Bins | 10ft | 5.2ft | 3ft |
| 8 Yards | 8 Tonnes 80 Black Bin Bags 26 Wheelie Bins | 11ft | 5.5ft | 4ft |
| 10 Yards | 10 Tonnes 100 Black Bin Bags 32.5 Wheelie Bins | 12ft | 5.6ft | 5ft |
| 12 Yards | 12 Tonnes 120 Black Bin Bags 39 Wheelie Bins | 12.2ft | 5.8ft | 5.5ft |
| 14 Yards | 14 Tonnes 140 Black Bin Bags 45.5 Wheelie Bins | 13.5ft | 6.3ft | 6.7ft |
*Please note that this table is a guide & some skips vary in size.
Which skip do I need?
It really depends on the kind of waste you are planning to put in there & the project you are undertaking, so realistically it’s a best guess or estimate. As a guide here are a few common jobs and the skip you may require:
- Removal of a small kitchen or bathroom – 4 Yard Skip
- Loft conversions – 8 Yard Skip
- Complete house clearance – 12 / 14 Yard Skip
Is there anything I can’t put in the skip?
There tends to be a few items that you can’t put in a skip, however you should always check before hand with the skip hire company to make sure you are clear on everything you can’t take.
As a general rule, you tend not to be allowed to put hazardous items in skips, which includes:
- Tvs
- Computers
- Paint Tins
- Asbestos Waste
- Tyres
- Fridges
- Plasterboard
- Batteries
- Medical Waste
This is not an exhaustive list, so make sure you check before agreeing to hire!
We have recently started our new skip hire service and came across this article.
It’s great that you have taken the time to clearly display the skip sizes of what people will need and it has helped us in identifying it too.
Skip hire is no means an exciting topic to talk about but you did a great job on keeping it informative and simple, thanks a ton.
Really loved the chart you made regarding the skip size needed and the items where skip cannot be utilised. We actually have created an infographic based around skip sizes in detail here: https://tjctransport.co.uk/blog/skip-sizes-infographic/
Thanks for sharing & it’s good to have it in visual form.
Glad you liked the post!
Thanks for the comment, you should have said thanks a tonne!
It’s not an interesting topic you’re right, but I did my best.