Skip hire is a popular and convenient method for disposing of large amounts of waste, whether it is household, garden, or construction rubbish. Hiring a skip can save you time and effort by providing an easy way to get cost-effectively rid of your rubbish.
However, following certain guidelines and tips is essential to make the most of your skip hire experience.
Let’s discuss some useful advice to help you make the most of your skip hire and ensure proper waste management, disposal, and reduced environmental impact.
Choosing the Skip Size
1. Assess the Amount of Rubbish You Need to Dispose of
The first step in selecting the right skip hire size for your project is to accurately gauge how much rubbish you’ll need to dispose of. It’s essential to consider all aspects of your project, including the type of waste you’ll be generating, the amount of space you have to store the skip, and your budget.
It’s always better to overestimate the amount of waste you’ll need to dispose of, as hiring a skip that’s too small could result in hiring additional skips or even penalties for overloading. On the other hand, opting for a skip that’s too large could mean spending more money than necessary on a larger skip than you need.
2. Familiarise Yourself with Available Skip Sizes
Once you have a rough estimate of how much waste you’ll generate, familiarising yourself with the various skip sizes available is important. Skip hire companies typically offer a range of skip sizes, including:
- Mini skips: Ideal for small domestic projects, mini skips typically have a capacity of 2-3 cubic yards. These skips are perfect for garden clearances, small DIY projects, or decluttering your home.
- Midi skips: A popular choice for medium-sized projects, midi skips have a 4-5 cubic yards capacity. They are suitable for kitchen and bathroom renovations and larger garden clearances.
- Builder’s skips: As the name suggests, these skips are commonly used on construction sites and have a 6-8 cubic yards capacity. Builder’s skips are suitable for larger home renovations, such as whole-house clearances and extensive landscaping projects.
- Larger skips: You may require a larger skip with ten cubic yards or more capacity for industrial projects or large-scale construction. These skips can accommodate significant amounts of waste and are ideal for commercial projects.
3. Consider the Space Available for the Skip
Before finalising your skip hire size decision, it’s crucial to consider the amount of space you have available to store the skip. Keep in mind that your chosen skip should be easily accessible for both loading and unloading without causing any obstructions or inconvenience to neighbours or traffic.
If you have limited space, you may opt for a smaller skip or consider alternative waste management solutions, such as a ‘wait and load’ service, where the skip is delivered and collected within a short time frame.
How to Load Your Skip
1. Start with Large, Bulky Items
The first step in loading your skip efficiently is to start with large and bulky items, such as furniture, appliances, and construction materials. These items should be placed at the bottom of the skip to create a solid foundation. Doing this creates more space for smaller items and ensures that the skip is stable when transported.
When placing the large items in the skip, try to break them into smaller parts. For example, dismantle furniture and remove doors from appliances. This makes fitting the items in the skip easier and helps prevent damage to other items.
Tip: Use a strong pair of gloves to protect your hands when handling bulky items and ensure that you have assistance moving particularly heavy objects.
2. Fill Gaps with Smaller Items
Once you have placed the larger items in the skip, you can fill the gaps with smaller items. This is an essential step to maximise the space available in your skip. By filling in the gaps, you can prevent wasted space and ensure you get the most value from your skip hire.
When filling gaps, look for small items that can fit between larger objects, such as broken bricks, rubble, or garden waste. You can also use bags of waste to fill in gaps. Make sure that they are securely tied to prevent spillages.
Tip: If you have a lot of small items, consider using a garden rake or broom to help you move the debris into the gaps.
3. Distribute Weight Evenly
An essential aspect of loading your skip efficiently is ensuring that the weight is evenly distributed. This is not only crucial for safety reasons, but it also helps to prevent any issues when the skip is being transported.
To distribute the weight evenly, ensure that heavy items are spread out across the base of the skip rather than concentrated in one area. Also, try to balance the weight on either side of the skip—this will help prevent the skip from tipping over during transportation.
Tip: If you need clarification on the weight distribution, you can always ask the skip hire company for advice. They will have experience dealing with different types of waste and should be able to provide guidance.
4. Avoid Overfilling the Skip
Finally, it is crucial to avoid overfilling your skip. Overfilled skips can be dangerous, as they can cause accidents during transportation and may even result in fines from the skip hire company.
To prevent overfilling, make sure that you stay within the maximum fill line indicated on the skip. This is usually marked on the side of the skip and should be addressed. If you find more waste than can fit in the skip, hiring a second skip or using an alternative waste disposal method may be worth hiring.
Tip: To avoid overfilling, estimate the waste you dispose of before hiring a skip. This will help you to choose the right size skip for your needs and prevent any issues with overfilling.
Conclusion
Whether you’re undertaking a home renovation, decluttering, or simply clearing out your garden, hiring a skip can be an incredibly convenient waste disposal solution. But when you’re unfamiliar, it can take effort to make full use of it.
By following these tips, you can make the most of your skip hire and ensure that your waste disposal process is smooth, safe, and cost-effective. So, the next time you hire a skip, remember to start with large items, fill gaps with smaller items, distribute weight evenly, and avoid overfilling.
If you’re looking for a domestic skip hire, you’re in the right place. Enviro Skip Hire is a family-run skip hire and aggregate company servicing Staffordshire. Check out our wide range of skip sizes and aggregates. Contact us today to get started and learn more!
