About to embark on a big DIY project, or finally get around to that not-quite-spring clean? Whether it’s a home clearance or a business renovation, skip hire is often the most convenient option for waste removal. However, it can be costly if you don’t do your research first.
Before you hire a skip, you need to be well-informed about which skip you want, and where you can find the most competitive prices for skip hire in Chorley and Leyland. Domestic skip hire and commercial skip hire can be very affordable if you do it right – and here’s how.
⦿ Choose the appropriate skip size
If you’ve never had to hire a skip until now, it’s unsurprising that you might not know which types or sizes of skips are available. You don’t want to take a chance on the wrong size and end up with too much waste for a skip that’s too small, or paying for a skip that turns out to be too big to fill. Luckily, we have a guide to skip sizes, and another guide to choosing the right skip for your particular needs.
⦿ Place the skip on your property
Placing a skip on a public road outside requires permission from the local council, who owns that land. Securing a permit can add around £30 to the cost of skip hire – but if you don’t get one, you’ll only have to pay more when the council fines you. The best place to put a skip is on your own private land, such as a driveway or front yard, to avoid having to apply for a permit and pay the fee.
⦿ Book a skip in advance
You might not think that skip hire has peak periods, but it can be difficult to make a last-minute booking at certain times of year. Skips are a popular solution around Easter, summer, and Christmas, not to mention the half-term holidays for families with kids in school. To ensure that you get your skip when you need it, try to book it at least a few weeks in advance of your required delivery date.
⦿ Sell or donate things first
The best method for maximising skip hire is to only put in waste items that you can’t get rid of any other way. If you have old furniture, books, clothes, toys, or miscellaneous equipment that’s still in decent condition, but you just don’t want them anymore, why not make a little money by listing them online? Or you can save time by simply donating them to a relevant charity shop, instead.
⦿ Split the costs with someone else
Too much waste for the bins, but not quite enough to fill a skip on your own? Why not ask a family member, friend, or neighbour if they’d like to go halves with you on the price of skip hire? You can each fill half the skip and cut your individual costs in half accordingly. This can also work out cheaper if you have to place the skip on a public road, as you’ll need to cover the skip permit fee, as well.
⦿ Break down bulky items
Dismantling large furniture or other bulky and heavy waste will make it easier to fit into the skip. In turn, this will give you more space to dispose of more waste. Break things into smaller parts and lay them as flat as possible so you can stack further items on top of them. Most furnishings and fittings are fairly easy to flatten or break into pieces, such as tables, chairs, bed frames, and wardrobes.
⦿ Avoid overfilling the skip
Overloading a skip is dangerous for many reasons. If the skip is too heavy, the collection truck may not be able to lift it. This could damage the ground and the truck. When waste is stacked up above the edges of the skip, it’s more likely to shift around, slip off the pile, and fall out. This could also damage property or even injure someone nearby. Paying for fines and repairs won’t save money.
⦿ Load the skip carefully
There are two ways to fill a skip strategically – light items first, then heavy items to compress them and create more space; or heavy items first to create a stable base, then lighter items packed into the gaps. Whichever you choose, lift items and place them carefully from right beside the skip, never throwing things in. Always get help with lifting heavy or bulky items into the skip to prevent injuries.
⦿ Keep hazardous waste out
Some types of waste are prohibited for health and safety reasons, so you can’t just put anything and everything into a skip. Hazardous items that can’t go in a skip include electrical appliances and plasterboard, plus a variety of chemicals and flammable liquids. Find out more about skip regulations in our previous blog on the topic, or contact us for further information and advice.
⦿ Protect the ground underneath
Skips are already fairly heavy before you fill them, so you can imagine how much heavier they get once they’re full. When the truck comes to collect the skip and loads it onto the back, the extra weight can also damage softer ground. As a precaution, you may want to clear a space for easy access and lay down wooden boards to protect your driveway or garden, or public pavements.
Ready to hire a skip in Leyland or Chorley?
There are many factors that influence the cost of skip hire in Leyland, but if you follow the advice above, you should keep your skip costs down. Whether you’re hiring a skip in Leyland, searching for skip hire in Chorley, or looking to hire a skip anywhere else, these tips should make things easier.
To discuss hiring a skip, you can contact Leyland Skip Hire by calling 01772 957 509 or by submitting an enquiry through our online contact form. If you already know what you need, you can hire a skip online to speed things up. We’ll deliver your skip before you know it, and collect it when you call.
