What is the Average Skip Hire Price?

If you've got a mound of rubbish that needs to be cleared or your undertaking some pretty extensive building work, chances are you'll hire a skip to get the job done. They're a great way of clearing lots of waste from any site in a quick and orderly fashion. But how much exactly will skip for hire
As with any service, the prices charged can vary quite markedly from business to business. However, you can expect base prices to start at around 40 pounds for a 4 cubic yard skip, possibly rising to excess of 70 pounds for larger 8 or 10 cubic yard variants.

The prices will vary for a variety of reasons though. The most obvious factor of course is the size of the container itself. Invariably, if you are going to hire a larger skip, the company are going to be expecting to deal with more waste. The greater the amount of waste, the more that they need to do, which is then reflected in the final price.

Distance from the depot can also be a contributing factor. If the skip hire company have to deliver and collect their container from their base, there are costs involved. More often than not, these will have to be passed on to the client.

You could also find that some types of waste will also carry an additional levy. Most skip hire companies have a strict policy about any materials they aren't prepared to handle. However, if you do throw any hazardous products in the skip or anything else that requires specialist treatment, then you're liable to incur an added fee for the extra work involved in processing the waste.

So there are actually a surprising number of factors that go into creating a skip hire quote, which makes defining an average cost a little difficult. In order to ensure that you're getting the best quote possible it might be best to perhaps get a few from local skip hire firms - if of course you have such a luxury.

In order to get the best possible price though you need to properly evaluate how much waste you're going to generate for the duration of your project. Most skip hire companies will have a maximum period for usage, often around three weeks, but whether you have it for a day or 20, there shouldn't be an impact on your cost. So your estimate should reflect long-term build up of waste, particularly if working on an ongoing building project.

Skips can be sized from anywhere between 4 and 14 cubic yards, giving you plenty of scope to find one to suit your needs. If you are doing a particularly large clearance job then you might even want to consider a roll-on roll-off skip. These huge containers are custom designed to store vast quantities of waste and are regularly used when stores have a complete overhaul. They have a volume of between 20 and 40 cubic yards and are, consequently, significantly more expensive to hire.

So whilst you could pay as little as 40 pounds for the smallest skip size, your quote is likely to take into account far more factors than simply size. Most skip hire firms will be able to provide you with their basic charges, which as previously mentioned are around 50 or 60 pounds for a mid-sized container. However, that won't include any additional fees for delivery (if you're outside the company's catchment area) or indeed the type of waste you're getting rid of.

All of these will help contribute to your total fee. The only reason this might change is if you fill the skip too high, include hazardous substances or contravene any of the hiring company's other terms and conditions. But don't panic, it's still more convenient and, in many cases, cheaper than dealing with the waste yourself. Plus the skip hire firm should be upfront about costs and will certainly provide assistance with any issues you might have.