Home improvements are the most common activity to generate a lot of waste, and it’s a lot easier to have the ability the dispose of everything at the kerbside or on your driveway than to take it all to the tip. Large items in particular can be hard to transport in a car, so skip hire is a great solution to responsibly get rid of your unwanted items and waste.
There are many good skip hire companies in and around Sheffield, but knowing which one to use is a bit of a lottery. For most people it comes down to price, so using an online quote tool is a good place to start. If you get a good price, you can often arrange for your skip to be delivered there and then.
Please note that there are links to skip hire companies and quote tools below on this page. We are not responsible for their websites, and have no control over their pricing. For that reason, we are not recommending any one supplier over another, and if you choose to use their services, we may earn a commission for introducing you.
How Much Should Skip Hire Cost?
The price to rent a skip varies dramatically across the country. The best way to find out how much skip hire will be in Sheffield is to use an online tool to get a quote. A great example that you can use now and have a quote in seconds is Skoup who are part of the well known waste management company Biffa. Click here to use their quote tool.
What Size Skip Should I Get?
As a rule of thumb, you should slightly over-estimate the amount of waste you wish to dispose of. This is because companies are unable to collect overfilled skips when they return to remove them.
It’s a common grievance among customers that some of their waste was left behind at the roadside, or the driver refused to take the skip until some waste was removed.
Of course, leaving some of your waste behind could be considered fly tipping, so you want to avoid that at all costs, not just because it will need to be cleared up and disposed of separately, but also because you could be fined.
Knowing how much waste each size of skip will hold can be tough, so let’s take a look at common skip sizes next.
How Big Is Each Skip Size?
Most Sheffield skip companies offer their bins in standard sizes, so here’s a look at the measurements.
| Skip Size | Dimensions (L x W x H) | Capacity Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Super Mini 4 Yard | 180cm x 130cm x 90cm | 4 Cubic Yards / 3 Cubic Metres Up to 35 black bin bags |
| Mini 6 Yard | 260cm x 150cm x 120cm | 6 Cubic Yards / 4.5 Cubic Metres Up to 50 black bin bags |
| Midi 8 Yard | 370cm x 170cm x 120cm | 8 Cubic Yards / 6 Cubic Metres Up to 70 black bin bags |
| Maxi 12 Yard | 270cm x 180cm x 170cm | 12 Cubic Yards / 9 Cubic Metres Up to 100 black bin bags |
| Commercial 20 Yard | 430cm x 240cm x 200cm | Rarely used in domestic settings |
How Long Can You Keep A Skip For?
Each company has its own policies about maximum rental periods, however a typical period ranges from overnight (or occasionally same day collection) to approximately a fortnight.
Skoup who are part of the well known waste management company Biffa. Skoup skip hire prices include up to 2 weeks use of their skips, with additional days charged at £1 per twenty four hour period.
We’ve got more information about how long you can hire a skip for on this page.
Where Can You Put A Skip?
Ideally, skips can be located on your land, so long as there is continual access to deliver and collect the skip, and it is clear to place the bin down on the ground by the lorry driver.
Skips cannot be placed on public footpaths (including pavements) as they cause an obstruction to pedestrians. This would be a significant inconvenience to pushchairs and wheelchair users. Skips can be placed on public highways (ie roads) subject to the appropriate permit being obtained.
There may be additional requirements too, such as lights to ensure that the skip doesn’t create a hazard to people or vehicles.
There are other possibilities, for example if a neighbour is happy for you to place a skip on their drive. If your skip will be placed on someone else’s land, that is usually fine, but your neighbour will need to be present for delivery and collection as the driver may require to get a signature from both the land owner and the person placing the order.
What Can You Put In A Skip?
Most materials can can into a skip, however there are some exceptions. Let’s answer a few common questions.
Can I Put Mixed Waste In A Skip?
Skips can be filled with any allowed items. They do not need to be sorted, so you can mix types of rubbish, provided no banned items are in the skip (even if buried).
Can You Put A Mattress In A Skip?
Mattresses can usually be placed in skips. If that’s all you’re throwing away though, most local tips will accept mattresses from residents, and if folded they will usually fit into a car with the back seats folded down.
Can Carpet Go In A Skip?
Carpets can go into skips, and are a common reason for skip hire. They’re heavy and difficult to fit into vehicles, so skips make a great way to dispose of them.
What Can’t You Put In A Skip?
Understanding what you cannot place into a skip might affect whether it will meet your waste disposal needs. Here’s some examples of common items that are not allowed. If you need to find a local tip because it’s not suitable for a skip, we’ve got a guide to Sheffield tips here.
Fridges & Freezers
Due to the requirements in recycling the coolants and chemicals within fridges and freezers, they can’t be placed into a skip.
There are two common ways to dispose of household fridges and freezers, the first is to take them to your local council tip and the second is to arrange for their collection with your local authority. Typically, collection is a chargeable service.
Hazardous Waste
Certain materials must always be disposed of much more carefully than others. The most obvious example that everyone thinks of is asbestos, which is a serious health risk (especially when dislodged and moved).
This also covers medical waste too, so for example syringes and samples should not go into a skip, they should be disposed of in the way that the packaging or instructions describe.
Another item that can be dangerous in a skip is a gas cylinder, like the ones used by static caravans or welders. These are risks for explosion if damaged, so must never be placed in skips.
Your local council should be able to provide an appropriate disposal service through a local household waste recycling centre.
Soil & Rubble
This one is sometimes a case of how much, and other times a case of soil and rubble being banned from skips altogether. This will depend on the firm you hire from.
As a rule of thumb, soil and rubble is not allowed in skips due to weight. There is a maximum weight that a lorry can safely carry when taking the skip away. Of course, bigger skips are collected by bigger lorries and have higher maximum weight limits, but all skips will have a limit.
The best approach is to check whether a reasonable amount of soil is allowed when booking. For example, leave a note in the booking form on a website if booking online, or ask when you book on the phone.
Electricals
A surprising item for many people that should not go into a skip is electrical items covered by WEEE guidelines. WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, and refers to the disposal of almost anything that you plug into the mains, or takes a battery.
You’ll usually see this represented by an icon of a wheelie bin with a line through it on the packaging, or the product itself (or both).
These items are able to be handled by HWRCs in your area, or can be collected by specialist services including those run by the council.
Is Putting Rubbish In Someone Else’s Bin Illegal?
In the UK, everyone is required to dispose of waste responsibly and according to the local rules. These are partly common sense and partly determined by local regulations. If you fall foul of these guidelines, you may be guilty of fly tipping.
Is It An Offence To Put Rubbish In Someone Else’s Skip In The UK?
For the same reason, placing your waste into someone else’s skip may leave you on the wrong side of the law in the UK, and huge fines can be levied on fly tipping offences.
Throwing rubbish into someone’s skip might seem like a minor irritation at worst, but they’re paying for a service that you’re not entitled to use. That’s why you could find yourself with a £400 on the spot fine or in more serious cases risk a year’s imprisonment and a £50,000 fine.
What Happens If Someone Else Fills Your Skip?
The contents on your skip are your responsibility, so while people are breaking the law if they use your skip without permission, if you take it out and don’t dispose of it properly, you could also find yourself in the same trouble.
Should I Cover A Skip?
Skip covers aren’t strictly speaking a necessity, but may help deter other people from throwing their waste into a skip.
However, they do offer a much more important benefit, and that’s to keep waste inside prior to collection. While the skip is in place under your care during rental, you need to make sure your waste stays inside it.
If you put a heavy piece of furniture into a skip, then it’s unlikely to blow away. On the other hand, large amounts of small garden clippings may be carried in strong winds.
Sheffield Skip Hire Companies
There are a few well known skip hire companies in Sheffield, that you can contact to arrange for a delivery and collection. We’re providing these for convenience, so please don’t take them as a recommendation.
Biffa / Skoup
Biffa skip hire is handled under their Skoup brand, and is available across Sheffield. While we’ve not used their service, we do like their online quote system, which will allow you to get an instant quote online. If you’d like one now, you can find their skip hire quote page here.
Local Companies
Here’s a table with contact details for some local companies offering skip hire to Sheffield:
| Company | Skip Services | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Arthurs Skips | 3 yard 4 yard 5 yard 6 yard 8 yard 10 yard 12 yard 16 yard 20 yard 40 yard | 0114 276 2425 |
| Mr Rubble | 3 tonne 5 tonne 8 tonne 10 yard 12 yard 14 yard 16 yard | 0114 236 6222 |
| Dixons | Mini (2/3 yard) Midi (3/4 yard) Maxi (4/5 yard) Builders (8 yard) 10 tonne (10 yard) | 0114 242 3054 |
| Fletchers Waste Management | 4 yard 6 yard 8 yard 10 yard | 0114 244 5006 |
| Bradwell | 2 tonne 4 tonne 5 tonne 8 tonne 12 yard | 0114 244 2489 |
