Do I need to be in when the skip arrives?
Usually not. As long as the spot is clearly marked, the lorry can reach it and any road permit is already in place, the driver can drop the skip or collect it without you there.
- Mark the exact spot and tell the company where it is when you book
- A skip lorry typically needs about 3 metres of width to get in, plus clear height above
- Put boards down on block paving or a new drive before the day
- On the road, the permit must be in place before the skip arrives
- For collection, keep the skip level loaded and the way in clear
Need a skip? Call for a price and to book.
- Prices up frontGuide prices for every size
- Permit rulesWhat your council charges
- LicensedRegistered waste carriers
- LocalCompanies near you deliver
Why you rarely need to be there
Skip lorries work to a route, not an appointment. The driver might do six or eight drops and collections in a day, and the order depends on traffic, tip queues and which jobs come in that morning. So most companies give you a day, sometimes a morning or afternoon, rather than a set time.
Because of that, the whole system is built around the driver doing the job alone. If the spot is marked, the way in is clear and the paperwork is sorted, there’s nothing they need from you. They drop the skip, check it’s level and stable, and move on.
Being in does help in a few cases. If the drop point is tight or unusual, if there’s a choice of two spots, or if you’re not sure the lorry can reach, it’s worth being there or reachable by phone. A quick call from the driver can save a failed delivery.
How to mark the spot
- 1Choose it earlyPick the drop point when you book and describe it: “left side of the drive, nearest the gate”.
- 2Mark it on the groundChalk, a couple of cones or a sheet of board on the spot. Something the driver can see from the cab.
- 3Clear the spaceMove cars, bins and anything else. Leave a little more room than the skip’s footprint.
- 4Think about loadingLeave room to reach the skip from at least one long side, and keep the door end free if it has one.
- 5Check the route inGates open, wheelie bins off the drive, nothing parked across the entrance.
Access and overhead clearance
A skip lorry is bigger than people expect. It typically needs about 3 metres of width to get onto a drive or down a lane, more if it has to turn. Gateposts, parked cars on both sides of the road and tight bends are the usual problems. Measure your gateway if you’re not sure.
Height matters just as much. The lorry lifts the skip with two hydraulic arms that swing up and over the back, so it needs good clearance above the drop point. Overhanging trees, phone and power cables, carports and archways can all stop a delivery. If anything hangs low over the spot, mention it when you book.
The ground needs to be firm. A loaded lorry is heavy, and soft lawns, gravel over soft ground and some older drives can sink or crack. If the lorry can’t safely get onto the drive, the skip may have to go on the road instead, which means a permit.
How much room each skip needs
Typical outside dimensions. Allow extra room around the skip for the lorry to set it down.
| Skip | Roughly (L × W) | Usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| 2 yard mini | 1.5m × 1.2m | Almost any drive or front garden path |
| 4 yard midi | 2.1m × 1.5m | Most drives |
| 6 yard builders | 3.0m × 1.5m | Most drives, the length of a small car |
| 8 yard large | 3.7m × 1.7m | A long drive, often goes on the road |
| 12 yard maxi | 3.7m × 1.8m | Large drives and sites, rarely the road |
Dimensions vary a little between companies. Ask if your space is tight.
Protecting your drive
A skip sits on its base with all its weight on a few runners. Once it’s full of rubble, that weight goes straight into the surface underneath.
- Lay scaffold boards or thick plywood where the skip will sit, running across its length. Most drivers will set it down on boards if they’re ready.
- Block paving is the most likely to mark or shift. Boards spread the load and protect the joints.
- New tarmac can dent in hot weather. Boards help, and so does avoiding the hottest part of the drive.
- Resin and imprinted concrete scratch easily. Boards protect the surface from the skip’s steel base.
- Keep boards in place until collection. Don’t pull them out from under a full skip.
- Damage to the drive is usually your responsibility, so the few minutes it takes to put boards down is worth it.
On the road, the permit comes first
If the skip is going on the road, it can’t be placed until the council permit is in place. The skip company normally applies for it and adds the fee to your price. Councils charge anything from £15 to over £250, with a typical fee of around £80 for two weeks, and some need several working days to issue it.
The permit sets out where the skip can go and for how long. The driver places it to those rules, usually close to the kerb, with lights or reflective markings so it can be seen at night. You don’t need to be there for any of this, but the skip has to stay where it was put.
If there’s a parking bay or a suspension needed, that’s part of the same process. Book early so the permit and the delivery line up.
What the driver needs from you
Yes
- A clearly marked spot with room around it
- A clear route in, with gates open
- Boards down if you want the surface protected
- A permit in place for any skip on the road
- A phone number you’ll answer on the day
No
- Cars parked across the drive or the drop point
- Low branches, cables or a carport over the spot
- Soft ground the lorry might sink into
- A gateway narrower than the lorry
- Waste piled where the skip needs to go
If the driver can’t deliver or collect because of something on your side, most companies charge a wasted journey fee.
Collection day
You don’t need to be in for collection either. Ring or book online when the skip’s full, or let it go at the end of the hire, and the driver collects it on their next round near you.
The skip must be loaded level with the top edge. The lorry carries it uncovered or under a net, and anything above the sides can fall off on the road. An overloaded skip won’t be collected until it’s levelled, and some companies charge for the extra trip.
Check nothing is in it that shouldn’t be. If the driver spots a fridge, a mattress or paint tins, they may refuse to take it or add a charge. Keep the way in clear again, and move cars away from the skip so the arms can reach it.
Delivery and collection questions
- Can I get a set delivery time?
- Rarely. Most companies give a day, sometimes morning or afternoon. A timed slot, where offered, often costs extra.
- What if the skip won’t fit where I wanted it?
- The driver will try to find another safe spot nearby. If it would need to go on the road and there’s no permit, they can’t leave it there.
- Can the skip go on my front lawn?
- Sometimes, if the lorry can reach it and the ground is firm and dry. Expect marks on the grass, and a soft lawn can sink under a full skip.
- Do I need to sign anything?
- Not usually on delivery. You should get a waste transfer note for the hire, which records what was taken and where it went.
- Will someone take waste out of my skip?
- It happens, and people also add rubbish to unattended skips. A skip on the drive is less exposed than one on the road. Fill it steadily rather than leaving it empty for days.
Ready to book a skip?
Call for a price and to book.