What size skip do I need?
Tell us the job and roughly how much waste there is. We’ll suggest a size and explain why.
Need a skip? Call for a price and to book.
We’d suggest a
6 yard builders skip
About 50 to 60 bin bags. 3m long, 1.5m wide, 1.2m high.
Often too long for a small drive, so check the space or plan for a road permit.
Not sure? Go one size up. It costs less than a second skip.
How to estimate your waste
Count it in bin bags. Picture how many full black bags your rubbish would fill, then compare it with the bin-bag guide for each size.
Bulky items take more room than you think. A sofa or a mattress fills the space of several bags.
Heavy waste is different. Soil, rubble and concrete hit the weight limit before the skip looks full, so smaller skips suit them.
Quick answers by job
- Bathroom refit2 or 4 yard · Suite, tiles and boards
- Kitchen refit4 yard · Units, worktops, packaging
- Garden clearance2 to 8 yard · Branches, turf, green waste
- Patio or driveway6 yard · Slabs, hardcore, soil
- House clear-out8 or 12 yard · Furniture and household items
- Extension or knock-through6 or 8 yard · Rubble, timber, plasterboard
Not sure? Use the skip size calculator.
Size questions by job
- What size skip do I need for a kitchen?
- Usually a 4 yard midi skip. For a kitchen plus flooring or a knock-through, go up to a 6 yard.
- What size skip do I need for a bathroom?
- A 2 yard mini for a small bathroom, or a 4 yard if you’re removing tiles and a bath.
- What size skip do I need for a garden?
- A 2 yard mini for a tidy-up, a 4 yard for a medium clearance and an 8 yard for a big landscaping job. Soil is heavy, so keep soil loads to 6 yards or smaller.
- What size skip do I need for a house clear-out?
- An 8 yard skip for most houses, or a 12 yard for a full house of bulky, light items.
- What size skip do I need for rubble?
- A 4 or 6 yard builders skip, filled level. Bigger skips can’t take rubble because of the weight.
Skip or something else?
Sometimes a skip isn’t the right answer at all.
| Option | Best for | How much | Permit | Loading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skip | Building work and clear-outs you fill over days | 2 to 12 yards | Only if on the road | You load it |
| Skip bag | Small jobs with a little waste | About 1 yard | Usually not | You load it, collected by crane |
| Man and van | Rubbish that’s ready to go today | Single items to a full van | No | They load it |
| Grab lorry | Big piles of soil and rubble | 8 or 16 tonnes | No | The lorry loads it |
| Council bulky collection | One or two large items | A few items | No | You put it out |
| The tip | A car or van load you can move | What you can carry | Some need a van permit | You take it |