What are the standard UK skip sizes?

The common sizes are 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 cubic yards. Some companies also offer 3, 5, 10 and 14 yard skips, and roll-on roll-off containers from 20 to 40 yards for big sites.

What does a cubic yard mean?

It’s the volume. A cubic yard is a cube about 0.9 metres on each side, which holds roughly 10 to 12 full bin bags.

How big is an 8 yard skip?

About 3.7 metres long, 1.7 metres wide and 1.2 metres high. It usually needs road space and a permit.

How big is a 2 yard skip?

About 1.5 metres long, 1.2 metres wide and 0.9 metres high, small enough for almost any drive.

Is a bigger skip better value?

Per cubic yard, usually yes. But only if you’ll fill it and it can take your waste. A big skip can’t take heavy rubble.

What size skip do I need?

For a garden tidy or a small bathroom, a 2 yard mini. For a kitchen refit or a garage clear-out, a 4 yard midi. For building work, rubble or a big renovation, a 6 yard builders skip. For a house clear-out, an 8 yard. For bulky light waste, a 12 yard.

How many bin bags fit in a skip?

Roughly 25 to 35 in a 2 yard skip, 35 to 45 in a 4 yard, 50 to 60 in a 6 yard, 60 to 80 in an 8 yard and 100 to 120 in a 12 yard. Loose, awkward items fit fewer.

How big is a 6 yard skip?

About 3 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 1.2 metres high. It’s the most common size on building jobs.

How big is a 4 yard skip?

About 2.1 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 0.9 metres high, so it fits on most driveways.

Can I put soil in a big skip?

Usually only up to 6 or 8 yards, filled level. Larger skips would be too heavy to lift once full of soil or rubble.

How high can I fill a skip?

Level with the top of the sides. Anything higher can fall off when the skip is lifted, and the driver can refuse to take it.

UK skip sizes, and which one you need

Most home jobs need a 4 or 6 yard skip. Here are all five standard sizes, what fits in each, how big they are, and the mistakes that cost people a second skip.

2 yard1.5m long4 yard2.1m long6 yard3m long8 yard3.7m long12 yard3.7m long

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The five sizes at a glance

Skip	Length × width × height	Bin bags	Best for	From (guide, ex VAT)
2 yard mini	1.5m × 1.2m × 0.9m	25 to 35	A small bathroom or garden tidy	£95
4 yard midi	2.1m × 1.5m × 0.9m	35 to 45	A kitchen refit or a garage clear-out	£155
6 yard builders	3.0m × 1.5m × 1.2m	50 to 60	Rubble, soil and building waste	£215
8 yard large	3.7m × 1.7m × 1.2m	60 to 80	A house clear-out or a big renovation	£230
12 yard maxi	3.7m × 1.8m × 1.8m	100 to 120	Bulky, light waste. Not for heavy rubble.	£300

Dimensions are typical and vary a little between skip companies. Prices are the lowest guide price for each size in the UK, ex VAT. Your local price depends on your postcode.

Skip size by job

Not sure? Use the skip size calculator.

Size: 1.5m × 1.2m
Height: 0.9m
Bin bags: 25 to 35

2 yard mini skip

from £95

Best for: a small bathroom or garden tidy.

The smallest skip, and the easiest to place. It sits on almost any drive, often on a front garden path, and suits jobs where you’d otherwise make two or three runs to the tip. It’s a good home for heavy waste in small amounts, like the soil from a new border or the tiles from a small bathroom.

Garden tidy
Small DIY job
Shed or loft clear-out

A garden tidy-up
A small bathroom strip-out
A loft or shed clear-out
A small amount of rubble or soil

Where it goes: Fits on almost any driveway, so you rarely need a permit.

Heavy waste: Fine for soil and rubble, filled level.

2 yard skip prices and details

Size: 2.1m × 1.5m
Height: 0.9m
Bin bags: 35 to 45

4 yard midi skip

from £155

Best for: a kitchen refit or a garage clear-out.

The workhorse for home improvements. A 4 yard midi takes the units, worktops and packaging from a typical kitchen, or the suite and tiles from a bathroom with room to spare. It still fits most driveways, so you rarely need a permit, and it handles rubble and soil well when filled level.

Kitchen or bathroom refit
Garage clear-out
Medium garden clearance

A kitchen or bathroom refit
Flooring from one or two rooms
A medium garden clearance
Furniture from a couple of rooms

Where it goes: Still fits most driveways.

Heavy waste: Good for soil, rubble and hardcore, filled level.

4 yard skip prices and details

Size: 3m × 1.5m
Height: 1.2m
Bin bags: 50 to 60

6 yard builders skip

from £215

Best for: rubble, soil and building waste.

The builders skip, and the most common size in the UK. It’s the largest size most companies will fill with heavy waste, so it’s the go-to for knock-throughs, extensions, patio and driveway removal. At around three metres long it can be tight on a small drive, so measure first or plan for a road permit.

Building work
Large renovation
Patio or driveway removal

Rubble and bricks from an extension or knock-through
A full kitchen and bathroom with packaging
Timber, plasterboard and insulation
A large garden clearance

Where it goes: Often too long for a small drive, so check the space or plan for a road permit.

Heavy waste: The usual choice for heavy waste. Most companies cap heavy loads at this size.

6 yard skip prices and details

Size: 3.7m × 1.7m
Height: 1.2m
Bin bags: 60 to 80

8 yard large skip

from £230

Best for: a house clear-out or a big renovation.

A step up for bigger projects: multi-room renovations, clearing a house before a sale, or a large garden overhaul. It takes a mix of building waste and general rubbish, but check the company’s rules on heavy waste, because many limit soil and rubble in an 8 yard skip. It usually goes on the road.

Multi-room renovation
House clear-out
Large landscaping

A multi-room renovation
A house clear-out with furniture
Mixed building waste and general rubbish
A large landscaping job

Where it goes: Usually goes on the road, so expect to need a permit.

Heavy waste: Some companies take heavy waste in an 8 yard, filled level. Many limit it, so ask first.

8 yard skip prices and details

Size: 3.7m × 1.8m
Height: 1.8m
Bin bags: 100 to 120

12 yard maxi skip

from £300

Best for: bulky, light waste. not for heavy rubble..

The biggest standard skip, built for volume, not weight. It’s ideal for full house clearances, office and shop clear-outs, and bulky light items like packaging, timber offcuts and old furniture (check the rules on sofas). It can’t take soil or rubble, and at 1.8 metres high it’s hard to load without a ramp or a door at one end.

Full house clearance
Office or shop clear-out
Bulky light waste

A full house clearance
Office or shop clear-outs
Bulky furniture and mattresses (with permission)
Large volumes of light waste

Where it goes: Almost always needs road space and a permit.

Heavy waste: Not for soil or rubble. The weight would be over the lorry’s limit long before it’s full.

12 yard skip prices and details

Will it fit on my drive?

A typical driveway parking space is about 2.4 metres wide and 4.8 metres long. A 2 or 4 yard skip fits comfortably. A 6 yard skip fits on most single drives if the car moves out. An 8 or 12 yard skip usually needs a double drive or the road.

Measure the space, then add room around it. The skip is lowered on chains, so allow about half a metre clear all round, and nothing low overhead, like branches, cables or a porch roof.

Think about access, too. The lorry needs to get close enough to set the skip down, so a narrow gate, a steep slope or a soft lawn can rule a spot out.

Skip	Footprint	Room needed with clearance
2 yard	1.5m × 1.2m	About 2.5m × 2.2m
4 yard	2.1m × 1.5m	About 3.1m × 2.5m
6 yard	3m × 1.5m	About 4.0m × 2.5m
8 yard	3.7m × 1.7m	About 4.7m × 2.7m
12 yard	3.7m × 1.8m	About 4.7m × 2.8m

Heavy waste: weight decides, not space

A skip lorry can only lift so much. Soil, rubble, concrete and bricks are heavy, so a big skip full of them would be over that limit long before it looked full.

That’s why most companies only take heavy waste in skips up to 6 or 8 yards, and ask you to fill them level, never above the sides. A 12 yard maxi is for light, bulky waste.

If most of your waste is soil or rubble, a 4 or 6 yard skip is usually right. For a big pile, a grab lorry is often cheaper than two skips.

Common sizing mistakes

Going too small. A second skip costs far more than going one size up the first time.
Filling above the sides. Skips must be loaded level so they can be lifted and covered safely. Overfilled skips can be refused.
Forgetting bulky items. A sofa or a mattress takes up far more room than its weight suggests.
Ordering a big skip for rubble. Weight limits mean it can’t be filled. Two smaller skips or a grab lorry work out better.
Not checking the space. A 6 yard skip is around 3 metres long. Measure your drive before you book.

Permits and price change the maths

Anything that doesn’t fit on your drive goes on the road, and that needs a council permit. Fees range from about £15 to over £250 depending on the council, so a skip that fits on the drive can save a lot.

The jump in price from one size to the next is usually much smaller than the cost of a second skip or a swap. When you’re unsure, go one size up.

Most hires run for about two weeks. On the road, the permit sets the limit, and extending it costs extra for both the skip and the permit.

What councils charge for a skip permit

£15 cheapestMedian £80£263.50 dearest

Half of councils charge between £54 and £104.80 (shaded). 14-day permit fees across 197 councils, October 2026.

How to load a skip so more fits

1Break things down first. Flat-pack furniture, cut long timber and split bulky items so they lie flat.
2Put flat, heavy items at the bottom: boards, doors, slabs. Then fill the gaps with smaller rubbish and bags.
3Spread the weight evenly and keep the load level with the sides. Nothing should stick up or hang over.
4Keep banned items out, and if you have plasterboard, bag it separately.

Skip or something else?

A skip isn’t always the cheapest or easiest way. Here’s how it compares with the other options.

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

Skip size questions

What are the standard UK skip sizes?: The common sizes are 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 cubic yards. Some companies also offer 3, 5, 10 and 14 yard skips, and roll-on roll-off containers from 20 to 40 yards for big sites.
What does a cubic yard mean?: It’s the volume. A cubic yard is a cube about 0.9 metres on each side, which holds roughly 10 to 12 full bin bags.
How big is an 8 yard skip?: About 3.7 metres long, 1.7 metres wide and 1.2 metres high. It usually needs road space and a permit.
How big is a 2 yard skip?: About 1.5 metres long, 1.2 metres wide and 0.9 metres high, small enough for almost any drive.
Is a bigger skip better value?: Per cubic yard, usually yes. But only if you’ll fill it and it can take your waste. A big skip can’t take heavy rubble.
What size skip do I need?: For a garden tidy or a small bathroom, a 2 yard mini. For a kitchen refit or a garage clear-out, a 4 yard midi. For building work, rubble or a big renovation, a 6 yard builders skip. For a house clear-out, an 8 yard. For bulky light waste, a 12 yard.
How many bin bags fit in a skip?: Roughly 25 to 35 in a 2 yard skip, 35 to 45 in a 4 yard, 50 to 60 in a 6 yard, 60 to 80 in an 8 yard and 100 to 120 in a 12 yard. Loose, awkward items fit fewer.
How big is a 6 yard skip?: About 3 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 1.2 metres high. It’s the most common size on building jobs.
How big is a 4 yard skip?: About 2.1 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 0.9 metres high, so it fits on most driveways.
Can I put soil in a big skip?: Usually only up to 6 or 8 yards, filled level. Larger skips would be too heavy to lift once full of soil or rubble.
How high can I fill a skip?: Level with the top of the sides. Anything higher can fall off when the skip is lifted, and the driver can refuse to take it.

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