Cheap Alternatives to Skips
One thing can be said about waste - it’s not always easy to remove! From old paving stones to wall rubble, everything has to go somewhere, and that ‘somewhere’ is preferably not the cellar.
When renovation or repairs come around, it could be time to hire a skip - but what if the price tag is just too high? Skip alternatives that deal with the same kind of waste are few and far between, and cheap skips could take waste straight to landfill or just not be delivered at all leaving you with a pile of waste still. So how do you handle waste on a budget?
What is the Cheapest Rubbish Removal Service?
Every company offers its own pricing and features - even the price of a skip isn’t consistent between businesses. If you’re looking for the cheapest option, you’ll need to visit each company’s site to price up waste removal in your area. Remember to keep an eye on licensing, sustainability and the waste removal register! Low skip prices can sometimes come with drawbacks such as less sustainable disposal and no permit guidance.
For a cheaper alternative to a skip, our patented HIPPOBAGs are designed to do the same job for less. Choose between a range of sizes created with hardy materials tough enough to hold waste as heavy as rubble. Flat packed for easy delivery, a HIPPOBAG can go anywhere a skip can’t - just make sure our team can collect it when it’s full! We divert over 95% of waste we collect away from the landfill (including the bag!) making our HIPPOBAGs both often cheaper than a skip and great for the environment.
How to Reduce Skip Hire Costs
Are you hiring a skip, but want to avoid unexpected costs? The good news is that it’s easy to do - all it takes is understanding your skip! Overfilling, underfilling and forgetting your skip permit can all result in additional costs racking up. Ordering the correct size and filling it with the right stuff is all you need to do to keep the price down.
Park on Your Land Where Possible
When it comes to public parking, permit costs add up! If your skip isn’t on your land, you’ll have to pay for a permit from the council to ensure that they know where it is. Every council has different prices, but they can tack on a significant margin to the price.
Don’t Park on Public Grass
While it may be possible to get a permit to park your skip on a grass verge, if it damages the grass, you’ll possibly have to pay an additional fine. Depending on the weather, grass damage can occur in as little as under a week - it’s unlikely you’ll be moving your skip before then!
Get a Skip Permit
If you do end up parking your skip on the road, you need to get a skip permit. Some skip companies will help you get a permit as part of the process, so make sure to check before you hire.
While the overall price will be higher, it’s much lower than the fine for not filling out the paperwork! A permit is necessary for road safety, and the council needs to know where your skip is going to be. Failure to follow this step can result in prosecution, which is costly both for your pocket and your personal record.
Take a read of our skip permit guide for more information before hiring a skip.
Order the Correct Skip Size
Both underestimating and overestimating your waste can be costly when it comes to skips. If you order a skip that can’t take it all, you may end up having to pay for another skip, and nobody wants to pay twice. If you order a size too large and don’t end up filling it, you’ll have paid extra for space you didn’t use. If you’re having trouble predicting the size of skip you need, our skip size guide is on hand to advise you.
Optimise Your Skip Space
Once you have your skip, it’s all about filling it correctly. Large and heavy items go at the bottom, and smaller items at the top. Make sure to slip the smaller stuff into the gaps, too! If you optimise your space, you can fit a lot more into the space.
Why are Skip Costs So High?
Proper waste management involves lots of permits, partnerships, and expertise to get your waste where it needs to go - especially when considering the environment! It can be cheaper to take a skip straight to the landfill but doing so will remove all the recyclables from circulation and increase the demand for land to fill, which jeopardises the ecosystems. With a skip, you’re also paying for pickup and delivery - both of which require heavy equipment and fuel.
How to Dispose of Waste for Free
You can always dispose of your waste for free if you’re prepared to do the heavy lifting. Taking your waste to the tip is a case of separating, loading, and hauling the waste into the correct bins on the other side. If you have a skip load of waste, however, it could take quite a few trips! You may want to use a van or a trailer, which can both reduce the number of dump trips you’re allowed in a year. Make sure you know how many you have left before you take your waste to the tip!
To find out more about skip rules, optimising your skip and alternatives to hiring a skip, check out our ultimate skip hire guide here.