FAQ
Skip Hire FAQs
You’ll find the answers you need to help you through the skip hire process on this page. If you have a question that isn’t answered on this page, please get in touch with us, and one of our team will be happy to help.
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What waste can I put in a skip?
Here is a list of the most common items that our customers use our skips to dispose of that are suitable to be put in a skip:
- Garden waste
- Mattresses
- Soils and Stones
- Wood
- Furniture - not including upholstered furniture. Please read the upholstered furniture FAQ for more information.
- Plastics
- Metals
- Toys
- Clothing
- Cardboard & Paper
- UPVC Windows
- White goods
- Household appliances
- Glass
- Car parts
If you have an item to dispose of that isn’t on this list or the list below detailing what cannot be put in a skip, please contact us, and we’ll be happy to give you the answer.
* These items can be put into your skip, but they will incur an extra charge. Please contact us so we can discuss this with you and make the appropriate arrangements.
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What waste can’t I put in a skip?
We can deal with all types of waste for you, but for some items, we need to know about them in advance to advise you on the best disposal method. If you plan on disposing of any of the following items then please contact us, and we can help make the arrangements:
- Asbestos
- Batteries
- Upholstered furniture
- Clinical, Medical, or Human Waste
- Fridges/Freezers
- Electrical items
- TVs
- Computer monitors
- Laptops
- etc.
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Food waste
- Gas tanks or cylinders
- Aerosols
- Liquids
- Gasoline
- Paint or Paint Cans
- Plasterboard
- Glues and Solvents
- Tyres
- WEEE Waste
- Hazardous/Toxic Materials
- Tree roots
If you have an item to dispose of that isn’t on this list or the list above detailing what can be put in a skip, then please contact us, and we’ll be happy to give you the answer.
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Why do we not accept upholstered furniture?
Due to the Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation, which was brought in by the Environment Agency in 2023, we can no longer accept upholstered furniture in our skips. This regulation means that upholstered furniture is now classed as hazardous waste and cannot be put into a skip due to the potential contamination of other waste. Waste upholstered furniture seating has been found to contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and must now be disposed of separately from all other waste.
Upholstered furniture may include:
- Sofas/Armchairs
- Sofa beds
- Kitchen and dining room chairs that are upholstered
- Stools, footstools and futons
- Home office/gaming chairs
- Bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
This is not a full list, and we advise you to contact us before putting any furniture into our skips to avoid being charged. Please call us on 01777 816056 to discuss what furniture you would like to dispose of, as we can collect upholstered furniture with our man and van service instead.
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How much does skip hire cost?
The cost of hiring a skip depends on the size of skip you need, what type of waste you need to dispose of, and where you will place the skip.
At Retford Waste Management, skip hire prices start from as low as £110 + VAT. Our smallest skip holds approximately 40 bags of rubbish.
We offer a range of skip sizes to suit all needs. Our skips page shows the price for each of the skips we offer. To help you find the right size skip for your project, try our handy skip size calculator.
Note: If you will be disposing of only green waste, then a discount of £10 is available.
Note: If you wish to place the skip on a public road outside your house, you will need a permit from your local council. Retford Waste Management will arrange this for you. Different local councils charge different amounts:
- Doncaster: £30.00 inc VAT
- Nottingham - £50.00 inc VAT
- Worksop - £50.00 inc VAT
- Retford - £50.00 inc VAT
- Newark on Trent - £50.00 inc VAT
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What do I need to do when hiring a skip?
You’ve realised you need to hire a skip to get rid of the bulk waste or an upcoming project. What are the things you need to do before you can order a skip?
Firstly, You need a reasonable estimate of how much waste you will need to dispose of. It’s best to be conservative with your estimate so that you can fit all your waste in the skip. A sound estimate will allow you to remove all the waste you need while not overspending on a skip far too large for your needs.
The best way to do this is to try and think about how many standard bing bags you’d likely fill. From there, you can use our handy skip size calculator – put in the number of bags, and the calculator will work out which skip is best for you!
Secondly, it’s important to consider where the skip will be placed when it’s delivered to your home. Ensure that you either have adequate private property space for the skip you want to order or there is adequate space on the public road outside your house. We provide measurements of all our skips, so you are in the best position to ensure there will be room.
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How much waste do skips hold?
We offer a range of skips so that our customers can hire the skip that’s right for them and won’t waste their money by hiring a skip that is too big for their requirements. Our smallest skip is the 4-yard Midi Skip, holding approximately 40 rubbish bags.
Our full range of skips and the approximate number of rubbish bags they will hold is summarised below:
Midi Skip (4 yards) 40 bin bags
Midi Skip (6 yards) 60 bin bags
Builder’s Skip (8 yards) 80 bin bags
Maxi Skip (10 yards) 100 bin bags
Maxi Skip (12 yards) 120 bin bags
Maxi Skip (14 yards) 140 bin bags
Maxi Skip (16 yards) 160 bin bags
Roll-On Roll-Off (20 yards) 200 bin bags
Roll-On Roll-Off (40 yards) 400 bin bagsWe ask that you only load the skip up to the level of the top of the skip, i.e. don’t mound rubbish over the top of the skip. Doing so will prevent the skip from being loaded onto the truck when we pick it up to take away.
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How much space do I need to place a skip at home?
Our smallest skip, the 4-yard Midi Skip, is perfect for many domestic projects and will comfortably fit on most home driveways. If you need a bigger skip or will be putting the skip somewhere other than a typical home driveway, then you can make use of the measurements we provide for all of our skips to ensure you have the required space, either on your property or on the road outside your house.
It’s important that you have the space to place the skip and that you can easily access it to use and that our drivers can get to that location. Our delivery trucks require a reasonable amount of space, so ensure the area the skip will be placed in is clear of any obstructing items. We suggest ensuring approximately two car lengths of space to deliver and collect the skip safely.
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What can I do to prepare for a skip arriving at my home?
Ensure the area where you would like the skip to be placed is clear and free of any items that may get in the way. Furthermore, the path from the road to where the skip will be placed must be free of any obstructions.
Some less-obvious obstructions to consider could be:
- Drain covers
- Any running cables
- Overhanging tree branches
It’s important to consider the area where you are placing the skip. Skips can be placed in gardens with clear access, but it’s not advisable to place the skip on soft ground. A driveway or solid-floor garden area is more suitable.
If you have any concerns about where you will place a skip or whether our drivers will be able to access your location, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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How long do I keep the skip for?
Our skip hire is a 14-day term as standard. When you’ve filled the skip, let us know it’s time to collect, and we’ll arrange a collection for you. If you need the skip for a longer period, this can be arranged, let one of our team know, and we can offer extended durations for £25.00 + VAT for each additional week.
If you have limited time or space, we offer a ‘wait and load’ service whereby our driver will stay with you while you load the skip and take it away immediately.
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What happens to the waste after my skip is taken away?
We take our responsibility towards the environment extremely seriously, and it is our mission to exceed all necessary and desirable requirements set in place to protect the environment.
Retford Waste Management operates with environmentally green principles at our core. We make every effort to recycle as much of the waste in our skips as possible. When we collect your skip, it is taken to our recycling facility in Retford, and currently, over 98% of the waste our customers put in our skips is recycled here.
All waste is separated into dedicated bats and goes through our picking station to pull out all recyclable materials, which can be processed and sent on to other facilities for further processing or energy recovery facilities.
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What areas does Retford Waste Management cover for Skip Hire?
Retford Waste Management is a trusted supplier of domestic skip hire across Retford, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Other areas can also be covered. Contact us, and one of our team will be happy to assist you.
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Can I put a skip in my garden?
Yes, absolutely, providing there is sufficient access for our delivery vehicle. But beware that skips are very heavy, especially once they are full, so damage to your lawn is likely if placed on the grass. Furthermore, on delivery, the truck bringing your skip to you will need access to the resting spot, potentially causing additional harm to your lawn.
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Can I put the skip on the road or path outside my home?
You can have the skip outside of your home on public roads, providing it’s not violating any road/traffic rules at that location, i.e. double yellow lines. You cannot block a public footpath, so there needs to be ample space on the road so that the skip can be placed and not be obtrusive to road users.
If you will be placing the skip on the road and not on private property, you will need your local council's permit to do so. We will arrange for your permit if you request a roadside dropoff. We only charge for the amount paid to the council to obtain the permit. There are no additional costs.
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Do I need to be there on delivery of the skip?
If you have pre-paid and left clear instructions with our team for where you would like the skip to be placed, we can deliver without needing somebody to be present. If you are in any doubt about whether we have enough information to do this, or you are expecting your delivery and now can’t be home, please give us a call, and our team will help make arrangements.
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Do I need to inform the council about my skip hire?
If you require a permit because you plan to place your skip on a public road, we will take care of informing the council and obtaining the necessary permit.
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Is there any skip hire etiquette?
Things to consider when hiring a skip:
- Don’t place the skip somewhere that will obstruct neighbours.
- Ensure there is plenty of space on the road for cars to pass safely.
- Don’t overfill the skip. Your waste should not sit higher than the top edge of the skip.
- Let us know if you plan to dispose of any potentially hazardous items as these are dealt with separately and will incur additional costs.