Waste Removal and Recycling - Skiphire
How many times have you given a customer a breakdown of their quote, only to be challenged over the cost of waste removal – “does it really cost that much?”? Unfortunately, the answer is always “yes”. But just why are skips so expensive?
Landfill tax and skip hire
Well, landfill tax has a direct impact on all skip companies’ bottom lines. An environmental tax payable by all organisations needing to dispose of waste in landfill, it’s intended to encourage alternative means of waste disposal, such as recycling. Charged by weight, in 2016 it cost £2.65 per tonne to dispose of inactive waste (such as rocks or soil) and a whopping £84.40 per tonne to dispose of active waste (substances that either decay or contaminate land).
Landfill tax rates are the same across the country, so that doesn’t explain why the costs of skips vary so widely between regions. Regional factors affecting the cost of skip hire include the number of competitors and the availability of nearby waste processing facilities – the further your skip company has to go to get to landfill, the higher their transport costs and the more expensive your skip is likely to be.
Permits needed when hiring a skip
And of course there are permits to consider. If the skip needs to be placed on a public road or footpath, you or your skip company may need to pay for a permit from your local council. Again, these will vary between areas.
While landfill tax, permit costs, and regional variations aren’t something over which you have any control, there are steps that you can take to reduce the cost of hiring a skip:
Reducing skip hire costs
The bigger the skip, the higher the cost, so be sure to hire the right size for your job. Approximate capacities are:
2 yard skip – 20-30 bin bags / 2 tonnes
4 yard skip – 30-40 bin bags / 3.5 tonnes
6 yard skip – 50-60 bin bags / 6 tonnes
8 yard skip – 60-80 bin bags / 8 tonnes
12 yard skip – 100-120 bin bags / 12 tonnes
Look at other ways of getting rid of some of your load. If you’re clearing a house, it may be more economical to use a house clearance firm to take away any ornaments, furniture, fireplaces, fittings and fixtures first, and remember that most local councils will collect bulky items for a small charge. By getting rid of some of these large items, you should be able to hire a smaller, cheaper skip.
Load your skip intelligently. If you can separate your waste types in the skip, you make it easier for the skip company to dispose of it, so you may be able to get better prices.
Always be sure to tell your skip supplier what you’re getting rid of. Some types of waste will be cheaper for them to dispose of than others, and might be reflected in a lower hire cost.
Site the skip on private land, if possible. If you can avoid needing to pay for a permit, the cost of your skip hire will come down.
For many jobs, skip hire is unavoidable, but high costs are. Follow our five top tips for keeping your costs low and remember to always shop around.