What Size Skip Do I Need?

08 March 2016

Hiring a skip will save you no end of hassle during a house move, house clearance or any home renovation project. Instead of loading rubbish into a car or van for endless removal trips, you can simply sling it into the skip and you will be free to concentrate on other things.

However, it’s important to choose the right size skip for your project, as overfilling your skip can result in additional costs for you. But how do you know which skip size to choose? How do you gauge what size skip you will need for your project? And what do cubic metres mean in real terms?

What fits in a cubic metre?

Our skips range from 2 to 10 cubic metres, but we do understand that for most people gauging the size you will need is not as easy as reading lists of measurements and they can seem a bit mind-boggling. It can help to visualise the amount of waste you are going to need to dispose of in terms of everyday items.

Consider the following as a guide:

• Seven to ten microwave ovens equates to approximately one cubic metre
• An armchair equates to approximately half to one cubic metre
• A two-seater sofa or settee equates to approximately two cubic metres
• A larger, three-piece suite equates to approximately three cubic metres
• A table and six stackable chairs equate to approximately two to three cubic metres

This might help you when deciding whether to hire a two, four, seven or ten cubic metre skip.

Common skip hire situations

If you are still unsure, make a list of the items you envisage putting in the skip, depending on your project and your individual circumstances.

Here we take a look at some common situations you may need a skip for and suggest suitable skip sizes for each.

Renovating a Kitchen

If you are giving your kitchen a complete overhaul, you may be getting rid of old cupboards, cupboard doors, kickboards, the sink, shelves, blinds, and/or flooring. Perhaps you are also clearing out your old table and chairs, or taking a wall out – in which case you will want enough room for bricks. Imagine those old cupboards heaped in a pile – does the rubble equate to about the same volume as two three-piece suites? If the answer is yes, you will need at least a seven cubic metre skip, or 10 cubic metres if you are also getting rid of additional walls or flooring.

Re-fitting a Bathroom

You will probably want a skip that can hold your old bathroom suite, tiles, flooring, old carpet, your old bathroom cabinet, and fixtures and fittings. Will all of this look like the equivalent of a couple of settees? Then you will need a skip of at least four cubic metres.

A Home Extension

Footings will need to be dug and significant alterations may involve walls, ceilings, garden sheds, or windows being removed. It might help to picture the waste in terms of trailer loads. Our ten cubic metre skip can hold 15 trailer loads or the equivalent of approximately five settees. You can dispose of concrete bricks, building rubble, sand, timber, and steel in our skips, as well as organic waste if you are going to have to take a part of your garden away or cut back branches. Make sure you choose a skip that is big enough from the word go to avoid frustrating or inconvenient delays.

Moving House

Which size skip you choose will depend on the size of your house and how much you plan on throwing out when you move. If you are taking most of your furniture with you and you want a skip for a general clear out, picture all the bits and bobs in terms of wheelie bin loads. You will probably fill several wheelie bins with clothes, books, magazines, ornaments, and old crockery quite easily. You could opt for our smallest skip, which is two cubic metres and holds about eight wheelie bin loads. If, however, you are planning on getting rid of bedside cabinets, cupboards or wardrobes that aren’t worth taking with you, you are going to need a much bigger skip.

If after reading this, you are still unsure about which skip to hire, please give us a call or send us an email. Our friendly staff will do their utmost to advise you, otherwise you can order your skip by clicking below!