If you’re in the market for hiring a skip, then it can often get quite expensive especially if it’s your first time.
If you want to make the most of a skip hire and find the best value deals, then here are a couple of handy tips that will help you out.
1. Ask yourself what you need a skip for
Hiring a skip isn’t exactly commonplace.
At DTM Skips, we serve many different customers and they’re all looking for cheap skip hire in Essex, but the type of job you’re aiming to complete can often change the size of the skip or the length of the hire.
If you contact us and let us know what you plan to use your skip for, then we’ll recommend a size and rental length that will match your needs perfectly.
We’ve seen many customers during our time as skip hire experts and we believe that we can save you plenty of money if you just let us know what type of job your skip is intended for.
2. Always book your skip in advance
Last-minute skip hires are usually the most expensive. If you want to ensure that you get the best deal, make sure you contact us in advance.
Book your skip several weeks or even a month in advance if you want the best price and to guarantee that we’ll have availability during that period.
If you wait too long, then the cost of hiring a skip will be much higher and there’s a chance that your requested size will no longer be available.
Simply get in touch with DTM Skips and we’ll be happy to walk you through our bookings process so that you can ensure you have a sturdy and reliable skip in the size you ordered when the day comes.
3. Decide how long you need it for
Hiring a skip for an open-ended amount of time might seem like a good idea especially if you’re unsure how much time you’ll need with it.
However, this can be incredibly expensive and you’ll often be charged a premium if you want to go with this option.
This is because the skip provider will find it harder to schedule their skips to different clients if there’s an open-ended rental that could end at any time.
To save money, make sure you book for a finite amount of time and avoid open-ended rentals.
If you’re unsure how long you need the skip for, then simply get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to assist you.
4. Make sure you read street rules regarding skip use
If possible, keep your skip on your driveway or your property.
There are rules regarding the placement of skips and placing them on the road requires a permit, otherwise you might be fined and charged even more than the cost of the license.
License costs are usually around £20-50 depending on the location and length of time.
DTM Skips has worked with many clients all over the South East and we’re certain that we can help you in the event that you need to obtain a skip license.
We’ve collected a few skip licence costs from across Essex to make your life a bit easier.
To learn more about skip licences (also sometimes called skip permits), head over here if you’re in England or Wales and here if you’re in Scotland.
5. Estimate the space you require for your skip
Try and give a rough estimate of how much space you’ll need in your skip. We stock many different sizes so we’ll be more than willing to accommodate your needs.
If you’re just doing some slight renovations or throwing away a few large items, then you can do without a large skip and just rely on a smaller one or even a mini skip to throw away your rubbish.
On the contrary, if you’re doing a room or whole-house renovation, then the size you’ll need becomes much bigger.
It’s always better to have slightly more space than less because it gives you more leeway when it comes to packing everything tightly inside of the skip.
Make sure to contact us and let us know what your plans are for your skip so that we can make a better judgement on what size of skip you need.
6. Declutter before you decide to hire a skip
It’s important to declutter before you hire a skip because it can help you sort out all of your rubbish and belongings before you decide to throw them away or keep them.
Decluttering also means there’s more space to place the skip (especially if your clutter is in your driveway or near your backyard).
Decluttering can also give you easier access to the rooms that you’re clearing out and it makes it easier to move larger pieces of furniture out of your home.
This will ultimately reduce the amount of time you need to spend with the skip, thus saving you a day or two of rentals.
7. Donate or recycle items that you don’t need to reduce the size of your skip
During the declutter, you might find some items that you can either donate or recycle.
This could help you recuperate some of the costs of your skip hire especially if you’re clearing out entire rooms in order to prepare them for a renovation.
Not only will this help you cover some of the costs of your skip hire, but it will also reduce the amount of space required in your skip.
This means that you can hire a smaller skip for your needs, saving you even more money.
8. Split the cost with friends or neighbours
If you have friends or neighbours that are interested in getting rid of some of their belongings or larger items, then it’s a good idea to speak with them to see if they’re interested in splitting the costs of a skip together with you.
It’s a fantastic idea if you’re short on cash or if they’ve expressed interest in hiring a skip in the past.
Try and pitch the idea to your neighbours and friends as soon as possible so that you can book the skip in advance and get a rough idea of how much space you’ll need.
9. Learn to pack things into your skip like a professional
It sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised at just how much value you can get out of a skip if you’re willing to be a bit smarter with how you pack things into it.
For instance, you’ll want to put things in neat piles and boxes so that they fit nicely and you want to try and remove things like table legs before putting the entire thing into the skip.
Dismantle as much furniture as possible so they can fit neatly into your skip.
Don’t worry about being delicate when you take things apart to throw into your skip. Since you’re dumping things to get rid of them, you can break things up as much as you want so that they fit into your skip!
10. Understand what you can and can’t put in your skip
When hiring a skip, it’s important to respect the rules and be aware of the restrictions that you might face. For instance, some types of waste might cost more to dispose of such as electrical items or hazardous waste.
If you plan to get rid of some of these materials, then contact us beforehand so that you’re fully aware of any extra costs that your skip hire might incur.
As long as you avoid these banned items, you won’t have to worry about or deal with extra costs and hidden charges to your skip hire.
Recommended reading: What Can You Put In A Skip? – What Items Can’t I Put In A Skip?
11. Don’t overload the skip past the weight limit
Skips are designed to hold a certain load and it’s important that you don’t go over this limit.
If you do, then we’ll likely need to come down with a second skip or we’ll request that you remove some of the items so that the skip can safely be taken off your property.
Combine all of the tips that we’ve offered thus far to ensure that you’ve packed your skip well so there’s less chance of you breaking the weight limit.
Overfilling is a problem that we see often and it’s one of the main reasons why people are charged more for their skip hire.Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into how you can approach skip hires and how you can drastically reduce the costs of hiring one.
If you’re unsure about anything or need some further advice, then don’t hesitate to contact DTM Skips so we can answer your questions and cater to your needs.