What size skip do you need?
Skips are sold by volume in cubic yards, but for anything heavy it is the weight allowance that decides the size. Both are listed for every skip below.
Our skip range
2 yard skip
Mini skip
- Holds about
- 20 bin bags
- Weight allowance
- 2 tonnes
- Size
- 1.5 × 1.2 × 0.9 m
- Soil & rubble
- Yes
Small garden clearances · Bathroom strip-outs · Shed and garage clear-outs
4 yard skip
Midi skip
- Holds about
- 40 bin bags
- Weight allowance
- 4 tonnes
- Size
- 2.1 × 1.5 × 0.9 m
- Soil & rubble
- Yes
Kitchen and bathroom refits · Small renovations · Larger garden clearances
6 yard skip
Builders skip
Most hired size
- Holds about
- 60 bin bags
- Weight allowance
- 6 tonnes
- Size
- 3 × 1.5 × 1.2 m
- Soil & rubble
- Yes
Renovations and refurbishments · Soil, rubble and hardcore · Full house clearances
8 yard skip
Large builders skip
- Holds about
- 80 bin bags
- Weight allowance
- 8 tonnes
- Size
- 3.6 × 1.8 × 1.4 m
- Soil & rubble
- Yes
Larger building projects · Extensions and loft conversions · Heavier construction waste
12 yard skip
Maxi skip
- Holds about
- 120 bin bags
- Weight allowance
- 8 tonnes
- Size
- 4 × 2 × 1.7 m
- Soil & rubble
- Light waste only
Bulky but light waste · Shop and office strip-outs · Timber, packaging and furniture
The mistake almost everyone makes
Soil, rubble, concrete and hardcore are dense enough to hit a skip’s weight limit while it still looks half empty. Going bigger does not help: a 8 yard skip is the practical maximum for a full load of heavy waste, because anything larger would be too heavy for the lorry to lift. If you are clearing a patio or a chimney breast, order for weight and not for the pile.
Placement
Driveway or road?
A skip sitting entirely on your own driveway or land needs no permit at all. The moment any part of it rests on a public road, pavement or verge, it does. In Birmingham that costs £42 for up to 7 days, and the application needs roughly 5 working days’ notice.
Residents cannot apply for one themselves — Birmingham City Council only accepts applications from registered skip operators. We are registered, so we handle it as part of the booking.
Skip size questions
- What size skip do I need?
- For most home renovations a 6 yard builders skip is the safe choice: roughly 60 bin bags, and it takes soil and rubble. A 2 or 4 yard skip suits small clear-outs, kitchen refits and garden waste. A 12 yard maxi skip is only for bulky but light waste.
- How many bin bags fit in a skip?
- 2 yard skip: around 20 bin bags. 4 yard skip: around 40 bin bags. 6 yard skip: around 60 bin bags. 8 yard skip: around 80 bin bags. 12 yard skip: around 120 bin bags.
- What is the biggest skip I can fill with rubble?
- A 8 yard skip. Heavy waste is limited by weight, not volume, so larger containers would be too heavy for the lorry to lift legally once full of soil, rubble or hardcore.
- Will a skip fit on my driveway?
- A 2 yard mini skip needs roughly 1.5 m by 1.2 m of flat ground, plus clear overhead access for the lorry arm. A 6 yard builders skip needs about 3 m by 1.5 m. If the skip fits entirely on private land you do not need a council permit.