Home improvement projects can get messy, and many people are caught off-guard by the sheer bulk of stripped wallpaper or ripped-up carpet and floorboards – and that’s even before you knock any walls or plasterboard out.
So how do you choose the right skip for a home improvement project? Obviously, it depends on the scale of the project, the size of any rooms being renovated, the number of rooms, and so on.
There are a few general rules of thumb to follow, though. Our walk-in skip hire is popular with householders as you generally don’t need any special lifting equipment to load waste into the skip – you can just walk it in using a wheelbarrow or on foot.
If you’re on the cusp between two skip sizes, it’s often a good idea to hire a skip of the next size up. You may pay a little more but it’s better to have the extra room for any waste you haven’t taken into account, rather than face the extra cost and delay of waiting for a whole new skip to be delivered when your too-small skip is full.
And if you’re planning something on a grand scale, our 8 cubic yard skips still give you a walk-in ramp but have the option of a lockable lid, so you won’t wake up to a mattress or a Mini dumped in your skip overnight.
What size skip do I need for my DIY project?
Our walk-in skips start from 2 cubic yards and are often referred to as ‘mini skips‘ in the trades – although if you’re sure it’s the size you need, then there’s no reason to go larger.
Mini skips are suited to fairly small DIY projects, such as clearing a garden or renovating a single room, and especially if the waste you produce will be fairly contained or compacted.
For bulkier waste, you can start to consider larger sizes. We have 3 cubic yard skips if you just want a little extra space – for example, if you’re not sure 2 cubic yards will be enough, or you know your project is slightly bigger than the typical household home improvement.
Medium or ‘midi skips’ come in at around 4 cubic yards. We still offer walk-in midi skips, but you’ll start to see the sides take on that familiar bucket skip shape rather than just a low enclosure.
‘Maxi skips’ are at the upper end of the range for domestic DIY projects, starting from 6 cubic yards up to our biggest domestic skips at 8 cubic yards.
You have a few options here – choose a vertically sided walk-in enclosure or a traditional bucket skip shape with a low entry ramp, both of which are suitable for wheelbarrow entry.
As mentioned above, you can also specify a lockable lid on 8 cubic yard bucket skips, giving you extra peace of mind and making this an excellent option if you will need to leave your skip out by the public roadside overnight.
Share this
