When it comes to commercial and domestic projects, the question of whether skip hire or grab hire is going to come up. In this article, we explore the benefits of both skip and grab hire, the challenges with both, and give you a breakdown of what you can expect to pay. If you’re still unsure at the end, get in touch with us and we will be happy to help.
What is skip hire?
Skip hire involves renting a skip for a specific period of time to dispose of waste. You can choose the skip size based on the amount of waste you need to remove, ranging from 2 yards to 12 yards.
These skips can be used for a range of domestic or commercial projects, ranging from small garage clearances to larger garden or home refurbishments.
What are the different types of skip you can hire?
There are a few different types of skip you can hire for your domestic or commercial project, including:
Mini skips: These are 2-yard skips, generally used for smaller domestic jobs. They hold up to 20 bags of rubbish and are often utilised for small jobs involving rubble or household waste, such as tiles. A3 Waste Management does not offer mini skips at this time.
Midi skip: This is the 4-yard option, commonly used for single room clearances or kitchen and bathroom projects.
The Builders’ Skip: A 6-yard option, typically seen when refurbishing a room or clearing out a garage.
The Large Builders’ Skip: An 8-yard skip, used for heavier rubble or larger domestic and commercial clearances, requiring more space for delivery.
The Maxi Builders’ Skip: A 12-yard skip, most suitable for large domestic or commercial projects, where multiple rooms generate different types of waste.
A skip permit is required if you plan to place the skip on public property, such as a road, pavement, or any council-controlled land. If the skip is placed on private property, such as a driveway, no permit is necessary.
What are the common uses for skip hire?
As you might have gathered already, skips are typically hired for domestic or commercial clearance projects, including but not limited to:
- Kitchen or bathroom refurbishments
- Garage clearances
- Garden maintenance and clearances
- Office or small retail unit refurbishments
- Smaller construction jobs
The main advantage of skip hire is the ability to keep a skip on-site, fill it at your own pace and gradually dispose of waste without needing to complete everything in one go. This is particularly useful for home renovation projects.
What is grab hire?
Grab hire refers to the way the waste is collected from your domestic or commercial project (the grabber on the lorry) and the hire refers to hiring a company’s time to come and collect the waste (the hire). Hence, grab hire.
Grab hire is commonly used by individuals, companies and businesses that have a large amount of waste that needs collecting. The amount of waste that the grab lorry can take depends on the vehicle. For example, our 8-wheel grab lorry can take up to 5 tonnes of waste.
How does grab hire work?
The first step is to establish whether you do need a grab hire lorry for your project, or whether skip hire would suffice. However, if it’s the only way you will be able to clear your waste, make a booking via the chosen provider’s website, fill in your postcode, the delivery date and what waste it will be. For example, clean hardcore, soil and stones, or green waste.
Once the order has been received, the company will reach out to confirm. Then it is a case of making sure your waste is stored in an open space with plenty of clearance on either site, ideally away from low hanging trees, foliage, or significantly clear of overhanging electric cables.
The driver needs to be able to pull up alongside the waste, and should be able to clear it within at least half an hour of starting, sometimes less.
What are the common uses for grab hire?
You will be most likely to see a grab lorry at locations with a high volume of waste, such as construction sites, where waste builds up quickly and needs clearing. However, that is not the only use for grab lorries. You can also use them for:
- Private property development
- Large landscaping projects
- Agriculture
- Fly tip clearance
One of the main advantages of grab hire is that the waste generated from a specific project is cleared away and removed from site, rather than being stored in skips, which can take up valuable room.
Grab hire can be used if you have a lot of one type of waste, for example, up to five tonnes of clean hardcore, or green waste. This is especially good if the waste itself is heavy, bulky, or in a hard to reach place.
Comparing the cost of skip hire vs. grab hire
If you’re still not sure on whether a skip hire or grab hire is most suitable for you, take a look at the comparisons below. We have based these costs on the services we offer, to give you a realistic breakdown of what you can use each product for, along with the cost.
|
Skip Hire (4 yard skip) |
Skip Hire (6 yard skip) |
Skip Hire (8 yard skip) |
Skip Hire (12 yard skip) |
Grab Hire (8-Wheel Lorry) |
|
|
Suitable for: |
Small home refurbishments e.g. kitchens or bathrooms |
Small home/office refurbishment Small construction works |
General waste or building refurbishments Medium sized construction works |
Household refits or clearances Commercial projects |
Trade and public sector Site clearance, muck away, aggregate delivery |
|
Cost to hire: |
£195 (ex VAT) |
£240 (ex VAT) |
£270 (ex VAT) |
£320 (ex VAT) |
From £230 (ex VAT) |
|
Weight capacity: |
Up to 4 tonne |
Up to 8 tonne |
Up to 8 tonne |
Up to 5 tonne |
Up to 32 tonne |
|
Volume/Waste capacity: |
30-40 bags |
50-60 bags |
60-80 bags |
100-120 bags |
Up to 32 tonnes |
|
Types of waste: |
Garden waste, light rubble, soil, heavy general waste, metals, plastics, furniture, sand, hardcore |
Garden waste, light rubble, soil, heavy general waste, metals, plastics, furniture, sand, hardcore |
Garden waste, heavy rubble, soil, heavy general waste, metals, plastics, furniture, sand, hardcore |
Garden waste, heavy rubble, soil, heavy general waste, metals, plastics, furniture, sand, hardcore |
Inert Soil, green Waste, bricks and/or concrete, clean hardcore |
We hope this article gives you all the information on whether a skip hire or grab hire is most suitable for you. If you do have any other questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and dedicated team.
A3 Waste Management provides a simple Skip Wait & Load or Grab Hire service for domestic and commercial clients across the South Coast. For more information, or to book your skip, contact us today.