What is a Mini Skip?

If you’re looking for a robust yet flexible way to remove rubbish, then skip hire is usually the most suitable solution and Mini skips are most people’s first port of call. But what is a Mini skip? How big is it and how much will it cost? With Clearbee’s expertise as the UK’s largest waste clearance company, we can tell you all about Mini skips and even provide our skip hire services so you can get your project underway.

If that’s all you need to hear, then book your skip hire now or contact Clearabee and we’ll get back in touch with you. Otherwise, let’s look at some answers…

What can you put in a Mini Skip?

Like most skips or skip bins, Mini skips offer secure containment of your waste or unwanted items, which can reduce the risk of personal injury or environmental hazards. They’re ideal for sitting on your driveway and filling up while you go about your project.

The open top makes them ideal for self-loading and they are suitable for removing a wide range of waste streams including: construction and renovation rubbish such as bricks and rubble; garden waste such as soil, gravel and turf; bulky items such as furniture including armchairs and wardrobes (if broken down) and standard household waste.

What can’t you put in a Mini Skip?

Anything that will exceed the Level Load Line

Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment items and white goods

Hazardous waste streams (laptops, monitors, TVs, lighting tubes etc)

Chemicals, solvents, paints and liquids

Any food wastage

Plasterboard and gypsum waste

If you have any of the above waste streams that need removing, then you should contact Clearabee as we will probably be able to provide a bespoke solution for you.

How big is a Mini Skip?

Mini skips are sometimes available in both 2 and 3 cubic yard sizes and were popular for the removal of small amounts of the streams mentioned above. However, Mini skips are becoming less and less popular in the UK as most customers find them to be that little bit too small.

In our experience, there’s a lot to be said for getting a slightly larger skip than you think you need. More often than not, you end up with more waste than you bargained for, especially if you haven’t used a skip before and you’ve underestimated how much you’re likely to produce.

There’s also a knock-on effect when you hire a skip; people tend to start looking around their house and garden, looking at what else can be thrown away while they’ve got the skip. Or, and we hope this doesn’t happen to you, a neighbour might see your skip and be tempted to throw something small in there while you’ve got it sat on your drive. Either way, you could easily end up with a full skip earlier than expected.

If your skip is overfilled for whatever reason, skip providers will be unable to transport them due to safety concerns. This will usually result in a wasted journey additional charge which can be a considerable proportion of your original skip hire fee so it isn’t worth the risk. The last thing you want to do is hire a second skip and double the cost so in most cases, we suggest that you err on the side of caution and order the next size up, just in case.

Mini Skip Hire Cost

The cost of a mini skip can cost between £60 and £100 for a 2-yard skip and between £80 and £120 for a 3-yard skip. However, Mini skips are becoming less and less popular and less widely available in the UK, so you might not only find it difficult to find Mini skips, but you also might find that you end up paying over the odds due to the increased demand.

In fact, the cost of a Mini skip may be less than the cost of a Midi skip, but it is far more cost-effective to hire a 4-yard Midi skip as opposed to a 2- or 3-yard Mini skip. This is because the costliest aspect of skip hire is the transportation of the skip which requires the use of a Heavy Goods Vehicle which are, of course, expensive to operate.

However, the cost to transport a 4-yard skip doesn’t increase significantly from the cost to deliver a 2- to 3-yard skip as it will usually involve using the same HGV, travelling the same route and a consuming a comparable amount of fuel. Which all-in-all means that it makes more financial sense to hire a larger skip.

Skip Hire with Clearabee

The cost of a Midi skip does vary slightly from location to location but you can check how much a skip costs in your area by using our handy skip hire search tool. Just select whether you’re planning to store your skip on private or public land, enter your postcode and select which waste stream you are planning to dispose of. For example, a 4-yard general waste skip in the centre of Birmingham will cost £173.25 for a 14-day hire period. In most cases, Clearabee can also provide next-day delivery if you are able to order your skip before 12 noon.

You’ll also receive a digital Waste Transfer Note which will record what waste you’ve disposed of, which vehicle removed it and which Waste Transfer Station was the end destination. These are kept on file by both Clearabee and our customers to satisfy our collective Duty of Care and ensure the highest levels of confidence and compliance.

Follow this link to find out more about Midi skips or check out our handy skip hire guide.

Book your skip hire now or contact Clearabee and we’ll give you a buzz back.

Removing rubbish. It’s what we do.

All prices mentioned in this article are correct at the time of publishing.