Homes and offices accumulate clutter over time, and every now and then it’s good to have a solid clear out. If you’re moving house, renovating a property or just looking to have a deep clean and re-organise things, you’re probably wondering how much does rubbish removal cost in the UK?
Generally speaking, the answer depends on where you live, what type of rubbish you’re looking to throw out and how much waste you need to remove. With this in mind, there are three main options for rubbish removal: hiring a skip, removing one or more rubbish or junk items, or removing a bunch of junk or rubbish by a specific load size. The prices for each vary, as do the uses and benefits. For your convenience, we’ve put together how much each option could cost you and what you’ll get for your money.
The first option for rubbish removal we will look at, and possibly the most popular, is hiring a skip. There are many instances where a person might choose to hire a skip to dispose of their waste, including moving house, renovating a property, moving office, or clearing a house. While one drawback is that the customer must arrange the labour to load the skip, the key advantage is the flexibility of hire time, which is typically up to two weeks. This allows for a more relaxed approach to loading, unlike man-and-van services where the loading time is usually limited to anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the item or load size. Below are the most common skip sizes, along with their price ranges and a brief description of their suggested uses.
2 Yard Skip – £60-£100
A 2 cubic yard skip is the smallest skip you can hire and can fit roughly 20 bin bags of rubbish. It’s often used by people undertaking domestic DIY projects or clearing their gardens.
4 Yard Skip – £230-£280
A 4 cubic yard skip can fit double the amount of waste as a 2-yard skip and is mostly used for holding waste accumulated during bathroom or kitchen refits.
6 Yard Skip – £250-£300
The 6 cubic yard skip is a favourite among builders and is commonly used to hold rubble and bulky domestic or construction waste.
8 Yard Skip – £300-£350
It’s mostly commercial clients who hire an 8 cubic yard skip, or those undertaking major home renovations with a significant amount of waste to dispose of.
12 Yard Skip – £350-£400
Most homeowners won’t require a skip as large as 12 cubic yards unless they’re doing a complete house clearance where large items like sofas, wardrobes, and mattresses need to be disposed of.
16 Yard Skip – £400-£500
A 16 cubic yard skip is even larger and is typically used for extensive commercial projects or very large domestic clearances.
If you only have one or a few specific items to dispose of, such as large furniture or appliances, hiring a man and van style service to collect them can be a straightforward and cost-effective option. Below are some of the most commonly disposed-of items, along with typical price ranges:
Fridges – £80-£150
Disposing of a fridge often requires a specialised service because they contain hazardous materials that must be handled properly. Prices depend on the size and type of fridge (e.g., standard vs. American-style).
Sofas – £80-£150
A sofa can be bulky and challenging to move on your own. Professional collection services can handle single sofas or even full sets, with prices varying depending on size and weight.
Mattresses – £50-£100
Mattresses are another common disposal item, especially when upgrading your bed. Disposal costs often depend on size (single, double, king) and location.
Washing Machines – £50-£80
Old washing machines are frequently replaced during home renovations. These items are heavy, but disposal services ensure they are removed safely and recycled if possible.
This method is ideal if you only have a few items to get rid of, but for larger clearances, consider the next option.
For larger quantities of rubbish or mixed waste, a clearance service that charges by load size is often the best option. These services typically operate as either a one-man or two-man and van service, offering the significant advantage of including labour. Unlike hiring a skip, where you’re responsible for arranging the loading yourself, these professionals will handle all the heavy lifting for you. This option is flexible and well-suited for general clear-outs, renovations, or moving house. Below are the common load sizes and what they include:
Mini Load – £80-£110
A mini load is anything up to 3 cubic yards, is suitable for small clear-outs, up to 30 bin bags or minor DIY projects. It typically includes around 5–10 bin bags of waste.
Small (1/4) Van Load – £130-£180
This load size is great for partial clearances, will be from 4-6 cubic yards and holding around 40-60 bin bags. It’s often chosen for garden waste or small household items.
Medium (1/2) Van Load – £250-300
A medium load can handle 7-9 cubic yards, roughly 70-90 bin bags worth of waste, making it a popular choice for clearing out single rooms or during small renovations.
Large (3/4) Van Load – £300-£400
For larger projects, such as clearing multiple rooms or disposing of bulky items like furniture and appliances, a large load of around 10-12 cubic yards can handle approximately 100-120 bin bags of rubbish.
Extra Large (Full Load) – £400-£500+
An extra-large load is 13-15 cubic yards and is ideal for complete house clearances or major renovations. It includes up to 130-150 bin bags or the equivalent volume in bulky items.
This option provides a practical solution for removing mixed waste in one go, saving time and effort compared to hiring a skip.
In conclusion, when it comes to disposing of rubbish, it’s important to choose the option that best suits your needs while keeping cost-effectiveness and environmental impact in mind. While there may be a temptation to overfill your household dustbin or take multiple trips to the local waste centre to avoid additional costs, these approaches often fall short. Overfilling bins with unacceptable waste can result in fines, and many items still end up in landfill, harming the environment and wasting materials that could otherwise be reused or recycled.
Hiring a skip offers flexibility with longer hire times but can be costly and requires self-loading. On the other hand, a man-and-van rubbish removal service provides convenience with included labour and is ideal for fast clear-outs. Whatever your choice, a professional rubbish collection service, such as Central Junk, ensures your waste is disposed of responsibly, saving you time, effort, and stress.
Take the first step towards hassle-free rubbish removal—contact us today to learn more about our services and find the perfect solution for your needs.