What size skip do I need for a bathroom refit?

A 4-yard skip suits most bathroom refits. A ripped-out suite, tiles, flooring and plasterboard from one bathroom fills roughly 3 to 4 cubic yards, and tiles are heavy, so a small skip filled level is safer than a larger one you can't lift.

What size skip do I need for a kitchen refit?

A 6-yard skip is the usual choice for a kitchen. Units, worktops, appliances, flooring and old tiling from an average kitchen run 5 to 6 cubic yards. If you're also removing walls or floor screed, step up to 8 yards or plan a second skip for the heavy rubble.

What size skip do I need for a house clearance?

For a full house clearance, an 8 to 12-yard skip is typical, depending on how much furniture and how many rooms. A part clearance or single large room usually fits a 6-yard skip. Furniture is bulky but light, so you're limited by space, not weight.

What size skip do I need for garden waste?

A 4 to 6-yard skip handles most garden clearances. Soil and turf are very heavy, so a skip of soil is capped by weight long before it's full: a 4-yard skip of soil already weighs around 4 tonnes. For heavy garden waste, keep to 6 yards or smaller and fill level.

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What size skip do I need?

Q: What can't go in a skip?

Fridges, freezers, mattresses, tyres, paint, electrical items, gas bottles, asbestos and hazardous waste can't go in a standard skip. Our guide to what can and can't go in a skip covers the full list.

Use the calculator for an instant answer from bin bags, rooms or wheelbarrow loads, then scroll down for the right skip size for every common job, from a bathroom refit to a full house clearance.

What are you clearing?

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How many bin bags, roughly? What's mostly in it?

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How the recommendation works

A cubic yard is roughly ten bin bags, twenty five wheelbarrow loads fill about three cubic yards, and an average room's clutter runs one to two cubic yards. We add a fifth for headroom because waste never packs as neatly as you hope, then round up to the next standard size. For heavy materials the limit is weight, not space: a 4-yard skip of soil already weighs around four tonnes, which is why we cap heavy loads at 6 yards and suggest splitting bigger jobs.

What size skip for a bathroom refit?

4-yard skip.A stripped bathroom, one suite, tiles, flooring and plasterboard, fills roughly 3 to 4 cubic yards. The catch is weight, not space: bathroom tiles and old cast-iron are dense, so a 4-yard skip filled level is safer and cheaper than a bigger one you can only part-fill before it's too heavy to lift. Only step up to a 6-yard if you're also taking out a partition wall or floor screed.

What size skip for a kitchen refit?

6-yard skip.Units, worktops, an old oven and hob, flooring and tiling from an average kitchen come to 5 to 6 cubic yards, which is why a 6-yard is the default. If you're removing walls, taking up a tiled concrete floor, or clearing a large kitchen-diner, go to 8 yards or plan a second skip for the rubble, which is where the weight lives.

What size skip for a house clearance?

8 to 12-yard skip.A full house clearance of furniture, carpets, white goods and general clutter is bulky but light, so you're limited by volume, not weight. A one or two-bed clearance often fits an 8-yard; a family home usually needs 12. For a single large room or a part clearance, a 6-yard is plenty. Note that some items (fridges, mattresses) can't go in a skip, so factor those out.

What size skip for a garden clearance?

4 to 6-yard skip, weight-capped.Green waste, hedge cuttings and turf are bulky, but soil and rubble are the heaviest waste there is: a 4-yard skip of soil weighs around 4 tonnes, close to the lifting limit. For a light green-waste clearance a 6-yard is fine; for anything with soil, turf or hardcore, keep to 4 to 6 yards and fill level, never heaped. If your council garden bin can't take it, a skip usually can, see our garden waste charges data for the alternative.

What size skip for a small building or renovation job?

8-yard skip (the "builders' skip").The 8-yard is the workhorse for renovation and construction waste: bricks, timber, plasterboard and mixed rubble. It's the largest size most operators will fill with heavy waste, because a full 8-yard of rubble is already at the weight limit. For a bigger strip-out, use two 8-yard skips rather than a single larger one you can't legally lift.

What size skip for a single room or declutter?

2 to 4-yard skip.Clearing one room, a loft or a garage of general household junk fits a 2-yard (about 20 to 25 bin bags) or a 4-yard for a fuller clear-out. If it's mostly light clutter and bags, the 2-yard mini skip is the cheapest way to do it.

What can't go in a skip?

Whatever the size, some things can't go in a standard skip: fridges and freezers, mattresses (ask, some operators take them for a fee), tyres, paint and liquids, electrical items, gas bottles, plasterboard (often needs separating), asbestos and any hazardous waste. Our full guide to what can and can't go in a skip has the complete list and the reasons.

Common questions

How is a cubic yard measured in bin bags?

Roughly ten filled bin bags make a cubic yard. A 4-yard skip holds about 35 to 45 bags, a 6-yard about 50 to 65, and an 8-yard about 70 to 85. The calculator above does this conversion for you and adds headroom.

Why can't I just get the biggest skip to be safe?

Because heavy waste is limited by weight, not space. A large skip full of soil or rubble can exceed the safe lifting limit and won't be collected. For heavy materials, a smaller skip filled level, or two skips, is the right answer.

Do I need a permit for the skip?

Only if it goes on the public road or pavement. On a driveway or private land, no permit is needed. See our Scarborough skip permit guide and the UK permit cost data.

Sizes and prices for Scarborough, Filey and Whitby are on our skip sizes and prices sections, or get a quote and we'll confirm the right size with you.