How to hire a skip for home renovations
October 12, 2026|News
Whether you’re upgrading your existing home or developing from scratch, property renovations represent exciting times.
However, whilst the mind tends to gravitate towards the new traditional-looking bathroom, expanded kitchen, or living room of your dreams, the logistics are often an afterthought. One thing that is inevitable with any home renovation, however, is that you’ll have waste materials lying around, be it old bathroom fittings, broken tiles, timber packaging, rubble, etc.
That makes hiring a skip pretty much essential for any home renovation project, saving you from those endless shuttle runs to the tip and back, so you can actually focus on upgrading your living space.
At Towens, we provide convenient skip hire across Weston-super-Mare, Bristol, Somerset and the surrounding areas. You can arrange your skip by using our three-step tool, simply by entering your postcode, choosing the right skip size and confirming whether a public highway permit is required.
We’ve put this guide together to make hiring a skip as straightforward as possible, explaining the logistics, which size may be best for you, what happens to the materials, and for how long the hire period is.
How can I hire a skip?
If you need skip hire in Somerset or Bristol, our online booking tool makes the process straightforward:
- Enter your postcode to see local skip-hire prices.
- Choose a skip size based on your type and volume of waste.
- Confirm whether a public highway permit is required.
Our skip and hook lift lorries supply skips and containers across North Somerset, Somerset and Bristol, with skips often available within 24 hours of booking in many cases.
If you’re hiring a skip for the first time, our team can help if you’re unsure about the right size or how to dispose of particular waste materials.
How can I choose the right skip size for me?
The right skip size depends on the amount and type of waste your renovation project will produce. Choosing the right size from the start can help you avoid needing another collection.
2-yard skip
Ideal for smaller projects and clearances.
- Holds approximately 10-15 black bin bags
- Suitable for garden waste and minor house clearances
- Suitable for soil, stones and other inert materials
- Volume: 2m³
- Weight limit: up to 2 tonnes
4-yard skip
A practical option for medium-sized projects.
- Holds approximately 25-30 black bin bags
- Suitable for bathroom refits
- Useful for landscaping, builders’ waste and bulky items
- Volume: 4m³
- Weight limit: up to 4 tonnes
6-yard skip
Suitable for larger renovations and clearances.
- Holds approximately 30-40 black bin bags
- Suitable for larger garden clearances
- Suitable for mixed waste and heavy builders’ waste
- Volume: 6m³
- Weight limit: up to 6 tonnes
8-yard skip
Designed for larger construction projects.
- Holds approximately 50-60 black bin bags
- Suitable for construction waste and mixed waste
- Volume: 8m³
- Weight limit: up to 6 tonnes
12-yard skip
Our largest standard skip is suited to high-volume projects.
- Holds approximately 90-100 black bin bags
- Suitable for bulky and heavy waste
- Volume: 12m³
- Weight limit: up to 7 tonnes
We also have RoRo skips available in 15-40-yard container sizes for larger requirements.
Do I need a permit for skip hire?
It depends on where your skip will be placed.
- A permit is required if the skip will be placed on a public road or public highway.
- A permit may not be required if the skip is entirely on suitable private land or private property.
- Check local requirements, as rules can vary between local councils and local authorities.
When arranging your skip, tell us where it will be positioned so we can help you understand what is required.
What materials are permitted inside a skip?
We accept a range of common renovation and household waste materials, including:
- Wood
- Stone
- Paper
- Plastic
- General waste
- Sand
- Soil
- Cardboard
- Metals
Separating materials that require specialist handling before your skip arrives can make waste disposal easier.
What materials are not permitted inside a skip?
Some hazardous materials and other waste require specialist handling and cannot go into a standard Towens skip.
These include:
- Electrical items and appliances
- Asbestos
- Batteries
- Gas cylinders
- Paint tins
- Fluorescent tubes
- Heavily treated wood
- POPs, including sofas, armchairs and upholstered furniture
- Plasterboard
- Fridges and freezers
- Tyres
- Pressurised containers
- Food waste
- Liquids
- Mattresses
If you’re unsure about an item, contact us before putting it into the skip so we can advise on proper disposal.
The logistics behind skip hire
Once you’ve chosen your skip and confirmed its placement, there are a few practical points to consider:
- Hire period: our standard skip hire period is two weeks.
- Delivery: we supply skips and containers across North Somerset, Somerset and Bristol.
- Available space: make sure there is enough room for the delivery vehicle to safely access your property.
- Placement: tell us whether the skip will be on private land or a public highway.
- Weight: do not overload the skip. Weight limits vary by skip size.
- Larger projects: larger skips and RoRo containers are available.
- Collection: once your hire period is complete, we collect the skip and transport the waste for processing.
We can also offer wait and load and out-of-hours services where available.
What are the benefits of hiring a skip for your home renovation?
A skip provides a convenient way to manage waste as your home renovation progresses.
Keep your renovation site tidy
Old tiles, timber, rubble and packaging can quickly build up. A dedicated skip gives you somewhere to put permitted waste as you work.
Save time on waste disposal
Instead of making repeated trips to a recycling centre, you can load your skip during the project and arrange collection afterwards.
Choose the right size
With various sizes available, you can select an option based on the amount of waste your renovation is likely to produce.
Make waste management easier
Planning waste removal alongside your renovation means you know how your waste materials will be handled from the start.
Where does the waste from a skip go?
When we collect your skip, the waste is transported to our transfer station where it is tipped and prepared for processing.
Hardcore and soil-only waste is processed into recycled aggregates, topsoil and subsoils for construction projects. Plasterboard is stored separately for recycling. Other waste is sorted using machinery and manual processes to separate different waste streams.
At Towens, 92% of the waste processed through our facilities is recycled, reused or recovered, with just 8% going to landfill. Our objective is to recycle or reuse as much waste as possible. Whilst we’re proud that over 92% of your waste is put to use and not thrown away, we’re looking to increase this figure even more in the future!
Skip hire from Towens
We provide skip hire services for homeowners, contractors and commercial customers across Somerset and the South-West, with those undertaking home renovations making up a significant percentage of our clients.
Our service covers Weston-super-Mare, Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset and the surrounding areas. We have a fleet of skip and hook lift lorries and can supply skips and containers within 24 hours of booking in many cases.
Our standard hire period is two weeks and we offer a range of skip sizes and formats for different types and volumes of waste. Skip hire prices depend on the size of the skip, type of waste and location, but our booking tool does provide you with a quote instantly, with no obligation to proceed!
Why trust Towens?
We’re a family-owned recycling, waste management, plant hire and environmental services business with more than 30 years of experience. Based in Weston-super-Mare with depots across Somerset, we work with homeowners, contractors and commercial customers.
We operate four recycling facilities and a fleet of more than 40 tippers, artics and skip lorries. Our directly employed drivers are supported by a modern fleet of well-maintained Euro 6 vehicles, with processes in place to meet the regulatory requirements of the industry.
Being local matters to us. We’ve grown by expanding into areas close to where we already operate, helping us provide responsive services to customers across the region.
Planning a renovation? Enter your postcode through our online booking tool, choose the right skip size and confirm whether you need a public highway permit.
If you’re unsure which skip you need or have questions about your waste, please don’t hesitate call us on 01934 424242 or email skips@towens.co.uk.
