18 March 2022
Every individual, household and business generates waste each and every day. And whilst waste isn’t always a fun topic, it is something we all need to think about. Even day-to-day life or small home improvements can generate a sizeable amount of waste, and this just increases drastically as the projects get larger and more complex.
There are a variety of methods that you can use to deal with large quantities of waste, so we’re going to look at 4 of the more popular options you have, they are: hiring a man and van, using a skip bag, taking the waste to your local tip, and of course hiring a skip. Each of these methods has benefits and drawbacks and some of these options will be better suited to some situations and jobs than others.
So let’s take a look.
Man & Van
A “man and a van” is exactly what it says on the tin. It is typically a person (sometimes two) with a van who can come around to a property, collect waste, and dispose of it for you. In addition to waste collection, some of these services offer removals or courier services too.
There are several benefits to using a man and van that are unique to this specific service. One of the key advantages is speed. Often, you can book a man and van quickly, they can be available on demand.
The service is usually efficient; they simply turn up at your address, collect the waste, and take it all away again.
A man and van service can also be an ideal option if you live on a busy road where leaving a skip might not be possible, or perhaps your house has tricky access that makes getting a skip truck into.
Despite these benefits, there are still several considerations to consider using a man and van service, and some situations where it may not be an appropriate choice.
You should always take care when hiring a man and van to ensure that they are appropriately licensed. Whilst the majority are genuine tradespeople, there are still some who are not licensed. If the waste is then fly tipped, the local council will hold you liable for the cost. In some cases, man and van services may be licensed to carry and dispose of some types of waste, but not others. If you’re unsure, always double check.
In addition, you will need to have everything in one place ready to go when they reach your property. The man and van service is intended to be efficient, which means they will want to be in and out again as quickly as they can and might not be able to help you gather waste from all corners of your property.
Skip Bags
Skip bags are readily available in most hardware stores or builders yards. These bags function in a very similar way to skips, but instead of being made from solid metal, they are simply sturdy, robust bags that fold down and can be easily stowed in the back of your car or van.
Once you get a skip bag home, you simply unfold it, fill it up, and arrange a collection once the bag is full.
Using a skip bag to dispose of waste is an incredibly convenient option. They can be used by households who might not have space for a solid skip outside their property, and you can take as long to fill them as you need.
Skip bags might be convenient in some ways, but they can be difficult to use in others.
The flexible construction of a skip bag might allow for it to be easily stowed in your car, but it can make it difficult to fill, especially if you are working on your own or trying to get rid of heavy or large items.
The fact that skip bags can be difficult to fill means that they aren’t often used on building sites or by households with particularly large amounts of waste. If you are trying to get rid of large items, you might find it easier to load a skip than a skip bag.
Local Tip
Local council tips are the first choice for many households. Especially when you consider that you can dispose of most waste for free at a local tip!
If you have access to a large car or van of your own, taking the waste yourself to the local tip is worth considering. However, you should be aware that the waste could end up damaging the inside of your vehicle or leaving behind a nasty smell, depending on what you are carrying.
Many councils now also make you book a time slot in advance, and if they don’t, some people find that they can end up waiting at the tip for a long time before they are allowed in.
When you do take waste to the tip, you will likely need to separate your waste out into different areas depending on the type. If you don’t separate out your waste before you go, this can lead to each tip trip taking much longer than you’d like.
It is also worth remembering that it is very easy to overestimate how much waste you could carry in your vehicle in one trip. What you think will only take two or three trips could quite easily end up taking five or even more.
Not only is this inconvenient and time consuming, but the costs of petrol can quickly build up, as can the costs of general wear and tear to your vehicle.
If you do have quite a lot of waste that you think will take many trips to the tip, consider hiring a skip instead.
Skip Hire
Hiring a skip is the well-known solution, and it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular choice. Opting to hire a skip can give you the flexibility to organise and dispose of your waste at your own pace, and you can simply arrange a collection at a time that suits you once the skip is full.
When compared to filling up skip bags or loading a car to take to the tip, filling a skip is a much easier task. You can simply just throw your waste in without worrying about damaging your car or trying to hold a skip bag open at the same time.
You can also choose from a range of sizes depending on your needs and budget, meaning you will never spend more than you need to. Once the skip has been filled and collected, it’s out of your hands and you don’t need to worry about it any more.
All in all, a skip can help you to save time and labour, whilst enabling you to conveniently deal with the waste at your own pace. If you have the space, it’s the perfect solution.
Of course there are some disadvantages to hiring a skip for some households. People are reluctant to have a skip outside the house for too long. We keep our skips in good condition, but we get it – a big bin or rubbish outside your house isn’t exactly pretty. You may have access problems, a small driveway, or no space outside your house.
Whilst some people might be able to keep them outside their home without a problem, others will find they need to pay for a permit to keep the skip on public property, usually the road in front of their home.
Arranging a skip hire might seem daunting, but in a lot of cases it really is the most convenient way to deal with large amounts of waste. Skips are much easier to fill and more reliable than skip bags, they give you the ability to deal with your waste in your own time unlike hiring a man and a van, and they save you from queuing for the tip countless times over and damaging your car in the process. The tip might be fine for a one-off quick trip, but any more than that and you very well could be better off hiring a skip instead.
When you book your skip hire through Norris, you can rest assured that you are working with a registered waste carrier who will work to divert 99% of your waste from landfill. If you do need to obtain a permit to keep the skip on the road, footpath or in a parking space, Norris can help you every step of the way.
In addition, you can benefit from our excellent customer service, friendly drivers and our focus on maintaining sustainable waste practices. When you’re looking for the best price for skip hire near you, get in touch with the experts at Norris.
About Norris
Norris are a Waste Management business serving Kent, London and the South East. We offer exceptional skip hire services across the region and can arrange skip hire across the country. We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service, our friendly and knowledgeable team can answer all you skip hire questions, from what you can (and can’t) put in a skip, if you might need a skip licence and any questions about delivery and collection. As a business, we are committed to the future. 99% of our waste is diverted from landfill, and we pride ourselves on our industry leading recycling rates.
