clearance and disposal - which option
House clearance or skip hire? Clearing a full property
These solve different problems. A skip is an empty container you fill. A house clearance is a service that empties the property for you, sorts what can be resold or donated, and leaves it broom-clean. For a full property - a probate, an end of tenancy, a downsize - the clearance service is usually the right call, and sometimes the resale value offsets part of the cost.
Why trust this page: GetBrent is a directory. We take no commission and we provide neither service, so we have no stake in which one you pick - which is the only reason a comparison like this is worth reading.
A house clearance service
A team clears the property room by room, separates what can be resold, donated or recycled, disposes of the rest, and hands back an empty house.
Best for
- +Probate and bereavement, where nobody wants to sort a lifetime of belongings under time pressure
- +End of tenancy and repossession, where a deadline is fixed
- +Properties with items of value, since a good firm will offset or buy
- +Anyone who needs the property left clean rather than merely empty
- +Situations where sorting decisions need to be made by somebody experienced rather than a family member
Watch out for
- -Quality varies enormously - get an itemised quote and confirm what "clear" includes
- -Agree in writing what happens to anything of value found during the clearance
- -Check whether carpets, curtains, white goods and the loft are in scope, because these are the usual arguments
Skip hire
You do the clearing and the sorting; the skip only handles what you decide to throw away.
Best for
- +Clearing one or two rooms rather than a whole property
- +Renovation waste rather than belongings
- +Anyone with time, labour and a place to put a container
- +Situations where you want to go through everything yourself
Watch out for
- -A full house typically needs several skips, and the cost mounts quickly
- -Nothing gets resold, donated or recycled unless you do it yourself
- -Furniture, electricals and mattresses are often surcharged or excluded
The short answer
A whole property is a clearance job. One room, or a renovation, is a skip job. If there are belongings rather than building waste involved, the clearance route is usually both faster and less painful, and the difference in cost is smaller than it looks once you count the skips.
What to ask before you book
- •Ask for an itemised quote after a site visit, not a price over the phone.
- •Confirm in writing what happens to anything saleable found in the property.
- •Check the loft, garage, shed and garden are included if you need them cleared.
- •Ask for the waste carrier licence and how the waste will be disposed of.
- •Confirm whether the property is left swept and clean or simply empty.
Find companies near you
Whichever way you go, compare two or three local firms. GetBrent charges no booking fee.
Browse clearance and disposal companies