clearance and disposal - which option
Skip hire or a man and van? Which is better for clearing waste
A skip sells you time and a man and van sells you labour. If you are filling it yourself over several days, a skip almost always wins. If the waste is already in a pile and you want it gone this afternoon without lifting any of it, a man and van usually wins, and it wins on cost more often than people expect because you pay for volume rather than for a container sitting on the road.
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.
Skip hire
A container delivered to your property or the road outside, left with you for an agreed period, then collected and tipped.
Best for
- +Projects that generate waste over days or weeks rather than in one go
- +Heavy material such as soil, rubble and hardcore, where weight rather than volume is the issue
- +Jobs where you have the labour to load it yourself and want the lowest cost per tonne
- +Sites with space for a container on a driveway or hardstanding
Watch out for
- -A skip on the public highway needs a council permit, which takes time and costs money on top of the hire
- -Every skip has a weight limit, and going over it is where the unexpected charges come from
- -Some materials are not permitted and are charged separately - plasterboard, mattresses, tyres, fridges, paint
- -You are doing all of the lifting, which is the part people underestimate
A man and van clearance
A crew arrives with a tipper or caged van, loads the waste themselves, and takes it away the same visit.
Best for
- +Waste that already exists and needs removing today rather than accumulating
- +Anyone who cannot or would rather not do the lifting
- +Awkward access - flats, upper floors, no parking, no driveway
- +Mixed household waste and furniture, where volume rather than weight decides the price
- +Jobs where no permit is wanted and no container should sit outside
Watch out for
- -You pay for labour as well as disposal, so on heavy material it can cost more per tonne than a skip
- -Price is usually by volume, so get the quote based on what is actually there rather than a phone estimate
- -Always check the carrier is licensed to transport waste, because responsibility for fly-tipped waste follows the person who produced it
The short answer
Filling it yourself over time, or clearing rubble - hire a skip. Clearing something that already exists, especially with awkward access or no driveway - book a man and van. If the waste is heavy and you have somewhere to put a container, the skip will normally be cheaper; if it is bulky and light, the van usually is.
What to ask before you book
- •Ask whether a permit is needed for where the skip would go, and who arranges it.
- •Ask what the weight limit is and what happens if you exceed it.
- •Ask which items are excluded or surcharged before anything is loaded.
- •Ask for the waste carrier licence number, and check it. You remain responsible for waste produced at your property.
- •Get the quote based on what is actually there, not a description over the phone.
Find companies near you
Whichever way you go, compare two or three local firms. GetBrent charges no booking fee.
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