Everyday project waste
Usually suitable when agreed:
- Non-hazardous household clutter
- Wood and timber
- Garden cuttings
- Light renovation waste
A better way to load
Know your waste. Choose your skip.
Start with the materials, not just the pile. This guide helps you describe your waste and spot anything that needs a separate route.
Load it right
Know what goes in.
Before you begin.
Tell us what you’re clearing. The waste type matters just as much as the skip size, and acceptance must be agreed before booking.
Let’s check first
May need a separate waste route:
- Soil, rubble and concrete
- Plasterboard
- Mattresses and carpets
- Upholstered seating and electricals
Keep these out
Excluded from standard skip hire:
- Asbestos or suspected asbestos
- Paint, liquids and chemicals
- Gas bottles and batteries
- Fuel, oil and clinical waste
Keep loads level with the rim. Heavy waste has weight limits; upholstered seating and electricals must not go into a standard mixed load without an agreed authorised route.
Household, garden and renovation waste.
Non-hazardous clutter, timber, garden cuttings and some light renovation waste can be suitable for a standard skip when accepted by the supplier. “General waste” is not permission to load everything from a house.
For a garden project, explain whether you have branches and cuttings, soil, paving or a mixture. For a room refit, mention tiles, plasterboard, insulation, furniture and appliances separately. Acceptance can change with the mixture.
Soil, rubble and concrete need a weight check.
A skip has both a volume and a loading limit. A container can be too heavy before it looks full. Tell the supplier how much soil, brick, stone or concrete you expect, and ask which of our four sizes is suitable.
Do not choose an 8-yard skip on the assumption it can be filled with rubble. The operator must specify the waste stream, permitted weight and loading instructions.
Plasterboard, mattresses and electricals.
Flag plasterboard and gypsum products before booking. Ask whether a separate container or other agreed collection method is needed; do not mix them into a standard load on the basis of this guide.
Mattresses, carpets, fridges and other electrical items also need explicit advice. Some items may be excluded or require separate treatment and a separate charge. We have not yet verified a supplier acceptance list.
Sofas and armchairs are a separate conversation.
Upholstered domestic seating may contain persistent organic pollutants, often called POPs. SEPA’s Scottish guidance explains the need to avoid contaminating other waste and use appropriate treatment.
Keep these items out of a standard mixed skip. Tell the operator exactly what you have and agree an authorised route before disposal. Do not dismantle a sofa to try to make it acceptable as ordinary mixed waste.
Keep hazardous and unknown materials out.
Do not put asbestos or suspected asbestos, chemicals, liquids, fuel, paint, gas bottles, batteries or clinical waste into a standard skip. If you find an unknown material during a renovation, stop and seek suitable advice before disturbing or moving it.
Load only the agreed materials, keep the load level with the rim and follow the operator’s instructions. Do not use boards to increase the sides, burn waste in the skip or climb into it to compact the contents.
Sources & checks
Guidance checked 10 September 2026. Supplier policies and local conditions still need to be confirmed for the booking.
SEPA — upholstered domestic seating guidance (PDF) SEPA — waste duty of careA clear-out starts with a small step.