How much does skip hire cost in Essex?
The first thing everyone asks, so here's the answer up front: our real prices, what's included, and what can add to the bill, so you can compare quotes properly.
By LM Waste Management Ltd · Updated October 2026
Skip prices in south Essex and Thurrock
Every price includes VAT, delivery, collection, disposal and 10 days' hire.
| Skip size | Price inc VAT | Roughly holds | Soil and rubble? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-yard | £279 | 20 bin bags | Yes |
| 3-yard | £299 | 30 bin bags | Yes |
| 4-yard | £319 | 40 bin bags | Yes |
| 6-yard | £369 | 60 bin bags | Yes |
| 8-yard | £409 | 80 bin bags | Yes |
| 10-yard | £464 | 100 bin bags | No, light bulky waste only |
| 12-yard | £489 | 120 bin bags | No, light bulky waste only |
| 14-yard | £499 | 140 bin bags | No, light bulky waste only |
| 16-yard | £539 | 160 bin bags | No, light bulky waste only |
Further afield
Prices step up the further the skip has to travel, by the same amount for every size:
- Chelmsford, South Woodham Ferrers and Ingatestone (CM1 to CM4): £10 more
- Romford, Hornchurch, Dagenham and Rainham (RM1 to RM13): £20 more
- Maldon, Burnham, Witham, Dunmow, Ongar, Epping, Harlow, Stansted, Colchester CO1 and the IG postcodes: £70 more
- Anywhere else: the skip is a request for now, and we confirm the price before anything is charged.
Put your postcode into the booking page and it shows the price for your street.
What's included
- Delivery and collection
- 10 days' hire
- Disposal at licensed facilities, with recycling wherever possible
- A waste transfer note for your records
- VAT
What can add to the price
Keeping it longer. Each extra week is £60. Add it when you book or later.
Putting it on the road. A skip on your own drive needs no permit. On the road, pavement or verge it needs a council licence, and we apply for it. The cost depends on the council and the street, so ask us about a road permit and we'll confirm it before you book. A 6-yard is the biggest skip allowed on the road in most of Essex. Our permit guide lists who issues them.
A sofa or armchair. Padded seating can go in, for £60 each on top: add it when you book.
Things that shouldn't be in it. Banned items found in the skip are left on site or charged at the disposal rate. The big ones are batteries and vapes, fridges and freezers, asbestos, tyres, gas bottles, paint and chemicals. Plasterboard is fine if it's bagged separately. See the full list.
Heavy waste in a big skip. Soil, rubble, concrete and bricks can only go in 2 to 8-yard skips. 10-yard and bigger skips are for light bulky waste only.
Overfilling. Skips must be loaded level with the rim to be lifted legally. If yours is heaped, the driver levels it and leaves the excess with you.
Cancelling late. Free cancellation up to 4pm the working day before. After that a £42 call-out (£35 + VAT) is charged, or the price of your booking if that is less, and if you've already paid we refund the rest. For a skip, once the lorry has left to deliver it, the wasted journey fee is £60 (£50 + VAT) instead of the call-out.
How to compare skip quotes fairly
- Is VAT included? Ours is.
- How many days' hire? Some quotes are for a week. Ours include 10 days.
- Is the permit included? On the road, ask what the permit adds before you agree.
- Can it take heavy waste? If you're digging out a patio, make sure the size you're quoted can take soil and rubble.
- What's banned, and what's the charge if something is found?
Can I hire a skip for just a day?
If the rubbish is ready to go now and you've got people to load it, you may not need a skip at all. Wait and load brings the truck to you: you supply the help and do the loading within a set waiting time, with our driver helping. A half load is about the same as a 6-yard skip. It's £360 with up to 30 minutes' waiting time, and nothing is left on the road, so there's no permit. See wait and load prices.
- A skip bag for smaller jobs: £144 to collect your own filled bag, or £168 with our bag. Skip bags.
- A grab lorry for big piles of soil: £300 for a half load of soil, £444 for a full load. Grab hire.
- A few bulky items? Book an item collection and our crew loads them. Price it yourself.
Still not sure? Our skip vs wait and load vs man and van guide compares them side by side.
Which size should I book?
Most people book a 6-yard, the builder's favourite, good for a kitchen rip-out or a big garden job. A 4-yard suits a bathroom and an 8-yard a full renovation. If you're between sizes, go one size up: the step up is small next to the cost of a second skip. Our skip size guide has a size for each job.
Questions people ask
How long can I keep a skip?
10 days are included in the price. After that it's £60 a week. A skip on the road is also limited by its licence.
Can I book a skip for Monday over the weekend?
Monday skip deliveries must be booked before 12 noon on Friday (UK time). The coming Monday is unavailable after that and over the weekend.
Can I put soil and rubble in any size?
No. Soil, rubble, concrete and bricks can only go in 2 to 8-yard skips. 10 to 16-yard skips are for light bulky waste only. Got a lot of soil? A grab lorry may work out cheaper.
Is a cheaper skip a false economy?
It can be. Check the hire length, VAT, the permit and the weight rules, and make sure the company is a registered waste carrier. Ours is CB/DU308513 with the Environment Agency.