A traditional builder's skip can be a great boon when it comes to efficiently disposing of large quantities of waste, such as after a home renovation of building project. However, for many small projects, a standard sized skip can be overkill, taking up space you don't have and money you don't need to spend.
As such, skip hire companies offer a range of compact skip bins, which are eminently suitable for projects where space is limited and the amount of waste material that needs to be disposed of is relatively small. Hiring a small skip can also help you sidestep the costs of permits for keeping large skips by the roadside. However, there are several types of compact skip bin, so it's important to hire the type that suits your needs the best.
Small conventional skip bins
Essentially shrunken cousins of the standard builder's skip, these small units are inexpensive to hire and are offered by the vast majority of bin hire companies. With box steel construction identical to that of larger skips, they are robust enough to carry practically any kind of waste material. However, while the bins themselves are small, they can only be placed in areas large enough to allow the trucks delivering them access, making them poor choices for use in very cramped spaces (particularly those with low clearances)
Mobile skip bins
These skips are fitted with two or more wheeled axles and a towing hitch, and can be moved by any vehicle with enough engine power and a suitable tow ball -- when empty, they can also be pushed by hand with relative ease. As such, mobile skips are an ideal choice for placement in very limited spaces and are particularly useful for working in enclosed areas with no road access, such as courtyards and enclosed gardens. Just make sure that you can get a mobile skip out of the space you put it in; a fully loaded mobile skip can be difficult or impossible to shift manually, and a suitable towing vehicle will generally require access to remove them.
Mobile skip bins are generally fitted with lids to prevent their loads from shedding during towing and transit. These lids are robust and usually lockable and can be very useful when it comes to protecting valuable waste, such as scrap metal, from thieves. Take care not to damage these lids during your work however, as you may lose your deposit or be forced to pay extra for damages.
Skip bags
A flexible alternative to conventional rigid skips, skip bags are by far the most portable variety of compact skip, and are particularly useful indoors. They are made from tough, polymer-coated materials designed with enormous tensile strength, and can take remarkably heavy loads without tearing. They are also fitted with robust carrying handles, so they can be easily moved when empty or part loaded.
However, full skip bags can be enormously heavy, and if the skip hire company cannot reach a full bag with their loading truck you may be forced to use small-scale lifting equipment, such as chain winches, to move them. In addition, they do not handle sharp, jagged waste as well as solid sided skids, and materials such as broken glass or shattered concrete can potentially cause a nasty (and expensive) tear without due care and attention.
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