Portland-Stone-Skip-Hire

What waste cannot go in the skip?

The following cannot be put into a skip: Mattresses (no more than 1x mattress is permitted), upholstered furniture (including sofas, sofa beds, and bean bags), plasterboard, asbestos, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, aerosols, cylinders of any type, tyres, oil, oil drums, paint tins, fridges, freezers, televisions, monitors, fluorescent lights, batteries, and any poisonous, hazardous, combustible, or polluting substances or containers that have contained said substances.

Why can’t plasterboard go in with my other waste?

Plasterboard contains a product called ‘gypsum’, which makes it breakdown when it gets wet, which is unavoidable when you’re dealing with waste. As it begins to decompose, sulphates are released and mix with the air, creating the toxic chemical Hydrogen Sulphide. All of the segregated plasterboard we receive is taken to a specialised recycling mill where it is turned back into more plasterboard!

Why is upholstered furniture restricted?

All upholstered furniture, such as sofas, arm chairs, and bean bags, contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that act as flame retardants in case of a fire in your home. Because of government regulations relating to these chemicals, unwanted furniture has to be disposed of in a specific way, which creates additional costs for Waste companies. We are still happy to take the furniture for you, but we will have to charge a small fee per item to do so.

I have some Plasterboard to dispose of. How can I do this?

We can provide skips or a Bag ‘n’ All to dispose of any of your plasterboard waste. What you must not do, though, is mix plasterboard with any other waste type.

I am unsure if the waste I have is asbestos. How can I find out?

If you are ever unsure, the safest thing to do is get it tested first before putting it in your skip. We can do this for you at a small cost. All we need is a small sample which we can collect from your site. If you think your material needs testing, call our office at 01305 860044 and we can help.

Will you take an overloaded skip?

In an ideal world, your waste will fit perfectly inside the skip you have ordered, but we understand that this isn’t always possible. The driver will assess the skip to see if they feel it is safe to carry. If they pick it up and the overload is deemed to still be excessive, then an additional charge may be applied.

What is the maximum period I can have a skip for?

The standard hire period is 21 days and we ask that customers try their best to stay within that period. If you have finished with the skip before then, just give us a call and we will come and collect it for you. If there have been some issues that means the skip cannot be collected or replaced within that time, just give us a call at 01305 860044 and we will help. We will never pick up your skip without speaking to you first.

Do I need a road permit or licence?

If your skip is not going on your own private land, like your driveway or garden, then the answer will almost certainly be yes. If the land is maintained by the council, like a road or embankment, then a permit will be needed. We can organise this for you at a cost, but there is a delay on gaining permission. The more time you can give us to apply for it, the more likely it will be approved in time for your desired delivery date.

What happens if I put not-permitted materials in the skip?

Whether it was intentional or not, any non-permitted items found in your skip are your responsibility and you are liable for their safe disposal. If items are found that don’t comply, we will contact you and either ask for an additional payment, request that you come and collect the item/s, or attempt to re-deliver them to your address, although none of the above will happen without speaking to you first.

How much is it to order a skip online?

The prices of our skips are based completely on the size of the skip, where we are delivering it to, and what you will be filling it with. The length of time you have the skip will not affect the cost. For a full list of prices, just enter your postcode on our online skip ordering page

How much notice do I need to give before delivery, collection, or exchange of a skip?

We offer a same-or-next-day service within a reasonable time of day. The best thing to do, especially if you have special requirements or a specific time of day in mind, is to give us as much notice as possible so that we can guarantee we will meet your request.

Can the skip go over a wall or hedge?

It all depends on how high, although we may struggle to lift it over anything higher than 4ft, and hedges are at particular risk of damage. If your happy for us to do that, just let us know beforehand so we are fully prepared for you.

What size skip do you think I need?

This is the tough one, and it is almost impossible to answer. If you visit our skip sizes page, you should hopefully get a rough idea of how big or small our skips are and decide for yourself based on how much waste you have.

How do I book and pay for a skip or grab lorry?

You can either order through our website or call our team at 01305 860044 if you would like a delivery or exchange of a skip or to order a grab lorry. We would need to take a card payment before delivery, and we no longer accept cash on delivery. If it’s just a collection you’re after, you can call us at 01305 860044, email us at sales@portlandskips.co.uk, message us on Facebook at Portland Skips, or use our new WhatsApp service on 07983 313619.

How much reach does the grab lorry have?

Our grab lorries have a reach of about 3 metres, or somewhere between 15 and 20 feet. They can only pick up the material from the side of the lorry and cannot grab over the cab or the rear of the lorry.

How does the grab lorry work?

If you have the material in a heap ready (ideally on top of some plywood to prevent any damages to the ground underneath), our driver will pull up alongside the pile and load themselves with their vehicle’s specialised lifting equipment. The whole process normally takes less than 30 minutes.

If I order stone, sand or soil from you, will it come in bags?

No. All of our aggregate materials are delivered loose and tipped straight out. The type of vehicle sent will depend on access requirements and the quantity ordered. We can deliver with one of our grab lorries and place the aggregate in a specific place for you, but this does cost a little extra.

Where shall I leave my Bag ‘n’ All for you to pick up?

We would ask that the bag is left no further than 3 metres from the roadside so we can collect it easily for you. We can pick it up over a wall or fence that is adjacent to the roadside, but we would need to be informed of this before we arrive.

What do I do with my hazardous materials?

Certain materials, such as asbestos, oil, printing inks, solvents, chemicals, clinical waste, electrical or electronic equipment (WEEE) have been classified as hazardous waste, requiring specialised removal and disposal routes. The list of hazardous waste materials is constantly being revised with the introduction of new legislation. Examples of waste products that need specialist removal are:


  • Asbestos


  • Batteries


  • Car engines or tyres


  • Creosote or the cans or containers that have contained any of these products


  • Fluorescent tubes


  • Fridges or Freezers


  • Gas Bottles


  • Liquid waste of any nature


  • Oil, Petrol, Diesel, Grease or Lead-based Paints; or the cans or containers that have contained any of these products


  • Solvents or the cans or containers that have contained any of these products


  • Televisions, computer screens


If you have any of the items or materials that we do not accept but would still need it to be collected and disposed of, call our office at 01305 860044 and we will see if we can help. Even if we cannot take care of it for you, we may be able to point you in the right direction.

We will be more than happy to arrange for special collection and disposal of any of the above. Please contact us for the latest up to date information about hazardous waste.