How much comes out
Measure the area, measure the depth, and multiply. To see the depth, lift a slab or dig a small hole at the edge: what has to come out is every layer down to the level you are digging to, not just the surface.
| Area dug out | 10 cm deep | 15 cm deep | 20 cm deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m² | 1.3 cubic yards | 2.0 cubic yards | 2.6 cubic yards |
| 20 m² | 2.6 cubic yards | 3.9 cubic yards | 5.2 cubic yards |
| 30 m² | 3.9 cubic yards | 5.9 cubic yards | 7.9 cubic yards |
| 40 m² | 5.2 cubic yards | 7.9 cubic yards | 10.5 cubic yards |
| 50 m² | 6.6 cubic yards | 9.8 cubic yards | 13.1 cubic yards |
These are volumes in the ground: the area in square metres, times the depth in metres, times 1.31 to turn cubic metres into cubic yards. Broken-out concrete and dug soil take up more room loose than they did in the ground, so allow for more than the table shows.
Which skips take soil and rubble
A skip is sized by volume, but the lorry lifts it by weight, and soil, concrete and rubble are heavy. That is why soil / subsoil and hardcore / rubble go in skips of 8 yards or less.
| Skip | Holds | Guide price (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Yard Skip | 4 cubic yards | from £366 |
| 6 Yard Skip | 6 cubic yards | from £438 |
| 8 Yard Skip | 8 cubic yards | from £450 |
Guide prices are for a private-property (driveway) delivery with general mixed waste at a London postcode; the price for soil or rubble is shown when you choose that waste type. Get the price for your postcode.
A skip cannot be loaded above its sides. A skip heaped above the rim cannot be carried on the road, and under the terms a wasted journey costs £60 plus the return visit at cost.
Book the waste type that matches the load
| What comes up | How to book it |
|---|---|
| Paving slabs, block paving, concrete, bricks and hardcore | Book it as Hardcore / Rubble, in a skip of 8 yards or less. |
| Soil, clay and subsoil | Book it as Soil / Subsoil, in a skip of 8 yards or less. |
| Tarmac | Ask before you book, and say that it is tarmac, so that it is booked as the right waste type. |
| Turf | Turf is mostly soil and weighs like it. If the load is mainly turf, ask before you book which waste type to choose. |
| Railway sleepers used as edging | Never, if they are treated with creosote: that makes them hazardous waste. |
If soil and rubble are going in the same skip, choose the type that describes most of the load and say what else is in it when you book. Keep general rubbish — membrane, timber, packaging — out of a load booked as soil or rubble: a skip that does not match its description is re-weighed and re-charged.
A skip or a grab lorry
| A skip | A grab lorry | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | It stands on site and you fill it as you dig | You pile the spoil in a heap; the lorry loads it with its arm and leaves |
| How much | Up to 8 cubic yards of soil or rubble in each skip | An 8-wheel grab carries about 16–18 tonnes, about 20 cubic yards |
| What it needs | Somewhere to stand for the whole job | The heap within about 6 m of the lorry, about 10 m of road at the kerb, and nothing overhead: no lifting under or near power lines |
| Suits | A dig done over several days, or a small one | A large heap, ready to go |
A grab lorry's load and reach are typical figures for the class of vehicle, not a specification. We price it when you tell us the postcode and what the heap is: enquire about grab hire. Grab hire or skip hire.
Where the skip stands while you dig
If the drive is what you are digging up, the skip has to stand somewhere else: on a part you are not digging, or on the road. A skip lorry needs about 12 m in a straight line, 3 m wide, with 4.5 m clear overhead — typical figures for UK vehicles.
On your own drive or land there is nothing to arrange. If the skip has to stand on a public road it needs a council permit, which is arranged for you and shown as its own line in the price before you pay; each council sets its own fee and notice period. The fee for every council, and the options if you have no drive.
A skip full of rubble is very heavy. Under the terms, ground off the public highway is at your risk — neither we nor the carrier is liable for damage to it unless it was caused by the carrier's negligence — so say before the day if the ground is soft, sloping or newly laid.
Where these figures come from
The skip sizes and prices are our own, read from our catalogue and updated about hourly, and the sizes soil and rubble may go in are the ones the booking enforces. The volumes in the first table are arithmetic, not a survey: measure your own job. A grab lorry's load and reach, and the room a skip lorry needs, are typical figures for UK vehicles.