What to think about before putting a skip on your driveway

Ordering a skip hire service can be a fast and cost-effective way of removing bulky home, garden and commercial waste from your property.  This is especially true if you have a private driveway or space to put the skip for the duration you’ve got it, because it means you won’t have to worry about paying for any permits from the council.  But before you start clearing your drive for your skip, you need to think carefully about any issues you might run into when it comes to skip sizes, and potentially any damage that might be caused to your driveway.  For the most part, these things won’t be a problem.  Especially if you hire a professional, reliable skip hire service like LITTA.  Having said that, you need to have considered all the options to make sure you don’t end up with costly repair jobs.  So, here’s our quick guide of what to think about before putting a skip on your driveway.

Putting a skip on the tarmac.

Before putting a skip on soft tarmac you need to think about how the additional weight of the skip will affect the surface.  A heavy skip can cause indentations in the tarmac that remain in place after you’ve moved the skip.  Don’t just think about the starting weight of the skip, remember it will be significantly heavier once you’ve filled it.  A six-yard skip can easily weigh in excess of six tonnes when it’s full.  This can put extreme pressure on your tarmac.

Putting a skip on paving.

Because block paving is significantly stronger than tarmac, you won’t need to worry about indentations.  But paving stones can be susceptible to cracking if a heavy skip is placed down hard on the surface, especially if the edge of the skip comes down first.  Again, as you fill the skip and it gets heavier, the pressure on the paving stones will increase, and this could also lead to cracking in some circumstances.  Another thing to think about is the delivery van itself and how this could impact the structure of your driveway.  Skip delivery vans use stabilisers to prevent the vehicle from tipping over or shifting when moving the skip into position on your drive.  These stabilisers can put a huge amount of pressure on your driveway, and also carry the risk of cracking paving stones or denting tarmac.

How to protect your driveway when putting a skip on it.

As we’ve said, for the most part, these potential problems won’t actually cause you any issues.  But there are things you can do to reduce the risks further.  Placing a skip on top of wooden planks that raise it slightly and keep the bottom of the skip off your driveway’s surface can help prevent indentations and cracks.  Even placing some thick cardboard down for the skip to rest on can stop the bottom of the skip from contacting your driveway’s surface and stop any scratches or scuffs appearing when the skip is being moved.

How big is the driveway and how easy is the access?

This might sound obvious but consider the size of your driveway when it comes to a skip and how putting a skip there would impact you.  Will the skip block you from driving cars on and off the driveway for instance, and make sure you’ll have alternative parking until the skip has moved.  You should also consider if the skip will intrude on to the public path at all.  If it will, you might still have to get a permit, so make sure you’ve measured your driveway and are sure a skip will fit on it before ordering one without a permit.

How to stop other people from using your skip.

Annoyingly you might find other people seeing your skip as an easy way to dispose of their own rubbish.  This can be a big problem if they decide to put something in your skip that shouldn’t be in there.  There are a few things you can try to stop people from using your skip.  One is to cover it at night - this is when most people will try and sneak a few items in your skip.  Another is to fill it quickly. Surprisingly people are less likely to try and get things into a skip that’s already full.  And if it’s your neighbours you’re worried about, just talk to them. Let them know you’ve hired the skip for a project but also offer for them to use the skip themselves after you’ve removed all your own items, as long as there’s space left.

Always use a professional skip hire.

The easiest way to avoid any problems when using a skip hire service is to ensure you use a professional and reliable service in the first place.  At LITTA we can deliver a range of skips to you quickly - as early as the next working day - and at an affordable cost.  When we arrive on-site, we can help you figure out the best place to put a skip on your driveway to avoid any damages.  If you need a reliable skip hire service, get in touch.  ‍