Fast Skips

Nationwide skip hire coordinated from Sheffield

Fast Skips is a skip hire and waste removal business headquartered at Clement Works, Clement Street, in Sheffield. The company describes itself as an established operator with more than four decades of experience in the waste service industry, and it serves both domestic and commercial customers. Its model is not limited to its own vehicles: nationwide coverage is delivered through a network of local suppliers that the company says it selects for customer service and for meeting its sustainability standards.

Bookings are handled online. Customers enter a postcode on the website to obtain an instant price for the skip sizes available in their area and then pay securely through the site. The company states that next-day delivery is often possible for most postcodes, subject to availability, and advises ordering in advance during busy summer periods. If a requested date cannot be met, it commits to making contact within 24 hours of the order being placed.

Skip sizes and what each one suits

The catalogue lists several sizes, each with an approximate capacity in black bin bags, suggested uses and dimensions. Prices shown at the time of writing started from the figures below and vary by postcode, size and permit requirements.

• Midi Skip 4yd: around 40 bin bags, described as suitable for DIY home improvements and garden projects, with approximate dimensions of 6.6 ft long, 5.6 ft wide and 4 ft high. Starting from £165.00.
• Builders Skip 8yd: around 60 bin bags, presented as the most popular size and the largest that can be placed on a public road, suited to building extensions and house clearances. Approximate dimensions of 10.6 ft long, 4 ft wide and 5.6 ft high. Starting from £248.00.
• Maxi Skip 12yd: around 80 bin bags, for light waste only and placement on private land only, aimed at contractors and large bulky items or construction waste. Approximate dimensions of 12.6 ft long, 5.6 ft wide and 5.6 ft high. Starting from £340.00.
• Maxi Skip 14yd: around 90 bin bags, light waste only and private land only, for large bulky items and construction waste. Approximate dimensions of 13.5 ft long, 5.6 ft wide and 5.11 ft high. Starting from £375.00.
• Maxi Skip 16yd: around 100 bin bags, light waste only and private land only, suggested for shop fittings and renovations. Approximate dimensions of 13.5 ft long, 5.6 ft wide and 6.5 ft high. Starting from £449.00.

Elsewhere on the site the company also refers to 6 yard skips among the sizes available to book, and notes that prices start from as little as £162.00. Soil is accepted only in the 4, 6 and 8 yard skips; wood and plastics are among the common materials accepted, while some items must be declared in advance so that the appropriate disposal method can be advised.

Permits for skips placed on public roads

Skips can be placed on a driveway, private land or a garden. Where no private land is available, the 4, 6 and 8 yard skips are the sizes that can go on a road. A roadside placement requires a permit from the local council, and Fast Skips arranges it on the customer's behalf after booking. The permit charge is set by each council and is added to the total before the online booking is completed; the company states that it passes on only the amount paid to the council, without additional costs. It also notes that a skip cannot block a public footpath and must not contravene local road or traffic rules, such as double yellow lines.

Hire period and extension

The standard hire period is seven days. Customers who need the skip for longer can request an extension before the allocated collection date.

Waste processing and environmental credentials

At its Sheffield facility, the company reports recycling over 98% of all skip waste brought to the site. It states that it keeps landfill to a minimum and avoids incineration, and that suppliers in its network must meet the same sustainability standards. Fast Skips also reports being registered with the Environment Agency for both Waste Recycling and Scrap Metal Recycling.

Coverage and customer base

The service is presented as available across the whole of the UK, for homeowners, builders and business owners. The site lists Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Croydon, Derby, Doncaster, Dudley, Durham, Glasgow, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Oldham, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Southampton, Stockport, Sunderland, Wakefield, Wigan, Wolverhampton and Worcester as examples of delivery locations, while noting that price and availability depend on the customer's location. Alongside skip hire, the company mentions man and van collections and commercial waste collections.