What size skip bin do i need

Best Way to Get Right Skip Bins

Picking a skip should be easy. The pile grows, you guess a size, and the truck turns up. In real life the guess is where costs creep in. Too small and you pay for a second visit. Too big and you pay for empty air. Use this guide to choose a bin that fits your job, your driveway, and the way Brisbane crews actually sort waste after pickup.

Start with a quick map of your waste

Stand by the pile and write three short lines. What is the job. What is heavy. What is puffy. A bathroom rip out is tiles, cement sheet, taps, and packaging. A garden clean up is branches, palm fronds, turf, and soil. A shed clear out is timber offcuts, furniture, and boxes. Those three lines tell you more about bin size than a guess based on a quick look.

Convert your pile to volume you can picture

Most people can imagine a ute load better than a cubic metre. Two ute loads equal about two cubic metres. A very small bathroom rarely fits into less than three cubic metres once tiles and old sheets are off the wall. A simple kitchen can fill five to six cubic metres. If the pile is airy with branches or polystyrene, size up. One correct bin with one truck visit costs less than two small bins and two trips.

Match the job to common sizes

For a bathroom with full height tiles, think three to four cubic metres.
For a small kitchen with cabinets and benchtop sections, think five to six cubic metres.
For a bedroom carpet pull and wardrobe demo, think three to four cubic metres.
For a shed clean out in a suburban home, think four to six cubic metres.
For a big garden trim with palms or an old hedge, think five to six cubic metres.

If that still feels uncertain, stack your waste in neat ground piles first. You will see the volume more clearly and loading will be faster when the bin lands.

Choose the stream that suits the heavy fraction

Mixed waste is handy but not always best value. Clean streams recycle better and often have sharper pricing.

Masonry only is for concrete, bricks, roof tiles, and pavers.
Green waste is for branches, hedges, and lawn.
Soil only is for clean fill without turf or rubble.
Metal loads suit shelving and offcuts.

If your job is mostly rubble and only a little general rubbish, book a masonry skip bin and keep a small corner for the rest. That split often beats one mixed bin on cost and helps recovery at the transfer station.

Think about weight allowances before you book

Each bin size includes a weight limit. Tiles, concrete, and wet soil are heavy. Plasterboard and cardboard are light. Ask for the allowance per size and how extra tonnes are charged. If heavy material is the main part of your load, choose the matching stream so you stay inside the standard allowance.

Measure access like a pro

Brisbane has plenty of tight streets and steep drives. Check driveway width and the height of any carport. Look for low branches and wires. Move cars to the street on delivery day. If you live on a narrow street in Annerley or a steep section in Paddington, mention it when you book so the right truck is sent. Clean access prevents failed deliveries and return fees.

Pick the exact spot and protect it

Front yard or driveway is best since it avoids council permits. Place timber bearers or thick cardboard where the bin will sit. That simple buffer protects stamped concrete and pavers. Leave room to swing the door if your bin has one. Think about how you will move heavy items from the work area to the bin without tight turns.

Load to use every cubic metre you paid for

Open the door and build a flat base with bricks, concrete, and tiles. Stack cabinets tight rather than tossing them in at angles. Flatten boxes and slide sheets down the side. Keep long pieces straight. Close small gaps with lighter items at the end. A level top is the legal limit, so every pocket you close gives you more space without crossing the line.

Keep trouble out of the bin

Gas bottles, paint tins with liquid, oils, batteries, tyres, and mattresses need special handling. One problem item can add a sharp extra or lead to a refusal at the gate. Keep a small corner in the garage for these items and ask about council drop off days. If you uncover fibro or suspect asbestos, stop and arrange testing. A short pause now is cheaper than a clean up later.

Time your hire to avoid extras

Most hires include a standard period. Book delivery for the morning you will start, not the day before. Stage your waste in ground piles so you can load quickly. If the bin sits for two quiet days it often attracts extra time. A quick load on day one keeps the invoice close to the original quote.

Two short examples from real jobs

A couple in Indooroopilly removed tiles from a small bathroom and a laundry splashback. They booked a three cubic metre masonry bin, stacked tiles first, then used the last half metre for the old vanity and small offcuts in a separate bag. One truck visit and the job was done.

A family in Chermside trimmed a tired hedge and pulled two small garden beds. They booked a five cubic metre green waste bin, cut branches to shoulder length, and kept roots clean of soil. The bin filled to the rim and stayed within the standard weight allowance because the load was pure green.

A calm checklist before you call

Write your three line mix.
Convert to ute loads, then to cubic metres.
Choose the stream that matches the heavy fraction.
Check access and mark the exact spot for the bin.
Plan the order you will load from heavy to light.
Ask for an all in quote that includes delivery, pickup, standard hire period, and the weight allowance.

The simple way to get size right

Choose by the job, not by a guess. Think about the heavy items first, then the airy ones. Measure access, protect the driveway, and load in a tidy order. Do that and you will avoid surprise costs, help local recyclers, and finish the job with one calm visit from the truck. If you want a second opinion before you book, give Brissy Bins a quick call and read your three lines aloud. A clear answer now will save time and money later.