Skip Hire Business
Discussion
Is anyone in the skip hire business ?
As the old saying goes there's money in muck ! I often find myself day dreaming in the clouds, I work shift work so have alot of time off/free time, and am constantly thinking my free time could be well used to generate a little income.
How's succesful are the small 3.5t one man band skip hire companies, I've seen a few trucks for sale that come with 20 odd bins.
I have the time, the space and motivation to better use my free time.
It wouldn't be trying to start an empire to rival TJ Waste and the such.
Does anyhave any inside info on what it costs to tip a 4 yard bin of soil, hardcore or household ?
The going rate seems to be £175+vat for a household 4 yard bin round here for up to a week.
Obviously there's various insurances, licences etc.
More curiosity than anything
As the old saying goes there's money in muck ! I often find myself day dreaming in the clouds, I work shift work so have alot of time off/free time, and am constantly thinking my free time could be well used to generate a little income.
How's succesful are the small 3.5t one man band skip hire companies, I've seen a few trucks for sale that come with 20 odd bins.
I have the time, the space and motivation to better use my free time.
It wouldn't be trying to start an empire to rival TJ Waste and the such.
Does anyhave any inside info on what it costs to tip a 4 yard bin of soil, hardcore or household ?
The going rate seems to be £175+vat for a household 4 yard bin round here for up to a week.
Obviously there's various insurances, licences etc.
More curiosity than anything
I have seen a lot of our old scrappers just get an environmental waste permit and crack on with their street scavenging.
However I think skip business might not be that easy.
You need a truck / drivers
Have a yard to sort and manage your waste
Somewhere to store waste
You have to be organised, so someone rings for a skip and someone calling for theirs to be collected, managing this x20 for example if you have 20 bins.
Being able to manage customers who don't pay, or keep the skip for longer, as well as those who overfill.
Skips needs permits these days if on the road.
Dealing with people complaining that your skip is an eye sore on their street, people complaining its taking you too long to pick your skip up.
As well as the above you need time to sort your waste, landfill or recycle what you have on your yard...
Waste management needs man power or plant machinery.
Can probably be done as a family, you doing runs, Mrs on the phone / bookings and sibling / friend / labourer on the yard.
Ps I'm not in the skip or waste business, but all the above springs to mind!
However I think skip business might not be that easy.
You need a truck / drivers
Have a yard to sort and manage your waste
Somewhere to store waste
You have to be organised, so someone rings for a skip and someone calling for theirs to be collected, managing this x20 for example if you have 20 bins.
Being able to manage customers who don't pay, or keep the skip for longer, as well as those who overfill.
Skips needs permits these days if on the road.
Dealing with people complaining that your skip is an eye sore on their street, people complaining its taking you too long to pick your skip up.
As well as the above you need time to sort your waste, landfill or recycle what you have on your yard...
Waste management needs man power or plant machinery.
Can probably be done as a family, you doing runs, Mrs on the phone / bookings and sibling / friend / labourer on the yard.
Ps I'm not in the skip or waste business, but all the above springs to mind!
I've been having alittle look about, where I am there is the big players who have their own sorting yards and allow you to tip household and they sort it.
Various sites for tipping soil and rumble, I have space for storing a 3.5t and <20 bins at a guess, this would purely be storage and not for holding or sorting waste.
I'm trying to find out the price they charge for tipping a 4 yard bin to see what sort of mark up is, obviously soil or hardcore is considerably cheaper.
In term of manning, it would be a small affair with my father doing the deliveries as that would suit him perfectly, my wife works part time, although has been furloughed since march last year near enough it wouldn't need to be dramatically succesful to allow her to do it as a main job and match her wage in all honesty, and it could all be done from home with her.
I have blocks of 5 days off to so whatever is needed, from truck maint to bin repairs etc.
I just see a small gap in our area for a well presented, professionally run, smart family business on a small scale.
Various sites for tipping soil and rumble, I have space for storing a 3.5t and <20 bins at a guess, this would purely be storage and not for holding or sorting waste.
I'm trying to find out the price they charge for tipping a 4 yard bin to see what sort of mark up is, obviously soil or hardcore is considerably cheaper.
In term of manning, it would be a small affair with my father doing the deliveries as that would suit him perfectly, my wife works part time, although has been furloughed since march last year near enough it wouldn't need to be dramatically succesful to allow her to do it as a main job and match her wage in all honesty, and it could all be done from home with her.
I have blocks of 5 days off to so whatever is needed, from truck maint to bin repairs etc.
I just see a small gap in our area for a well presented, professionally run, smart family business on a small scale.
I have used this company a number of times in Bristol - their website works well and is remarkably easy to book from - they send emails with updates / text messages with updates. (https://www.batemanskips.co.uk/)
I had a skip arrive today, I had said I preferred am delivery and if before 8am to let me know - the driver phoned me yesterday to confirm a 7am delivery - they have all been very good at placing the skip intelligently to allow garage doors to open - out of the way on the drive etc.
they turn up when they say and collect when they say - that ease of use from start to finish is key to my returning to them - I have spoken a couple of times and whoever answers the phone is very helpful but as a punter I prefer not having to phone and take ages to book it I would rather book online and just have it all work...
I had a skip arrive today, I had said I preferred am delivery and if before 8am to let me know - the driver phoned me yesterday to confirm a 7am delivery - they have all been very good at placing the skip intelligently to allow garage doors to open - out of the way on the drive etc.
they turn up when they say and collect when they say - that ease of use from start to finish is key to my returning to them - I have spoken a couple of times and whoever answers the phone is very helpful but as a punter I prefer not having to phone and take ages to book it I would rather book online and just have it all work...
Muck and brass!
I worked with small waste management company in Sussex some years back. Two brothers. Started out as a one truck skip hire business. Grew and ended up with a handful of council waste and recycling collection contracts. Biffa acquired them for £40m. To quote one of the brothers, both were thick as s
t but they knew a lot about st!
The largest waste management company in the world (imaginatively titled Waste Management Inc) stated out as a skip hire business in Chicago – stepping into provide municipal waste collection when the FBi started cracking down on mob businesses in the 60s. They’re a listed company now worth $billions.
Tipping gate fees and landfill tax varies around the country. Last time I looked combined the average was around the £170 a tonne mark.
You can earn a decent living from it but you need to be smart on your operations. So, collecting a skip from a customer and heading straight off to the landfill will earn you very little. You tip it at the yard and load a large artic with rolling floor once you have enough to fill it.
You can earn more through separating and baling the waste into different streams and selling on through material traders. A tonne of HDPE (Hard plastic bottles) will currently fetch you around £350 a tonne. https://www.letsrecycle.com/prices/
If you want to go next level, build an AD plant, collect food and organic waste and sell the gas back into the grid!
There’s more demand for soil and rubble disposal and more competition for everything else.
As has been mentioned, it's very heavily regulated - and rightly so.
You’ll also be swilling around a lot of bottom-feeders. Members of the Celtic Caravan Club are frequent visitors to waste facilities along with all manner of metal collectors and the like. But navigate through this and there’s a decent living to be made.
I worked with small waste management company in Sussex some years back. Two brothers. Started out as a one truck skip hire business. Grew and ended up with a handful of council waste and recycling collection contracts. Biffa acquired them for £40m. To quote one of the brothers, both were thick as s
t but they knew a lot about st!The largest waste management company in the world (imaginatively titled Waste Management Inc) stated out as a skip hire business in Chicago – stepping into provide municipal waste collection when the FBi started cracking down on mob businesses in the 60s. They’re a listed company now worth $billions.
Tipping gate fees and landfill tax varies around the country. Last time I looked combined the average was around the £170 a tonne mark.
You can earn a decent living from it but you need to be smart on your operations. So, collecting a skip from a customer and heading straight off to the landfill will earn you very little. You tip it at the yard and load a large artic with rolling floor once you have enough to fill it.
You can earn more through separating and baling the waste into different streams and selling on through material traders. A tonne of HDPE (Hard plastic bottles) will currently fetch you around £350 a tonne. https://www.letsrecycle.com/prices/
If you want to go next level, build an AD plant, collect food and organic waste and sell the gas back into the grid!
There’s more demand for soil and rubble disposal and more competition for everything else.
As has been mentioned, it's very heavily regulated - and rightly so.
You’ll also be swilling around a lot of bottom-feeders. Members of the Celtic Caravan Club are frequent visitors to waste facilities along with all manner of metal collectors and the like. But navigate through this and there’s a decent living to be made.
Simpo Two said:
How many of the 'regs' are from Westminster and how many from Brussels I wonder?
EU Landfill Directive (amongst others) so Brussels (though UK wrote most of the legislation that was adopted by EU). Seems the government has committed to retain and regulate the same framework of directives.The issue you will have is unless you are in a niche market you wont make money with just 1 x 3.5t skip van.
You are not going to be able to do builders skips. Just little micro skips. If there is a niche market in your area then the waste transfer stations are going to try and price you out of the market (at the very least) to take the work themselves. You are also going to instantly attract the attention of the authorities. The EA etal and also the DVSA.
This is why there are very few people running that size skip vans any more - they are just better off going onto FIBCs and using a grab to collect.
Its such a regulated industry the one man band operations are fading into the history books.
My prediction is if you were to try this you would end up tipping your own skips in your own yard and trying to sift the waste yourself to keep costs under control at which point you will probably get shut down by the authorities.
You are not going to be able to do builders skips. Just little micro skips. If there is a niche market in your area then the waste transfer stations are going to try and price you out of the market (at the very least) to take the work themselves. You are also going to instantly attract the attention of the authorities. The EA etal and also the DVSA.
This is why there are very few people running that size skip vans any more - they are just better off going onto FIBCs and using a grab to collect.
Its such a regulated industry the one man band operations are fading into the history books.
My prediction is if you were to try this you would end up tipping your own skips in your own yard and trying to sift the waste yourself to keep costs under control at which point you will probably get shut down by the authorities.
I am in the waste/scrap business and there is a reason you see small trucks with skips for sale! They were probably all thinking the same as you. If i were you i wouldnt waste your time and money. There are so many pit falls that if you dont know what you are doing (and i mean no offence when i say this) but i sounds like you dont,you will probably last a couple of months. We see it all the time in the waste/scrap Industry. Stick to what you know best is my advise for what its worth,but good luck if you do go for it.
You won't move 4yd skips with a 3.5 tonne truck, you'd struggle with 7.5t.
You also can't sort the skips without a recycling licence.
You'd need somewhere to tip soil and hardcore cheaply (without landfill tax) to stand any chance of earning money.
The regulations make it very difficult for small operators these days.
You also can't sort the skips without a recycling licence.
You'd need somewhere to tip soil and hardcore cheaply (without landfill tax) to stand any chance of earning money.
The regulations make it very difficult for small operators these days.
TwistingMyMelon said:
Interesting thread, cheers for all the inputs
Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
There are a couple of ways #1 have a mill or so to invest into plant,Machinery, sorting yard ect ect,then you will Probably need at least 10 years of experience in said industry. #2 be born into the game and you have learnt from an early age. Simple really......Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
The waste/scrap Business looks so much like easy money to most people,but trust me it is not! I have seen so many so called clever people try it and failed. I know a guy that sold his scrap company to Barclays bank for circa £120 million and they lasted a few years and got out! What im trying to say is you cant go to collage and learn the trade. My wife knows a bit about engines but i wouldnt let her service my Mclaren!!!!!
Edited by PistonGuy66 on Wednesday 3rd February 20:43
PistonGuy66 said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
Interesting thread, cheers for all the inputs
Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
There are a couple of ways #1 have a mill or so to invest into plant,Machinery, sorting yard ect ect,then you will Probably need at least 10 years of experience in said industry. #2 be born into the game and you have learnt from an early age. Simple really......Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
The waste/scrap Business looks so much like easy money to most people,but trust me it is not! I have seen so many so called clever people try it and failed. I know a guy that sold his scrap company to Barclays bank for circa £120 million and they lasted a few years and got out! What im trying to say is you cant go to collage and learn the trade. My wife knows a bit about engines but i wouldnt let her service my Mclaren!!!!!
AyBee said:
PistonGuy66 said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
Interesting thread, cheers for all the inputs
Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
There are a couple of ways #1 have a mill or so to invest into plant,Machinery, sorting yard ect ect,then you will Probably need at least 10 years of experience in said industry. #2 be born into the game and you have learnt from an early age. Simple really......Is there any related/linked ways to get in the market from the OPs viewpoint? Specialist waste or future growth areas?
The waste/scrap Business looks so much like easy money to most people,but trust me it is not! I have seen so many so called clever people try it and failed. I know a guy that sold his scrap company to Barclays bank for circa £120 million and they lasted a few years and got out! What im trying to say is you cant go to collage and learn the trade. My wife knows a bit about engines but i wouldnt let her service my Mclaren!!!!!
I was actually born into the Business,but started at the bottom when i was 16 (im 54 now) in my own defence i have taken our company to a higher level,so im never bothered about the silver spoon bit. Im not trying to piss on the OPs Question,good luck to him,im just trying to point out that its very hard to earn any money in the waste/scrap industry if you dont know what you are doing. Lambs to the Slaughter springs to mind!! Lol
PistonGuy66 said:
Hahaha i do have a Mclaren but i only put that bit in as a bit tongue in cheek! Refrence to the muck and brass saying.
I was actually born into the Business,but started at the bottom when i was 16 (im 54 now) in my own defence i have taken our company to a higher level,so im never bothered about the silver spoon bit. Im not trying to piss on the OPs Question,good luck to him,im just trying to point out that its very hard to earn any money in the waste/scrap industry if you dont know what you are doing. Lambs to the Slaughter springs to mind!! Lol
I concur with the above, to do well in the waste biz you need to be smart and street wise, there are three or four large scrap companies that are owned by corporates and they continually make a hash of it I was actually born into the Business,but started at the bottom when i was 16 (im 54 now) in my own defence i have taken our company to a higher level,so im never bothered about the silver spoon bit. Im not trying to piss on the OPs Question,good luck to him,im just trying to point out that its very hard to earn any money in the waste/scrap industry if you dont know what you are doing. Lambs to the Slaughter springs to mind!! Lol
V8TVR said:
PistonGuy66 said:
Hahaha i do have a Mclaren but i only put that bit in as a bit tongue in cheek! Refrence to the muck and brass saying.
I was actually born into the Business,but started at the bottom when i was 16 (im 54 now) in my own defence i have taken our company to a higher level,so im never bothered about the silver spoon bit. Im not trying to piss on the OPs Question,good luck to him,im just trying to point out that its very hard to earn any money in the waste/scrap industry if you dont know what you are doing. Lambs to the Slaughter springs to mind!! Lol
I concur with the above, to do well in the waste biz you need to be smart and street wise, there are three or four large scrap companies that are owned by corporates and they continually make a hash of it I was actually born into the Business,but started at the bottom when i was 16 (im 54 now) in my own defence i have taken our company to a higher level,so im never bothered about the silver spoon bit. Im not trying to piss on the OPs Question,good luck to him,im just trying to point out that its very hard to earn any money in the waste/scrap industry if you dont know what you are doing. Lambs to the Slaughter springs to mind!! Lol
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