Big clear-outs and small makeovers all create one guaranteed by-product: waste. The question isn’t if you’ll need a disposal plan, but which option best suits what you’re doing and where you’re doing it. For many households and smaller trades across Essex and Suffolk, the choice will come down to: which is best, skip bag vs skip hire? At Morley Skips, we provide both, along with clear advice, so that you only pay for what you actually need.
This guide explains the differences between skip bag vs skip hire, the typical jobs each option suits, and the practical bits that often decide it for you.
Skip Bag Vs Skip Hire: What’s The Difference?
- Skip bags are compact, tough one-cubic-yard sacks (approx. 90 × 90 × 90 cm) that hold up to 1 tonne of waste. They’re ideal when space is tight, access is awkward, or you have a modest amount of rubbish to remove. We deliver the bag, you fill it, and we collect with a standard skip lorry.
- Skips are metal containers available in 2-14 yard sizes. They suit medium to larger projects, ongoing works, and heavier volumes. Standard hire is 14 days and we can also organise permits (for a small additional fee) when a skip needs to sit on a public road.
When To Choose A Skip Bag
Skip bags offer minimal fuss and are most suited to a small-medium tidy-up, or where access rules out a skip. As a rough example, one skip bag equates to the boot capacity of a standard-sized car; approximately one ‘tip trip’ per bag.
Perfect For:
- Garden refreshes, including trimmings, small branches, grass cuttings, and light landscaping waste
- Minor DIY such as leftover tiles, off-cuts, packaging, or light waste from a small task
- Homes without a driveway or clear road access for a skip to reside
Please note that Skip bags are currently only available in the CO5 and CM9 areas.
When To Choose Skip Hire
If your project will create a steady flow of waste or include heavier materials, a skip can help to streamline everything into one area.
Best For:
- Kitchen, bathroom or bedroom refits
- Removing old patios, paths and small walls
- Foundation removals that generate soil, rubble and hardcore
- Ongoing works where you would prefer to have a container on site for the full project. Please note that there are additional charges for extended hire time and exchanges.
Sizes And Tips:
- 2-4 yards: small refurbishments and strip-outs where space is tight (approx. 25-40 bin bags)
- 6-8 yards: the everyday favourite for medium-sized garden waste and room renovations (approx. 50-70 bin bags).
- 10-14 yards: bulkier materials and larger renovations, excavations or extensions (approx. 70-100+ bin bags)
- If the above sizes aren’t big enough for your intended use, perhaps a RORO Container might be more suitable. Find out more about these here.
- It’s handy to remember that if we need to place the skip on a public road, you will need to plan for this in advance of the project starting, due to permit requirements:
- We need 1 week to apply for a permit
- If we need to renew, we need 1 week’s notice
- The largest skip we can provide is a 6 yard skip
Skip Bag Vs Skip Hire: Some Examples
- Small garden refresh
Pruning, light landscaping and a few bags of old soil? A skip bag is convenient and space-saving.
- Bathroom renovation
If you have tiles, old fixtures, plasterboard and packaging from a standard bathroom swap, then typically a 4 or 6 yard skip would suit your needs.
- Footings for an extension
For heavy spoil and hardcore, we recommend booking a 6 or 8 yard skip (or using grab hire if you’ve heaped it in the garden and access is tight).
- Full room knock-through
For mixed masonry and lighter waste over a week or so, an 8 yard skip is a safe choice.
What Can’t Go In
For safety and legal reasons, some items can’t go into skip bags or skips and will incur additional charges for correct handling. If you need to dispose of any of the items listed below, please ring 01621 815 287 before loading. We’ll advise the right option for your needs, which will help you avoid any unexpected costs.
- Full details about what can and cannot be placed in skip bags can be viewed here.
- Prohibited items for skips include: fridges/freezers, sofas, paint pots, tires, mattresses, gas bottles and oil drums.
Skip Bag Vs Skip Hire: How To Decide
Every project is different, but by taking the below into consideration, it could help you when making a decision. If you’re still unsure, then feel free to give us a call with details of the project and what the access is like, and we will recommend the most practical, cost-effective option.
Volume
A skip bag is one cubic yard. If you’ll comfortably exceed that, then a 6 or 8 yard skip is usually more economical than multiple bags.
Waste Type
For heavy spoil (soil, rubble, broken concrete), keep to smaller skips (2-8 yards). For mostly light, bulky waste, a 10–14 yard skip is more efficient. If it’s genuinely modest, a bag is ideal.
Access
No driveway? Narrow lane? A skip bag could work, but if you have the equivalent of a skip-full, then grab hire might be more suitable (10-metre reach, up to 15 tonnes of weight).
Timescale
If you’ll produce waste steadily over a fortnight, then with a skip you can fill at your own pace. If it’s a single small burst, a bag is often all you’ll need.
Permits
If a 6 yard skip must go on the road, factor in permit cost and timing. A bag on private land may avoid that entirely, and a grab collection removes waste without leaving a container.
Recycling With Morley Skips
Whatever option you choose, your waste isn’t simply carted away and forgotten. We take it to our licensed waste transfer station, where it’s mechanically and manually sifted and sorted. Our aim is to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by recovering materials such as wood, metal, cardboard, plastics, plasterboard and hardcore (which we crush into useful aggregates such as 6F5). Choosing Morley Skips means choosing a responsible route for your project’s waste.
How To Book
- Skip bags: Simply order with our friendly team over the phone. We can deliver skip bags to CO5 and CM9 areas, and we normally deliver within 2 working days. You call us when it’s ready to collect. We recommend that we collect within 6 months to avoid the bags deteriorating, and please remember: our collection lorry will need at least 2.9m of access room, so please ensure that the bags are accessible.
- Skips: Call or book online for delivery within 48 hours in most areas. Standard hire is 14 days; exchanges are quick, and we can arrange permits where required.
- Please make sure that whether you choose a skip or a skip bag, neither is overfilled, as we will not be able to collect until items have been removed.
Ready To Book?
The Morley Skips team have experience with projects of all sizes, from both commercial and domestic customers. If you’re unsure about anything, from permits to prohibited items, give us a ring on 01621 815 287 and we’ll point you in the right direction.
