What is the Difference Between Skip Bins, Mini Skips, Mobile Trailer Skips, & A Hook Lift Bin?
- Skipman
- Nov 7, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 13
Before we start our comparison, it is important to make people aware that Eastern Skip Hire and the staff at Eastern Skip Hire operate a skip bin hire, mini skips hire & rubbish disposal services, where we offer skip bin rental, mini skips rental, and waste disposal services to people and commercial businesses!
For those who are new to the waste disposal industry, it can be quite overwhelming and perplexing at times. Despite the fact that these concepts may appear similar at first glance, there are instances where they do overlap, but in many ways, they possess unique characteristics of their own.
Indeed, all of them serve the purpose of accommodating unwanted items and debris.
They are designed to be portable and effortlessly moved between different settings such as homes, businesses, or industrial spaces.
Moreover, they share the common feature of being compatible with most driveways for convenient placement. However, it is worth noting that certain hooklift bins have the potential to cause damage to the surface of your driveway or front lawn if the rollers underneath at the rear of the bin are seized and don't turn properly or in some cases not at all, or the bin lands too hard on the surface.
A basic and brief comparison or description of each waste disposal vessel is outlined below:
Mini Skips: What Are They?
In a nutshell, mini skips are a small skip bin. They have the advantage of taking up less space due to having a small footprint. They are ideal for people and businesses only disposing of smaller volumes of waste.
Mini Skips Hire Sizes
There aren't many sizes of mini skips to select from, as the name "mini" implies small, and these mini skip sizes are typically:
2, 3, & 4 cubic meters in volume.
What are Mini Skips Used For?
Mini Skips have a smaller holding capacity compared to larger skip bins. Due to their smaller volume, they are cheaper to hire for all types of waste. Just because they are small, they are still capable of transporting full loads of soil, concrete, bricks, etc.
Other uses for mini skips are:
Decluttering small areas like kids' bedrooms, garden sheds, garages, etc.
Demolition of kitchens, laundries, bathrooms, small offices, pergolas, etc.
Small renovation and building site final clean-ups.
Factory and office decluttering
Garden maintenance, disposal of green waste, which is recycled into compost.
Tradies disposing of full loads of concrete, soil, bricks, pavers, roof tiles, etc.
Skip Bins: What Are They?
A skip bin is a large, open-topped container used for collecting and transporting waste and rubbish, typically hired for a short period during clean-ups, renovations, demolitions, or construction projects.
Skip Bins are widely used for domestic and commercial waste disposal needs. They are typically 1500mm wide, which enables them to fit into domestic driveways and car parking spaces.
Skip Bins Hire Sizes
A rough guide or rule of thumb for skip bin sizes, which are most commonly used for domestic needs, is 2 cubic meters to 8 cubic meters. These sizes are used by 90% of people who order skip bins for domestic uses.
While commercial and industrial skip bin hire sizes are much larger, these larger skip bins are commonly used for building sites, construction sites where space is tight, and larger hooklift bins are unable to fit due to the lack of room.
Commercial size skip bins range in sizes from 8m3 to 12m3.
However, the largest skip bins are around 16 cubic meters in size (which Sims bins roughly are). These Sims Metals skip bins are the largest and strongest of the general style of skip bins in Melbourne. Skip bin trucks have rear-mounted arms for lifting the bins onto and off the bed of the truck, so they need more overhead height for the arms' radius to pivot.
What are Skip Bins Used For?
Skip bins are ideal for larger jobs, including new houses, blocks of units, factories, and other building sites, as well as small construction sites.
Domestic uses are for vast amounts of household general waste, green waste from overgrown gardens, excavations of soil, concrete, pavers, etc.
Trailer Skips, What Are They?
Trailer Skips are essentially mini skips fitted to a tandem trailer, which is registered. This means that if you want it positioned on the road, no council permit is required, saving customers some money. They also have a hinged lid attached, which is usually lockable, keeping unwanted neighbours' waste out!
The main disadvantage of mobile skips is the access height of the skip bins. As you can see in the photo, the top edge of the skip is very high, and they are also not very long. This restricts what you can load into the skip, such as couches, long cabinets, and extension ladders, plus more. It also makes loading heavy items very awkward and dangerous. The item you're loading could easily fall back onto you and injure you.
If you are short in stature or your age has taken its toll, you would more than likely find it difficult to load one of these mobile skips.
You are also restricted by what you can load into them. They have a maximum general light waste limit, which is a reasonable and fair weight limit. However, you are not allowed any concrete, bricks, etc, within the load. This is because they are emptied by a front loader compactor truck. If the load within the trailer skip is too heavy, the front loader won't be able to lift the skip. In fairness, many waste disposal services use weight limits, as does Eastern Skip Hire in Kilsyth, and most other companies. It's just that with light general waste, we allow some bricks, concrete, etc., within the load.
Sizes of Mobile Trailer Skips
As far as I am aware, they are only available in 3 or 4 cubic meter sizes, and people are limited in their use of these skips due to the holding capacity being limited. The length and width of these skips are acceptable. The problem I can see is the shape. With the door opening being high, it would be a challenge for many people to load. The actual skip is not very long, and the width is fine. However, people are limited by the length of items that can be placed inside the skip.
What are Trailer Skips Used For?
Trailer skips are only suitable for very light items or light general waste materials. No building waste is allowed or permitted, due to the waste being heavy for the disposal requirements.
Predominantly, they are used for domestic customers' bits and pieces, maybe some shops or light industries may use them from time to time.
Hook Lift Bins: What Are They?
Hook Lift Bins are precisely what they state. They need a truck to be fitted with a special hook, which is used to lift the front of the bin up, while the truck slowly reverses under the bin, which is finally pulled onto the back of the truck. To place the bin down, it is in reverse order, but the bin rolls on fitted rear rollers.
The rear of the bins is fitted with a roller on each back corner. These rollers stop or limit the bins' damage to the surface it is sliding over. However, older bins occasionally have rear rollers that cease to turn, potentially damaging the surface the bin slides over due to the roller skidding on the surface.
Sizes of Hook Lift Bins?
There is a vast range of different-sized hook lift bins. The standard sizes are from 4 cubic meters up to 42 cubic meters. They may even go bigger!
They are not suitable for confined spaces, as they are approximately 2.4m wide. However, the sides of these smaller bins are lower.
What are Hook Lift Bins Used For?
Most commonly used for commercial purposes, these hooklift bins are often too large for domestic driveways, although they do fit into some. When being used for domestic properties, they are either placed wherever they will fit, or you need to pay for an on-road council permit.
They are widely used within the building and construction industry for commercial loads. They are also used for domestic purposes when people have a massive amount of waste to dispose of. Builders also use them for new builds of houses and blocks of units.
They are also the only bins used by demolition companies. Hooklift bins are made of heavy-gauge steel, and they also have heavy reinforced bases and lifting arms. Their purpose is for heavy loads. They often haul full loads of concrete, rubble, dirt, bricks, roof tiles, etc.
What's The Verdict
For the best results, you need to consider several factors first:
Type of Waste?
The Weight of the Waste?
Quantity of the Waste?
Placement of the Skip Bin?
Width of the Access Point? (driveway, lane, etc.)
Is there Enough Height for Trucks? (overhead wires, tree branches)
Is the Ground Solid Enough for a Truck?
Do You Need Help Loading Your Waste?
Do You Need an Access Door for Loading?
By considering these pointers, you will be able to eliminate certain aspects of the different styles of waste disposal vessels available.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to waste disposal. Each skip or bin has its drawbacks and advantages.
Eastern Skip Hire
0417 514 763
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