FAQs

It’s important for you to get the right size skip. Order something too big and you’ve paid for extra space you don’t need. Underestimate the size and you might have the extra expense of ordering another skip.

Here’s a list of all the different skip sizes we cater for. They measure in cubic yards, which relates to the volume of waste they hold.

2 cubic yard - Mini Skip 

The mini skip equates to a 2 cubic yards or 1.5 cubic metres. This about the equivalent of six household wheelie bins and is ideal for small amounts of light domestic waste such as household or garden rubbish.

4 cubic yard skip – Midi Skip

A medium sized skip that is often referred to as the ‘midi skip’. This is 4 cubic yards or 3 cubic metres – double the size of the mini skip, and the equivalent of approximately 12 wheelie bins. They are commonly used for bulky, heavy items such as construction waste and rubble.

6 cubic yard skip – Builder Skip

Commonly referred to as a ‘builders skip’, the 6 cubic yard skip is the most popular size and great for those small-scale construction jobs. It holds 6 cubic yards or 4.6 cubic metres, which is the equivalent to 19 wheelie bins.

8 cubic yard skip – Mega Skip

Holding 8 cubic yards / 6.1 cubic metres, or about 25 wheelie bins full, the Mega Skip is perfect for small building sites, house clearances and large domestic jobs such as kitchen and bathroom renovations.

You should avoid filling this size skip with 100% soils, rubble and hardcore.

12 cubic yard skip – The Mammoth!

This is our largest skip size and is for light bulky waste types only, although you can put a minimal amount of soil and rubble in as well. These are the ideal size for major house or renovation projects as they hold 12 cubic yards / 9.2 cubic metres or the equivalent of 36 wheelie bins.

Still unsure? Give one of our knowledgeable team a call and we’ll be happy to advise.

L&S have made it easy to order your skip. The easiest and quickest way to do this is online. In a few simple steps you can choose the type and size of skip you need, get an instant price, select the delivery and collection dates and pay through our secure website.

We will always give you our best price by booking online.

To book online click here.

Alternatively, if you would like to speak to a person and book over the phone, you are welcome to call our service desk on 01329 840000.

If you are an L&S account customer you can also book your skip, arrange collections, and exchanges via our App, which can be download via the App Store or on Google Play

When booking your skip online you will be asked for your preferred delivery and collection time. Your skip will be collected at this agreed date unless you have agreed an alternative date and time with us.

You do not need to be home when your skip is delivered and collected. If you have specific instructions on where you would like your skip to be placed, then you can specify this during the online booking process or, if booking over the phone, with one of our team.

Skip hire should be a straightforward way of getting rid of unwanted items in bulk. Skips can carry a diverse selection of waste, from old household furniture to garden waste and more, but sometimes it’s easy to get hung up on the specifics of what can and can’t be put into a skip.

When booking your skip with L&S you can choose between different types of waste – General mixed waste, plasterboard only, wood (clean and untreated), hardcore/rubble or stone and soil.

The reason we do this is because if you are only looking to dispose one particular type of waste then we can offer reduced rates. What many people don’t realise or appreciate is that the process for recycling waste is a labour intensive and expensive operation. This becomes easier if skips contain a single waste stream.

So, back the question of what is acceptable to put in your skip. If you have selected a particular waste stream, then please do make sure that your skip only contains this type of waste or we will have to charge you the difference for a skip containing general mixed waste.

In terms of a general mixed waste skip here’s a few categorised list of the most common items you’re allowed to dispose of in a skip.

Building and renovation waste

• Bricks
• Metal
• Wood
• Solidified paint
• Building rubble

Furniture

• Wardrobes
• Desks
• Tables
• Chairs
• Sofas
• Plastic garden furniture
• Any pieces of wooden furniture

Garden waste

• Soil
• Grass clippings
• Leaves
• Hedge trimmings
• Flower cuttings

Miscellaneous

• Non-electrical fittings
• Gas cookers
• Plastics
• Scrap metal
• Bricks

If you’re still unsure give one of our friendly team a call and we’ll be happy to advise. Alternatively you can read more on this subject in our handy Tips for Skips guide.

We understand that when people hire a skip it’s often the case that you might be eager to quickly clear away as much as possible. But while a skip is a great option for a wide selection of waste, there are somethings that you simply can’t put into a skip.

Here’s a quick list of the most common things we see in our skips that really shouldn’t be there – so please do not throw any of the following items into your skip.

Electrical equipment

• Fridges
• Toasters
• Microwaves
• Electric cookers and fans
• Televisions
• Telephones
• Computer screens and towers
• Fax machines
• Printers and scanners

Liquids or hazardous waste

• Hydraulic oil
• Engine oil – petrol or diesel
• Cooking oil
• Medical waste

Solvents and chemicals

• Paints – or paint tins which still have paint left in them
• Glue
• Bleach
• Detergent
• Processing fluids
• White spirits
• Herbicides

Miscellaneous

• Batteries (household or vehicle)
• Tyres
• Plasterboard
• Gas cylinders
• Asbestos

If you’re still unsure give one of our friendly team a call and we’ll be happy to advise. Alternatively you can read more on this subject in our handy Tips for Skips guide.

Skip hire is a service that provides customers with large containers (skips / ROROs) for the disposal of waste. Skips are delivered to a specified location, filled with waste by the customer, and then collected for proper disposal or recycling.

You can book a skip by visiting our website, calling our customer service team, or sending us an email. We'll guide you through the process and help you choose the right skip for your needs.

Well, that really depends on the size of the skip you need, whether you need a permit and what type of waste you are disposing of (i.e. whether you are disposing of a single type of waste such as wood, rubble or soil).

If you are disposing of a single waste type, L&S offer reduced rates for skip hire as the costs involved in separating the waste at the recycling stage is less.

All our prices are clearly displayed on our website based on your requirements.

To get a quote for your skip visit our online ordering page.

Unless you have agreed alternative arrangements with us, our maximum hire period is typically 14 days for skips placed onto private property and not requiring a council highway permit. This is reduced to 7 days for those that do require a council permit as this is the length of time the permit lasts for.

NB: Any skip being placed on the highway on a Monday will be collected by the Saturday of the same week.

L&S has a flexible skip hire period, where you can decide if you need your skip collected earlier. You can select both your preferred delivery and collection date during the online booking process.

Plasterboard was banned from being land-filled with other wastes from 1st April 2009.The principal reason for this is that when land-filled with other mixed waste residues and putrefaction commences Hydrogen Sulphide is produced. As such we need to ensure that this waste stream is strictly separated from other waste types, so that we can process it accordingly.

One of the most popular questions we get asked surrounds the disposal of plasterboard. In simple terms you can place small amounts of plasterboard in your skip, we just need you to place it of the top of the load so that we can remove it before the skip gets tipped.

If you have large amounts of plasterboard you will need to order a skip that sole use. This can be done via the online ordering process, or if you would prefer to order your skip over the phone then please mention to one of our advisers that you need to dispose of plasterboard.

Your waste carrier must be registered in order to prevent fly-tipping – a huge and all too common problem here in the UK, that costs the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds every year. If an unauthorised contractor removes your waste, it could be disposed of illegally. If this happens and the waste is traced back to you or your property, you’re likely to be fined £5,000 and potentially prosecuted. Before allowing a contractor to remove and dispose of your waste, you should ask to see their Waste Carriers Licence. Legitimate, authorised waste carriers will be registered, therefore, they’ll have a certificate (valid for three years) to prove it. Of course L&S Waste is fully registered, however, if you decide to use another carrier then you should check if a company holds a Waste Carriers Licence, by visiting the Environment Agency website. For further tips and advice on hiring a registered waste carrier read our handy blog

A: DO NOT PLACE ASBESTOS INTO A SKIP HIRED FOR NORMAL CONSTRUCTION / INDUSTRIAL / COMMERCIAL WASTE.

Any customer found to be concealing or attempting to dispose of asbestos wastes within a skip hired for the disposal of normal construction, industrial or commercial waste will be reported to the Environment Agency. If we collect a skip and find asbestos secreted within then this will be reported to the Environment Agency.

In addition, skips will remain either on customers site or in quarantine pending investigation by the EA, material analysis undertaken and fresh prices agreed, or legal action taken to recover costs.

As part of your skip hire agreement with L&S Waste you will be asked to acknowledge and agree to these terms prior to booking a skip.

If you are unsure about Asbestos, what it is and its correct disposal route contact us directly to discuss our hazardous waste collection services.

It does help if you separate your waste, and where applicable order a skip for individual waste streams (i.e. wood only, soil only, rubble only, etc). However if you order a general mixed waste skip you do not need to separate your waste as this is done at our recycling facility.

If you only have one type of waste stream to dispose of then you can select this option during the online booking process.

The main difference between a skip and a Big Yellow Bag is that you can fill a bag in your own time.

You can book a Big Yellow Bag online 24/7 and we’ll come and pick it up when you have filled it.

However, bags are limited to the amount of waste they can carry, so our Big Yellow Bags are not big enough to get rid of all your waste, then a traditional skip might be better for you. If you do need a skip it will usually need to be filled and collected within our 2 week hire period.

All waste is processed using our modern plant and equipment and recycled for further use.

Wood

Wood is sorted into different categories and chipped to supply the panel board industry. L&S also provide woodchip to various waste to energy plants where the recovered wood is used to generate electricity.

Rigid Plastic

Rigid plastics are an everyday item, for example plastic chairs, tables, children’s toys, and form just a small section of the various products and different categories of plastic in daily use. Where plastic waste occurs L&S recover and bale these products for granulating and remanufacture.

Plastic Film

At L&S we also separate plastic films which are mainly recovered from packaging. This material, consisting of both plain and mixed colours, is baled and transported to specialist plastic recyclers within the UK.

Steel

At L&S we utilise powerful electro-magnets to extract steel from the recovery process. Steel is then dispatched a specialist metal processing plant for shredding and cleaning before continuing its journey to the smelting works in the UK and abroad.

UPVC Windows

UPVC windows and doors contain recoverable plastics and metals. Some 30 years on from their initial installations many UPVC window products are being replaced by modern more efficient units. Once recovered these products are shredded to separate the metal and UPVC and are reprocessed into new product.

Cardboard & Paper

Card and paper products are separated manually and mechanically and are sent to specialist processing mills in the UK.

Glass

L&S Aggregates division provide a 100% recycled, crushed and processed glass grit. Used as an alternative to marine or land won material, glass grit is manufactured from recycled mixed coloured glass bottles.

Plasterboard

Legislation prohibits the landfill of gypsum based products with other mixed active wastes as the decomposition process causes the release of hydrogen sulphide gas. L&S collect and separate plasterboard and once any non gypsum based material is removed the resultant material is sent for remanufacture into fresh plasterboard and into agricultural applications.

Concrete & Hardcore

Broken concrete, hardcore and masonry wastes continually arise. L&S collect, transport, screen and crush these materials using efficient, modern technology. The result is the production of top grade recycled aggregate.

Soils

At L&S the soil we collect is graded and screened to provide various different products. L&S soils can be used for a variety of applications from simple bunds to golf course construction and general landscape works.

Green Waste

All green waste is collectively separated for onward transport to specialist compost manufacturers, L&S in turn take back some of this composted material to blend with and to improve the nutrient qualities of our recycled soils.

RDF Refuse Derived Fuels

Once all processing has taken place waste residues remain that cannot be practically recovered into single commodities. These waste residues can be screened and shredded to produce a light ‘flock’ generally known as RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel).This material can then be delivered to various waste to energy plants assisting in the production of power generation.

We operate waste treatment and recycling facilities in Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton, licensed to accept a total of 275,000 tonnes each year. We welcome all Registered Carriers of waste and provide full disposal services.

All waste consignments arriving on site must be accompanied by the relevant waste transfer notes. We provide electronic signature capture at all locations so we can email a transaction report if you wish. Payment can be on account, in cash or by credit card.

We accept a wide variety of non hazardous construction and commercial wastes at each site. Asbestos disposal facilities are available at Fareham. 

Our online booking process includes a handy calculator to help you work out how much concrete you’ll need for your job.

A simple calculation multiplying the depth, width and length of the space you need to fill will give you the total amount required in cubic metres.

We supply a range of concrete types, including ready-mix, on-site mixed, and specialized mixes for various applications.

C20 - IDEAL FOR:

Foundations for large walls, garages, houses & extensions. Paving for patios. Reinforced bases & oversites for conservatories, garages, sheds.

C30 - IDEAL FOR:

Paving external kennels and reinforced hard standings. Reinforced bases for workshops and unreinforced bases for houses & extensions.

C40 - IDEAL FOR:

Foundations for septic tanks, paving HGV parks and agricultural yards.

FARM MIX - IDEAL FOR:

Farm Concrete is a strong mix design (C40 including fibres) specifically used for areas where Farm Livestock might be housed.

FLOOR SCREED - IDEAL FOR:

4-1 Traditional Dry Screed – used to bring the surface of concrete flooring to design height and to provide a surface suitable for installing specified flooring, including underfloor heating. Includes fibres that inhibit shrinkage, settlement cracking, increases strength and provides a superior quality. Made with a 0/4mm Sand and Cement with a 6-8 hour retarder.

FOAM CONCRETE - IDEAL FOR:

Foam Concrete is a flowable Concrete used for bulk fill and utility works. Foam Concrete provides a permanent first time reinstatement and can be used to fill trenches, redundant, fuel, effluent and water tanks. Flowable Foam Concrete is installed as an alternative to costly and complicated import and compaction of Aggregates.

GEN1 - IDEAL FOR:

Single Storey Foundations and Footings

GEN3 - IDEAL FOR:

Double Storey Foundation and Footings

Our concrete and concrete pumping prices are very competitive. You can get an instant price via our online booking system before making a purchase.

Alternatively you can get a quote from our sales team by calling 01329 840000.

Rain falling on top of freshly laid concrete can damage the surface and compromise a level and floated finish. Even worse, if too much extra water works its way into the concrete mix, this can result in weak concrete overall.

For this reason, it’s important to never lay the concrete onto wet surfaces or trenches filled with water if there’s a risk that the water may mix into the concrete. It is often possible for the concrete to displace the water, pushing it upwards and out of the cavity. Don’t try to ‘soak up’ the water with the concrete, or work it into a freshly laid surface as this excess water will compromise the concrete mix.

How rainwater will affect concrete depends on the stage in the curing process that was reached before the rain set in. If the concrete is still fresh (around 2-4 hours after pouring), it’s important to cover the surface to protect it.

However, once the concrete has been finished (between 4-8 hours after pouring), and has set hard enough for walking on, the effects of rain should be minimal.

Protect your concrete if rain is forecast

If bad weather is forecast or you’re pouring concrete in the rain, your first step should be to protect the work site with a plastic sheet covering.

Before you start the pour, make sure that any cavities are free from water, and keep them covered as much as possible. If it started raining before you could cover the slab, don’t panic. Simply wait until the rain has passed, then push or pull the water off the edge of the surface before finishing.

This is sometimes done by sliding a garden hose across the surface of the slab, wiping away the water.

When working with concrete in cold weather you need to be mindful of both the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the concrete itself.

If the temperature of freshly laid concrete drops below 0ºC the water in the mix will freeze and expand. This could damage the concrete to the point where it becomes useless and has to be removed.

Provided the concrete is able first to reach a strength of about 2 N/mm2, it is likely to resist this disruptive expansion. For most mixes this strength is achieved within 48 hours if the concrete is kept at or above 5ºC. However, even after the concrete has reached 2 N/mm2 low temperatures will slow down the strength development.

During cold weather you must aim to keep the concrete warm (above 5ºC) for the first 48 hours and then ensure that the strength is permitted to develop.

The severity of the weather determines the precautions that need to be taken. However, any concrete must be prevented from freezing so all freshly placed concrete must be protected straightaway with frost blankets and insulated formwork. The temperature of concrete should not be less than 5ºC when delivered.

After 7 days concrete will have gained around three quarters of its compressive strength, but you should refrain from driving vehicles or heavy machinery over the surface until after the 28 day mark.

For domestic mixes, such as driveways, for example, you can expect the concrete to be set within 24-48 hours.

We recommend a Gen1 mix for single storey foundations and footings and a Gen2 mix for double storey foundations and footings.

For other mix types and suitability contact our team on 01329 840000.

Our C20 mix is ideal for shed bases as well as things such as foundations for large walls, garages, houses & extensions. Paving for patios. Reinforced bases & oversites for conservatories, garages.

Not really, but if you only need a small amount mixed (for example to fill a gatepost) then it may be more cost effective to buy a ready mixed bag and mix it up at home yourself.

If you’re unsure how much concrete you might need for a job, just give one of the team a call on 01329 840000 and we’ll be happy to help.

We supply a variety of aggregates including sand, gravel, crushed stone, and recycled materials. We offer a wide range of primary and recycled aggregates at competitive prices. 

Yes, we offer reliable delivery services to ensure your aggregates arrive on time.

If you would like to arrange collection of your aggregates from our Portsmouth or Southampton yards, please contact us in advance to arrange the details.

L&S portable toilets are suitable for construction, commercial domestic and event use.

Toilets are serviced on a regular basis to ensure cleanliness and hygiene. We can tailor the service frequency to your needs.

L&S portable toilets are available for a minimum 4-week hire period and include a standard weekly service in the cost. However, if you need to arrange a more flexible hire period please do get in touch to discuss.

Typically, one unit will cover 7 individuals for a standard 40 hour working week on a construction site or domestic environment. If you have more staff or visitors requiring a portable loo solution then simply multiply the units accordingly. L&S provide a handy calculator to help work out how many portable loos you might need.

L&S Loos are equipped with toilet rolls, flushable hand towels, and hand cleaner, all of which are replenished during each service. The unit also includes fresh water and a toilet deodorising agent.

Only human toilet waste, toilet paper, and the provided flushable hand towels should be disposed of in the unit. Please do not place sanitary items or any other materials in the toilet.

No, please do not move the unit from its delivered position. Moving it may cause issues with servicing and collection.

The hirer is responsible for the security and condition of the equipment during the hire period. While normal wear and tear is accepted, any damage, including graffiti or total loss, will be chargeable to the hirer.

You can book portable toilets through our website or by contacting our customer service team.

Don’t panic! If your loo requires urgent servicing between scheduled visits, simply contact L&S Loos, and we will arrange a call out. Please note that this will incur an additional service charge.

Our site welfare units include facilities such as toilets, washrooms, canteens, and changing rooms.

Yes, all our welfare units are fully compliant with current health and safety regulations.

Contact us via our website or phone to discuss your requirements and arrange for the hire.

Our head office is based at Pegham Industrial Estate, Fareham and we operate waste treatment and recycling facilities in Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton, as well as an aggregate rail terminal in St Denys, Southampton.

L&S Waste can supply skips and containers across the south coast. Our area of operation covers all PO and SO postcode and GU postcodes between 29-35. We also offer an out of area service on application.

We’re open 7am – 6pm weekdays and 7 – 12.30 Saturdays

You can order skips, grabs and concrete online anytime 24/7.

Please call our team on 01329 840000 if you want to bring construction waste to our waste depot and we will arrange a price with you.

We offer a free hardcore and rubble disposal facility – please call our team on 01329 840000 before arriving on site.

We always quote our best prices online. You’ll find we are very competitive across all our products, but please be aware that if you have found a cheaper service elsewhere, you may not always be comparing a like-for-like service.

You can contact us via the following methods:

Phone: 01329 840000

Email: info@lswaste.co.uk

Online support: via L&S website homepage

Social Media: Like and follow our Facebook and X pages

You can order skips, grabs, Big Yellow Bags, Click & Collect waste removal, portable toilets, concrete and concrete pumping services online.

To discuss opening a trade account with us, call the team on 01329 840000