If you have a project lined up for September or October, planning the waste side now saves you a lot of hassle later.

Book the skip before the build

The biggest planning mistake we see is booking the skip after the project has started. By then, waste is piling up on the drive or in the front garden and the timeline is already slipping.

Book the skip for the day of the strip out. That’s when the waste comes out fastest and needs somewhere to go from minute one.

Skip sizes for common autumn projects

Kitchen rip out: 6 yard builder skip is standard. Old cabinets, worktops, appliances, tiles, plaster.

Bathroom rip out: 4 yard midi is usually enough. Sanitary ware is bulky but not heavy.

Loft conversion: 6 yard builder for the strip out. Book a second for finishing waste if the build runs long.

Full house renovation: 8 or 10 yard for domestic, or a 12 yard RoRo container if the project runs more than a couple of weeks.

Extensions and ground works: usually a RoRo. We hire 12, 16 and 40 yard, all out of our Lancing yard.

Weight matters more than volume

Hardcore, tile, plaster and soil are heavy. A skip fills on weight long before it fills on volume for these materials.

Rule of thumb: for anything mostly rubble, order a size smaller than you think. A builder skip half-filled with hardcore is more useful than a maxi half-filled and stuck at its weight limit.

Permits and access

For most domestic projects, the skip goes on the driveway and no permit is needed. If it has to go on the road, we handle the permit application. Most councils in Sussex take up to five working days, so factor that into the timeline.

RoRo containers need 3 metres of access width and a firm level surface. Check now, not the day before delivery.

Watch out for POPs and plasterboard

Sofas, mattresses and upholstered furniture from before 2019 contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). While these can be placed in a mixed skip they must be placed on top of everything else, and you need to let us know so that we can charge you for the additional costs of disposing of these safely and in line with environmental legislation.

Plasterboard in mixed skips can trigger a rejection at the transfer station. If you’re likely to have a lot, we’ll bring a dedicated plasterboard skip.

Book online

Most projects can be booked online for same or next working day delivery. For a bigger project or a RoRo, add a note when you book and we’ll advise.

Rabbit has been hiring skips for renovations across Sussex since 1988.

Book online at rabbitskips.co.uk/book-a-skip

rabbitwastemanagement.co.uk

The post How to Plan Your Autumn Renovation Project appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

We do house clearances every week across Worthing, Brighton, Hove, Lancing, Shoreham and the rest of Sussex. Here is how we usually talk customers through it.

Start with a walk through

Before you order anything, walk through the whole house with a notebook. Every room, plus the loft, garage, shed and garden. Note anything that needs sorting into: keep, donate, sell, skip. That last pile is what you’re sizing the skip for.

You almost always end up with more in the skip pile than you thought, especially once you factor in old furniture, mattresses, and the contents of drawers no one has opened in a decade.

Pick the right size first time

A midi 4 yard skip suits a small terraced house with mostly boxed contents.

A builder 6 yard skip is the most common pick for a two or three bed semi. Fits a full clear including old wardrobes, sofas and garden waste.

A maxi 8 yard suits a bigger property, or one with lots of bulky items but light waste.

Bigger than that, you’re looking at a RoRo container. We hire 12, 16 and 40 yard RoRos out of the Lancing yard, and they suit larger house clearances or probate estates where you don’t want to swap skips two or three times.

Watch for POPs

Sofas, armchairs, cushions, upholstered headboards and office seating manufactured before 2019 contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). By law, these have to be handled separately from general waste.

If your clearance includes any of the above, flag it when you book as we can still collect them but we do need to pass on an additional charge for safe disposal – our office will be able to advise you on this. 

Permits and access

If the skip goes on the drive, no permit needed. If it has to sit on the road, we sort the permit for you when you book. Most councils in Sussex take up to five working days, so build that into the timeline.

A RoRo container needs 3 metres of access width and a firm level surface to sit on. Not one for tight streets or grass verges.

What we can and can’t take

Almost everything from a standard house clear can go in the skip: furniture (excluding POPs items), general waste, wood, metal, mixed household.

Fridges, freezers, mattresses, tyres and paint tins have to be handled separately by law. If you’re not sure, flag it when you book and we’ll advise.

Booking

Most house clearances can be booked online for next working day delivery. If it’s a bigger job or involves a RoRo, please give our lovely team in the office a call and they’ll be able to book this in for you.

Rabbit has been hiring skips across Sussex since 1988. Behind every booking is a lot of work back at the yard.

Book online at rabbitskips.co.uk/book-a-skip

rabbitwastemanagement.co.uk

The post House Clearance in Sussex: Planning, Permits and the Right Skip appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

We have been hiring skips to Sussex builders since 1988. Here is how we work with trade customers and what you can expect.

Trade pricing on a phone call

Most of our trade customers do not book online. They call. We hold their delivery preferences on file, agree pricing on volume, and turn skips around the same day or next working day across Worthing, Brighton, Hove, Crawley, Horsham and the rest of Sussex.

If you want to set up a trade account, call the office on 01903 762020, or complete our online form (https://rabbitwastemanagement.co.uk/contact/). Setting up accounts can take up to 5 working days, but we try our best to action this as soon as possible for you. 

On-site RoRo for longer jobs

For renovations and new builds running more than a week, a 12, 16 or 40 yard RoRo container on site usually costs less than swapping skips every two days. The container stays for the run of the job. When it is full we hook lift it out and bring an empty one back.

We can also rotate two containers on bigger sites, so the build never stops on waste.

Trade tipping at the Lancing yard

If you are running a tipper or a van and want to bring waste straight in, we have a trade tipping facility at the Lancing yard. Drive in, get weighed on the bridge, tip, get weighed again, pay on the gate.

It saves a skip on smaller jobs and gives you a backup when a site needs clearing fast. Opening hours and gate prices are on the website. Please note that you must have a waste carriers licence, tipping vehicle and correct PPE to use this facility. 

Quick turnaround

Lead time on a standard builder skip across most of Sussex is next working day, often same day if you book before 11am. RoRo lead times are typically two to three working days in summer.

If you have a deadline that depends on us being on site by a certain time, tell us when you call. We will tell you straight if we can hit it.

Permits sorted for you

Anywhere a skip needs to sit on the road, we sort the permit. The rules differ by council. Brighton and Hove run their own system, West Sussex County Council covers Worthing, Adur and Arun, and East Sussex Highways covers Eastbourne and Hastings. Tell us the address and we will handle the rest.

Recovery, recycling and the paperwork

Every load comes back to our transfer station. We sort, recycle and recover what we can, with anything left going for energy from waste rather than landfill. If your project needs a Site Waste Management Plan or duty of care documentation, we provide it.

Set up a trade account

Call 01903 762020 and ask to set up a Trade Account. We will get you on file, agree pricing, and have a skip on your next site the same week.

The post Skip Hire for Builders in Sussex, Trade Pricing and Quick Turnaround appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

We run RoRo hire across Sussex from our Lancing yard. Here is how to know when one of ours is the right call instead of a string of skips.

What a RoRo actually is

RoRo stands for roll on, roll off. Rather than the standard chain lift used for a skip, RoRo containers come on a hook lorry that drags the container on and off. They are open topped, walk in, and built for high volumes of waste.

We hire them in three standard sizes: 12 yard, 16 yard and 40 yard. A 16 yard RoRo holds the same as roughly three and a half builder skips. A 40 yard RoRo holds around six.

When a RoRo wins

There are four kinds of job where the RoRo earns its keep:

House clearances on bigger properties. A full clearance of a three bed semi often runs to 15 to 20 cubic yards once you add the loft, garage and shed. Easier in one RoRo than three skips.

Demolition jobs. Anything where you are taking down a structure, garage, conservatory, outbuilding. Volumes climb fast and you do not want to wait for swap outs.

Site clearances and developer work. Plot strip, ground works, fit out strip, all suited to a RoRo on site for the duration.

Trade jobs running a week or more. Builders working a long renovation tend to spend more on three or four skip swaps than they would on one RoRo for the run of the job.

When a skip is still right

For most domestic jobs and small trade work, a skip is cheaper and quicker. A garden clear, a kitchen rip out, a bathroom strip, a single room refurb. The skip arrives, sits two days or two weeks, and goes back. No hook lorry needed and no access issues.

If your job is under 12 cubic yards in waste, stay with a skip.

Access matters more for a RoRo

A RoRo needs more room than a skip. The hook lorry is around 9 metres long and the container itself is 6 metres. You need a straight run for the lorry to reverse onto, firm hardstanding for the container to sit on, and 5 metres of clear height for the hoist.

If access is tight, we can usually fit a 16 yard but the 40 yard may not be possible. Send us a photo when you book and we will tell you.

Cost works out lower per yard

A RoRo is more expensive than a single skip, but cheaper per yard of waste than four or five skips. For larger jobs the price difference is significant. Get a quote from us and we will run both options so you can see the comparison.

How to book

Call the office line on 01903 762020 to book. Lead times in summer are typically next working day for skips, two to three working days for RoRo. If you have a tight deadline, call us first.

Book a RoRo online | Office line: 01903 762020

The post When to Choose a RoRo Container Over a Skip appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

I’m Driver Foreman at Rabbit Waste Management. I’ve been with the company for 22 years now, so I’ve seen Rabbit grow a fair bit since I first joined.

What does your role involve?

The main part of my role is driving skip lorries, getting skips delivered and collected across our patch. Alongside that I look after the day to day side of things for the drivers, dealing with whatever comes up so the round keeps running smoothly.

I also cover in the office when needed, which helps keep everything joined up between the yard and the team taking the calls.

What’s your background?

22 years at Rabbit. The business has changed a fair bit in that time, but the basics are still the same. Look after the customer and get the job done properly.

What do you find most rewarding about the job?

Happy customers. When you turn up on time, drop the skip where they want it, collect it when they need it gone and they’re pleased with the service, that’s what makes the job worthwhile.

What can be challenging?

Unexpected problems are always the tricky bit. Having to cover work at short notice because of sickness or something else cropping up means thinking on your feet and juggling the round to keep everyone happy.

How has Rabbit supported you?

Rabbit put me through my Class 1 HGV, which was a big step for me and opened things up in the role. They’ve always been willing to back the people who put the effort in.

What do you pride yourself on?

Loyalty and punctuality. 22 years says something about loyalty, and being on time is the simplest way to show a customer you take the job seriously.

What are your goals for the next year?

To keep doing the job to the best of my ability. Same as it’s always been.

Why is Rabbit a great place to work?

Good people. We get on, we look out for each other, and we always try to enjoy what we do. That makes the day go quicker and the job easier.

The post Meet Darren, Driver Foreman at Rabbit Waste Management appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

If you are planning a project this summer, the size of skip you book matters more than for almost any other job. Hardcore is the heaviest waste we handle, and the wrong skip can cost you time and a second delivery.

Why hardcore breaks the usual rules

Most skips have a weight limit. A maxi 8 yard skip looks like it should swallow a patio whole, but loaded with concrete or block paving it will hit its weight limit while still half empty. At that point the skip cannot be lifted, and we have to swap it for a fresh one.

For anything mostly made of brick, block, concrete, soil or slab, a smaller skip is usually the safer pick.

The skip sizes that actually suit driveways and patios

A builder skip (6 yard) is the most common choice for a domestic patio lift. Filled with hardcore it works to its weight limit at roughly two thirds full, which is the right loading for the lorry. If you have a 30 to 40 square metre patio, one builder skip will usually do it.

A midi skip (4 yard) suits a smaller patio, a single path lift, or a section of drive. Useful if you are working in stages.

A maxi or open top skip has its place, but only when the waste is genuinely mixed: hardcore plus timber, plastic, garden waste, fence panels. If the load is mostly hard material, a builder is better.

For a full driveway dig out, especially if you are also taking up base layers, the maths often tips toward a RoRo container instead.

When a RoRo container is the better call

If the job is bigger than around 60 square metres, or if you are also lifting base layers and sub-base, you are likely looking at 6 to 10 tonnes of waste. That is more than two builder skips, and it usually works out cheaper and easier to take a single 20 yard RoRo container instead.

RoRo containers come on a hook lorry, sit on the drive (access permitting) and take the full load in one go. We hire them across Worthing, Brighton, Hove and the wider Sussex area, and the booking process is the same as a skip. Find out more.

Permits and access

If the skip or RoRo cannot fit on your drive and needs to sit on the road, it needs a permit. We arrange the permit for you when you book and let you know the lead time, which varies by council.

A few quick things to check before delivery:

• Width of access from the road to the drop point.
• Overhanging trees or wires (we need 4 metres of clear height for a skip, 5 metres for a RoRo).
• A flat firm surface for the skip to sit on.

Trade and contractor jobs

If you are a contractor lifting drives across Sussex, we run a trade tipping service from our Lancing yard. Bring waste straight in, get weighed, pay on the gate. It saves a skip on smaller jobs and gives you a backup when a site needs clearing fast.

Book online or call us

You can book your skip or RoRo at rabbitwastemanagement.co.uk. If your job sits between sizes and you are not sure which way to go, call 01903 762020. We have been hiring skips in Sussex since 1988 and we will save you a wasted delivery.

Book a skip online | Trade line: 01903 762020

The post Driveway and Patio Removal, What Size Skip Do You Need? appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

Most people get to that point and ask the same question. What size skip do I actually need.

We hire skips every day across Worthing, Brighton, Hove, Lancing and the rest of Sussex, and garden jobs make up a big share of what we deliver in June and July. Here is how we usually talk customers through it.

The four sizes that cover most garden jobs

A mini skip (2 yard) holds roughly 20 to 25 bin bags. It suits a small flower bed clear, a single shed empty, or a tidy after a fence has been replaced. It fits on most driveways and does not need a permit if it sits on private land.

A midi skip (4 yard) is the one most homeowners pick by default. It holds 30 to 40 bin bags and takes a decent amount of soil and turf. Good for a full back garden tidy, a hedge that has been let go, or a clear before laying new beds.

A builder skip (6 yard) is the workhorse. It takes about 50 to 60 bin bags or the equivalent in soil, brick and rubble. If you are lifting a patio, digging out for decking, or pulling a fence and its bases, this is usually the right pick.

A maxi skip (8 yard) suits a big garden clear with bulky items: an old shed flat-packed, garden furniture, decking timbers, plus general waste. It does not take heavy waste well, so it is not the one for soil or rubble in volume.

Watch the weight on heavy materials

The most common mistake we see is ordering a large skip and filling it with soil, slabs or brick. Heavy waste fills a skip on weight long before it fills it on space, and once a skip is on its weight limit it has to be swapped. For anything heavy, a builder skip half-filled is more useful than a maxi skip half-filled. If you are unsure, give us a ring and we can talk it through.

Where the skip goes

If it sits on your driveway or front garden, you do not need a permit. If it has to go on the road, you do, and the rules vary by council. Worthing, Adur and Arun sit under West Sussex County Council. Brighton and Hove operate their own system. East Sussex Highways covers Eastbourne, Hastings and the Lewes area. We sort the permit for you when you book, you just need to tell us where it is going.

Garden waste at the yard

Once your skip is back with us, garden waste gets separated at our transfer station. Green waste goes off for composting, soil and turf are reused where we can, and anything that cannot be recycled or composted is sent for recovery rather than landfill. It is a quiet part of the service but the one we care about most.

Book your skip

Most garden clearances can be booked online and delivered the next working day across Sussex. If you are not sure what size you need, call us on 01903 762020 and we will help you pick.

Book a skip online →

The post The Best Skip Size for a Garden Clearance in Sussex appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

I work as Transport Office Administrator at Rabbit Waste Management. I joined the team in 2017 and I’m based at our Lancing site, where I’m usually the first person customers and visitors see when they arrive.

What does your role involve?

My main responsibility is operating our two weighbridges, recording all incoming and outgoing loads on site through our waste management system and making sure all records and documentation meet legislation requirements.

Alongside the weighbridge work I help customers with skip hire bookings and queries by phone and email, and I’m the first port of call for anyone visiting site. No two days are quite the same, which is part of what I enjoy about it.

What’s your background?

I’ve worked in the waste industry since leaving college in 2009. I started out as a Picking Line Operative at one of the large national waste companies and worked my way through a number of different roles over the years before joining Rabbit in 2017.

That broad experience has given me a good understanding of the industry from the ground up, which helps in a role like this where you’re dealing with so many different sides of the business.

What do you find most rewarding about the job?

Customer satisfaction is the part I find most rewarding. When you’re able to help a customer work through the details of their project, get the right skip on the right day and make sure everything runs without any problems, that’s a good feeling.

What can be challenging?

Keiron. (Only joking.) Like anywhere, every job has its busy moments and you get the odd day where everything seems to land at once. You learn to take it in your stride.

How has Rabbit supported you?

Rabbit has been really supportive of my professional development, particularly through training. Most recently they put me through the WAMITAB Operator Competence Scheme, where I gained a Level 4 qualification in Non-Hazardous Waste Treatment and Transfer.

Being given the chance to build my qualifications alongside the job has made a real difference, and it shows the level of investment the business puts into its people.

What do you pride yourself on?

I pride myself on being reliable and predictable in a good way. Customers and colleagues know what they’re going to get from me, and I think consistency counts for a lot in a busy operation.

What are your goals for the next year?

After completing the Level 4 qualification, my focus is on putting what I’ve learned into practice and continuing to develop in the role. Beyond that I want to keep doing the day to day work well and supporting the team through the busy periods.

Why is Rabbit a great place to work?

It’s the team that makes Rabbit a great place to work. There’s a positive team spirit across the staff and that makes all the difference. People look out for each other, get on with the job, and have a laugh while they’re at it. That counts for a lot.

The post Meet Kerry, Transport Office Administrator at Rabbit Waste Management appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

This is the month to do it. The weather’s finally playing ball, the evenings are longer, and getting the outside of the house in order makes the rest of the year feel easier.

At Rabbit Waste Management, May is one of our busiest months for home clearances. We’ve put together a short guide to making your spring clear out as painless as possible, whether it’s a half day of graft or a proper weekend job.

Start with one area, not the whole house

The biggest reason clear outs stall is trying to do everything at once. Pick one zone: the garage, the shed, the front garden, the patio. Finish it, then move on. You’ll feel the progress, and the skip will fill in a logical order rather than becoming a jumble.

Work out roughly how much you’ve got

Most people underestimate. An average shed clear out with old paint tins, garden tools, broken plastic furniture and bags of cuttings usually fills a 4 yard skip comfortably. Add a patio or driveway and you’re closer to a 6 yard. If in doubt, call the team, we’ve been doing this for 37 years and we can size it up over the phone in a minute.

Split your waste before you start

A few quick piles saves time later:

• General household and garden waste (skip)
• Electricals (not in the skip, we can point you to local WEEE drop off)
• Hazardous items like paint, oil or asbestos (separate process, speak to us first)
• Anything reusable (charity shop or marketplace)

This bit of sorting at the start means the skip goes further and nothing gets rejected.

Book the skip for the right day, not the day before

The classic spring mistake is deciding on Saturday morning that today’s the day, then trying to get a skip in the drive by lunchtime. Book it for the day you want to start, leave yourself the full hire period, and you won’t feel rushed. Most people find two to three days plenty for a garden clear out.

What goes in a Rabbit skip

For a standard spring clear out, you can load: ✔️ Garden waste, hedge cuttings, turf, weeds ✔️ Wood, broken furniture, shed contents ✔️ General household bits and bric a brac ✔️ Light rubble in small quantities

Not suitable: electricals, mattresses (ask about separate collection), fridges, tyres, plasterboard, asbestos, liquids or chemicals.

Where your waste actually goes

Once your skip comes back to our yard, it’s sorted by material. As much as possible is recycled. Anything that can’t be recycled is processed through our own Enviropower facility, which turns waste into energy rather than sending it to landfill. It’s the bit people don’t see, but it’s the reason we do things the way we do.

Ready to book?

May is the month. Get the garden sorted, clear the shed, finally deal with that pile behind the garage.

Book online at rabbitwastemanagement.co.uk or give the team a call on 01903 762020.

We’ll do the lifting of the skip, you handle the satisfying bit.

The post Spring Clear Out Made Simple with Rabbit Skips appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.

I’m Operations Director at Enviropower. My role has developed over time through hands-on experience across the site, which has given me a strong understanding of how everything works and how best to support the team.

What does your role involve?

My main focus is making sure the power plant operates safely, efficiently and at the highest level of availability possible.
It’s a very hands-on role and quite broad. I’ve been involved in all aspects of the site, from health and safety and environmental compliance through to resolving equipment issues. That experience helps me support the team and keep everything running as it should.

What’s your background?

Before joining Rabbit, I had no experience in energy-from-waste. My background was in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and before that I trained as an apprentice car mechanic.

Both roles were very practical and taught me how things work and how to diagnose problems. That approach still applies today, where logical thinking and fault-finding are a big part of what I do.

What do you find most rewarding about the job?

No two days are ever the same, and that’s what keeps the role interesting. There’s always a new challenge to work through.
It’s also rewarding being part of a business that is always looking to improve. The team plays a big part in that. Everyone is willing to step in and go the extra mile when it’s needed.

What can be challenging?

Maintaining the high standards that have been set over the years is a responsibility I take seriously.
It’s important to keep supporting the team, maintaining strong processes and continuing to look for ways to improve so the business keeps moving forward.

How has Rabbit supported you?

Rabbit has given me the opportunity to get involved in all areas of the business and continue developing my skills.
That level of trust and responsibility has helped me grow into my role and progress within the company.

What do you pride yourself on?

I take pride in having a strong work ethic. I focus on meeting deadlines, working through challenges and doing what’s needed to get the job done properly.

What are your goals for the next year?

My focus is on developing the team and making sure they have the support they need to succeed.
By investing in the people around me, we can continue to strengthen the business and build on what we’ve already achieved.

Why is Rabbit a great place to work?

It comes down to the people. Everyone is friendly, supportive and knowledgeable, and there’s a real sense of teamwork across the business.
It genuinely feels like being part of a second family, where everyone is working towards the same goals.

The post Meet Joe Timms, Operations Director at Enviropower appeared first on Rabbit Waste Management.