With costs of Waste disposal sky-rocketing in Metropolitan New South Wales and Victoria the need to fully consider your waste disposal obligations during a renovation has never been higher. The price rises are due in part to waste levies imposed on landfill operators which are intended to curb the volume of waste ending up in the tip. Those who have been caught out by the rising price have at times resorted to illegally dumping their rubbish, creating an unsightly mess and a cleanup bill costing the Australian taxpayer millions. If you’re planning a renovation then there will be waste, you should plan what the best way to deal with it is before you start.

For many the answer is simply to hire Skip bins from their local skip hire company who will take the waste away, potentially sort and recycle it and then dispose of whatever they cannot divert from landfill. This is great but for those who’d like to save some cash and the planet you could consider if anything could be salvaged. Below is a list if items that can sometimes be reused in other projects or sold to others for their projects.

1. Kitchen Cabinetry
2. Aluminium Glass Sliding Doors
3. Windows
4. Flooring

In addition to considering salvage/reuse you should consider whether separation prior to collection could save you on disposal. Skip hire companies will often offer different rates for skip bins filled with concrete or timber exclusively than they offer for general heavy or light waste. If you are disposing of a volume of roof tiling, concrete, timber, bricks, soil, vegetation it may be worth getting separate skips for these to reduce your overall waste disposal cost. By separating these materials you also ensure that they are likely to be recycled by the skip hire operator.

Where a skip might go on your property can sometimes be a bit of a headache and a roadway or footpath placement might be a possibility. If you think you might be best to put your skip bins on the road, nature strip or footpath then you must contact your local council. Depending on their regulations you may be able to do this at no cost or you may have to use a licensed supplier or you may have to pay for a skip hire permit. Whatever the case make sure you know what the the situation is otherwise you might get caught out with a fine which is never a happy outcome.

Looking for the best price is good but finding a great service is better. In metropolitan areas you will have the choice of many different operators who will have varying prices based on different sizes, wastes and areas. You need to find an operator who is geographically close, who is reliable and can handle the waste you will be generating. Usually prices don’t vary a great deal between suppliers but their are are outliers so do call a few places and you’ll get a reasonable price and a good service.

Finally a word of caution to those who own properties with asbestos. Make sure you hire a specialty asbestos service from a licensed carrier. You should also follow their instructions for lining the bin and wrapping the contaminated materials. Skip bin truck drivers see thousands of skip bins loaded with various materials and are experts at spotting asbestos cladding and the like. They are very cautious in this respect as risking a $10,000 fine or worse is simply not worth it. If you’re renovating a property that was built before 1990 then it is likely it contains asbestos. Getting an asbestos report will identify where the asbestos is and this will help you ensure you don’t end up with any in you skip bin unexpectedly. Additionally if a driver suspects