Skip Bin Hire Quotes – Things Are Not Always As They Seem

volume, so the weight of the material in the bin mattered little provided it did not exceed the legal load limit for the skip truck. The Waste Levy changed this by requiring each bin to be disposed of by weight rather than volume. As a result, quoting became more complex for providers. Although bin size still affects price, the weight and composition of the contents became much more significant. As providers adapted to this new pricing environment, customers who had long been accustomed to volume-based pricing were now asked to specify what they intended to place in the bin so that the Provider could give a meaningful quote. Some became antsy at what they considered as being in some way an invasion of their privacy.

Now at some distance from the introduction of the Waste Levy, providers and to a large extent customers have adjusted to the different pricing method. Providers now usually quote a price for a certain size bin based on an allowed weight for the contents and an overweight charge if the skip bin contents exceed the allowed weight. This has led to some confusion for customers because not all providers have the same allowable weight limits and overweight charges and some providers have turned the entire process into a clever marketing ploy to gain advantage over their opposition at the expense of their customers.

For example, Provider #1 quotes a price of $300 for a skip bin with an allowed weight of 900kg and an overweight charge of $380 per tonne while Provider #2 has quoted $250 with an allowable weight of 500kg and an overweight charge of $400. Both skip bins the same volume. At first glance the quote provided by Provider #2 appears the best option but that may not be the case if the skip bin contents end up exceeding the allowable limit. In this case Provider #2 is asking the customer to accept more of the risk with regards to the eventual price of the skip bin by having a lower allowable weight as opposed to Provider #1 who has assumed more of the risk themselves. The following table demonstrates the interaction of bin weight, allowable weight, and overweight charge on the final price of the bin. 

As this table demonstrates, what appears at first to be a better quote may not be the case. An experienced and ethical skip bin provider will set their allowable weight limit at a point where at least 85-90% of the bins will come in under the weight limit, because just like the customer they want the transaction to be smooth and hassle free. They do not want to have to chase customers up for extra money – it takes time and interferes with the smooth running of the whole operation. Customers are typically not happy about being asked for more money after the fact, they can become defensive and even aggressive and as a business owner you do not want that, you want a satisfied customer who will have no hesitation in ordering from you again.

So, when getting quotes for a skip bin make sure you consider allowable weight and the overweight charge as well as the actual quote. It also pays to have a good look at any reviews to see if other customers have had issues with bins being overweight. If there are issues with overweight bins in the reviews even if they are amicable, it is probably the case that the allowable weight is inadequate.