Site waste, trade accounts, RoRo
Commercial skips
14–40 yard roll-on roll-off containers, scheduled exchanges and weighbridge billing. Priced per job — the firms quote, you compare.
Container options
| Container | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 14–16 yd RoRo | Compact roll-on roll-off | Shopfitting, strip-outs where space is tight |
| 20 yd RoRo | The standard site container | Construction and demolition waste |
| 40 yd RoRo | Maximum volume, light waste | Packaging, joinery off-cuts, bulky commercial waste |
| 8 yd chain-lift | The classic builder’s skip on a schedule | Trades with steady mixed waste |
RoRo list prices £250–£1,140 ex VAT depending on size and waste type, reviewed August 2026 — confirm whether a quote is exchange-only or includes disposal, since operators differ. Weight rules: see skip weight limits.
What separates a good site-waste deal
- Tonnage rate and allowance — the exchange price is the headline; the per-tonne rate is the bill.
- Exchange turnaround — a full container on a live site is dead money; ask for guaranteed exchange times.
- Segregation discounts — separated hardcore, metal or wood is cheaper to tip than mixed waste; two containers can cost less than one.
- Paperwork handled — waste transfer notes, EA licence, and SIC-coded invoicing without chasing.
Local independents quote sharper than national waste brokers for the same lorry — the directory lists firms by town, withverified trading and licence checks, so site managers can ring two or three and compare like for like.
Common questions
How much does a RoRo skip cost?
Less useful than it sounds without knowing what the price covers. Published 2026 list prices for a single container run roughly £250–£490 for 14 yards, £440–£870 for 20 and £465–£1,140 for 40 — all excluding VAT, because RoRo is trade-priced and, unlike a domestic skip, the quoted figure usually is. Within each size the spread is driven by waste type rather than distance: general, inert, wood and green waste price very differently for the same container. The real question is the basis. Some operators quote haulage and exchange only and bill disposal by weight at the weighbridge afterwards; others quote all-in with a tonnage allowance built in. Those two numbers are not comparable, so ask which one you are being given, what tonnage is included, and the rate per tonne beyond it — a cheap exchange price with a high tonnage rate is the oldest trick in site waste.
What paperwork does commercial waste need?
Every collection needs a waste transfer note (or a season ticket covering repeat collections), and your carrier must hold an Environment Agency licence — that’s your legal duty of care as the waste producer. Firms listed here with a “Licensed” badge appear on the EA register; check before contracting.
Do RoRo skips need a permit?
On private land or a fenced site, no. On the public highway they need the same council permit as any skip — and some councils price RoRos higher (Lewisham, for example, publishes a separate RoRo rate). Site hoarding or scaffold licences are separate again.
Exchange or wait-and-load for a commercial job?
Scheduled exchanges suit continuous waste (a full container swapped for an empty one, no downtime). Wait-and-load suits short sharp jobs in town where nothing can stand on the road. Many firms run both — say what the site allows and let them price each way.
Related: grab hire for muck-away ·wait-and-load ·domestic price guide ·RoRo skip hire