The best skip size for concrete, rubble or hardcore is a 6-yard builders skip. It is the largest skip a standard lorry can lift once it is full of heavy waste, so for any dense load it is the ceiling, not the starting point. With rubble you size by weight, not by how much space you have left to fill.
That catches people out. The instinct on a big demolition job is to order a big skip. But a 6-yard of broken concrete already weighs about as much as a small car, and a skip lorry has a hard payload limit of roughly 10 tonnes. Go bigger and the operator simply cannot pick the skip up off your driveway.
TL;DR
- For concrete, rubble and hardcore the answer is a 6-yard builders skip, and a 6-yard is the largest size most operators will put heavy waste in.
- Heavy waste is governed by weight, not volume. A standard skip lorry caps at roughly 10 tonnes, and a 6-yard reaches that limit at around 6 tonnes of rubble or soil.
- How high you fill depends on density: mixed builders' rubble can go almost level with the rim, but pure broken concrete should fill only about half the skip.
- Most operators refuse soil and rubble in 10-yard and 12-yard skips outright, because the weight limit is hit at half-fill.
For concrete, rubble or hardcore, a 6-yard builders skip is the right answer and the biggest you should order. Dense waste is capped by what the lorry can lift, not by how much room is left in the skip.
What size skip do I need for concrete and rubble?
A 6-yard builders skip handles almost every domestic concrete, rubble or hardcore job. Drop to a 4-yard if you only have a small amount, say the spoil from a single footing or one broken-up patio base. Never go above a 6-yard for dense waste, because the weight, not the space, is what limits you.
| Your load | Skip size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A few barrow-loads of rubble, or one small patio base | 4-yard | Enough for a light, contained job, and cheaper |
| A typical driveway, patio or single room of broken concrete and brick | 6-yard | The heavy-waste workhorse; a lorry can still lift it full |
| You think you need an 8, 10 or 12-yard for rubble | 6-yard (or two of them) | Bigger skips can't be lifted full of heavy waste, so most operators refuse soil and rubble in them |
If your load is borderline, two 6-yard skips on a swap beat one oversized skip the lorry can't move. The full sizing logic is in the skip size guide, or run your exact job through the skip size calculator.
Why can't I just use a bigger skip for rubble?
Because a skip lorry can only lift so much. A standard rigid skip lorry has a payload ceiling of about 10 tonnes, and that figure, not the size of the skip, decides whether your load can leave the driveway.
Concrete, brick and hardcore are dense. A cubic yard of mixed builders' rubble weighs roughly a tonne, and broken concrete is heavier still. A 6-yard skip filled to the brim with rubble is already near 6 tonnes, which is the practical limit once you add the weight of the skip itself. An 8-yard reaches the same weight before it looks full, so you would pay for space you legally cannot use. A 10 or 12-yard full of rubble would be unliftable, which is why most operators won't take heavy waste in those sizes at all.
This is the single most common and most expensive mistake on heavy jobs. People size up for the volume, the skip gets overloaded, and the operator either refuses to collect it or charges a weight-overage fee to cart the excess away separately. Every size's weight rating is listed on the skip sizes page.
How much rubble actually fits in a 6-yard skip?
A 6-yard skip holds about 50 to 60 bin bags of general waste, but for rubble the honest measure is weight, not bags. You hit the roughly 6-tonne ceiling long before you run out of room.
| Material | Rough weight per cubic yard | Sensible fill line in a 6-yard |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed builders' rubble (brick, block, mortar) | ~1 tonne | Level with the rim |
| Soil and spoil | ~1.1 tonnes | Level with the rim (about 6 tonnes) |
| Broken concrete and paving slabs | ~1.5 tonnes | About half full |
| Tarmac and dense hardcore | ~1.3 tonnes | Two-thirds full |
The denser the material, the lower you fill. Pure concrete is heavy enough that a half-filled 6-yard is already at the weight limit. And whatever the material, the load has to sit level with the rim, never heaped. A skip lorry cannot legally carry a skip filled above the sides, so an overfilled skip gets left behind until you take the excess out.
What about soil, brick and hardcore specifically?
The three behave slightly differently, and it pays to know which you have:
- Soil and spoil. A 6-yard takes about 6 tonnes, but if you only have garden soil from a small dig, a 4-yard filled to two-thirds is cheaper and easier to judge. Keep clean soil in its own skip where you can. Clean excavation soil has reuse value, and mixing it with rubble throws that away.
- Brick and block. The classic builders' rubble at roughly a tonne per cubic yard, where a 6-yard fills level with the rim.
- Hardcore and concrete. The densest of the three. Stick to the half-full rule so the lorry can still lift it.
A single extension's foundation dig produces 3 to 4 cubic yards of soil weighing 4 to 6 tonnes on its own, which is a 6-yard skip's entire budget before any build waste goes in. The full waste-by-project-type numbers are in the renovation waste report.
Mixing heavy and light waste in one skip
You can pile light waste like timber, packaging or plasterboard offcuts on top of rubble, but it rarely saves money. The skip reaches its weight limit while it still looks half empty, so you have paid for volume you can't fill.
On bigger jobs the cheaper route is usually two skips: a 6-yard for the heavy rubble, filled level, and a separate larger skip such as an 8 or 10-yard for the bulky light waste, where volume is the limit instead of weight. Splitting the load also keeps the rubble clean, which can lower tip charges.
What you can't put in a rubble skip
Even a heavy-waste skip has exclusions:
- Plasterboard. It has to be kept separate. Mixed in, it contaminates the gypsum recycling stream, so it needs a dedicated plasterboard skip or collection.
- Asbestos. Common in anything built before 2000, including garage roofs, soffits, and the old insulating board behind tiling. It cannot go in any skip and needs a licensed removal contractor.
- Hazardous liquids, tyres, gas bottles and electricals. None belong in a mixed skip.
The full list is in the prohibited items guide. If you are demolishing anything built before 2000, get it checked for asbestos before you start loading.
Permit and placement
Put the skip on your driveway if you can. No permit, clear access for the lorry, and a lower bill. A heavy rubble load makes placement matter more than usual: a full 6-yard weighs 6 to 7 tonnes, so it needs a solid, level surface like concrete or block paving, never a lawn or soft ground.
If the skip has to go on the road, you need a council permit, typically £25 to £200 depending on the council, plus a lighting board at night. Full detail in the skip permit guide.
What does a 6-yard rubble skip cost?
A 6-yard skip on a driveway runs around £230 to £340 in 2026, depending on region:
| Region | Typical 2026 6-yard |
|---|---|
| North England, Scotland, Wales | £230–290 |
| Midlands, South West | £245–315 |
| South East England | £270–345 |
| Greater London | £300–400+ |
For heavy waste, watch two extra charges. A weight-overage fee applies if you exceed the included tonnage, and some operators add a surcharge for pure rubble or soil loads. Both are avoided by sizing right and filling level. Regional breakdowns are in the 2026 skip hire cost guide.
Quick checklist for a concrete or rubble skip
- 6-yard for almost every rubble, concrete or hardcore job; 4-yard for small soil-only loads
- Never order above a 6-yard for heavy waste, because the lorry can't lift it full
- Fill to the rim for mixed rubble, about half full for pure concrete or slabs
- Load level, never heaped; an overfilled skip can't legally be collected
- Keep plasterboard separate, and get any pre-2000 demolition checked for asbestos
- Driveway placement on a hard, level surface; a permit only if it goes on the road
Not sure whether your load counts as heavy? The skip size calculator sizes it for your exact job and gives you a local number to call. A short call with the material, rough volume, and your postcode gets a firm price including delivery, hire and collection.
