We all know the feeling when you have to find a tradesman or service, and you realise you don’t even know the most basic questions to ask. How do you know which one to go for? Skip Hire is no different. It’s just another one of those everyday, mundane parts of life we don’t even consider until we have a garden to clear, is moving house, completing home renovations, or doing one of the many other jobs when there is just too much waste for you to dispose of it yourself. How do I find an affordable, reliable skip-hire company? So, where do you start? As with many local services, web searches and telephone directories have dozens upon dozens of companies listed. If you have never been hired by one of these companies or do not have a trusted recommendation to go on often, the choice is down to the lowest price or pure chance. To take some of the risks away, follow these five rules, and you can be safe in the knowledge you have made a fully informed choice and have minimized the risk of any mishaps.
1. Do your research.
It’s not glamorous; it’s not even surprising, really, is it? As with anything in life, you have to do your research first. A web search is a great place to start. I believe you can tell a lot about a company from the way it presents itself on the web. It is a skip we’re looking for, so I don’t expect fancy, but I would expect a certain level of professionalism and basic company information. The same can be applied to telephone directory skip-hire Ads. I wouldn’t read too much into them, but an obvious error would make me cautious.
2. You don’t have to just follow Ads.
This is linked to doing your research, but I really feel this is an important rule to follow in itself. Why not look at pages 2 or 3? I often find when looking for a local service most of the top Google (another search engine available) results and Ads tend to be larger nationwide companies with the budget to tie up the top keywords. I’ll repeat it; we are hiring a skip; why would you want to deal with a call centre in Bristol when you need a skip in Edinburgh? Click past the first page, ignore the ads, and try having a look at some of the smaller companies out there. Experience has taught me they can be far more accommodating to your needs.
3. Narrow your search down.
Use the Contact Forms. Now you’ve compiled a list of skip-hire companies, and you’re going to need to narrow your choices down. Unfortunately, that means getting in touch and asking questions. Many of the skip-hire companies will have contact forms on their websites. Take advantage of them. They are a great time saver and have the added bonus of taking any phone sales pressure away. It gives you a chance to ask the questions you need without being pushed into making a decision.
4. Where is my waste going?
It’s often overlooked, but in today’s climate, it’s more important than ever to consider what’s going to happen to your waste. It is true to say that the waste is the responsibility of the skip hire company once collected, but we still have an obligation, albeit moral, to ask questions before we hand it over. Do they have a recycling centre? Are they able to provide an audit trail? Are they fully accredited? Any reputable company will be happy to answer any questions you have about their waste disposal procedures. Any skip-hire company refuses to have something to hide. So don’t be afraid to ask.
5. Get your quotes, then haggle.
You’ve identified the companies that suit your needs, so all that’s left is to get your quotes and agree to a price. I would always recommend you obtain at least six quotes and always use the phone. The personal touch can make a difference when deciding on the price. Once you have your quotes, don’t be afraid to go back and ask for a lower price. Maybe the company you prefer is £5 more expensive. Well, tell them. More often than not, expenses for skip hire are negotiable on an employment by hire basis.
Apply these rules to your search for a skip-hire company, and you can be sure to have done your research, asked the questions you need and found the right skip-hire company for you.