What Size Skip Do You Need for a Bathroom Renovation?

A 4m³ skip bin handles 90% of bathroom renovations. This size accommodates all your fixtures, tiles, and debris without paying for space you won’t use.

And yes, a standard bathtub fits inside a 4m³ skip bin. It won’t fit safely in a 2m³ skip bin, regardless of what the dimensions might suggest on paper.

The guide below matches your specific renovation scope to the right bin size, shows you exactly what fits inside, and helps you avoid the costly mistake of ordering too small.

Pro Tip: Break down your vanity units and toilet cisterns with a sledgehammer before loading. Flattening bulky items creates 30% more space in your skip bin—often the difference between one bin and two.

Knowing your skip bin size is one thing. Loading it efficiently is another.

Your bath takes up significant footprint, but it’s the void space underneath that kills your capacity. Place the bath in first, curved side up, then fill that cavity with heavy bags of broken tiles. You’ll recover space that would otherwise go to waste.

Glass panels belong flat against the skip bin wall, not thrown in loose. Position them carefully along the side before adding other debris. This prevents shattering during loading and keeps glass shards contained during transport.

Your copper and brass fittings (15mm and 22mm pipes, plus 32mm and 40mm waste pipes) have genuine scrap value. Set these aside for a scrap merchant rather than burying them in rubble. If you do include them, place on top for easy retrieval, some skip bin companies will separate these for you.

Skip bin hire companies face strict disposal regulations. Getting this wrong means additional charges or refused collection.

Can old plaster go in a skip bin? Rules vary by council and company. Most require plasterboard bagged separately or placed on top for sorting at the depot. Mixing it through general waste often triggers surcharges.

These require specialist removal or must be cut into manageable sections. Standard skip bins can’t accommodate them whole, and the mixed materials (fibreglass, foam, electrics) complicate disposal.

Bathroom textiles—towels, bath mats, and yes, old underwear, belong in your general waste bin or textile recycling banks. Construction skip bins aren’t licensed for household soft waste.

Old toilets can go in, but they must be empty and clean. No exceptions.

1. Separate plasterboard and keep it dry
2. Isolate fluorescent light tubes, do not smash
3. Bag loose tile shards to prevent debris flying during transport

Hiring one 6m³ skip bin typically costs 25% less than hiring two 4m³ skip bins. Factor in the second delivery fee, the permit cost (if you’re on the street), and the time waiting for the second drop, and upsizing becomes the obvious choice.

If you’re unsure, perhaps you’ve got thick concrete flooring or lath and plaster walls behind the tiles, go one size up. The cost of a wasted trip when your skip bin fills before your bathroom’s finished exceeds the upgrade cost every time. Skip bin companies charge collection fees regardless of whether you’ve completed your project.

Yes. A 4 square metre bathroom meets Australian standards for a functional layout with toilet, basin, and shower. A renovation of this size typically generates around 4 cubic metres of waste, hence the recommendation above.

No. Cubic metres measure volume. Tonnes measure weight. A 4m³ skip bin filled with ceramic floor tiles weighs significantly more than the same skip bin filled with acrylic bath panels and timber vanity pieces. Some Skip bin companies set weight limits per size, exceed them and you’ll face additional charges – here at Freddys Skip Bins, we charge flat rates with no excess weight charges.