FAQ – We realise that on top of trying to visualise the size and capacity of bins you may have additional questions that are specific to your situation. We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ). So if you cannot find the answer in our FAQ give us a call – (07) 3821 3200

We trust that if you have any unanswered questions, you will be able to find it below. You can also have a look over our published Operational Guidelines and Terms & Conditions of Hire which has more in-depth information on how we do business.

If you have any more questions, please phone, we’d be only too happy to answer any more question you might have – (07) 3821 3200

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Handybin FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Go to our online booking page to ‘Book online’ or our ‘Contact Page’ for more details on contacting us and making a booking.

We endeavour to match the size and style of skip bin to suit your needs. With such a comprehensive range of sizes, we are confident that we have the right bin for you. This way, you pay no more or no less than you really need to. Our rental period is also flexible, so if you need a few days extra, we will, in most cases, not increase the price. Our prices are inclusive of GST, delivery pickup and disposal. For actual prices, refer to the ‘Price Guide’ or click on the link on the Handybin or Big Bins pages.

For some waste types, a bin weight limit is calculated in the pricing.  For loads that exceed the allowance, an additional disposal fee will be charged. This amount per tonne will vary depending on the nearest disposal option.

You can pay our drivers, who will issue you with a tax invoice and/or receipt on request, or you can call our office and pay by phone using your credit card. We also accept payment via the Internet by arrangement. Payment must be made prior to the removal of the bin.

credit cards - visa mastercard amexWe accept payment by the following methods:

  • Cash
  • Cheque (on delivery only)
  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • Money orders (Aust. Post)
  • Direct deposit into our nominated account (please enquire)

Generally, we like to book bins 24 hours in advance (book NOW, and we will deliver your bin tomorrow). Often, we can deliver a bin on the same day depending on how many bins are already booked, the location and whether the run/deliveries to your area have been completed for the day.

Our rental period is 1 to 7 days. If you require a longer period, ask our sales staff what the cost would be to keep the bin a little bit longer. Once you have filled the bin, please phone our office to book a collection. Whilst we quote a 7-day rental period, we find many people ring within two days to have the bin picked up. This is because bins are such a convenient and easy way to get rid of rubbish; you get the job done sooner and have more time to do other things.

Once the bin is complete, please get in touch with our office and let us know, or you can ‘Book a Pickup‘ online. Many people finish before the allotted days, and we can often pick up the bin sooner. Whilst we endeavour to remove bins ASAP, due to having to schedule trucks, disposal facility opening times, weekends, public holidays, etc., we may need to schedule the bin to be removed on or after the allocated days. There are no additional charges when this occurs.

We also do not assume that bins are ready as we have found out over many years that sometimes things change, and we arrive to be asked if the bin can be left another day. To avoid this occurring, we ask that customers ring us to confirm the pickup. If this does not occur, we will ring after the allotted time frame has expired.

Bins may be filled to the top rail, no higher. Bins filled above this level pose a safety risk during transport. For more information on the correct filling and use of bins, refer to our Guidelines page.

For safety and legislative (i.e. road rules, load limits, etc.) reasons, skip bins should not be filled any higher than the top rail. They should be loaded carefully to avoid any spillage during transit. If a driver arrives to collect your bin and it has been overfilled, we reserve the right to remove some of the contents and charge an extra amount for the excess. You can also book another bin for the lot, which will be charged at the appropriate rate.

Where possible, the driver will try to take the skip once the overloaded item/s are removed. The item/s will be left in a neat pile next to where the bin is. If the driver is unable to do this, the bin will be left on site until the offending items are removed. An additional transport charge will apply in this situation.

Handybin – Big Bins’ do not transport regulated wastes’ such as asbestos, tyres, wet paints and liquids (including drums containing liquids). Some waste types are restricted or semi-regulated and may need to be handled or disposed of in a specified manner. If you require any information or have any concerns about any waste items, please get in touch with our office.

Asbestos Products – any fibro sheeting or other products containing asbestos materials not clearly marked “Does Not Contain Asbestos” must be treated as containing asbestos. This includes Hardiflex, Villa Board & compressed cement sheeting. Asbestos was also used in the production of other items, including insulation and piping/plumbing products. If you come across any material or product that is fibrous and is not stamped “Does Not Contain Asbestos,” it should be treated as containing asbestos and, as such, should not be placed into our bins.

WARNING: If we dispose of a bin and discover that any regulated waste is hidden in the bin we reserve the right to return the bin and offending items to your site and pass any costs associated with doing this. Please take the time to read our ‘Terms & Conditions of Hire’ which covers this. If you are a trades person undertaking a job and you attempt to conceal regulated wastes in a bin we will lodge a report with the EPA & WH&S.

Fire ants are dangerous imported pests that could spread to large areas of Australia, severely damaging the environment, our outdoor lifestyle and the agriculture and tourism industries. One way to ensure your site is free from fire ants is to check the site before any disturbance. This allows you to see whether fire ants are present before any work is undertaken.

A restricted area and movement controls are in place to limit the spread of fire ants in areas of South East Queensland. The restricted areas are divided into zones which have different movement requirements.

Restricted items include soil (includes fill, clay, overburden, scrapings, topsoil, decomposed granite (deco), potting media and any other material from the ground), mulch, manure, bark, hay, pot plants, potting media, turf, sleepers/logs, gravels, poultry litter.

Whilst we have an Ant Risk Management Plan (ARMP) in place, it is essential to note that the responsibility for site assessment is the person, business or company undertaking the disturbance of soil or materials onsite. Once items are placed in a bin, we cannot determine the presence of fire ants.

The National Fire Ant Eradication Program has made significant progress in eradicating fire ants from Australia. Surveillance is ongoing, and treatment and containment measures are continuing in areas of South East Queensland where the ants have been detected.

If you have any concerns or require an inspection, contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 before the work starts.

For more information, visit – the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Often, old cans of paint are already dried out. The paint can be placed in the bin if it is dried and hard. To dry any wet colours, we suggest leaving the top off the can and letting it solidify before including it with your rubbish. If there is a large amount of paint, try placing scrunched-up paper (i.e. newspaper) in the bottom of a cardboard box and tip the paint in to make it spread out and dry quicker or mix it with soil, sawdust or other absorbent materials and allow it to dry. Once dry, it can be disposed of with regular rubbish in the bin.

We do not transport restricted, regulated, hazardous or toxic waste types. For pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals, contact your local council for details of when and where they hold their collection days for these items.

To estimate the size of bin you need, imagine your rubbish in a pile and then estimate the volume like this:

Multiply the ‘length x width x height‘ to calculate the bin volume for your rubbish.
i.e. See the picture

Size estimate
= 1.6 m x 1.8 m x 1.3 m
= approx. 3.75 cubic metres
Choose a 4 cubic metre binRubbish_Dimension1

As a general guide, the maximum load for bins is 1 tonne per cubic metre; however, bins larger than 6m3 have additional limits applied to them. This is the safe lifting & transport limit. To read more about ‘Guidelines for Heavy Materials.’

For some waste types, a bin weight limit is calculated in the pricing. An additional disposal fee will be charged for loads that exceed the allowance. This amount per tonne will vary depending on the nearest disposal option.

Road rules, design, carrying and lifting capacity limitations and general safety there are certain limitations we must follow to safely transport heavy items such as dirt, concrete or bricks. An additional charge may apply for loads or loads that include dirt, concrete and/or bricks. It is important that if you need to dispose of these items, you discuss this with our office. To read more about ‘Guidelines for Heavy Materials

Over many years, we have managed to create a formula that gives an accurate estimate of the bin volume you will need for broken concrete.

Multiply the ‘length x width x depth’ then ‘double’ this figure to give the bin volume for broken concrete
i.e. Your driveway is 6 metres long, 3 metres wide and 100mm thick (depth)

6.000 metres x 3.000 metres x.0.100 metres = 1.8 cubic metres (if it was a solid block)

Double the above figure = 3.6 cubic metres of bin space.

In addition to this, road rules, design, carrying and lifting capacity limitations and general safety there are certain limitations we must follow to safely transport heavy items such as dirt, concrete or bricks. It is important that if you need to dispose of these items, you discuss this with our office. To read more about ‘Guidelines for Heavy Materials

Depending on how well tiles are broken, 80 -100 sq. metres fits into a 6m bin. If we use 90 sq. metres as an average, then divide by 15 (90/6=15), this equals 6. So a 6m bin would be required. Divide the square metre of roof area by 15 to calculate the number of metres of bin space required.
i.e. A roof is 180 sq. metres – divided by 15 = 12, which would be 2 – 6m bins (refer to FAQ 16 for weight limits on bins and ‘Guidelines for Heavy Materials’ for more information).

Please note that for bins suitable for concrete, soil, clay, rocks, rubble, bricks, sand, asphalt, ceramic & roofing tiles, the fill volume is calculated to account for air space within the bin and the waste. These limits do not allow for hand loading and stacking of bricks, pavers, concrete, etc., which would increase the weight within the bin. To read more about ‘Guidelines for Heavy Materials

Wheelbarrow doors are available on all 6m, 7m, 8m & 9m bins. They are also available in some 4m & 5m bins. The door is 750 mm wide, which will accommodate a large tradesman’s wheelbarrow. The doors are located at one end of the bin (facing the road if we were to place the bin on your driveway). Only in certain circumstances are we able to turn the bins around (a charge may apply). We also have 6m tailgate bins (lift on-lift off bins) available for jobs that need a rear-opening door. The tailgate acts as a ramp into the bin and sits less than 60 mm off the ground for easier loading. The width of the tailgate is 1.500 metres.

NOTE: The 4m & 5m bins with doors and the 6m bins with rear tailgates are very popular and may not always be available. If you make an online booking, we will confirm availability as soon as possible. If you need to know sooner please contact our office on 3821 3200.

Find out more about ‘Bins with Doors

Our crane bins are hired for situations that require a ‘lift up, lift down’ solution and not for repeated emptying of bins. This is primarily due to the excessive damage that occurs in situations where this occurs.

When hiring a crane bin, we need to know how the bin will be used. Any damage that occurs to the bin because of repeated work and any resulting wear and tear is a recoverable cost from the hirer if applicable. By hiring a crane bin, you unconditionally agree to pay these costs.

By spending a small amount of time packing bins properly, you will get great value from using our bins. Good packing eliminates excess ‘air’ holes and ‘spaces’ between the items you place in the bin. Cut tree branches into smaller pieces and break down old furniture.

We use our own bins, so we have become very skilled and expert in getting the most into a bin when it comes to packing bins. A typical household wheelie bin is a 240-litre bin, which is a little over four wheelie bins for every cubic metre (see table below). If you tip several wheelie bins into a skip or container, you will get at least this amount into every cubic metre, remembering that the type of rubbish in wheelie bins packs down better than the type of rubbish most likely placed in a skip bin.

Learn more about bin size comparisons on the ‘Bin Sizes & Prices’ page.

Bin dimensions are a near as possible guide only as some differences exist when bins are manufactured, repaired or re-floored.

How much rubbish that can go onto a trailer depends on how high you are willing to pack it without over loading the trailer or making the load unsafe? If you are unsure or require any additional information on the sizes or capacity of bins please contact our office.

We have created the ‘Waste Types‘ page to help you choose the right bin for your rubbish removal needs; however, if you still need more information, feel free to ring us for free friendly advice at 3821 3200 or contact us by email.

We believe waste disposal should be the last option. We achieve this by managing the types of waste handled in our bins. The benefit of this is that certain separated waste types may result in savings for our customers.

Firstly, we need to match the size bin that best suits your needs, and secondly, to ensure that once a container is filled, we can lift it back onto a truck and ensure that the truck can safely transport the bin.

Once this consideration has been made, we look at various waste types and what opportunities and locations we can dispose of certain waste types. Sometimes, this may result in a chance to offer a discount on some waste types.

We have compiled the information on the ‘Waste Types‘ page to help you choose the right bin for your rubbish removal needs. However, if you still need more information, please ring us for free friendly advice at 3821 3200 or contact us by email.

MIXED or COMBINATION LOADS – Because all the facilities we dispose of recycle waste, loads can include a mixture or combination of different waste types. – Please contact our office if you require any further clarification or need any advice about handling specific waste types in our bins.

Generally, we try to place the bin within your property. If this is not possible, we can put the bin on the footpath, but we cannot block pedestrian access. Some Council’s require a permit, which we can arrange for you.

Trees, power poles, street signs, low building lines, narrow gateways, essential service lines & pits, etc., constrain our ability to place bins where customers request them to be placed. As a guide, we require the following clearances to deliver bins safely. The licenses vary according to the truck size we need for certain size bins.

Exhaust Height : 2.700 metres – 3.200 metres
Arm Height (max) : 4.400 metres – 5.400 metres
Truck Widths :  2.300 metres – 2.500 metres
Mirror Widths : 2.700 metres – 3.200 metres

Please contact our office if you require any further clarification or need any advice about the necessary clearances to deliver bins.

The general answer is no. However, you can apply to your local council and the police to obtain permits. Due to the complexities of obtaining such permits, we do not offer this as part of our service.

Please note our published Operational Guidelines and Terms & Conditions of Hire apply for all services provided by Skip Bins Brisbane Group Pty Ltd t/a Handybin Waste Services and RMG (Qld) Pty Ltd t/a Big Bins & A Big Bins.

No. Moving the bin may result in us being unable to recover the bin from where you moved it. It may also damage our bin or truck and your property. Any associated costs will be recoverable from you in these situations.

You are responsible for ensuring that the machine operator does not overfill the bin or abuse our property. Please be aware that this is a common occurrence with machine operators, so make an effort before they start to inform them of our guidelines.

In accordance with Environmental Legislation, asbestos products, tyres, liquids, paints, or general hazardous materials cannot be disposed of in our skips. If you require more information on this don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office.

Review the ‘Prohibited Waste Types‘ on the Waste Types Page,

Whilst the bin is on hire by you, you are responsible for looking after our property. Please note our published Operational Guidelines and Terms & Conditions of Hire provide a comprehensive list of conditions for the use of bins and services supplied by Skip Bins Brisbane Group Pty Ltd t/a Handybin Waste Services and RMG (Qld) Pty Ltd t/a Big Bins & A Big Bins.

We can provide our services for specific situations outside of our regular hours of operation by arrangement. Please get in touch with our office to discuss this and obtain a quote.

Our focus is on redirecting waste away from landfills to alternative uses. Whilst not all our waste can be handled through our facility, we extensively use businesses and other waste disposal facilities that accept waste and continue to apply more significant extraction and resource recovery than are possible in our facility. In this regard, 100% of the trash that is transported by our business goes through some form of reduction or recycling into saleable items or bio-energy. For more information on recycling, refer to our Recycling page.

The greater Brisbane Region is growing all the time. Some areas within local authorities extend beyond what we consider a reasonable distance to travel to provide our services. We apply a ‘zone charge’ to travel to these areas in these situations. Two examples are the southern area of the Redland Shire and the Western regions of Brisbane, such as Moggill. Our prices are based on the ability to maximise the use of our vehicles by doing multiple deliveries and pickups on a run. In outer-lying areas, this means we have to drive an extended period without the ability to do additional deliveries on the way. The value of the vehicle time to service these areas may be higher than the price we charge for the bin. In these situations, we may apply a zone charge, which is a nominal fee, not the total cost of using our vehicles.

As we mentioned above, Brisbane is becoming a large geographical area. We are unable to keep extending out to provide service to this growing area; however, we can cover some of the areas in close proximity to Brisbane. Please check with our office if you require delivery to any listed areas. If you book online, we will respond to you to clarify if we provide service to your site.

  • Ipswich City Council
  • Moreton Bay Regional Council (formerly Pine Rivers Shire)
  • Gold Coast City Council (formerly Beenleigh City Council)

Sensis Yellow Pages deliver the Brisbane Yellow Pages to areas outside of the Brisbane geographical boundaries, and as such, we get phone calls from near and far. If this should occur to you, we will be happy to refer you to a company that is more local for you, which we believe will provide the same level of service to their customers as we like to do.

Unfortunately, due to ‘incidents’ over the years, we have had to put time and energy into developing our ‘Operational Guidelines and Terms & Conditions of Hire‘ to recover costs associated with the abuse of our property. So to keep it simple, as a general guide, fill the bin up, no more and phone us to have it removed. We prefer uncomplicated situations and hope common sense is applied by all.

A new product/service in the rubbish removal market are bags called Aussie Skip Bags or JumboBags. In some situations Skip Bags or a Jumbo Bags may just be the answer but it is important to make the right choice for your rubbish removal needs.

Traditional skip bins are constructed from steel that allows for repeated rentals along with the ability to manage the lightest to the heaviest loads, from paper, cardboard or green waste to dirt, soil, rocks or concrete. Of course every Skip Bin or Skip Bag will have a weight limit due to their design and construction along with road rules, carrying and lifting capacity limitations and general safety which impose limits on the safe handling and transport of Skip Bins and Skip Bags.

We have tried to simplify the advantages of our Handybin Bins and Big Bins versus the new Skip Bags. Perhaps if you have used Skip Bins or the new Skip Bags and discovered more advantages you could email us so that we can update the information in the following table. Help us find out which type of rubbish removal option gets the most ticks.Tick2

 

Skip BinsSkip Bags
Size CapacityGreater range of sizes from 2m3 – 30m3Tick2Limited to a few sizes 1m3, 2m3 3m3
CostGenerally lower per cubic metre*Tick2Higher in comparison*
Additional ChargesGenerally NOTick2Excess weight charges
Rental PeriodNormally fixed but flexibleOpen endedTick2
Weight Limits / VolumeHigher weight allowance per cubic metreTick2Restricted or Limited weight capacity
Waste Types / VolumeMore waste types due to greater capacityTick2Limited due to weight restrictions
Drop Off / Pickup Location / PlacementDependent on individual truck design and limitationsDependent on individual truck design and limitations
Pickup Time FramesUsually within 12 – 24 hoursTick2Advertised as 3 – 5 days
Level of ServiceComparableComparable
PlacementOn property or footpath depending on local council by-laws and truck accessibilityChoice of owner. Guidelines do apply. Limited by reach of lifting equipment & accessibility

We do not supply Skip Bags at this point in time however if demand for Skip Bags grows we will introduce this service sometime in the future. In the meantime we can offer a pickup service for Skips Bags, Jumbo Bags or any other brand of bags if you are located in our delivery area. Often we will be able to offer a more competitive price. Simply phone our office and speak with one of our friendly staff to obtain a quote. To pickup an Aussie Skip Bag or JumboBag we require the same amount of clearance and access as when we deliver or pickup a skip bin.

* Compare the cost of a bag + the disposal fee and then see how much more capacity you will get when you hire a Handybin Big Bins Skip Bin. Our smallest bin is 2 cubic metres and costs $150 (inc. GST) and can carry up to 2 tonne of waste.

Another emerging trend is ‘Trailer Bins’. Trailer Bins are suitable in several specific situations, such as in building car parks or where a bin needs to be placed on a road when no other option for placement is available.

It is important to make the right choice for your rubbish removal needs. Trailer Bins are available up to 4m3 and are limited in the weight carry capacity, which depends on the size bin you hire and the design of the trailer and the vehicle that will be towing the bin. Experience with towing and maneuvering a trailer would be a definite advantage.

We do not supply Trailer Bins at this point; however, if demand for Trailer Bins grows, we may introduce this service sometime in the future.