[The Sausage]

Howdy all you builder types...

...what's the best (and cheapest) way to make a ramp for a skip? I'm going to have many wheelbarrows full of earth to empty. I thought 2 or 3 lengths of 3"x2" with some ply(?) on top.

also, if anybody in the Sheffield area has either a wheelbarrow or mattock they don't mind lending out, It'd be very much appreciated.

Cheers, Joe

[Andy B]

You're welcome to borrow our wheelbarrow.

[cofe]

Or pm Jim, I'm pretty sure I've seen ninky nonk with one...

[nik at work]

Don't bother trying to get a ramp to go up to the top of the skip, just build a little ramp so you can get the lip of the wheelbarrow over the lip of the skip then pivot on that to tip the barrow. Means only building a smaller ramp so doesn't need to be such a feat of engineering and less hill to push up. A few bricks/blocks and some random bits of wood will be fine, or a scaffold board, or stuff robbed from other local skips...
Alternatively if it is a serious amount of earth get a big ass skip with a door, pushing lots of stuff up a hill is dull.

[Percy B]

A pair of 13' scaffolding planks one on top of the other used to be de rigeur for your standard skip ramp, back in the days before builders all went soft and started using Bobcats and mini dumpers...

[Andy B]

We've got a scaffold board you can use too.

[account_inactive]

The last skip I hired had a door flap at the front so no need for any ramp

[The Sausage]

Cheers Y'All,
Will check out if I can get a skip with a door. But presume I'll need some sort of ramp eventually as the skip fills. Had thought about not building the ramp full height... cheers Nik for heads up that it actually works.

[rodma]

Percy's suggestion pretty much still is the norm. You get used to running up at the correct speed pretty quickly and it's definately less punishing than lifting the barrow onto the lip of the skip.

Just remember that if you barrow starts to tip off one side of the ramp, then get the fuck out the way pronto, and do not, repeat, do not try to stop it. It'll only take a couple of minutes max to shovel the spillage back up, which is a lot quicker than heading off to A&E 

Better still if you can get a skip with a door as others said. I've not seen an eight cubic yard skip with a door before, but maybe there just isn't much demand for these in scotland.

[fatkid2000]

I need to get a skip to clear some rubbish - any recommendations for a company in Sheffield?

Prices to pay?

[Percy B]

Cheap skips are a thing of the past nowadays thanks to government regs on landfill, etc., (unless you find a dodgy individual who will probably fly tip your rubbish), so don't go for the cheapest option!
£120 for a big skip seems to be the norm, although as ever, if you can pay cash you may get a bit of a discount. Last skip I got came from these guys - http://www.bradwellskips.co.uk/ They dropped it where I wanted when I said, and picked it up when I wanted it. What more could you ask for (apart from someone to fill it for you...)

[duncan]

Percy's suggestion pretty much still is the norm. You get used to running up at the correct speed pretty quickly and it's definately less punishing than lifting the barrow onto the lip of the skip.

+1

It's easier to slap than static the move.  Make sure you have room for a good run-up.