When you are facing a garden full of overgrowth, old rubbish, or years of accumulated green waste, one of the first decisions you will need to make is how to get rid of it all. Most people in Ireland immediately think of hiring a skip, but there is another option that is often better value and far less hassle — hiring a professional garden clearance service.
We have been clearing gardens across Dundalk and County Louth for over 35 years, and we have seen plenty of customers who started with a skip and ended up calling us anyway. So let us lay out the honest comparison so you can make the right choice for your situation.
Skip Hire — How It Works
When you hire a skip, a company delivers an open-top container to your property (or the road outside). You fill it with waste over a set period — usually a few days to a week — and they come back to collect it. Simple enough in theory.
Typical skip sizes and prices in Ireland
| Skip Size | Capacity | Typical Cost (Louth) |
|---|---|---|
| Mini skip (2-3 yard) | About 20-30 bin bags | €150 — €250 |
| Midi skip (4-5 yard) | About 40-50 bin bags | €250 — €350 |
| Standard skip (6-8 yard) | About 60-80 bin bags | €300 — €450 |
| Large skip (10-12 yard) | About 100-120 bin bags | €400 — €600 |
These prices are for green waste and general garden waste. If you are mixing in soil, rubble, or heavy materials, expect surcharges.
What you can put in a skip
Most skip hire companies accept:
- Green waste (grass, hedge trimmings, branches)
- Timber and old fencing
- General non-hazardous waste
- Light rubble (sometimes at extra cost)
What you cannot put in a skip
- Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, oils)
- Tyres
- Asbestos
- Electrical items
- Plasterboard (usually needs a separate skip)
- Soil is often restricted or charged extra
Garden Transformation Service — How It Works
A professional garden clearance service takes a completely different approach. A team arrives with all the equipment needed — strimmers, chainsaws, chippers, and heavy-duty clearing tools — and they do the hard physical work for you. They cut, clear, and work through the garden systematically. You point at what needs clearing, and they get on with it.
The garden is left clean and tidy, with everything cut back and cleared. For waste disposal, you may need to arrange collection separately through a skip hire company or licensed waste collector, depending on the volume of material. Your clearance team can advise on the best option for your situation.
The Real Cost Comparison
Here is where it gets interesting. At first glance, a skip seems cheaper. But when you add up all the costs, the picture changes.
Skip hire — true cost breakdown
- Skip hire fee: €300 (for a standard 6-yard skip)
- Road permit from Louth County Council (if on public road): €40-50
- Your time clearing and loading: 2-3 full days for a medium garden
- Tool hire if needed (strimmer, chainsaw): €50-100 per day
- Fuel and trips if skip is not enough: €30-50
- Second skip if you underestimate volume: another €300
Realistic total for a medium garden: €450 — €850+
And that is before you count the value of your weekends and the physical toll of doing the work yourself.
Garden clearance service — true cost
- Professional clearance including labour and equipment: €500 — €1,000 for a medium garden
- Your time: zero (beyond being there to let the team in)
- Waste collection if needed: arrange separately via skip hire or licensed collector
Realistic total for a medium garden: €500 — €1,000 (plus waste collection if required)
When you compare like for like, a professional service often comes in at a similar price — and sometimes cheaper — than the DIY-plus-skip approach. The difference is that you do not have to do any of the work.
Pros and Cons Side by Side
Skip hire pros
- Good if you want to work at your own pace over several days
- You control exactly what goes in
- Works well for mixed waste (garden waste plus household items)
- No need to be home when it is delivered or collected
Skip hire cons
- You do all the physical work yourself
- Easy to underestimate how many skips you need
- Takes up space on your drive or road
- Needs a permit if on public property
- Cannot handle certain waste types
- Skip sits there for days, which neighbours may not love
Garden clearance service pros
- All the hard physical clearing work done for you
- Usually completed in one or two days
- Professional equipment makes the job faster and more thorough
- Garden left clean and tidy
- No heavy lifting on your part
- You get advice on what to keep and what to remove
- Team can advise on waste disposal options if needed
Garden clearance service cons
- You need to be available when the team is working
- Less flexibility on timing (you book a specific date)
- Waste disposal may need to be arranged separately
- May not be ideal if you also have a lot of non-garden household waste to dispose of
When a Skip Makes More Sense
There are situations where skip hire is genuinely the better choice:
- Mixed clearance projects — if you are clearing out a shed, garage, and garden all at once, a skip gives you one container for everything
- Renovation work — if there is rubble, old bathroom fittings, or construction waste alongside garden waste, a skip handles the mix
- Slow and steady work — if you want to chip away at the job over a week of evenings, having a skip sitting there is convenient
- Very small jobs — a mini skip for a few bags of garden waste can be the simplest option
When a Clearance Service Makes More Sense
For most garden-specific jobs, a professional clearance service wins:
- Overgrown gardens — the team has the tools and experience to handle heavy growth that would take you days
- Time pressure — selling a house, preparing for tenants, or getting ready for a landscaping project means you need it done quickly
- Limited access — no room for a skip, or the garden is at the back with no side access
- Heavy vegetation — brambles, trees, and thick woody growth need proper equipment
- You would rather not do it yourself — there is nothing wrong with paying professionals to do a job they are equipped for
The Hidden Costs of Skip Hire
A few things that catch people out:
- Overloading penalties — if you fill the skip above the rim, you will be charged extra or the company will refuse to collect it
- Wrong waste surcharges — putting restricted items in a green waste skip can result in the entire load being reclassified (and charged at a higher rate)
- Multiple skips — people almost always underestimate how much waste an overgrown garden produces. What you think will fill one skip often fills two
- Damage to driveways — heavy skips can crack block paving or tarmac, especially in wet weather
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire a skip and a clearance service together?
You can, and this is actually a great combination. A professional clearance service handles all the hard physical work of cutting back and clearing the garden, and a skip gives you somewhere to put the waste afterwards. This works well for larger jobs where there is a significant volume of material to dispose of.
Do I need a permit for a skip in County Louth?
If the skip is placed on a public road, footpath, or council-maintained area, yes — you need a permit from Louth County Council. If it is on your own private property (your driveway, for example), no permit is needed. The skip hire company can usually arrange the permit for you for an additional fee.
How long does a garden clearance service take compared to filling a skip myself?
A professional team with proper equipment can clear a medium-sized overgrown garden in one to two days. Doing the same job yourself and filling a skip typically takes two to three full weekends of hard physical work, depending on the level of overgrowth.
What if there is non-garden waste mixed in with the overgrowth?
This is common, especially in neglected gardens. Old fencing, broken concrete, plastic sheeting, and all sorts can be buried under years of growth. A good clearance service will cut back and clear everything, leaving the different material types separated and the site tidy. You may then need to arrange disposal of the waste through a skip or licensed waste collector.
Let Us Take the Hard Work Off Your Hands
If you are weighing up your options for clearing a garden in Dundalk, Drogheda, or anywhere across County Louth, give Seamus and Pete a call. We will come out, take a look, and give you an honest quote — no hidden fees and no surprises. With over 35 years of experience, we know how to get the job done efficiently and leave your garden ready for whatever comes next.
Ring us on 085 168 5170 for a free, no-obligation quote.
