Also called: RoRo container

Roll-On Roll-Off Skip Hire

Roll-on roll-off (RoRo) containers hold 20 to 40 cubic yards of waste and are winched onto a hook-lift lorry rather than lifted by chains. They are site containers for construction, demolition and commercial waste, and need firm, level ground with a long, clear approach.

6 ft
Side view drawn to scale beside a 6 ft figure. The yellow line is the fill line: the top edge of the skip.
  • Capacity
    20 to 40 cubic yards
    About 220 to 440 bin bags
  • Typical size
    About 20 ft long and 8 ft wide; 6 to 9 ft high depending on size
  • Heavy waste
    20 yard for heavy waste; 30 and 40 yard for light, bulky waste
  • Placement
    Sites with hardstanding and clear access; not the public road

Dimensions and bin-bag figures are typical. Exact sizes and heavy-waste limits vary between suppliers.

Suppliers offering roll-on roll-off containers

From prices set by each supplier. Search your postcode to see who delivers to your site.

No suppliers are listing this size yet. Search all skip suppliers.

What is a roll-on roll-off skip?

A roll-on roll-off container, usually shortened to RoRo, is a large open container that a hook-lift lorry winches on and off its bed. The usual sizes are 20, 30 and 40 cubic yards. They are typically about 20 ft long and 8 ft wide, from about 6 ft high for a 20 yard to about 9 ft for a 40 yard.

Heavy waste in a RoRo

Weight still limits what goes in. A 20 yard RoRo is the usual choice for soil, rubble and concrete, while 30 and 40 yard containers are for light, bulky waste such as timber, packaging and strip-out material. Suppliers set their own weight limits, so confirm the limit and how they price when you enquire.

What a RoRo suits

  • Construction and demolition sites
  • Commercial and industrial waste
  • Large strip-outs and refurbishments
  • Ongoing site waste with regular exchanges

Space and access

A RoRo needs firm, level ground and a long, clear approach for the lorry to reverse and winch the container on or off. They go on sites and private land rather than the road. Check overhead clearance for cables and trees.

Exchanges on busy sites

On an ongoing project, most RoRo suppliers offer exchanges: they bring an empty container and take the full one away in the same visit. Ask about exchange pricing and turnaround when you enquire.

The fill line

Load the container level with its sides and no higher. An overloaded container cannot be legally carried, and the driver can refuse to collect it until the excess is removed. Some items cannot go in any skip at all, so check what can and cannot go in a skip before you start loading.

Smaller sizes

If the site is tight or the volume smaller, a 12 yard skip or 8 yard skip may suit better. For skips or RoRo on a long job, see commercial skip hire.

Finding a roll-on roll-off supplier near you

Search by your site postcode to see local suppliers who deliver roll-on roll-off containers to your area, with their from prices and the checks we have made on their waste registration. You contact the supplier directly and agree the price, hire period and any permit costs with them. There is no booking fee.

Roll-on roll-off questions

What sizes do roll-on roll-off skips come in?

The usual sizes are 20, 30 and 40 cubic yards. They are all about 20 ft long and 8 ft wide, and get taller as the capacity goes up.

Can you put soil or rubble in a roll-on roll-off skip?

Usually only in a 20 yard container. The 30 and 40 yard sizes are for light, bulky waste, because heavy material would take them over the lorry's weight limit.

What is a RoRo exchange?

The supplier delivers an empty container and removes the full one in the same visit, which keeps a busy site working.