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Original poster

Has anyone used a HippoBag instead of a skip?

17 replies

LunaMoona · 30/05/2006 14:32

looking into hiring a skip but the permit costs are high. Has anyone used a 'HippoBag' You buy them from Homebase or wherever, fill them up at your convenience and then can arrange for collection whenever you want. It looks like a good idea, but wondered if anyone had used one ?

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 30/05/2006 14:34

someone next door used one for a bit but in the end, did get a skip (which I notice has no lights on etc. gggrrrr)

NomDePlume · 30/05/2006 14:34

They look great, never used one though.

brimfull · 30/05/2006 14:36

we bought one a few weeks ago.It cost £8.00 for the smaller one.We didn't get it picked up as we were using it to get rid of topsoil and ended up giving it away on freecycle,so saved ourselves £40 !

Original poster

LunaMoona · 30/05/2006 14:39

We need to get rid of a load of gravel from the back garden so would need to get it picked up. The price is virtually the same as a mini skip but we won't need a permit as we can put it on the front lawn rather than the road. I think we will go for it amd get one at the weekend. Thanks all.

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 30/05/2006 14:41

the only problem I saw was that because we don't have driveways here and no resident's parking, effectively, she had to use it as a skip because there had to be a clear space between where the bag was and the road so that the lorry could pick it up

otherwise, I think they are a brilliant idea

IAmAMonkFromHunkerPennsylvania · 30/05/2006 14:42

(Foxinsocks, can you go and get them to have lights put on it, or if they're a neighbour you don't get on with, ring the police? I only ask because I know somebody who hit a skip without lights and he's very nearly not here to tell the tale - it's a parp thing for me, I'm afraid).

We didn't hire a skip, we piled our junk into a corner of the garden (fortunately had a bath to pile it into) and then asked a chap with a flat-back lorry to come and take it all away. Was cheaper than skip hire - could you do that?

Original poster

LunaMoona · 30/05/2006 14:44

Foxinsocks - I wonder if you need a permit if it is on the road ? Our lawn is open with no fences etc so should be easy for the lorry to pick it up. I will be so glad to get rid of this gravel - it's driving me up the wall !

OP posts:

foxinsocks · 30/05/2006 14:44

it's a real parp thing for me aswell especially as I nearly reversed into the blasted thing in the rain the other day - apparently councils are supposed to be clamping down on skips but I counted 3 this morning with no lights on (I do know some builders take them off during the day and put them on at night). The builders have yet to return today but I'm going to have a word with them when they are back.

foxinsocks · 30/05/2006 14:45

Sounds perfect for it luna!

IAmAMonkFromHunkerPennsylvania · 30/05/2006 14:45

Thank you.

Original poster

LunaMoona · 30/05/2006 14:47

Monk - we need to shift gravel which is a bit messy and don't really have anywhere to put it without it going everywhere.I did think of a grab lorry at one point...

OP posts:

entropy · 30/05/2006 21:22

We have used a skip bag to have pea gravel removed from our garden and on the whole it worked well. It was cheaper than a skip. the only thing we had to watch out for was that it was easy to overload the bags with gravel and when they tried to pick the bag up by the handles they started to rip. They give you a maximum weight that the bag will hold, but for gravel and soil this was less than its volume and its hard to guess when you've reached it.

The other problem was that we wanted to know when they would collect the bag so that we could move our car to a place of safety, and they promised to phone us before they came, but in the end they just turned up and lifted the bag almost over the car!

eidsvold · 31/05/2006 06:10

we used them - I think we had two or three - used it to clean out our bag garden when we put out flat up for sale. No problem in getting it picked up - jsut called the number and paid via credit card - they picked it up.

We did it as we had no room for skip etc.

We put gravel and all sorts of rubbish in it.

We got our bags from B and Q though.

JoyF · 07/06/2006 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

ParistoBerlin · 07/06/2006 16:42

I totally agree with JoyF. I too have also used the Hippobag. I have used a skip company before and it put me off for life. They were utterly rude and arrogant. With the Hippobag I had no problems. I didn't have to scan the Yellow Pages for a company as I too found the bags in my local DIY store. On phoning for a collection, the staff were extremely friendly and the driver was so helpful. The Hippobags are such a good idea especially for single parents like me!

golds · 07/06/2006 17:09

my husband uses one oever day (for work) and thinks they are a great idea

JoyF · 29/05/2007 11:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

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