Construction waste can lay waste to the environment if not taken care of properly. If not disposed of appropriately, it could even lead to health or workplace hazards.
Whether you’re doing a commercial/industrial or residential project, your junk can come back to bite you and the environment – or your front or back lawn – if you don’t dispose of it in a way that minimises environmental risk.
Here are a number of tips to keep yourself safe and tread lightly on the planet.
Certain materials like chemicals, batteries, paints and flammable items need extra care and special disposal. You can’t dump them into regular bins – you’ve got to dispose of them according to regulations. If you don’t know how to dispose of them, contact your local council for help.
This could help you avoid heavy fines and stay away from illegal dumping.
To give you an idea of what falls into the hazardous category, here’s a list of what can and can’t go into a Skip Bin.
This simple tip goes beyond separating hazardous from recyclable from general – it could save you time, money and trouble if you save reusable or sellable items.
Put reusable items like dry pieces of wood in separate containers or under cover so they don’t get damaged during your project.
If you’ve got a lot, consider hiring a few skip bins to help you sort the good, the bad and the ugly. This will save your good materials from damage, your bad materials from taking up workspace, and your ugly (hazardous) materials from contaminating anything else.
Instead of wasting money on buying only new items, why not reuse existing fittings and appliances? Paint old fittings or give them a scrubbing to give them a fresh look. Think about ways to rearrange existing items to make the best use of space. This will save you money on purchases, and reduce the amount of waste you generate.
Whether purchasing supplies for a commercial or home renovation, ask if the store will put your supplies in eco-friendly material.
Seek out a Skip Bin provider who’ll sort and dispose your waste the right way.
At Bonza Bins, we sort and recycle, we take green waste, and we take every care to make your waste disposal environmentally friendly.
Whether you’re looking for skip bins in Armadale for a renovation, in Cannington for a construction project, or in Cockburn for an industrial job, we’ve got an excellent service for you at a great price.
Book your skip bin now to save time, money and stress on the environment!
Material costs and appliances are two of the biggest renovation expenses.
If you’re savvy and willing to shop, you can find great deals from warehouses that sell overstock from other suppliers, unused renovation materials from other projects and even salvage from other homes.
This ‘salvage’ isn’t cheap and dirty either – most of it is brand new, but simply was overstocked or not used in the original project it was meant for.
One such discount vendor in Perth is Ross’s Discount Home Centre.
They’ve got a large warehouse in Guildford that stocks, among other things:
There are other discount warehouses in South of the River suburbs like Fremantle, Canning Vale, and more – have a look for yourself and get saving!
Auctions are another great way to save on appliances and materials.
Held for any number of reasons (estate sale, house reposessed, items simply no longer needed, etc.), auctions sell all sorts of items and furniture to the highest bidder. If you know where to look, you can save a bundle!
Ross’s Auctioneers and Valuers is a good example here as well – they hold both live and online auctions for everything from flooring and appliances to furniture, wine and industrial equipment.
A well-known trick, but a good one! Next time you’re wandering the selection of ovens and washing machines in, say, Good Guys Armadale or Harvey Norman Cannington, ask a sales rep if they’ve got any floor models (sometimes called display models) for sale.
If they’re getting rid of old stock or just making room for new, they may sell you the refrigerator on display for a tidy savings.
PRO TIP: You can save $$$ getting rid of your old appliances too – find out how here.
Factory seconds are retail items which, through minor fault of manufacture, are sold to the public for a reduced rate rather than being discarded.
An appliance with a minor blemish, tiny ding, or old model can come your way for a big discount through vendors offering such factory seconds.
Various major retailers carry factory seconds or clearance items. For example, Fridge and Washer City offers seconds in their Joondalup, Morley, and O’Connor stores. For online, check out www.2ndsworld.com.au and similar vendors that specialise in this area.
Whatever you can do yourself… do yourself!
Avoid labour and installation costs, save on materials by making your own choices, and even learn a thing or two along the way.
The thing to remember here is not to overstretch yourself. Stay within your skill limits – a botched DIY job will cost you more than getting a professional in. Some areas you may want to avoid are bathroom (waterproofing), plumbing (obvious reasons) and electrical (even more obvious reasons).
Don’t get stuck paying for expensive junk removal once the dust has cleared. Don’t ruin your front lawn with a pile of heavy waste. And don’t waste time figuring out what to do with piles of renovation scrap or junk you’ve cleared out of your back room.
Hire a skip bin right off the bat. At Bonza Bins, we offer competitive rates and exceptional service for skip bins in Fremantle, Canning Vale, Armadale and all suburbs between South Perth and Freo.
Here’s a list of tips on choosing the right skip bin for your project.
Book your skip bin now to save time, money and stress on your renos!
Over the past few years, many millions of people have taken steps to begin lowering their carbon emissions and the amount of waste they throw out. We recycle more, we switch to energy-saving light bulbs, and we put our leftover food into compost bins. All of these things are great first steps to take when it comes to looking after the environment. And although remembering to recycle yesterday’s newspaper instead of putting it in the regular bins seems insignificant, over time it can add up – especially if lots of people are doing it.
But some families have taken it further. One example is the family of Bea Johnson – the author of the book Zero Waste Home, which instructs families on how to live a Zero Waste life. Since 2009, Bea and her family have reduced their household waste to an astounding one-litre jar a year. For many families, they wouldn’t even be able to fit their waste for a single day into the same sized jar.
You might be wondering just how they do it – and how you can take your first steps to living in a Zero Waste Household, too. Just some of the ways Bea reduced her family’s waste are:
Just some of the things that Bea no longer finds she needs to purchase once she started getting creative include:
Overall, Bea and her family saved so much money that they were able to install solar panels on their roof, saving them even more money in energy bills.
Lauren Singer, who was inspired by Bea’s lifestyle, began living a Zero Waste Lifestyle, too. Over three years, she produced only enough rubbish to fit inside of a small mason jar. She credits her success to composting leftover food, buying food in bulk with no packaging, and buying second-hand clothes.
So, what can you do to begin on the path to a Zero Waste Home?
Buying your food in bulk and taking your own containers to bring them home in will reduce your waste significantly – as will shopping for your fresh fruit and veggies at a farmer’s market and getting your meat fresh from a butcher.
Cleaning supplies not only take up a lot of space in your cupboard, but any homeowner will know that opening the kitchen sink leads to a treasure trove of plastic bottles.
Many basic and effective cleaning supplies can be made at home using a small number of ingredients, such as bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar.
While not directly relating to your household waste, we all know that driving isn’t the most environmentally friendly of practices, especially if you’re doing it every day. Instead, try using public transport or car sharing to get to work, and if you know you have plenty of errands to run, try to fit them all in the same day. This will reduce your fuel consumption, leading to more money in your pocket and less congestion on the roads.
Plastic bags are nothing short of a menace to society, and the less you use them, the better. Take your own fabric or long-life bags to markets and shops, and say no to plastic bags. The environment will thank you for it.
By now, we’re all pretty aware of how important it is to recycle, but it pays to stay vigilant. Place your recycling bin in a prominent position in your home so that it’s easy for you and your family to recycle, and if you’re undergoing a big renovation, hire a skip bin from a company that ensures your waste will be properly and efficiently recycled.
If you haven’t quite managed to get your waste down to a mason jar, our skip bins are available in a range of sizes to suit your needs. Get in contact with Bonza Bins today to see how we can help you.
You’re moving house. You’ve got the keys to your new place and you’re getting ready to say goodbye to your old one. You’ve made checklists, rounded up all of your spare keys, and packed up your worldly possessions, ready to make the big move.
So, where are you going wrong? We’ll tell you.
You’re taking too much with you!
Maybe you did a pre-move purge that resulted in a thinned-out wardrobe and fewer pots and pans, but we can almost guarantee that, if you’re getting set to move home, you’re taking too much with you.
Think of it this way: the more you take with you, the more you have to unpack, and the more cramped your new home is going to be. This is especially true if you’re moving into a house or a flat that has less space than your previous living space. Some people choose to have a skip bin in their old home, throwing out things they no longer need before they move, and a bin in their new home, to get rid of items that they find do not fit once they’ve arrived. But is that enough?
What can be done? Easy – take less stuff! Here are a few things you can leave behind that will make moving home much easier, and much lighter!
If you scrimped and saved for months in order to buy yourself a retro Smeg fridge that you’ve been dreaming of for years, that’s an example of an appliance that you should absolutely pack up and take with you. If, on the other hand, you’re thinking of loading up your old, rusting, kind of smelly washing machine, then maybe it’s time to think again.
A new home is a time for fresh starts, and this can include your appliances. For anything that has seen better days and just isn’t doing the job properly anymore, you might be better off leaving it behind and purchasing a newer model to be delivered and installed in your new home.
For smaller appliances, consider what you really use. If your morning routine comprises of tea and toast, then your kettle and toaster should come along for the ride. If you bought a high-end blender and a novelty popcorn maker five years ago and you haven’t used them in the past six months – it could be time to sell them on and free up some counter space.
When you consider that mattresses should really be replaced every seven years or so, you might realise that you’re due for an upgrade. If a mattress goes too long without being replaced, it can begin to sag and stop supporting you while you sleep. Over time, it will become more uncomfortable, and you could be left having sleepless nights.
If it’s time for an upgrade, designate your old mattress to the tip pile, and consider upgrading your bed frame too. Old bed frames could be donated to charity and your comfortable new bed could be delivered to your new home.
Not to be rude about your possessions, but there’s a good chance you’re hoarding a lot of junk in your house. We’re willing to bet you have at least one drawer that is set aside for miscellaneous ‘stuff’, and you’re not even completely sure what half of it is for.
Therefore, make it your mission to dispose of as much junk as you can. Get rid of any old wires and remotes that no longer control anything. Throw away the broken nail files and useless batteries that are rolling around at the back of the drawer. Donate old CDs that you don’t listen to because you no longer have a CD player, DVDs that you haven’t watched in years, and books that you’ve only read three chapters of.
Here are some more clutter clearing tips if you’ve got lots of general mess that needs organising.
Ultimately, you could save yourself several trips to the car, laden down with heavy boxes of junk.
If there’s anything in your current home that you don’t absolutely love and that you have no real use for, no one’s forcing you to bring it along. This means everything from the dusty armchair in the corner to the big potted plant that you’re always forgetting to water.
You want your new home to feel as you as possible – don’t cramp your own style by filling up your new space with items you simply don’t want or need.
If you’re moving home and looking to cut back on your belongings, you may well end up with a ‘get rid of’ pile that is bigger than your rubbish bins. Be prepared – consider skip bins! Our cheap skip bin hire in Perth is the perfect way to rid yourself of old and broken furniture that is getting in your way. Contact us today to find out how we can help, or check out our prices here.
Large appliances such as your fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, and oven, are known as white goods, and the process of disposing of them isn’t as easy as throwing out an old pair of ripped jeans. If you’ve decided to replace any of your white goods, then you need to know how to properly and safely get rid of the old ones.
If you’re replacing an appliance that is still in good working condition, you may not need to dispose of it at all. Depending on its condition, you may be able to sell it on websites such as Gumtree or Facebook. You never know what somebody else might be looking for. (For Facebook, try searching “buy and sell + your city or suburb name”. Groups and pages dedicated to trading and selling are becoming very common!)
If your appliance is looking a bit worse for wear, or has a few minor faults but still works well enough, your next best option could be to simply give it away for free. This benefits everyone involved, as you could be giving a helping hand to someone in need and it means you no longer have to deal with getting it removed properly. At worst, you might just have to be the one to drop it off to its new owner.
For some appliances, the original manufacturer will be happy to pick up their old wares once your new appliance has been delivered. They may charge you a small fee for the service, but you’ll be left with the peace of mind that your old appliance will be in safe hands. Most companies have an obligation to dispose of their old machines responsibly, so make sure you ask beforehand what their process of disposal is.
Your council may have specific rules and regulations in place when it comes to the disposal of white goods. In order to avoid running into any trouble or breaking any local laws, make a point of contacting your council and talking to them about any rules that they may enforce when it comes to recycling.
In a best case scenario, you might discover that they offer a service that will dispose of your old goods for you, so it doesn’t hurt to give them a call!
Some people make a living out of salvaging useful materials out of scrap metal. Search around online to see if there is anyone in your area who could make good use out of your old appliance. If you’re not able to sell your machine on or donate it to a charity, passing it onto a metal recycler lets you know that your machine isn’t going to waste.
When it comes to kitchen renovations, some skip bin hire companies allow white goods to be included, while others don’t. At Bonza Bins, we allow white goods to be put in with kitchen renovation waste. Once your bin reaches the transfer station, your white goods are sent to metal recycling, and any fridges are de-gassed to ensure safety. We serve all of Perth with skip bins, and have skip bin sizes that will suit any appliance.
We also like to recycle everything else! Read here about our process for recycling and green waste.
If you’re disposing of old appliances, that can only mean that you’re replacing them with newer models. While you’re shopping for your upgrade, make a point of looking for environmentally friendly options that have long warranties and a history of good service. The less white goods you have to dispose of in your lifetime, the better your impact on the world around you.
Whether you’re expecting guests or you’re simply gearing up for a much needed clear out, the winter months are a great time to spend some quality time with your home and garden. While the heat of summer had us basking on beaches and never going a weekend without an invitation to a barbeque, the cooler months may find you preferring to snuggle up inside.
This isn’t a bad thing, of course, but it does mean that you’ll be seeing an awful lot more of the inside of your home. So, what can you do to prepare yourself and your home for winter?
If cosy is your aim, you might not achieve it with hard floors, bright white walls, and monochromatic furniture. Minimalist decor certainly packs in style, but style and comfort aren’t always the same.
To make your home look the part for winter and add some warmth to your rooms, invest in some thick, woollen blankets, patterned rugs, and plush cushions. Not only will they give your living areas a homely, welcoming feel, but they’ll also go a long way when you want to keep your feet warm in the evening.
Darker colours such as deep reds and blues are the perfect colours for injecting warmth into your home, so pack away the yellow and pink accessories until summer rolls back around.
If there are areas of your home that your mind has been avoiding over summer, not wanting to waste the sun spending time on indoor renovations, now is the time to tackle them head on. Whether you have a big project in the works, such as fitting a new kitchen or installing new floors, or it’s something on a smaller scale, such as re-decorating the laundry room, winter is the perfect time to renovation and re-decorate.
For the small scale projects, a bit of forward planning can go a long way. Sitting down in the morning and writing a list of what you want to do, what you need to be able to do it, and any important measurements can mean that your entire project is done by the evening.
You’re no longer spending your weekends at summer markets and the weather no longer permits evening picnics on the beach – so what are you supposed to do with all of your newfound free time?
If you’re the DIY type, there are literally thousands of things for you to do. Whether it’s reupholstering existing furniture and accessories to fit in with your winter theme or artfully arranging spray-painted logs to give off the impression of a homely wood fire, the possibilities are endless. A quick browse through Google or search on Pinterest will turn up more results than you can count, and your winter evenings will be filled to the brim with projects galore.
No, not because there’s a big storm coming and you’re going to need the supplies. This is still Australia we’re talking about. Stock your cupboards full with the things you like the most and challenge yourself to create recipes that are both warming and wonderful. Whether it’s pumpkin and mushroom soup or cinnamon-infused gingerbread cupcakes, there’s no limit to what you can create.
Not to mention that nothing makes a home smell better than food in the oven.
We know it sounds boring, but winter is one of the best times to make decisions on what you do and do not need. The spare chairs that you always end up bringing out at Christmas can stay, whereas the suitcase with the dodgy wheel and loose handle might benefit from a trip to the rubbish bin.
Dedicating a weekend to sorting through your possessions and discarding those items you really don’t need might seem dull at the time, but afterwards, you’ll be left with more space and a sense of calm. Doesn’t it feel good to be productive?
If you’ve got any renovations coming up in the winter months and are looking for skip bin hire in Perth, contact Bonza Bins today to find out what we can do for you.
It’s a yes or no question, but it’s one that not everyone knows the answer to. There are several factors that come into the decision of whether or not to hire a skip bin, and it can leave homeowners wondering whether they actually require one, or whether they can do the work themselves.
In order to help you along in the process of decided, we’ve put together some of the top reasons you might need a skip bin, and how to know whether or not you should hire one.
One of the top reasons people decide to hire a skip bin is because they are renovating their homes. Often, the amount of waste created from removing old appliances, flooring, pipes, etc. combined with the packaging that needs to be thrown away once the new items are delivered is too much for people to deal with on their own. As a result, they find it easier to hire a skip bin, making it easy for them to have all of their rubbish and debris in one place, ready to be collected and removed at a time that’s convenient for them.
Whether you’re renovating your home or putting on a large event, there is enough stress involved without having to consider the clean up afterwards. Skip bins make it easy to remove every scrap of waste with absolutely no hassle or inconvenience to you. All you need to do is place the rubbish in the bin, and then it is out of your hands. The skip bin team will take the waste from you at the agreed upon time, and you’ll never have to worry about it again.
Helping out the environment has never been easier – with skip bins, your waste will be sorted by the team and deposited in the right place, meaning you won’t have to stand with a bottle in your hand, wondering whether or not it should go into recycling. Once your skip bin has been removed, you can rest at ease that you’ve put your waste in the hands of people who are dedicated to responsible disposal.
If you know you have a large amount of waste to dispose of, it’s likely that hiring a skip bin will be the most cost effective way of having it removed. You can tailor the size (and therefore the price) of your bin to your requirements, and everything is settled in one quick payment. The alternative of relying on hiring daily rubbish pick up is a cost that can quickly add up.
The only person who knows for sure whether or not the require a skip bin is you, but even if you’re unsure, we’re here to give you advice and help you make a decision that’s right for you.
To talk to one of our team about our skip bin hire services in Perth, visit our website or call us today on 0893317271.
When it comes to home renovations, getting started isn’t always easy. You might have an idea of what your perfect home looks like in your mind, but no idea how to get there. You might know everything that needs doing, right down to the last detail, but just have no idea where to start. Or you might not have a clue what’s best for you home at all, and be relying on the advice of professionals to guide you along.
Whatever the case, home renovations can be stressful, no matter how well you’ve planned, and one of the most stressful parts is knowing when to begin.
For the most part, any renovations can be undertaken at any time of the year, but there are certain climates that contribute to making the job just a little bit easier.
As the middle of the year creeps toward us and the weather starts to cool off a bit, the prime climate for outdoor renovations appears. The colder, dry air and the harder ground makes it easier to dig into the ground and set down strong foundations for expanding your home, whereas the humid air of the warmer months makes it more difficult.
When the cold weather begins to drop away and the sun starts to shine a bit more, it’s a great time to consider any outdoor renovations. Having decks or patios installed can take time, and getting them ready before summer hits has the dual benefit of ensuring the builders are not toiling away in the heat, and knowing that your outdoor area will be ready for you to relax on all summer long.
Other outdoor renovations such as barbeque pits and swimming pools can also be fitted during the spring time, ready to make your summer even more amazing.
In Australia, the weather isn’t shy about letting you know when summer has arrived. The hot weather can make working outside almost unbearable, which makes indoor renovations the best for the hotter months.
Bathroom and kitchen renovation are particularly popular during these months, and if you’re lucky enough to be going on holiday, scheduling your renovation for the same time could mean that you avoid the trouble of living in a building site, and return from your holiday to a brand new kitchen, bathroom, or living area.
Many people insist that the autumn months are the best time of the year to have any renovation work done, as the weather is the perfect balance between too hot and too cold. Much like spring, it is a great time to have outdoor work completed, although places that have high chances of rain throughout autumn may want to be careful about having extensions and foundations fitted during this time.
All the advice in the world about the best time to renovate your home is useless if you yourself aren’t ready. One of the most important things you can do when it comes to renovation and DIY is to do your research thoroughly. Finding out how much it’s going to cost, what materials you’re going to need, and which contractors you want to complete the job are just the first steps.
Having your kitchen renovated in summer might seem like a great idea, but if you’re not ready for it, it will only cause you stress and trouble.
If you have renovations coming up and would like to hire a skip bin in Perth, contact Bonza Bins today.
When it comes to household clutter, it tends to sneak up on us. We often don’t realise that we’ve been hoarding Christmas cards from the past five years until we open a cupboard and end up covered in them.
Throwing things away can be difficult, but here are seven household items you can absolutely throw away today to free up space and declutter your home. We promise you won’t miss them.
While we adults might be a bit stubborn when it comes to throwing away old items, our kids are notorious for it. Their toy boxes are filled with games they haven’t played in years and their wardrobes are bursting at the seams with old Halloween costumes and clothes that haven’t fit them properly since they were a toddler.
It’s time to put your foot down – throwing away any torn or broken items and donating anything that hasn’t been used or worn for a couple of years will free up plenty of space, likely to be filled with yet more toys and games!
We’re all guilty of holding onto items that don’t quite work anymore, but aren’t entirely useless. Old, fraying wires that only charge your phone 10% of the time, umbrellas that don’t extend fully, chests of drawers that have units hanging out at odd angles, and old suitcases with dodgy wheels and missing handles are all great examples of broken household items that should be thrown in the bin immediately.
We’ve yet to find one person who doesn’t have a drawer in their home dedicated to miscellaneous items. Whether it’s wires and cables from a TV set that you owned in 1999 or remotes for a VCR that was long ago taken to the tip, we can guarantee that if you haven’t used it in the 10 years it’s been there, you’re never going to use it. Throw it out and make some space for something you actually need.
When was the last time you sat in front of your expansive DVD collection and pondered over what film or TV series you wanted to watch this evening? How about the last time you scrolled through Netflix’s Recently Added category? Over the last few years, a lot of household items have been replaced within much smaller technological casings, so take all of your old books, DVDs, VHSs, CDs and mobile phones to your local charity shop and bask in your newly freed up living room space.
You might have been dedicated to teaching yourself the drums when you first got the kit, but now it’s four years later and you still can’t carry a beat. Donate your dusty musical instruments, knitting materials, paint canvases, and tennis gear to someone who’ll get some real use out of them and carry on in your search to find a hobby that won’t collect dust.
We’re not saying you need to throw out all of your pots, plates, and pans and spend the rest of your life eating from paper plates, but we are suggesting you take stock of your kitchenware. Whether you’re guilty of holding onto discoloured tupperware with mismatching lids or you have well over 50 mugs and glasses for a family of four, it might be time for you to have a clear out and free up some kitchen space.
Most of the items listed above can be placed in a regular bin, recycled, donated, or taken to a tip, but if you’re considering a more dramatic cleanup or renovation, contact Bonza Bins today to discuss hiring a skip bin!
Who doesn’t love spending an evening relaxing in front of the newest reality TV show? You might call it a guilty pleasure, but we have to admit that we, along with well over a million other Aussies, love The Block.
With the announcement that The Block 2017 has started auditioning for its newest contestants, we’ve had renovation on the brain. Sitting back and watching as other people try to create a modern masterpiece out of a rundown complex is almost as fun as getting up and doing it yourself!
So why does Australia love The Block so much? Well, research tells us that it’s because we love to renovate. Whether we’re ripping up our carpets in favour of tiles or stipping off our wallpaper to splash on some paint, a study by Ron Morgan Research found that 62% of Australian homeowners carried out some form of renovation in 2016. That’s 8.4 million homeowners.
That isn’t to say that all homeowners are dedicated $100,000 to their renovation budget å la The Block. In fact, the most popular type of home improvements are more minor renovations, with 5.8 million Aussies (43%) putting money toward small alterations and 3.7 million giving their homes a fresh lick of paint on their walls, window sills, and ceilings. These smaller renovations can help to give homes a new lease of life without the big budget.
Compared to the 43% of Aussies mentioned above, only 17% of homeowners (around 2.2 million) spent in excess of $5,000 renovating or extending their homes – however, this is still 300,000 more than recorded in 2013, which shows that home renovations in all areas are on the rise.
It was also recorded that homeowners who moved into their abodes less than 12 months ago were more likely to shell out the big bucks for home renovations, while those who had been settled into their homes for longer were content to leave their homes be.
If you’re planning any home renovations in 2017 and you’re wondering what you’ll do with your old floorboards once your new tiles have been laid, contact Bonza Bins today to chat about what we can do for you!
