Book a DIY waste collection
We can collect DIY waste that has been produced during home improvements. This service is for residents and is not available to businesses.
Alternatively, you can check whether you can donate, sell, share or repair your items.
Book your collection
Complete our online form to arrange collection of your DIY waste. Make sure you read the information on this page if you have not used this service before.
We have a separate service for collecting household bulky items.
Changing your booking
If you want to change or cancel your collection, call us on 020 8871 8558 by 3pm on the working day before your collection.
If your collection is on a Monday, you must call us by 3pm on the Friday before.
We will usually only reschedule a collection once.
Refunds
To be eligible for a refund, you must cancel your collection by 3pm on the working day before your collection.
If your collection is on a Monday, you must cancel by 3pm on the Friday before.
What we can collect
We can collect DIY waste items that can be safely lifted by two operatives. This includes:
- Bathroom units - such as a sink, toilet or shower panels
- Baths - fitted ceramic or free standing
- Blinds
- Built-in wardrobes
- Cupboards - free standing or wall mounted
- Doors
- Fitted carpets
- Fences
- Kitchens units or cabinets
- Sacks of DIY waste - see how we charge for sacks
- Sheds
- Shelves
- Skirting boards
- Wooden fencing
What we cannot collect
There are some general rules around what we cannot collect:
- Any items that you do not list on your booking form
- Any items booked using the wrong collection type on your booking form. Different fees apply for DIY, household, and landlord collections, so you must select the correct type
- Anything that cannot be safely lifted by two operatives
- Any item that will not fit into the collection vehicle - these items can be broken down into smaller pieces. If you cannot do this, you may want to consider using another service
- Any items our operatives deem a significant risk to health and safety, or harm to the environment
There are some specific items we cannot collect:
- Boilers and radiators
- Bricks, soil, rubble or stones. Small amounts can be delivered to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Smugglers Way
- Building and commercial work waste
- Car batteries
- Cement
- Engines or other parts
- Oil or liquids
- Plasterboard
- Rubbish produced by workmen employed in your home
- Waste from works of construction, demolition or preparatory works. For example, rubble, plasterboard, fitted kitchen units, fitted bathtubs, cast iron baths, fitted carpets and doors
If you only present items that we cannot collect, this will result in a failed collection.
Other services
If you have any items that we cannot collect, you can check if they can be taken to Smugglers Way.
You can also visit Recycle Now or our Waste and Recycling A-Z to see if your items can be recycled locally.
Charges
Our minimum charge covers a single collection of up to four items. You will need to make payment when you place your booking.
- Charge for up to four items: £102.80
Three standard-size refuse sacks are charged as one DIY item. So, for our minimum charge of £102.80 you could have up to 12 sacks collected.
There are extra charges for additional items:
- Charge for each additional DIY item: £21.80
- Charge for each additional sack: £8.90
How collections work
You can select from several collection dates. All of these dates will fall on your usual household recycling and waste collection day.
Collections from blocks of flats take place on the usual waste and recycling collection days for houses in that street.
Collection times
Your collection will be made between 6.30am and 4.30pm on the day you select. We cannot give you a specific time slot.
You do not need to be at home when your collection is made.
Failed collections
Your collection will fail if:
- You choose the wrong collection type on your booking form. Different fees apply for household, DIY, and landlord collections, so you must select the correct type
- You do not put your items out when the collection is attempted
- You do not put your items in the place you stated
- Crew cannot access any secured areas
- You only present items that we do not collect
In these circumstances, the collection crew will not collect your items. You will not be eligible for a refund. You will need to correctly book and pay for another collection if you still want your items collected.
No shows
If collection operatives are delayed and do not arrive on your collection day by 4.30pm, a new booking will be made - call us on 020 8871 6000. If your items are on your own property, you can leave them there. If your items are on the public highway they must be moved or you will be liable for a fly-tipping offence.
Preparing your collection
You should leave your items for collection where they are clearly visible in your front garden, if you have one.
We cannot collect items from inside your property. If you need help moving items outside, you should make these arrangements before your collection date.
Collection crew will not contact residents, porters or concierges to locate or collect bulky waste.
Leaving items on the highway
If you do not have a front garden or other open and accessible area, you can place your items on the public highway. The items should be next to your property's entrance and not causing an obstruction.
You must only place items on the highway after 6.30pm on the day before your collection.
Access to gated properties
If you live in a property with secured gate access, please follow these instructions:
- Provide access codes for any secured main gates on your booking form
- Give clear instructions and directions to the bin area or location of the items if they are not clearly visible from the gate
- If your secured gate does not use an access code, the gate should be left unlocked, or items should be placed outside the gate for collection
- There must not be a locked second gate or door with a code
- If collection crew cannot access the gates this will result in a failed collection and no refund will be made
Collections from blocks of flats
If you live in a block of flats, your items must be placed by the bin shed area or your communal bin collection point.
Underground and basement areas
Items cannot be collected from any underground or basement areas.