This is the question almost everyone in Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, the Chalfonts, Denham, Iver and Amersham asks before booking anything, and most pages answering it are selling one side. So here is the whole comparison, including the cases where you should book the council and not call us.
Both prices below are real and current. Buckinghamshire Council’s figures are from its own published schedule; ours are the published ladder from our pricing page, which is what you would actually be charged.
The two options, side by side
| Buckinghamshire Council | Van Thats Quick | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest option | £65 for one to three items | £95 minimum load |
| Priced by | Item count band | Space filled in the van |
| Item limit | 9, hard ceiling | None |
| Who carries it | You do, to the boundary by 6am | We do, from any room, garage or garden |
| Building / DIY waste | Refused | Accepted, priced by weight from £95 |
| Garden waste | Refused | Accepted |
| Speed | Booked, days out | Same day, 7am–10pm, seven days |
| Paperwork | Council record | Waste transfer note on request |
Where the council genuinely wins — and we will say so
If you have a small number of ordinary household items, you can physically get them to your boundary by 6am, and they are on the accepted list, book the council. At £65 for one to three items it is cheaper than our minimum load and we would rather tell you than take the booking. The rest of this page is about the point where that stops being true.
What Buckinghamshire Council charges in 2026
| Council booking | Price | Max items |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 items | £65 | 3 |
| 4 to 6 items | £130 | 6 |
| 7 to 9 items | £195 | 9 — hard ceiling |
Full detail, including the current accepted-item list, is in our Buckinghamshire bulky waste guide.
The four limits that catch people out:
- Everything must be at your boundary by 6am, at ground level. The crew will not enter the house, the garage or an outbuilding, and will not use steps.
- Nine items is a hard ceiling per booking, and you cannot add or swap items afterwards — you cancel and rebook.
- It takes no building or DIY waste: no rubble, soil, garden waste, glass panels, tyres, pianos or asbestos.
- It is booked, not same-day, with collection any time up to 6pm on your allocated day.
What a man and van costs for the same job
We price by the space your load fills in the van, not by the item. Every figure includes two people, all the loading and carrying, and the disposal and recycling fees — and we are not VAT registered, so the price shown is the price paid.
| Space filled | Typical job | Our fixed price |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum load | A few bags, or one or two items | £95 |
| ¼ van | A bedroom cleared | £195 |
| ½ van | A garage cleared | £320 |
| Full van | A large mixed clear-out | £495 |
A whole room cleared, furniture and all, is a house clearance rather than a load — that starts from £195.
Which is cheaper for your actual job
| Your job | Cheaper option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One mattress at the kerb | Council (£65 for one to three items) | A single item still costs a full band, but that band is under our £95 minimum |
| Three items, all at ground level, no rush | Council | This is exactly what the service is priced for |
| A sofa that has to come down stairs | Man and van | The council will not enter the property at all, so the service simply does not apply |
| A garage or loft clear-out | Man and van | Past the item limit immediately; two bookings is £130 and you still carry everything |
| Anything after a kitchen or bathroom refit | Man and van | The council refuses rubble, tiles and bathroom suites outright |
| A garden strip-out | Man and van | Garden waste is not on the bulky list |
| You need it gone today | Man and van | The council books days ahead |
| End of tenancy, whole property | Man and van | Several bands over, and none of the fixtures qualify |
What about just driving it to the tip?
Free is hard to beat, and if you can fit it in a car and you have a spare morning, the tip is the cheapest answer available to you. Your nearest is Beaconsfield, Amersham or Burnham recycling centre.
Buckinghamshire sites are free for residents but need a free vehicle permit for a van, pick-up, truck or minibus, and charge for DIY waste per item from £4.20 to £29.40 once the permit allowance is used. Burnham is closed Wednesdays and Thursdays; Beaconsfield is the only nearby site taking asbestos or trade waste.
Where it stops working is volume and vehicle. A permit is per-vehicle and DIY charges are per item, and neither site will take a tree trunk or a branch thicker than 20cm. Full detail is in our permit and cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Buckinghamshire Council bulky waste collection cheaper than a man and van?
For a small number of ordinary household items that you can get to your boundary by 6am, yes — £65 for one to three items is cheaper than our £95 minimum load, and we will tell you so. It stops being cheaper as soon as you go past the item limit, need anything carried out of the property, have building or garden waste, or need it gone the same day.
How much does Buckinghamshire Council charge for bulky waste in 2026?
1 to 3 items is £65, 4 to 6 items is £130, 7 to 9 items is £195. The price is per band or slot rather than per item, so a single item still costs the full amount.
Will the council take building or DIY waste?
No. Rubble, soil, tiles, bathroom suites, glass panels, tyres and garden waste are all outside the bulky waste service. That is the single biggest gap, because a kitchen or bathroom refit produces exactly the waste it refuses. We take it by weight from £95 for up to 100kg.
Will the council collect from inside my house?
No. Everything has to be at your boundary, at ground level, clearly visible from the road, by 6am on the collection day. If you cannot get the item out yourself, the service does not help you — which is the most common reason people end up calling us instead.
How much is a man and van in Buckinghamshire?
Rubbish removal is priced by volume: £95 for a minimum load, £195 for a quarter van, £320 for a half van and £495 for a full Luton load. Two people, all the loading, and the disposal fees are included, and the price is fixed after a photo before we set off.
Can I get it collected the same day?
Usually yes. We run 7am to 10pm, seven days a week including bank holidays, across Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, the Chalfonts, Denham, Iver and Amersham. Send a photo on WhatsApp to 07400 640002 and you will have a fixed price back before the van sets off.
Not sure which one your job is?
Send a photo on WhatsApp. If the council is cheaper for what you have, we will tell you that instead of quoting.