A standard eight-wheel grab lorry can typically carry approximately 14 to 16 tonnes of waste per load. In volume terms, this is usually around 10 to 12 cubic metres, depending on the lorry and the type of material being collected.

That can be equivalent to approximately three or four large builders’ skips of suitable heavy waste.

However, the exact amount a grab lorry can remove is not determined by the size of the pile alone. Soil, clay, concrete and mixed construction waste all have different densities. Dense materials can take the lorry to its legal weight limit before the body looks completely full.

Understanding the difference between weight and volume will help you estimate how many grab lorry loads your project may require.

Grab Lorry Capacity at a Glance

Grab lorry size	Approximate payload	Approximate volume
4-wheel grab lorry	7–9 tonnes	5–7 cubic metres
6-wheel grab lorry	12–14 tonnes	8–10 cubic metres
8-wheel grab lorry	14–16 tonnes	10–12 cubic metres

These figures are general estimates. The legal payload varies according to the vehicle’s individual weight, body, crane and equipment.

Grab Lorries Hire uses six-wheel and eight-wheel vehicles for collections across London and the surrounding Home Counties.

How Much Can an Eight-Wheel Grab Lorry Carry?

An eight-wheel grab lorry is commonly used for larger residential, commercial and construction projects.

It can typically carry:

• Up to approximately 14–16 tonnes
• Around 10–12 cubic metres of material
• Roughly three or four large skips’ worth of heavy waste

Eight-wheel vehicles are particularly suitable for:

• Excavated soil and clay
• Bricks and rubble
• Broken concrete
• Hardcore
• Driveway material
• Construction waste
• Landscaping waste
• Site spoil
• Road planings

The exact quantity depends on what is being collected. A lorry carrying wet clay may reach its weight limit with less visible material than one carrying dry rubble or green waste.

How Much Can a Six-Wheel Grab Lorry Carry?

A six-wheel grab lorry can typically carry approximately 12 to 14 tonnes, with a volume of around 8 to 10 cubic metres.

It has a smaller capacity than an eight-wheel vehicle but offers better manoeuvrability.

A six-wheel grab lorry may be recommended when:

• The collection is on a narrow residential road
• Turning space is restricted
• The site entrance is tight
• Parked vehicles limit access
• The quantity does not require an eight-wheel lorry
• The surface or site layout is unsuitable for a larger vehicle

Where access permits and enough waste is available, an eight-wheel grab lorry usually provides better value per tonne.

How Many Skips Equal One Grab Lorry?

One eight-wheel grab lorry can carry approximately the same amount of suitable heavy material as three or four large builders’ skips.

The exact comparison depends on:

• The size of each skip
• The type of waste
• Skip weight restrictions
• How efficiently the skip is loaded
• Whether the waste contains empty spaces
• Whether the material is wet or dry

A skip may have space remaining but still be too heavy to collect safely. This is particularly common with soil, clay and concrete.

A grab lorry is designed to transport substantial quantities of heavy loose material, making it especially effective for excavation and demolition waste.

Why Weight and Volume Matter

A grab lorry has two separate limits:

1. The physical volume of its tipper body
2. The maximum weight it can legally carry

Whichever limit is reached first determines how much can be removed.

Weight-limited loads

Heavy materials normally reach the legal payload before the vehicle body is completely full.

Examples include:

• Wet soil
• Clay
• Concrete
• Dense hardcore
• Road planings
• Sand
• Gravel

The lorry may still appear to have space available, but adding more material would make it overweight.

Volume-limited loads

Lighter and bulkier waste may fill the lorry body before reaching the maximum weight.

Examples include:

• Branches
• Hedge cuttings
• Dry timber
• Packaging
• Lightweight mixed waste
• Bulky vegetation

For these materials, the physical volume of the lorry body becomes the main restriction.

How Much Soil Can a Grab Lorry Carry?

An eight-wheel grab lorry can typically carry up to approximately 14 to 16 tonnes of soil, subject to the type and moisture content.

Soil weight varies considerably. Factors include:

• Whether it is dry or waterlogged
• The amount of clay
• The presence of stones
• How deeply it was excavated
• Whether rubble is mixed into it
• How compacted it was before excavation

Wet clay can be significantly heavier than dry topsoil. A load of dense clay may reach the legal weight limit even though the lorry body does not look full.

If you are removing excavated soil, remember that it expands after being dug out. Soil that was compacted underground becomes loose and contains more air, so the resulting pile occupies more space than the original excavation.

How Much Concrete Can a Grab Lorry Carry?

An eight-wheel grab lorry can generally carry around 14 to 16 tonnes of broken concrete, provided the pieces are a manageable size and the load remains within the vehicle’s legal limit.

Concrete is very dense. The lorry will normally reach its maximum weight before the body reaches its maximum volume.

For safe and efficient collection:

• Break large slabs into manageable sections
• Declare any reinforced concrete
• Keep concrete separate from mixed waste where possible
• Remove prohibited materials
• Make sure the pile is accessible to the grab arm

Very large concrete sections may require mechanical breaking before collection.

How Much Rubble and Hardcore Can It Carry?

A standard eight-wheel grab lorry can usually carry around 14 to 16 tonnes of rubble or hardcore.

Suitable materials may include:

• Bricks
• Blocks
• Paving slabs
• Roof tiles
• Ceramics
• Crushed concrete
• Stone
• Sub-base
• Demolition rubble

The actual volume will depend on the size and shape of the pieces. Large irregular sections create more air gaps than crushed material.

Separating clean rubble and hardcore from timber, plastic and general building waste can also reduce disposal costs.

How Much Garden Waste Can It Carry?

Garden waste can vary from very heavy to very light.

A heavy garden-clearance load may contain:

• Soil
• Turf
• Clay
• Stones
• Roots
• Small tree stumps

A lighter load may include:

• Branches
• Leaves
• Shrubs
• Hedge cuttings
• Plants

A lorry collecting mainly soil may reach its weight limit first. A vehicle collecting branches and hedge cuttings may fill its body before reaching the maximum payload.

Branches should be cut into manageable sections where possible. Large trunks and tree stumps must be declared before collection so the operator can confirm that they can be lifted safely.

How Much Mixed Construction Waste Can It Carry?

Mixed construction waste is usually limited by a combination of weight, volume and disposal classification.

A mixed load might include:

• Timber
• Plastic
• Insulation
• Packaging
• Metal
• Rubble
• General site waste

Mixed waste often contains more empty spaces than soil or crushed hardcore, which means the body may become full at a lower weight.

Mixed loads also cost more to process because the materials must be sorted at a licensed waste facility.

Keeping clean soil, concrete, bricks and hardcore separate from general waste can make the collection more efficient and economical.

How Do You Estimate the Volume of a Waste Pile?

Measure the approximate:

• Length
• Width
• Average height

Then use this calculation:

Length × width × height = estimated volume in cubic metres

For example, a waste pile measuring:

• 4 metres long
• 2 metres wide
• 1 metre high

has an approximate volume of:

4 × 2 × 1 = 8 cubic metres

This is only a preliminary estimate. Waste piles are rarely perfectly rectangular, and the calculation does not reveal the weight or density of the material.

Sending photographs alongside the measurements will produce a more reliable assessment.

How Do You Estimate Excavated Soil?

If the soil has not yet been excavated, calculate the volume of the planned excavation:

Length × width × depth = volume in cubic metres

You must then allow for the soil expanding after excavation.

For example, a foundation trench containing five cubic metres of compacted ground will create more than five cubic metres of loose spoil once excavated.

The amount of expansion depends on the ground conditions and material type. Clay, chalk, mixed ground and topsoil behave differently.

For larger excavation projects, your builder, groundworker or quantity surveyor may be able to provide an estimated tonnage or muck-away schedule.

Will My Waste Fit Into One Load?

One load may be sufficient for:

• A moderate garden excavation
• A small extension’s foundations
• A residential driveway removal
• A pile of renovation rubble
• A substantial garden clearance
• Concrete or paving from a domestic project

Several loads may be needed for:

• Large rear or side extensions
• Basement excavations
• Major landscaping projects
• Complete driveway and garden excavations
• Demolition sites
• Commercial groundworks
• Housing developments
• Large quantities of wet clay

The best way to find out is to send us photographs and approximate measurements before booking.

What Happens If the Lorry Reaches Its Weight Limit?

A grab lorry cannot legally leave the site while overloaded.

If the vehicle reaches its permitted payload before all the waste has been collected, the remaining material must stay on site for another load.

The operator cannot continue loading simply because there appears to be physical space in the body.

Accurate information before the collection helps reduce the risk of unexpected additional loads.

Can the Waste Be Compacted to Fit More In?

The grab arm may settle and arrange loose materials inside the body, but it cannot change the vehicle’s legal weight limit.

Breaking large pieces of rubble and cutting down bulky branches can use the available volume more efficiently. However, compacting heavy materials does not allow the vehicle to carry more than its legal payload.

Never try to conceal dense material beneath lighter waste. The operator must know what is being collected to load and transport it safely.

Why Is the Lorry Not Always Filled to the Top?

Customers sometimes expect the lorry to be physically full before it leaves.

A lorry may leave with visible space because:

• It has reached its legal weight limit
• The material is unusually dense
• The waste is wet
• The load must remain stable during transport
• The material must stay below the body’s safe fill line
• Loose waste must be prevented from falling onto the road

The payload is measured by weight, not simply by how full the vehicle looks.

Materials That Cannot Be Included

Standard grab loads must not contain hazardous or prohibited materials such as:

• Asbestos
• Contaminated soil
• Paint
• Oils
• Solvents
• Chemicals
• Batteries
• Gas cylinders
• Tyres
• Fridges and freezers
• Electrical equipment
• Clinical waste

Plasterboard and upholstered seating also require separate handling and must be declared.

If you are unsure about an item, ask before placing it in the waste pile.

How to Make the Best Use of Each Load

You can improve loading efficiency by preparing the waste correctly.

Keep waste separated

Separate clean soil, rubble and concrete from timber, plastic and general waste.

Create one accessible pile

Place the material within safe reach of the road or suitable hard-standing area.

Break down oversized material

Large concrete slabs and bulky branches should be reduced to manageable sizes.

Remove unnecessary packaging

Bags and packaging occupy space and may affect how the waste is classified.

Declare everything accurately

Tell us exactly what is in the pile. This helps us provide the correct vehicle, quotation and disposal arrangements.

Send photographs before booking

Photographs help us estimate the number of loads and identify possible access issues.

How Far Can the Grab Arm Reach?

A typical grab arm can reach approximately six metres, allowing waste to be collected from behind many:

• Walls
• Fences
• Hedges
• Driveways
• Site hoardings

The practical reach depends on the height of the obstruction, weight of the material and location of overhead cables or trees.

The lorry must be able to park safely and close enough for the operator to control the load.

Book the Correct Number of Grab Loads

You do not need to know the exact tonnage before contacting Grab Lorries Hire.

To receive an accurate assessment, send us:

1. Your collection postcode
2. Photographs of the waste
3. Approximate pile measurements
4. A description of the material
5. Photographs of the access
6. Your preferred collection date

We will help estimate whether you need a six-wheel or eight-wheel vehicle and whether the job is likely to require one or several loads.

We provide grab lorry hire across London and the surrounding Home Counties, with same-day and next-day collection available subject to location and vehicle capacity.

Call 020 3355 9233 or request a free quote online.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tonnes does a grab lorry hold?

An eight-wheel grab lorry typically carries approximately 14 to 16 tonnes. A six-wheel vehicle may carry around 12 to 14 tonnes.

How many cubic metres fit in a grab lorry?

An eight-wheel grab lorry typically holds around 10 to 12 cubic metres. Dense materials may reach the legal weight limit before using the complete volume.

How many skips equal a grab lorry?

One eight-wheel grab load can be equivalent to approximately three or four large builders’ skips of suitable heavy material.

Can a grab lorry carry 20 tonnes?

A standard road-going grab lorry cannot exceed its legal vehicle and axle-weight limits. For many eight-wheel grab lorries, the practical payload is approximately 14 to 16 tonnes rather than 20 tonnes.

How much soil can one grab lorry remove?

An eight-wheel lorry may remove approximately 14 to 16 tonnes of soil. The actual volume depends on the soil type, density and moisture content.

Does wet waste weigh more?

Yes. Wet soil, clay and green waste can be significantly heavier than dry material and may cause the lorry to reach its legal weight limit sooner.

Why does the lorry look only partly full?

Dense material may bring the vehicle to its legal payload before the body is visibly full. The driver cannot legally add more material once that limit has been reached.

Can one lorry collect different materials?

Suitable materials can sometimes be collected together, but mixed loads may be more expensive. All materials must be declared when requesting a quotation.

How can I find out how many loads I need?

Send photographs, measurements, the waste type and your postcode. We can assess the likely volume and recommend the appropriate number of loads.