Garden waste/rubbish

noclaf

My parents garden has accumulated a large pile of branches and random non-green waste in a rear corner. What started as a small compost heap has morphed into a huge pile over 30+ years that would fill a small skip.
I am in the process of separating the non-garden waste items which include old household items (curtains, bins, carpets, shoes you name it), I may actually need a small skip as there is a lot of old fencing and an old concrete fence post (v heavy and large).

Looking for suggestions as to the easiest option (balancing costs and time) to get rid of the old branches, taking into account we are due to cut down a few more small/medium tree's and some of our tatty fences will be replaced soon so one option is to ask the tree specialists to get rid of the  branches at an extra cost? Or should I consider burning the branches? There are not branches that are suitable for green waste bins or for transporting in my car for example.
Alternatively the whole lot goes into a skip?

RAS

Any chance you could borrow or hire a shredder or chipper? The former's OK up to about 3cm diameter, the latter makes mincemeat of anything up to about 10cm. 

noclaf

RAS said:

Any chance you could borrow or hire a shredder or chipper? The former's OK up to about 3cm diameter, the latter makes mincemeat of anything up to about 10cm. 

Thanks, I think the hire route might be one option ...don't know anyone who owns a shredder/chipper.

Woolsery

Hard to guesstimate, but if the branches are large, someone like me with a chain saw and a wood burner might cut up and remove for free.

twopenny

You could post on your local Facebook free firewood. Seems ideal with the cost of fule what it is.
Or there are local free swap sites.
That should cover the old panels and posts too.

noclaf

Thanks for the suggestions Woolsery and twopenny. I do have a taker for some small logs so all good on those. 
For the big ticket items (large branches) I will try the approach you suggested on FB for example....if there are keen takers makes my life much easier!

MovingForwards

My OH listed ours on gumtree and they were snapped up.

LessImpecunious

MovingForwards said:

My OH listed ours on gumtree and they were snapped up.

Didn't need a chainsaw then...

Woolsery

LessImpecunious said:

MovingForwards said:

My OH listed ours on gumtree and they were snapped up.

Didn't need a chainsaw then...

If the branches were about 20-30years old and from a eucalyptus (gum tree) I might not want to risk my chain on them. I have some 10 year old Tulip tree and that wrecked my chain in just  a few minutes. May as well have attacked an iron girder!

MovingForwards

Woolsery said:

LessImpecunious said:

MovingForwards said:

My OH listed ours on gumtree and they were snapped up.

Didn't need a chainsaw then...

If the branches were about 20-30years old and from a eucalyptus (gum tree) I might not want to risk my chain on them. I have some 10 year old Tulip tree and that wrecked my chain in just  a few minutes. May as well have attacked an iron girder!

My OH wrecked his brand new chainsaw on one leylandii, reverted to using an axe instead, got a good workout!