Landscaping calculator

Fill dirt

Fill-dirt volume and tonnage from area and compacted depth, with swell sitting in the waste field.

Reviewed formula · v1.0.0

Project inputs

Enter field measurements. Imperial lengths take feet and inches. Unit conversion happens before the reviewed formula is applied.

Area lengthft + inLength of the pad, trench backfill or grade areaftinArea widthft + inAverage widthftinCompacted depthinFinished fill thickness after compactionDensitytons / yd³Tons per cubic yard. 1.2 is a common fill-dirt planning figure — confirm the pitSwell / waste%Extra volume so compacted depth lands. 15–25% is a common swell range

All values can be refined when you edit the estimate. This tool does not replace field verification or local requirements.

Calculated result

10.7yd³

Fill dirt order

FormulaLND-FIL-001

L × W × D ÷ 27 × (1 + waste)

240 ft³

Net volume

12.84 tons

Estimated weight

240 ft²

Area

Transparent cost view

Planning rates only. Pick a currency — badges, inputs, and totals follow. Material is a rate. Labour is hours × a planning hourly rate. Equipment and delivery are this-job amounts.

Material ratePlanning · per calculated unit · USDEquipmentPlanning · this job · USDDeliveryPlanning · this job · USDLabour hoursPlanning · this jobLabour ratePlanning · per hour · USDOverhead %%Contingency %%Markup %%Tax %%

Planning defaults are office figures, not a bid. US ready-mix in 2026 often lands around $125–165 per cubic yard delivered; place-and-finish commonly $2–4 per square foot. Replace every rate with a supplier or crew quote before you send the letter.

Indicative FX as of Aug 2026. Planning conversion, not a live bank rate.

Material costUSD 909

Labour (8 h)USD 280

Direct costUSD 1,300

Overhead + contingencyUSD 130

Markup + taxUSD 172

Estimated project totalUSD 1,601

View estimate Quote / invoice Add another item

Embed this calculator

<iframe src="https://construclytic.com/embed/fill-dirt" title="Fill dirt" width="100%" height="820" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" style="border:1px solid #d7e0da;border-radius:16px;background:#fff;"></iframe>

Paste on a contractor site or blog. The iframe is a planning takeoff, not a bid.

How this calculator works

A transparent fill dirt takeoff.

Area times compacted depth, plus a visible swell so the compacted thickness lands, rounded to the next 0.1 yd³ and converted to tons at the density you enter.

Worked example. Example: a 20 × 12 ft pad 12 in deep, 1.2 t/yd³ and 20% swell rounds to 10.7 yd³, about 12.8 tons.

1. Measure the area that will receive fill, not the excavation unless they match.
2. Enter compacted depth. Swell lives in the waste field so a 12 in pad is not ordered as 12 in of loose dirt.
3. Confirm density with the pit. Topsoil, fill dirt and engineered fill are not the same.

Need the broader workflow? Read the landscaping planning guide.

Questions

Questions about fill dirt

Is this topsoil?

No. Use the soil calculator for planting beds. This page is structural or grade fill, with swell in the open.

Does this include haul-off?

No. Export and import are separate lines. Pair it with the trench calculator when you are swapping material.

What is the formula ID?

This calculator publishes formula LND-FIL-001, version 1.0.0. The ID stays on the result and on the estimate line.

Is this engineering advice?

No. Construclytic is a planning website, not a registered engineering or contracting firm. Field checks, codes and product data still sit with you.

Does Construclytic fetch live supplier prices?

No. Costs use the rate you enter. Construclytic does not fetch live supplier prices.