Dirt Removal Cost Calculator

Dirt removal typically runs $30 to $150 per cubic yard hauled away, with most residential jobs landing between $300 and $1,500 total. Clean fill is cheapest — some haulers even take it free or at a reduced rate because it can be reused — while contaminated or hazardous soil is far pricier due to special disposal. A small backyard job may hit a flat minimum around $150; a large excavation's worth of dirt runs into the thousands. Volume, dirt type, machine access, whether it needs digging, and haul distance drive the number.

Measure the length, width, and depth of the pile or excavation in feet, multiply them for cubic feet, then divide by 27. A pile 9 ft long, 6 ft wide, and 3 ft deep is 162 cubic feet ÷ 27 = 6 cubic yards. Remember that dug-up dirt 'fluffs' — soil expands 15 to 30% when excavated, so a 10-cubic-yard hole yields 12-plus yards of loose dirt to haul. When unsure, round up. A standard dump truck holds about 10 to 14 cubic yards, a handy reference for counting truckloads.

Because it affects weight, handling, and where it can go. Clean fill or topsoil is lightest, in demand, and accepted at most fill sites (sometimes free), so it's cheapest. Rocky soil and heavy wet clay weigh much more per yard and are harder to dig and load — trucks hit weight limits faster, raising cost. Contaminated soil (chemicals, petroleum, asbestos) is by far the priciest because it can't go to a regular fill site; it needs testing, special handling, and disposal at a licensed hazardous facility. Knowing your dirt type is key to an accurate quote.

Not always — it depends how you book it. If the dirt's already in a loose pile, removal is just loading and hauling, which is cheaper. If it still has to be excavated out of the ground, that's extra labor and often machinery, adding about $25 per cubic yard. Some companies offer combined excavate-and-haul service for patios, pools, or foundations; others only haul existing piles. Be clear about which you need, since it changes the equipment and price. Hard, compacted, or rocky ground takes more effort to dig than loose soil.

Often, yes — clean fill is the one type you can sometimes offload cheaply or free, because it's useful for grading and landscaping. List it on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or a fill-dirt exchange and someone may haul it away at no cost. Some landscapers and fill facilities accept it free or cheap. The catch: it has to be genuinely clean — no rocks, roots, concrete, trash, or contaminants — and you may wait for a taker and provide loading access. If you need it gone fast, or it's mixed with debris, you'll pay a hauler. Contaminated or debris-laden dirt can't be given away.

Access — whether a skid steer, mini excavator, or loader can physically reach the dirt. An open front yard, driveway, or accessible side yard means fast, cheap machine loading (about 15% below base). A fenced backyard with a narrow gate, a spot behind the house, or a slope where no machine fits means hand loading with shovels and wheelbarrows — far more labor and time, adding about 30%. Always mention access challenges when getting quotes, because wheelbarrowing dirt a long distance or through a house dramatically raises the labor cost.

It depends on the end use. If you cleared an area and want it flat and finished, grading (~$10/cu yd) smooths and levels the exposed ground so it drains and looks done. If you removed poor or contaminated soil and need good soil back for a lawn or garden, refilling with clean topsoil (~$30/cu yd) is a material-and-labor add. But if you're removing dirt to make room for a patio, foundation, pool, or driveway, you may need neither, since the next construction phase handles the surface. Both are offered as add-ons here.

Sometimes. Many local jurisdictions require a permit for large-volume dirt hauling, for depositing fill on a property, or when the work affects grading, drainage, or a floodplain. Moving a lot of soil on or off a site can trigger grading-permit rules, and some areas regulate where fill can be placed. For a small pile, usually not; for a major excavation or a fill operation, likely yes. A permit (~$100) is included as an add-on, and a licensed hauler or excavator will know the local threshold and can pull it for you.

They're priced and disposed of differently. Dirt removal handles soil and fill — a heavy, dense material priced by the cubic yard and hauled to fill sites (or special facilities if contaminated), where weight is the key concern since trucks hit limits fast. Junk removal handles household and bulky items, and debris/yard-waste removal handles branches, brush, and construction debris — usually priced by volume or truckload and sent to different disposal streams. If your dirt is mixed with roots, rocks, or concrete, it can't be treated as clean fill and may need sorting or different disposal — the calculator has a mixed-debris add-on for that.

A straightforward pile job — machine-loaded with good access — can often be done in a day, sometimes same-day for a single truckload. Larger volumes, hand loading, digging, or a far haul site take longer. If you're on a tight timeline, many haulers offer weekend or rush service (~$75) to fit your schedule, useful when you need the site clear before the next trade starts or ahead of an event. The calculator includes it as an add-on so a time-sensitive job reflects the premium for off-hours or expedited work.