Fill dirt typically costs $5 to $30 per cubic yard for the material itself, plus a delivery charge that commonly runs $50 to $250 per trip, so a full dump-truck load of 10 to 16 cubic yards usually lands somewhere between $300 and $1,500 delivered. Small orders cost more per yard because the delivery charge is spread over less material. Treat every figure on this page as a starting point rather than a quote: prices vary widely by region across US states and Canadian provinces, and local supply, haul distance and the grade of fill you order move the number more than anything else.
Fill dirt is subsoil, the material that sits below the topsoil layer, with little organic content. That is exactly what makes it useful for raising grade, filling holes, backfilling around foundations or building up a pad: it compacts and stays put rather than breaking down and settling the way organic soil does. It is not a growing medium, which is why a project that ends in lawn or garden normally finishes with a layer of topsoil over the fill.
Recommended Equipment
Dump truck for the delivery, then a skid steer or small dozer to spread and compact it. Access and haul distance decide the truck size; once the pile is on the ground, a skid steer handles backyard-scale spreading and tight spots, and a small dozer is the faster choice across larger open areas.
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What actually drives the price
The grade of fill is the first decision. Common or unscreened fill is the cheapest and can contain rock, clay lumps and the occasional root. Screened fill costs more but spreads and compacts more predictably. Structural or engineered fill, specified for under slabs, footings or driveways, sits at the top of the range because it has to meet a compaction standard.
Haul distance is usually the biggest variable after the material. A pit or supplier a few miles away keeps delivery cheap; a rural property an hour from the nearest source can see the trucking cost more than the dirt. Some suppliers charge a flat trip fee, others bill the truck by the hour.
Order size changes the per-yard price. One full truckload is almost always cheaper per yard than two half-loads, so it pays to measure first and order in whole loads. A rough rule: multiply length by width by depth in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards, then add 10 to 20 percent because fill compacts.
Access decides what size truck can deliver. A tandem or tri-axle dump truck needs firm ground, room to raise the box and no low wires overhead. Soft lawns, septic beds and narrow driveways may force a smaller truck, more trips and a higher total.
Free or cheap fill from construction sites exists, but it comes with risk. Material of unknown origin can carry debris, contamination or invasive plant fragments, and cleaning it up later costs more than buying clean fill in the first place.
Getting it spread
Delivery puts the fill in a pile; spreading and compacting it is a separate job for a skid steer or small dozer operator, priced by the hour. Plan both together so the truck can dump as close as possible to where the fill is going, which cuts machine time later.
A short checklist before you book
Measure the area and depth and convert to cubic yards before calling suppliers. Decide which grade of fill the job needs, especially if anything will be built on it. Ask whether the price is per yard delivered or material plus a separate trip charge. Confirm the truck can reach the dump spot without damaging lawn, septic or buried lines. Ask the supplier where the fill comes from. Line up the spreading operator for the same week so the pile does not sit.
Costs vary by site conditions. Use the ranges here to sanity-check what you're quoted, then get a direct price for your own property.
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