Screened topsoil typically costs $15 to $55 per cubic yard for the material, plus a delivery charge of roughly $50 to $250 per trip, so a truckload of 10 to 15 cubic yards commonly runs $300 to $900 delivered. Spreading it by machine usually adds $60 to $180 per hour of equipment and operator time, which on a typical residential yard works out to a few hundred dollars per truckload. Treat every figure on this page as a starting point rather than a quote: topsoil quality, local supply and haul distance vary a great deal between regions, across both US states and Canadian provinces.
Topsoil is the finished, growing layer: dark, organic, and meant to support lawn, garden or landscape planting. It is not the same thing as fill dirt, and it should not be used to raise grade or build up a pad, because its organic content breaks down over time and settles. The usual approach on a regrade is fill for the bulk, compacted in lifts, with four to six inches of topsoil spread over the top.
Recommended Equipment
Skid steer, or a tractor with a box blade on larger open areas. A skid steer moves topsoil from the pile and spreads it in tight yards and around existing landscaping; a tractor with a box blade covers big open areas quickly and leaves a smoother finish for seed or sod.
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What actually drives the price
Quality and screening set the material price. Unscreened topsoil is cheaper but carries stones, roots and clods that have to be raked out later. Screened topsoil costs more and spreads cleanly. Blended mixes with compost or sand for gardens and turf sit at the top of the range. Ask where the soil came from and whether it has been screened.
Depth decides quantity, and quantity decides cost. Four inches over 1,000 square feet is roughly 12 cubic yards; six inches is closer to 19. Measure before ordering, because a partial second load costs nearly as much to deliver as a full one.
How far the pile is from where the soil is going changes spreading time more than any other factor. If the truck can tip right at the edge of the work area, a skid steer spreads it quickly. If the pile has to be moved across a yard, around a house or through a gate, every bucket is a trip, and the hours add up.
The surface underneath matters for the finished result. Topsoil spread over compacted subsoil or construction debris will not drain or grow well. On new-build sites it is worth removing rubble and loosening the subgrade before the topsoil goes down.
Fine grading versus rough spreading
Rough spreading gets the soil to roughly the right depth with a machine. Fine grading, raking to a smooth, even surface with proper fall away from the house, is extra time, often partly done by hand, and is what seed or sod actually needs. Ask which one a quote includes.
A short checklist before you book
Measure the area and decide on depth before calling for topsoil. Ask whether it is screened and what it is blended with. Confirm where the truck can dump so it is as close to the work area as possible. Ask whether the spreading price includes fine grading for seed or sod. Check that the subgrade has been cleared of debris and loosened if it is compacted. Plan seeding or sodding soon after spreading so rain does not wash bare soil away.
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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