How Much Does Fill Dirt Cost in 2024?

Fill Dirt Cost Factors

Several factors influence your total fill dirt costs, such as type, amount, and delivery and labor costs. 

Type

The type of dirt is a major factor in your total cost. Fill dirt generally costs less topsoil, sand, mulch, or rock. 

Fill dirt is a mix of sand, clay, and rock fragments. It’s usually found under topsoil and doesn’t contain any organic material. More stable than topsoil, fill dirt is used for filling holes, leveling land, and securing the area around retaining walls. You can buy filtered fill dirt or regular fill dirt—the former can cost more, but it won’t contain any debris.

By comparison, topsoil contains organic matter and minerals. Nutrient-rich topsoil works well in garden beds, grass lawns, and other forms of landscaping. It’s usually darker in color than fill dirt and costs more. Topsoil settles or erodes over time, so it’s less stable than fill dirt. Mulch is layered on top of topsoil to prevent weed growth. 

One truckload usually equals 10 to 15 cubic yards, depending on the material, density, and other factors.

Delivery

When asking for estimates from local dirt and soil delivery companies, some may include delivery charges as part of the quoted fill dirt cost. Others may charge a separate fee of $50 to $150 per trip to deliver up to 15 cubic yards of fill materials. They may have a minimum order amount for delivery.

Large loads, remote destinations, and difficult-to-access areas increase delivery charges. Larger trucks and longer distances cost more. You may be charged extra for distance if you live far away from the supplier. They may also levy a fuel surcharge on top of their normal delivery prices. Companies without set delivery fees may charge $65 to $100 per hour for delivery. 

Delivery fees only include a single dump of the landscaping materials in an area accessible to the delivery vehicle. This location should be at least 15 feet away from overhead trees and not on soft or damp ground. 

Labor

Dirt delivery typically doesn’t include moving the fill dirt and topsoil into a backyard. Expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $400 more for rough spreading after delivery. Local landscaping companies can help with more detailed designs and layouts. 

Amount

When buying landscaping materials for your yard, suppliers typically quote the cost of dirt per cubic yard. They may also provide pricing by the ton or truckload. The more fill dirt or topsoil you need, the more you can expect to pay.

When buying large quantities in bulk, you may benefit from discounted prices. It’s better to have too much than not enough, but carefully calculate the amount of fill dirt you need before ordering to avoid overbuying. 

Fill Dirt Costs

How much fill dirt costs depends first on the type of fill dirt you’d like to purchase. 

Expect to pay $5 to $15 per cubic yard of standard fill dirt, which serves as a base for driveways and other construction projects. Choose from fine, medium, or coarse bank-run fill. Clean fill dirt costs $8 to $15 per cubic yard and is screened for contaminants and debris, making it more even-textured. Certified fill meets certain quality-control standards. 

Structural fill dirt used as a stable base for construction projects costs $10 to $30 per cubic yard. Septic fill dirt—also called manufactured sand or concrete sand—costs $12 to $30 per ton. It doesn’t retain moisture, so it won’t settle or clump around septic tank installations. 

Topsoil Costs

Not all topsoil is made alike. As you prep your lawn for summertime and other landscaping projects, you may need more topsoil to fill in low spots and prepare for new lawn seeding. High-quality topsoil and nutrient-rich superloam may help encourage healthier growth in prominent garden areas. However, more budget-friendly options can be a great way to save money in other areas of your yard. 

Use our topsoil calculator to determine the total volume of topsoil you need for your project. Multiply this figure by the cost of dirt per cubic yard to calculate your total materials cost, not including delivery, labor, and other expenses. 

Sand Costs

If you’re wondering how much sand costs, the average is around $15 to $40 per cubic yard or $5 to $30 per ton. Sand is a good option in damp areas, like around septic tanks and ponds, because it absorbs moisture. 

Screened sand is suitable as a base for paving projects and costs $15 to $20 per cubic yard. Salt sand costs $40 per cubic yard and is often used as ice melt. For smaller quantities, a single 50-pound bag of all-purpose sand will run you $3 to $5, while commercial-grade sand is $7 to $9 per bag. Play sand is somewhere in between at around $5 to $7 per bag. 

For larger amounts, a 10- to 14-cubic-yard truckload of all-purpose sand costs $300 to $700, including delivery. 

Mulch, Rock, and Other Materials Cost

Along with fill dirt, topsoil, and sand, you may require the delivery of mulch, rock, and other landscaping materials. Dirt is often quoted per cubic yard or ton, and the same is true of other materials.

Mulch

Nationwide, the cost of mulch for a three-inch layer across a 500-square-foot garden ranges from $100 to $300, averaging to around $175. That works out to $50 to $150 per cubic yard or $150 to $550 per truckload. 

Rocks, Stones, and Gravel

Delivering rocks, stones, riprap, and gravel to your home ranges from $15 to $100 per ton or more, including delivery. That works out to $20 to $120 per cubic yard. 

Cubic yards of plain pea gravel cost $15 to $80, or an average of $370 to cover 200 square feet. Decorative rocks, such as river rocks, lava rocks, and Mexican beach pebbles, are more expensive. On average, delivery and installation of landscaping rocks cost about $700. 

Clay 

Clay ranges in price from about $35 to $40 per cubic yard, including delivery. Clay isn’t suitable for planting, but you can use it for decorative purposes, animal stalls, tracks, and ball fields.

How to Calculate Your Coverage Needs

To calculate how much dirt costs for your landscaping project, you must first calculate how much coverage you need. To do this:

1. Measure the length and width of the area in feet.

2. Multiply the length and width to get the square footage.

3. Decide on the depth of fill dirt or topsoil you need in feet.

4. Multiply your square footage by your depth in feet to get cubic feet.

5. Divide the total cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.

For example, say you have an area 20 feet long and 10 feet deep. You want to cover it with three inches (1/4 foot) of soil. The calculation would look like this:

• 20 feet x 10 feet = 200 sq. ft.

• 200 feet x 1/4 feet = 50 cubic feet

• 50 cubic feet / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards

One cubic yard of soil covers 324 square feet at a depth of one inch. If you need three inches of topsoil, one cubic yard covers around 100 square feet. 

How to Convert Cubic Yards to Tons

Cubic yards measure volume and tons measure weight. To convert yards to tons, you must first know the density of the fill dirt or topsoil you’re using. Loose, dry dirt has an average density of 75 pounds per cubic foot. Sand is around 95 pounds per cubic foot, and rock is 155 pounds per cubic foot. Ask your landscaping pro or contractor for specific figures. 

To convert cubic yards to tons:

1. Convert the density from pounds per cubic foot to tons per cubic yard by multiplying it by 0.0135.

2. Multiply the amount of dirt by its density in tons per cubic yard.

For example, if you have two cubic yards of dirt with an average density of 75 pounds per cubic foot, the calculation would look like this:

• 75 x 0.0135 = 1.10125 tons per cubic yard (density)

• 2 tons x 1.10125 = 2.2025 tons 

Budgeting for Fill Dirt Delivery

Here are some budget-friendly tips when buying fill dirt and topsoil and having it delivered to your home:

• Buy in bulk to capitalize on the lower cost of dirt per cubic yard.

• Coordinate with neighbors to split a large delivery, share delivery costs, and negotiate for better bulk discounts.

• Compare prices for different grades and types of fill dirt and topsoil.

• Opt for unscreened fill dirt instead of rich topsoil for areas that won’t be used for planting. 

• Carefully calculate exactly how much fill dirt you need to save on the cost of multiple deliveries.

• Remember to factor in the cost to level a yard, if needed, before filling it with dirt.

• Negotiate to reduce other fees, like rough spreading of the landscaping materials after delivery.

• Time your purchase during off-peak seasons when demand is lower, often in the late fall or early spring.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.