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MaterialCalc — Dirt Haul-Off Truckload Calculator

Estimate prepared 09/01/2026. Estimates only; verify against your plans before ordering.

Dirt Haul-Off Truckload Calculator

Wet clay is far heavier than dry sand and fills trucks faster.

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Dug soil takes up more room than it did in the ground.

Result

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Dirt does not go back in the hole it came out of. Excavated soil swells about 25%, so a 90 yard basement excavation produces around 112 loose yards to haul — and wet clay hits the truck weight limit long before it fills the bed. This works out the loads and tells you which limit is binding.

Assumptions used

These are the numbers behind the result. Where one of them is soft, the cost range widens rather than pretending to a precision the data does not have.

In-place soil density
100 lb/ft³

Wet clay runs heavier, dry sand lighter. This drives the truck count more than volume does.

USDA soil bulk density ranges — Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Tandem dump truck capacity
14 yd³

Most trucks hit their weight limit before their volume limit on wet soil.

Regional hauler equipment specs — Industry standard, varies by supplier, checked 09/01/2026

Legal payload per tandem truck
30000 lb

Typical state highway weight limits — Rough figure — widens the estimate range, checked 09/01/2026

Prices verified 09/01/2026 (US national average, big-box retail shelf price and regional ready-mix quotes). Regional adjustment: Blended from RSMeans city cost index bands and BLS construction wage differentials.

The formula

Bank volume = length × width × depth, in cubic yards. Loose volume = bank volume × (1 + swell). Weight = bank cubic feet × soil density: 90 lb/ft³ for dry sand, 100 for average soil, 125 for wet clay. Loads = whichever is greater, loose volume ÷ truck capacity or weight ÷ legal payload.

Worked examples

30x20x4 ft excavation in average soil

Excavation length: 30 Excavation width: 20 Excavation depth: 4 Soil type: average Swell: 25

89 yards in the ground, 111 loose — about 8 tandem loads. Volume is the binding limit here, not weight.

Same hole in wet clay

Excavation length: 30 Excavation width: 20 Excavation depth: 4 Soil type: clay Swell: 25

Same volume, 150 tons. Now weight binds first and you need more loads for exactly the same hole.

Small footing trench spoil, 40x2x3 ft

Excavation length: 40 Excavation width: 2 Excavation depth: 3 Soil type: average Swell: 25

Under 12 loose yards — one load. On jobs this size, spreading the spoil on site usually beats paying for a truck at all.

Choosing materials

  • Swell is not optional arithmetic. Soil in the ground is compacted by everything above it; once dug it occupies 20 to 30% more space, and the trucks haul the loose volume.
  • Wet clay hits the axle weight limit at roughly half the bed volume. If the trucks look half empty, they are legally full, and you are still paying for a full load.
  • Keep whatever fill you can on site. Backfill, berms and grading all consume dirt, and every yard that stays is a yard you do not pay to haul and then pay again to import.
  • Ask where the dirt is going before you get a price. Clean fill can often go to a nearby site for free; contaminated or mixed material goes to a landfill at tipping rates.
  • Truck access sets the real cost. A site where a tri-axle can back to the excavation costs far less per yard than one where everything moves by skid steer to a truck on the street.

Common questions

How much does excavated dirt swell?

About 25% for average soil, 15 to 20% for sand and up to 35% for dense clay. A hundred cubic yards in the ground becomes roughly 125 loose yards on the truck, and that loose figure is what you pay to haul.

How many cubic yards does a dump truck hold?

A tandem carries 12 to 16 cubic yards and a tri-axle 16 to 20. But on heavy or wet soil, the legal axle weight limit — around 15 tons — is reached before the bed is full, so actual loads are smaller.

How much does dirt haul-off cost?

Typically $250 to $450 per truckload including hauling and disposal, varying with distance to the dump site and local tipping fees. Clean fill going to a nearby site that wants it can cost much less.

How much does a cubic yard of dirt weigh?

About 2,400 lb for dry sandy soil, 2,700 for average soil and up to 3,400 for wet clay. That is why moisture matters so much: the same hole can be a third heavier after rain.

Can I keep the dirt on site?

If it is clean and you have somewhere for it, yes, and it is by far the cheapest option. Backfill, berms, raised beds and regrading all consume it. Just make sure keeping it does not create a drainage problem uphill of the house.

Why are the trucks only half full?

Because they are at their legal weight. Heavy or wet soil reaches the axle limit at about half the bed volume. A half-full truck of wet clay is fully loaded in every way that matters to the highway patrol.

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