How much does fill dirt cost? Real truckload pricing for 2026

Fill dirt prices at a glance (2026)

Those same surveys put the average homeowner spend at about $836 per project, with most jobs landing between roughly $340 and $1,340. Ranges that wide are exactly why you should get a local quote instead of budgeting from an averages article, this one included.

One more number that matters: a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep. To estimate what you need, multiply length by width by depth in feet, divide by 27, and round up. Or skip the math and use our dirt calculator.

What actually drives the price of fill dirt?

1. Volume: bulk pricing is the whole game

Dirt gets much cheaper per yard as volume goes up. Loading a truck costs a supplier nearly the same whether it carries 8 yards or 12, so a full load almost always beats 2 half loads. That is why we sell by the cubic yard with a 20 cubic yard minimum and buy at the pit rather than reselling someone else's load. Past about 20 yards, 18-wheeler delivery lowers the delivered price per yard again, because 1 end dump or belly dump trailer carries 16 to 24 cubic yards of dirt, about double a tandem dump truck. That means fewer trips and fewer delivery charges.

2. Distance from the source

Many suppliers build 10 to 30 miles of delivery into the base price and then charge $3 to $10 for each extra mile, according to the same national surveys. Dirt is heavy and cheap, so trucking dominates the cost. On a typical load it is roughly 90 percent of what you pay. A supplier with a pit near your site will beat one hauling across the metro every time. It is also why prices differ between our markets: Houston clay fill from a nearby excavation is priced differently than fill trucked across the Denver metro.

3. Type of dirt

Common fill, also called clay fill, is the workhorse and the cheapest option. It is unscreened subsoil for raising low areas, filling holes, filling old pools and ponds, and building up grade around a foundation. Select fill costs more because it is a specified clay and sand blend that compacts predictably, which is what engineers call for under slabs and structures. Topsoil costs the most because it is the organic layer plants grow in.

If you are not sure which one your project needs, read our guide to fill dirt vs topsoil before you order. Buying topsoil where common fill would do is the most expensive mistake in this trade.

4. Timing

Most of our orders arrive within 1 to 3 days from material we hold in stock. In our Texas core markets, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, College Station and Madisonville, standard orders leave straight from the pit. In metros at the far end of the line, such as Denver, Sacramento and Phoenix, standard orders still run 1 to 3 days and large orders are sourced to the cheapest supply. If your date is flexible, say so when you ask for a quote. On a large order it gives us room to source from the cheapest pit, and that shows up in the price.

5. Site access

A tight gate, low power lines, soft ground or a steep driveway can force a smaller truck, more trips or a street drop, and all of those add cost. A fully loaded tandem dump truck can weigh 50,000 pounds or more, so a driver will not back onto a surface that cannot take it. Walk your delivery path before you order and tell us what the truck will face. Our delivery and trucking page covers exactly where and how we can tip.

How does fill dirt pricing differ by metro?

Dallas and Fort Worth. DFW sits on expansive Blackland Prairie clay, and constant construction keeps dirt moving. Common clay fill is plentiful and competitively priced, and select fill to spec is in steady demand for foundation pads. See dirt delivery in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Houston. Flood-prone lots make raising grade the top use for fill around Houston, and clay fill spread around a home's foundation is one of the most common orders we run. High volume keeps pricing sharp. Order through our Houston page.

Denver. Front Range pricing runs higher per yard than Texas because sources are fewer and haul distances longer, which makes full-load ordering even more important. We cover the metro from Denver out to Arvada, Aurora and Littleton.

Sacramento. California trucking costs are among the highest we see, so the gap between a partial load and a full one is widest here. Our Sacramento page covers Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom and the surrounding cities.

The same logic runs through every other metro we serve, from Austin and San Antonio to Phoenix, Atlanta and Tampa. The full list, grouped by how we supply each one, is on our service area page.

How can you pay less for fill dirt?

• Measure once, order once. A second delivery to cover a shortfall costs far more than rounding up the first order. Run the dirt calculator first.
• Order full loads. The per-yard price on a full load beats any partial load.
• Tell us if your date is flexible. On a large order it lets us source from the cheapest supply.
• Use common fill for bulk and structure, and cap it with topsoil only where things will grow.
• Get a competing quote and send it to us before you order. Under our low price guarantee we will review any better written quote for a price match, but it has to happen before the order goes in. We cannot change pricing after an order or a payment.

How do you get a real number for your project?

National averages will not pour your pad or level your lot. Real pricing comes from your address, your yardage and your timeline. Tell us those 3 things and we will quote your delivered price, backed by our low price guarantee.

Wondering how many trucks your order is? Our guide to how many yards of dirt fit in a dump truck sizes the load for you.