Dirt delivery in the Valley of the Sun
Metro Phoenix sits on Salt River Valley alluvium with caliche hardpan and expansive clay in places, about 8 inches of rain a year and no native topsoil. Landscaping runs on decomposed granite and gravel, fill goes over broken caliche, and planting needs imported soil. Gravel is available.
Which material do I need in Phoenix?
In Phoenix caliche and the desert climate set the job. The cemented hardpan under the valley is hard to dig and drains poorly, so building a pad or raising a lot means importing fill, often over caliche that has been ripped out, and on the expansive-clay parts of the valley a slab wants select fill in compacted lifts. With little rain and no native topsoil, yards are built on decomposed granite and gravel and planting is done in imported soil. Gravel is available here.
What is the ground under Phoenix made of?
Metro Phoenix sits on the alluvial floor of the Salt River Valley, and two soil conditions drive most of the dirt work here. The first is caliche, the cemented calcium-carbonate hardpan common to desert ground, which can sit in hard layers that resist digging and hold water where you do not want it. The second, across parts of the valley, is expansive clay that swells and shrinks with moisture the way clay does everywhere, which is why foundation design gets real attention here despite the dry climate.
The climate itself sets the rest. Phoenix gets on the order of 8 inches of rain a year, there is no native organic topsoil to speak of, and desert landscaping built on decomposed granite and gravel has long been the valley default over turf. Almost anything you plant grows in imported soil, and almost any hardscape sits on an imported base.
What do people buy dirt for here?
Decomposed granite and landscape rock over graded ground is the standard yard finish across the valley, front and back, and it is delivered by the cubic yard. It is one of the highest-volume material orders in metro Phoenix, and the size and colour of the rock is a design choice as much as a material one.
Raising a low lot, building a level pad or backfilling new construction means importing fill, and where caliche has been ripped out, clean compactable fill goes back to build a base you can build on. Select fill in compacted lifts is the answer under a slab on the expansive-clay parts of the valley.
Aggregate base compacted under driveways, slabs and paver fields is routine here, and gravel surfaces cover side yards, RV pads and equipment areas. The right product depends on whether the rock is the wearing surface or the base under concrete or pavers.
Trees, gardens and any planted bed need imported soil because the native desert ground grows little on its own. Depths run deeper than a wetter climate would need, since the imported soil is doing the whole job the native ground cannot.
What do the local material names mean?
Phoenix uses a desert material vocabulary with a structural-fill vocabulary layered on top, because the valley has both hardpan and expansive clay to deal with.
The cemented calcium-carbonate hardpan common to the valley, sitting in hard layers that resist digging and hold water where you do not want it. It usually has to be ripped or broken before fill or footings go in, which is separate work from the delivery.
Weathered granite crushed fine, spread over graded ground as the base of most desert landscaping across the valley. Delivered by the cubic yard, it is one of the highest-volume materials in metro Phoenix and comes in a range of colours.
Compacted crushed rock placed under driveways, slabs and paver fields, called ABC locally. It is a base course rather than a fill, delivered by the cubic yard, and it sits above any fill in the build-up rather than instead of it.
The compactable, spec-driven fill used under slabs on the expansive-clay parts of the valley, placed in compacted lifts to a specified density. Where the ground swells and shrinks, a slab wants this rather than native material.
Decorative and functional rock for yards and pads, and imported garden soil for anything planted. The native desert ground grows little, so imported soil is the growing medium, and depths run deeper than a wetter climate needs.
How do caliche, clay and the desert climate shape a job?
Two soil conditions drive the scope here. Caliche has to be ripped or broken where it is shallow and thick before fill, footings or trees go in, and that is separate work from delivering material. Expansive clay, across parts of the valley, swells and shrinks with moisture, so a slab on that ground wants an engineered select fill pad rather than native material. Knowing which condition your lot has changes what you order, so it is worth finding out first.
Maricopa County and the valley cities regulate grading and dust control, and a dust control permit is a real requirement on larger earthmoving jobs in this airshed. For a homeowner spreading granite it does not arise. For a graded site or a large fill job it can, so raise it at the quote stage if your job carries that kind of requirement.
The climate makes scheduling easy on rain and harder on heat. A valley with about 8 inches of rain a year rarely loses days to saturated ground, but summer working hours shift early, and walled desert side yards often take a smaller truck. Describe the access when you order.
How does scheduling and access work here?
Phoenix is one of our sourced-for-volume markets, at the far end of the line from our Texas base, so lead times and available material run their own way here. Standard orders still follow the 1 to 3 day model, and very large orders of around 500 loads or more can be sourced to the cheapest supply, which is usually the better buy on a big desert-landscaping or grading job. Gravel and decomposed granite are available here.
Scheduling is easy on weather and harder on heat and access. A dry valley does not lose days to saturated ground, but summer working hours and caliche both shape a job. If the hardpan needs breaking before fill, that is separate work, and walled desert side yards often take a smaller truck. Tell us the access when you order.
How many yards will my Phoenix job take?
Landscaping is the volume order. Decomposed granite at 2 inches over a 1,500 square foot yard is about 9 cubic yards, and at 3 inches about 14, so a full front and back conversion adds up across the lot. Aggregate base under a driveway calculates the same way off area and depth.
Fill runs larger where the ground is built up. Raising a 40 foot by 50 foot pad 12 inches is about 74 cubic yards in place, or 89 to 93 with a compaction allowance, and a select fill pad on expansive clay follows the same lift-and-allowance math the Texas clay markets use.
Which cities do we deliver to?
- Phoenix
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Gilbert
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Peoria
- Surprise
Those are the Valley of the Sun cities we list. The rest of metro Phoenix is generally reachable, and coverage is a haul distance question rather than a city limit. Ask about any address with a 20 cubic yard order.
Phoenix dirt delivery questions
Do you deliver gravel and decomposed granite in Phoenix?
Yes. Landscape gravel and decomposed granite are available here alongside fill and soil, by the cubic yard. Decomposed granite is the base of most valley landscaping and comes in a range of colours, so tell us the look and the area when you order.
What is caliche and does it need removing?
Caliche is the cemented hardpan under the valley. Where it is shallow and thick it has to be ripped or broken before fill, footings or trees go in, which is separate work from the delivery. Clean fill goes back over it once it is out.
Do I need select fill for a slab in Phoenix?
On the expansive-clay parts of the valley, yes. Where the ground swells and shrinks with moisture, a slab wants an engineered select fill pad placed in compacted lifts to a specified density rather than being poured on native material that moves.
How much decomposed granite for my yard?
At 2 inches deep a 1,500 square foot area takes about 9 cubic yards, and at 3 inches about 14. Measure each area and depth across the lot, since a full conversion covers front, back and side yards. Send us the dimensions and we will run it with you.
How soon can you deliver in Phoenix?
Most orders run 1 to 3 days on our standard model. Phoenix is a sourced-for-volume market at the far end of the line, so on very large orders of around 500 loads or more we can source to the cheapest supply, which is often the better buy on a big landscaping or grading job.
Need dirt in Phoenix?
Tell us the address, the cubic yards and the date you need it by. If your address is not on the list above, ask anyway. Coverage is about haul distance.