Earthwork Cut Fill Calculator

Cut/fill balance avoids costly off-haul or import on graded sites.

Cut volume (cy)

Fill volume (cy)

On-site cost / cy

Off-haul cost / cy

Import cost / cy

Total earthwork

$12,900

Net cut/fill

300

Trucking cost

$7,500

How the math works

On-site = min(cut, fill) × on-site cost. Trucking = excess off-haul or shortage import.

min(1200, 900) = 900 × $6 = $5,400 + 300 cy off-haul × $25 = $7,500 = $12,900 total.

How to Use

Enter cut volume (cy).
Enter fill volume (cy).
Enter on-site cost / cy.
Enter off-haul cost / cy.
Enter import cost / cy.
Read total earthwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cut/fill cost economics?

On-site cut/fill (balanced): $4–9/cy. Off-haul (export excess): $15–35/cy + tip fee $5–25/cy. Import (need fill): $20–50/cy delivered. Compaction: 25–35% bulk-up factor (1 cy in cut = 0.65–0.75 cy in fill after compact). Engineered fill: 2–3x cost of common fill. Rock excavation: $200–600/cy. Always design grading plan to balance on-site within 5–10% to avoid trucking surprise. Soils report essential before bidding.

How does this impact project budget?

Construction budgets layer hard costs (50–65%), soft costs (15–25%), financing (5–10%), contingency (5–10%), and developer fee (3–5%). Schedule risk often equals or exceeds cost risk — every month delay carries carry cost (interest, real estate tax, insurance, opportunity cost) of 0.5–1.5% of project budget. This calculator quantifies one cost component.

Owner-controlled vs GMP vs CM-at-risk?

Lump sum/GMP: contractor takes risk above guaranteed maximum price, owner pays for change orders. CM-at-risk: open book, fee + GMP, more transparent. Construction management: agent for owner, GC subcontracted directly. Design-build: single accountability, faster but less price competition. Match delivery method to project complexity and owner sophistication.

Schedule and cost contingency?

Standard contingency: 10% of hard cost for entitlement, 5–8% for construction. Schedule contingency: 60–90 days buffer past target completion. Force majeure provisions: weather, material lead time, labor strike, permit delay. Track via critical path method (CPM) schedule. Major lender draws contingent on schedule + cost variance to budget remaining within 5%.