Typical prices by type
Ranges are for bulk material before delivery and tax. Prices vary by region and season, so use them to budget and ask local suppliers for a quote.
| Type | What it is | Per cubic yard | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt | Subsoil with little organic matter, may contain clay and small stones | $5 to $25 | Raising or leveling ground, filling holes, backfill |
| Screened topsoil | The top layer of soil, sifted to remove rocks and roots | $25 to $55 | New lawns, top dressing, beds |
| Garden soil or topsoil and compost blend | Topsoil with compost mixed in | $35 to $70 | Flower and vegetable beds |
| Raised bed mix | Light blend of soil, compost and sometimes bark or sand | $40 to $80 | Raised beds and large planters |
Which one do you need?
- Raising a low area or filling a hole: fill dirt, compacted in layers. It is the cheapest and settles less than topsoil.
- Growing grass: fill dirt below if you need height, then about 4 to 6 inches of topsoil on top.
- Flower or vegetable beds: topsoil with compost, or a garden soil blend.
- Raised beds: a raised bed mix. Plain topsoil can pack down hard in a bed.
A common mistake is buying topsoil to fill a big hole. Fill dirt does that job at a fraction of the price.
Bags vs bulk
Bagged topsoil is often sold in 0.75 cubic foot bags at around $3 to $6 each. A cubic yard is 36 of those bags, roughly $110 to $220 a yard. That is fine for a few planters. For a lawn or several beds, bulk delivery is far cheaper.
Delivery and free fill
Local delivery is often $50 to $150 a load, and suppliers may have a minimum order. Ask how close the truck can get and where it can tip, because moving soil by wheelbarrow is the slow part of the job.
Fill dirt is sometimes free from builders or excavation sites. Ask where it came from and look at it before you accept a load: it can contain rubble, trash, weed roots or, from old industrial sites, contamination. Free fill is not a good idea anywhere you plan to grow food.
Three worked examples
Leveling a low spot: 30 by 20 ft, 6 in deep on average
- Volume: 30 × 20 × 0.5 = 300 cubic feet, or 11.1 cubic yards.
- Fill dirt at $15 a yard: about $170, plus delivery.
Topsoil for a new lawn: 1,000 sq ft, 4 in deep
- Volume: 1,000 × (4 ÷ 12) = 333 cubic feet, or 12.3 cubic yards.
- Screened topsoil at $40 a yard: about $490, plus delivery.
One raised bed: 8 by 4 ft, 12 in deep
- Volume: 8 × 4 × 1 = 32 cubic feet, or 1.2 cubic yards.
- Bulk raised bed mix at $60 a yard: about $70, plus delivery.
- Bagged, it would take about 22 bags of 1.5 cubic feet, often $200 or more.
Work out your own job with the dirt calculator, topsoil calculator or raised bed soil calculator. Each gives yards, tons and bags, and a total if you enter your supplier's price.
Tips before you order
- Add about 10 to 20% for soil, which settles more than stone, especially when it is loose and dry.
- Ask whether the price is per yard or per ton, and whether the soil is screened.
- Look at a sample if you can. Good topsoil is dark and crumbly, not sticky clay or sand.
- Order when the ground is dry, so the truck does not rut your lawn.
Common questions
How much is a yard of fill dirt?
Often about $5 to $25 a cubic yard before delivery. It is sometimes free from construction sites, but check what is in it.
How much is a yard of topsoil?
Screened topsoil often runs about $25 to $55 a cubic yard before delivery, more for blends with compost.
Can I use fill dirt for a garden?
Not on its own. Fill dirt has little organic matter. Use it to raise or level ground, then put topsoil or garden soil on top where you want plants to grow.
How much does a dump truck of dirt cost?
Mostly it depends on the truck size and the material. A load of 10 yards of fill dirt might cost $100 to $300 delivered; the same load of topsoil several times that.