Excavation Calculator
Estimate the dirt volume of an excavation in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres, then add a swell factor to get the truckloads and haul-away cost.
This excavation estimator turns a length, width and depth into the volume of soil you need to dig out and cart off. It works as a dirt volume calculator for footings, pools, ponds and trenches, giving the in-ground bank volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres. Add a swell factor and it doubles as a cut and fill calculator: dug soil bulks up, so the loose volume you actually haul is larger than the hole. Set your truck size and price per yard to see loads and cost. Everything runs in your browser.
Excavation
Cubic yards to excavate
22.22
600 ft³ · 16.99 m³ in the ground
- Loose volume (+25%)
- 27.78 yd³
- Truckloads
- 3
- Haul-away cost
- $833.33
- Loose cubic feet
- 750
Excavated soil bulks up as it leaves the ground, so a hole that measures a given size fills more truck space than its in-ground volume. That is why the loose figure, not the bank figure, drives truckloads and haul cost.
Swell varies by soil: sand and gravel expand about 10–15%, common loam around 25%, and dense clay 30–40%. Set the slider to match your ground for a realistic haul figure.
How it works
- 1
Measure the dig
Enter the length, width and depth of the area you are excavating in feet or metres.
- 2
Set the swell factor
Slide the expansion to match your ground: about 15% for sand, 25% for loam, 35% for clay.
- 3
Add truck and price
Type your dump truck capacity in cubic yards and the haul cost per yard to size the job.
- 4
Read the results
See the cubic yards to excavate, the loose volume after swell, the truckloads and the haul cost.
Instant & 100% private — nothing is uploaded
Every calculation runs locally in your browser. The income, balances and goals you enter stay on your own device and are never sent to a server — nothing is stored, logged or shared.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate excavation volume in cubic yards?
- Multiply length by width by depth in feet for cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. The calculator does this and also shows cubic feet and cubic metres.
- What is a soil swell factor and why does it matter?
- Soil expands when it is dug out because you break up the compaction. A 20 cubic yard hole can yield 25 loose yards, so the swelled volume, not the hole size, decides how many truckloads you need.
- What swell percentage should I use?
- Rough guides: sand and gravel expand about 10 to 15%, common loam around 25%, and heavy clay 30 to 40%. Rock breaks up far more. Match the slider to your ground for a realistic haul figure.
- How many cubic yards does a dump truck hold?
- Most tandem dump trucks carry 10 to 14 cubic yards of loose soil; smaller trucks hold 6 to 8. Enter your truck's capacity and the tool rounds the loose volume up to whole loads.
- Does this handle cut and fill?
- It sizes the cut, meaning the material you remove and haul away. If you are filling instead, use the bank volume as the compacted amount you need to bring in, and order extra to allow for settlement.
- Is the excavation estimate exact?
- The volume is exact for the box you enter. Real digs have sloped sides and uneven bottoms, so add a margin, and confirm the swell and truck price with your hauler before ordering.
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