Cut and Fill Calculator
A cut and fill calculator subtracts fill from cut volume: 150 yd³ cut minus 90 yd³ fill leaves 60 yd³ of excess soil to haul away; negative means import.
Cut and fill calculator: cut − fill = net
This cut and fill calculator shows whether a grading job leaves you with spare soil or a deficit. The formula is net volume = cut volume − fill volume, both in cubic yards. A positive result is excess to haul away. A negative result is a shortfall to import. Zero means the site is balanced. The tool reports the size of the difference and labels which way it falls.
What cut and fill mean
Cut is soil removed where the ground is higher than the planned grade: a hump in the yard, a slope cut back for a patio, a pad dug level.
Fill is soil placed where the ground is lower than the planned grade: a hollow, the low side of a building pad, a trench.
On most sites, the cut is reused as fill. The question is what is left over.
Worked examples
- Default: 150 yd³ cut, 90 yd³ fill
- Net: 150 − 90 = 60
- Result: 60.00 yd³ (excess to haul away)
If a dump truck hauls about 10 loose cubic yards per trip, and the soil swells as it is dug, those 60 bank yards could easily take seven or more trips. Ask your hauler how they count loads.
- Building up a low yard: 80 yd³ cut, 120 yd³ fill
- Net: 80 − 120 = −40
- Result: 40.00 yd³ (shortfall to import)
That 40 yd³ is the compacted volume you need. To order loose fill for it, run the number through the fill dirt compaction calculator. At a 20% compaction loss, 40 ÷ 0.8 = 50 loose yards.
Swell and shrink reference
Soil changes volume as it moves. Engineers describe three conditions:
| Condition | What it is | Volume compared with bank |
|---|---|---|
| Bank | Undisturbed in the ground | 1.00 (reference) |
| Loose | Dug and in the truck | Larger: soil swells as air enters |
| Compacted | Placed and rolled as fill | Usually smaller than bank |
| Example | Bank cut | Compacted fill it makes (if 15% shrink) |
|---|---|---|
| Small pad | 20 yd³ | 17 yd³ |
| Default site | 150 yd³ | 127.5 yd³ |
The 15% is only an illustration; real factors depend on soil type and moisture. Get site figures from a geotechnical report or your engineer when the numbers matter.
How to estimate cut and fill volumes
- Grid method: lay a grid of stakes, record existing and planned heights at each, and compute the depth of cut or fill at each point. Average the depths in each square and multiply by its area.
- Simple boxes: for a patio pad, cut volume ≈ length × width × average cut depth. Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards.
- Plans: a grading plan or design software often lists cut and fill totals directly.
- Keep units the same. Enter both values as bank cubic yards, or both as compacted cubic yards.
Using the net to plan trucking
Once you know the net, turn it into truckloads. Ask the hauler what their truck carries in loose cubic yards. Then remember that excavated soil swells. If you have 60 bank yards to remove, the loose volume in the trucks will be larger than 60.
For a shortfall, order fill in loose yards too, then compact it. The compaction calculator linked above converts a compacted target into a loose order. Keep a record of actual loads hauled or delivered; it tells you whether the survey volumes were close and helps when you price the next phase.
Common cut and fill mistakes
- Counting topsoil as fill. Organic topsoil is usually stripped and set aside. It is not suitable structural fill under slabs.
- Ignoring shrinkage. Using bank cut to fill an equal compacted volume often leaves you short.
- Forgetting spoil from footings and trenches. Foundation digs add cut volume.
- Assuming all cut is usable. Rock, wet clay, and debris may need to leave the site even when the numbers balance.
- Skipping permits. Many places regulate grading, haul-off, and fill near property lines; check local code.
Related calculators
Price the dig with the excavation cost calculator, and the shaping work with the land grading cost calculator. To measure a pile you have already dug, use the stockpile volume calculator.
A planning check based on the volumes you enter. For real earthwork budgets, use volumes from a survey or grading plan.
Frequently asked questions
What does a positive vs. negative cut-and-fill result mean?
Positive means you dig out more soil than you need for filling, so the extra must be hauled away or stockpiled. Negative means the cut is too small to fill the low spots, so you must import fill. The calculator shows the size of the difference and labels which case it is.
What does it mean for a site to be 'balanced'?
Cut equals fill, so the net is zero. All soil dug from high spots is reused in low spots and none is trucked in or out. Designers often raise or lower the planned finished grade slightly to get a site close to balance.
Why does an unbalanced result cost money either way?
Excess soil needs trucks, time, and often a dump fee. A shortfall needs purchased fill plus delivery. On a balanced site the soil only moves across the site, which usually costs less than moving it on or off.
Where do I get accurate cut and fill volumes for my site?
From a topographic survey and a grading plan, usually prepared by a surveyor or civil engineer comparing existing and proposed elevations. For a small backyard job, you can estimate each area as a box: length × width × average depth ÷ 27.
Does the calculator account for soil swell and shrinkage?
No. It subtracts the two numbers as entered. In practice, dug soil swells when loosened and shrinks when compacted, so a cubic yard of cut does not fill exactly a cubic yard of compacted fill. Convert both volumes to the same condition before entering them, or ask your engineer for site shrink factors.
Estimates only. Verify quantities with your supplier before purchasing.