How much does fill dirt cost in Arkansas?

Fill dirt costs $5 to $25 per cubic yard delivered, or $4 to $15 per ton, says HomeGuide. The same guide prices a dump truck load of 10 to 14 yards at $150 to $400. HomeAdvisor puts the average delivered truckload at $842. Around Hot Springs, haul distance, spreading, truck access and any city grading permit move the total.

How much does fill dirt cost per yard and per ton?

HomeGuide says the price of fill dirt depends on the type, the volume ordered and the distance away. HomeAdvisor’s per-yard range runs a little wider, at $5 to $30. Both are national market figures.

Around Hot Springs, Scott Bankhead Demolition sells fill dirt delivered and spread with its own dump trucks. A free on-site estimate turns these ranges into a price for your lot.

HomeGuide describes standard fill dirt as inorganic subsoil with broken-down rock, clay, sand and debris. Certified clean fill is screened to remove organic matter, toxic substances, flammable materials and debris. Structural fill is screened, highly compactable dirt with small stones, clay and enough sand to drain well. HomeGuide says it typically goes under a new foundation.

HomeGuide’s fill loads assume free delivery up to 10 miles and no spreading. Its topsoil loads run 10 to 15 yards, delivered up to 30 miles. HomeAdvisor prices topsoil at $12 to $55 a yard and notes that it settles or erodes over time. Gravel has its own price list, covered in our gravel driveway cost guide.

A cubic yard of dirt weighs 1.05 to 1.75 tons, says HomeGuide, and most fill dirt averages about 1.215 tons. Soil type and water content set the weight. Mixes of clay, sand and gravel weigh the most, so a ton of them covers less ground.

How much is a dump truck load of fill dirt?

HomeGuide prices a dump truck load of fill dirt at $150 to $400, delivery included. One load typically holds 10 to 14 cubic yards.

HomeAdvisor’s numbers run higher. It puts a delivered truckload at $344 to $1,339, with an average of $842. The full range homeowners report runs from $125 to $3,000. Larger orders raise the total, while buying in bulk lowers the rate per yard, says HomeAdvisor.

The two guides measure different things. HomeGuide tracks estimates homeowners get from contractors, in a guide dated September 2023. HomeAdvisor surveys customers after the job and updated its guide in June 2026.

Load sizes vary by truck. HomeGuide’s prices assume 10 to 14 yards a load. Its chart puts a standard dump truck at 8 to 12. Ask how many yards each quoted load holds.

How many yards of fill dirt do you need?

Yardage drives the bill. HomeGuide calls the amount of dirt the biggest factor in the final delivery cost. Every fill dirt calculator runs on the same short math.

Multiply length by width in feet, then by the depth in feet. Divide by 27, the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard. A 20 by 30 foot area raised 6 inches is 600 times 0.5, divided by 27. That comes to 11.1 cubic yards, about one standard truckload.

HomeGuide says to add 5 to 10 percent for waste and spills, which makes it 11.7 to 12.2 yards. HomeAdvisor’s tip is to crunch the coverage math up front to avoid costly repeat deliveries.

For a quick check, one cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, per HomeAdvisor. HomeGuide puts it at about 100 square feet at 3 inches and 55 square feet at 6 inches. The table rounds load counts up.

Dirt cut from a high spot can fill a low spot on the same lot. That cuts the yards you buy. Cutting the high spot is excavation and dirt work. Once the fill is in place, our tracked excavators handle the grading and site prep.

What makes one fill dirt delivery cost more than another?

Distance adds cost. HomeGuide notes that some haulers add $10 per mile past the first 5 miles. At that rate, a lot 25 miles from where the dirt is loaded adds $200. HomeAdvisor says larger trucks and longer distances cost more, and some companies add a fuel surcharge.

Some haulers charge a flat delivery fee. HomeAdvisor says those without one may charge $65 to $100 per hour, and HomeGuide lists $50 to $100.

Spreading is its own line. HomeAdvisor says most delivery crews drop the load at the curb or driveway. HomeGuide prices installation and rough spreading at $200 to $400. Ask whether each quote covers a pile or spread ground.

HomeAdvisor says a delivery fee usually covers one dump at a spot the truck can reach. The fee assumes that spot is at least 15 feet from overhead trees, on solid, dry ground. HomeGuide adds that difficult access raises the total.

At HomeGuide’s average of 1.215 tons per yard, 10 to 14 yards of fill weigh about 12 to 17 tons. HomeGuide notes that a fully loaded dump truck will avoid driving over a ditch or a culvert. It can also leave cracks in concrete driveways and curbs.

If your drive crosses a ditch on a driveway culvert, the dump spot may need to sit short of it. HomeGuide also suggests a backup dump spot. If the driver cannot deliver on arrival, you pay penalty fees and reschedule.

Do you need a permit to bring in fill dirt in Hot Springs?

Inside Hot Springs city limits, a fill may need a grading permit. The city’s grading code defines fill as placing earth material so the ground ends up higher than it was. Filling counts as grading, and grading needs a permit from the city engineer unless an exception applies.

Grading an isolated, self-contained area of half an acre or less is exempt if no danger to property is apparent. So is earth work under an approved building permit.

Two kinds of small fill are exempt as well. One is less than 1 foot deep, on natural ground flatter than a 20 percent slope. The other is less than 3 feet deep and not intended to support structures. Either kind must stay within half an acre on any one lot and leave drainage courses open.

The permit fee turns on acreage and on whether engineered plans are required. Without plans, it is $50 for the first acre plus $25 per added acre, up to $275. With plans, it is $100 for the first acre plus $50 per added acre, up to $550.

Fill may hold only minor amounts of organic matter and no rock over 8 inches, unless the city engineer approves. Construction materials that belong in a state-approved landfill cannot be used as fill. Fills must be compacted to at least 90 percent of maximum density. Without a soil engineering report, these rules may be waived for minor fills not intended to support structures.

The city requires a stormwater permit for land disturbance of 1 to 5 acres, or next to a water body. Past 5 acres, a state permit is added. Outside city limits, check with the county or town that covers your lot.

What should you plan before the first truck arrives?

If the job includes any digging, Arkansas law requires a call to Arkansas 811 first. Member utilities locate their lines within two full working days.

Inside Hot Springs, the city wants a call before excavation or land grading on sites with water or sewer service. A 24-hour heads-up works best. The city also notes that buried or crushed water meter boxes can lead to leaks. Point out the meter box at the estimate visit.

NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals put Hot Springs at 57.96 inches of precipitation a year. March, April and May are the three wettest months, and May peaks at 6.51 inches. HomeGuide advises against driving a loaded dump truck in a yard when the ground is wet or damp.

HomeAdvisor says demand and rates tend to be lower in the off-season, late fall or early spring. Early spring runs wet here, so leave room for a rain delay. Inside the city, soil or mud a job leaves on public streets must be cleaned up immediately.

The spot where the load goes and the route the truck takes decide the real number. Scott Bankhead Demolition gives free on-site estimates on fill dirt delivered and spread around Hot Springs. Call (501) 617-1511 or tell us about the area you need filled.