Cut & Fill Calculator — m, m³ (Slope Grading)
How to use this calculator
Pick the survey shortcut that matches your data. Simple — one uniform cut or fill depth across a rectangle (driveway lift, lawn re-grade, shed pad). Two-Point — sloped existing vs sloped finish grade along a length (driveway with crown, walkout basement strip). Grid — four corner spot levels averaged with the end-area method for an irregular pad. The result drives haul-off trucks, import quantity, and whether you balance on site or pay for off-haul.
Swell factor — soil expands when excavated; tap a soil chip below to load the typical bulk %. Compaction shrink — imported structural fill loses 10–20% volume when rolled to 95% Proctor, so order more loose m³ than the finished hole.
Trucks — based on an 8 m³ rigid tipper; adjust mentally for a larger artic or 6-wheeler.
Saved Calculations
| Time | Method | Area m² | Cut m³ | Fill m³ | Net m³ | Haul m³ | Trucks |
|---|
How to Calculate Cut & Fill Volumes (Metric)
Pick the method that matches your survey data. Simple applies one uniform cut or fill depth over a rectangular pad — useful for a driveway lift or building platform. Two-Point compares existing grade against finished grade along a length and splits the prism at the crossover where cut turns to fill. Grid averages four corner spot levels, the field shortcut for the average-end-area method. Bank (in-place) volumes are reported separately for cut and fill in cubic metres so you can balance earthwork before ordering haul-off or import.
Formulas
Simple: V = L × W × |d| m³. Two-Point: end difference = existing − desired; V = W × L × (d₁ + d₂) ÷ 2 (split at crossover when one end is cut and the other fill). Grid: average existing = (C1+C2+C3+C4) ÷ 4, average desired the same; V = |Δavg| × L × W. Swell: loose haul volume = bank volume × (1 + swell ÷ 100). Truck loads = loose volume ÷ 8 m³, rounded up.
Swell & Shrink Factors
Excavated soil bulks up: sand/gravel 10–20%, loam/topsoil 20–30%, clay 30–40%, shale 35–45%, rock 40–60%. Compacted structural fill shrinks 10–20% from bank volume, so imported fill is under-estimated if compaction is ignored — confirm import quantities with the fill & backfill calculator. For trench grading add over-dig per the EN 1610 / OSHA slope plus a 5–10% waste allowance.
Where this fits on site
Use this for the rough mass-haul balance, then size the dig with the excavation volume & cost calculator. Surplus cut hauled off or aggregate brought in is priced by the tonne with the gravel & aggregate calculator, and stripped topsoil to respread is tracked in the topsoil & mulch calculator. Once subgrade is set, pads carry into the concrete slab calculator.
On the jobsite
Three numbers move earthwork bids in Europe and the UK. Haul-off runs €12–25 per loose m³ within 20 km of a tip; gate fees add €10–25/tonne for inert material. Imported structural fill trucked in is €18–35/tonne delivered, and you need 10–20% more loose than the finished hole because of compaction — the row above sizes that order. The #1 estimator miss on residential cut & fill: forgetting the topsoil strip (typically 100–150 mm off the whole footprint, hauled or stockpiled) before counting the structural cut underneath. EN 1610 and BS 6031 set trench / cut slope rules — add over-dig for any cut deeper than 1.2 m before pricing the haul.
FAQ
Bank vs loose volume? Bank is undisturbed in-place soil — what the earthwork sub excavates. Loose is the bulked-up volume on trucks, which sizes haul-off. Why is net not zero on a balanced site? Bank cut equals bank fill at balance, but loose haul still moves; the swell factor scales only hauling, not the bank quantities. Truck capacity? Based on a typical 8 m³ rigid tipper — adjust mentally for a larger artic or 6-wheeler.
