Estimating Excavation Costs
Calculating excavation volume is the first step in budgeting for any construction project involving earthwork, from swimming pools to building foundations. Our Excavation Calculator helps you convert simple dimensions into industry-standard Cubic Yards and accounts for the crucial "swell factor" when soil is disturbed.
If you are excavating for a foundation, consider using our Block Calculator to estimate masonry materials for the walls, or the Steel Weight Calculator for rebar reinforcement estimates.
Understanding Soil Swell
[Image of Excavation process]
When earth is dug out of the ground, it loses compaction and expands. This is known as "Swell" or "Bulking".
- Bank Volume: The volume of the hole itself.
- Loose Volume: The volume the dirt takes up in a dump truck or pile.
Formula: Loose Volume = Bank Volume × (1 + Swell %).
Example: 10 yards of bank clay (35% swell) becomes 13.5 yards of loose clay to haul away.
Conversions & Units
Excavation is almost always measured in Cubic Yards (yd³).
| From | To | Math |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic Feet | Cubic Yards | Divide by 27 |
| Inches | Feet | Divide by 12 |
Note on Safety: Deep excavations (typically over 5ft) require benching or shoring to prevent cave-ins. This calculator estimates vertical volume only and does not account for the extra width needed for safe sloping.