Fill Dirt in Phoenix Lake, CA

Prices vary by supplier, distance, and whether the dirt is screened or clean, but in Phoenix Lake you can generally expect delivered fill-dirt to run roughly $25 to $70 per ton (about $35 to $95 per cubic yard). Hello Gravel has a 3-ton minimum and shows upfront local pricing when you enter your zip code, so use our quote tool for exact local rates and delivery fees.

Yes—fill-dirt is usually cheaper than decorative or engineered gravels because it is raw earth with less processing. If you need material for raising grade or backfill in Phoenix Lake, fill-dirt is the economical choice; for drainage, surface finish, or driveways you may still want gravel.

One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. At 3 inches deep it covers about 108 sq ft, at 6 inches about 54 sq ft, and at 12 inches about 27 sq ft, so pick the depth you need for your Phoenix Lake project and use those figures to estimate material.

A 50 lb bag is roughly 0.45 to 0.6 cubic feet depending on product and compaction, so one cubic yard (27 cu ft) equals about 45 to 60 50-lb bags. For planning in Phoenix Lake, assume about 50 to 55 bags per cubic yard to be safe.

Volume-wise one cubic yard will usually fit in a full-size pickup bed, but weight matters: fill-dirt typically weighs about 2,000 to 2,700 lbs per cubic yard (1.1 to 1.4 tons), which can exceed many trucks' payload limits. Check your pickup's payload rating before loading or order delivery from Hello Gravel to avoid overloading.

Typical tri-axle dump trucks used on Hello Gravel deliveries carry roughly 10 to 14 cubic yards of loose fill-dirt (about 12 to 17 tons depending on moisture). That means one truck can cover roughly 1,080 sq ft at 3u0022 depth or about 540 sq ft at 6u0022 depth; exact coverage depends on the truck size your local supplier uses.

Buy the largest reasonable quantity at once, accept unscreened material, source locally to reduce haul distance, and compare quotes through Hello Gravel to lock in lower negotiated rates. Also consider pickup if you have an appropriate truck and avoid specialty mixes that add cost.

Yes—fill-dirt is commonly used to raise or level grade, but you should place it in 4 to 6 inch lifts and compact each layer to avoid future settling. In Phoenix Lake's Mediterranean climate consider drainage (slopes toward drains) and cap with 3 to 6 inches of topsoil if you plan to plant grass or gardens.

Fill-dirt density varies with moisture and composition, but a common rule of thumb in the Phoenix Lake area is about 1.1 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard. Use 1.2 tons per cubic yard for quick planning, and ask Hello Gravel for a local supplier estimate if you need a precise weight for hauling or permits.

To raise 1,000 sq ft by 3 inches you need about 9.3 cubic yards (roughly 11 to 12 tons). Multiply that by local price ranges ($25 to $70 per ton) and you get a rough delivered cost of about $275 to $840, with final price depending on supplier, access, screening, and moisture content.

'Poor man's concrete' usually refers to a simple compacted mix of coarse gravel and sand used as a cheap base, not actual concrete. Fill-dirt is not a substitute for structural concrete or a well-compacted gravel base—it's fine for bulk raising or backfill but not for load-bearing surfaces without proper base material and compaction.

Fill-dirt compacts and settles over time, can retain water if heavy in clay, and does not provide the same drainage or surface stability as gravel. For Phoenix Lake projects where runoff and erosion matter, or where a stable walking or driving surface is required, you may need gravel or an engineered base instead of plain fill-dirt.

Using 1.2 tons per cubic yard, 20 tons is about 16.7 cubic yards. That will cover roughly 1,800 sq ft at a 3u0022 depth or about 900 sq ft at a 6u0022 depth; remember these figures are for fill-dirt and do not replace a compacted gravel base if you plan to drive on the surface.