Fill Dirt in Alice, TX

Costs vary by supplier, haul distance, and truck size. In West Texas around Alice, expect rough ranges of $10 to $30 per ton and $200 to $700 per truckload for a tri-axle delivery, with larger hauls toward the high end; contact Hello Gravel for an exact quote for your zip code.

Local suppliers commonly price fill dirt by the ton or by the cubic yard, and some offer flat truckload pricing for tri-axle deliveries. Hello Gravel will show local supplier options and pricing models for your address so you can compare per-ton, per-yard, and truckload rates.

A good rule of thumb for fill dirt is about 1.2 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard (we use 1.3 tons/yd3 as a typical estimate). That means 100 sq ft covered at 3 inches needs about 1.2 tons, at 6 inches about 2.4 tons, and at 12 inches about 4.8 tons; always order a little extra for compaction and settlement.

Fill dirt is fine for raising grade, backfilling non-structural areas, and landscaping, but it is not the best choice as a finished driveway surface or as structural foundation backfill near footings. In Alice's clay soils and heat, use engineered backfill or compacted crushed stone for foundations and a crushed stone surface for driveways to reduce settling and drainage issues.

Fill dirt is generally less permeable than gravel and can impede drainage, so it is not ideal as a primary drainage layer or erosion-control surface. For areas with concentrated runoff in Alice, combine fill dirt for shaping with gravel, rip-rap, drains, or vegetation to manage erosion and encourage proper drainage.

Use mechanical compaction: plate compactors for small areas and a small vibratory roller for larger loads, compacting in 6-8 inch lifts for best results. Costs vary by job size; DIY rental of compactors runs roughly $50 to $250 per day, while contractor compaction and grading for a typical yard project commonly adds a few hundred dollars to $800 or more depending on area and access.

Pure fill dirt surfaces tend to rut and erode faster than stone surfaces; expect maintenance or regrading every 1 to 3 years depending on traffic and rainfall. Regrading by a local contractor or county grader can range from a few hundred dollars for a short drive to $1,000+ for longer rural roads; adding a gravel topping greatly reduces frequency and total cost.

Choose fill dirt to raise low spots, build subgrade, and fill trenches where structural support or drainage is not critical. Use crushed stone or road base when you need strength, drainage, and a stable driving surface, and use sand for bedding utilities or improving drainage in certain applications; in Alice's climate, crushed stone is usually best for driveways and foundation backfill.

Possibly. Small yard grading often does not require a permit, but foundation work, street connections, or large cut-and-fill projects may need a building permit or engineered fill to meet local or TxDOT standards; HOAs can also restrict visible changes like front-yard grading or driveway surfacing. Check City of Alice building department, Jim Wells County, and your HOA before ordering large quantities.

Suppliers in West Texas generally offer per-ton or per-cubic-yard pricing and flat truckload rates; example ranges are $10 to $30 per ton, $15 to $35 per cubic yard, and $200 to $700 per tri-axle truckload. Contractor-installed costs that include delivery, spreading, and compaction vary widely—get detailed quotes from Hello Gravel or local contractors to compare line-item costs.

Measure the area and depth, use the Hello Gravel calculator, and add 5% to 10% extra for settlement and compaction. Request delivery notes for drop location and access, ask about truck size, and consider ordering crushed stone for final surfacing where drainage or traffic durability is needed.