Excavation & Earthwork Calculator
Calculate the volume of soil to be dug for footings, trenches or a basement, plus truck loads and cost.
Inputs
Formula
- Excavated volume = L × W × D × quantity
- Loose (bulked) volume = volume × bulking factor
- Truck loads = loose volume ÷ tipper capacity
Digging is measured in the ground — length by width by depth. But soil swells once loosened, so the volume you have to cart away is 15–40% larger depending on the soil. Contractors quote per cubic metre of in-situ excavation, while truck hire depends on the loose volume.
Step-by-step calculation
- 1
Volume
L × W × D × qty
3,000 cu ft
- 2
In m³
× 0.0283
84.95 m³
- 3
Loose volume
× 1.25 bulking
106.19 m³
Worked example
- 1A 30 × 20 × 5 ft basement = 3,000 cu ft = 84.95 m³.
- 2Normal soil bulks 25% → 106.2 m³ of loose spoil.
- 3At 8 m³ per tipper that is 14 trips; at ₹250/m³ the digging costs ₹21,240.
Tips
- Keep a part of the soil on site for back-filling — you usually need 30% of it back.
- Slope or shore any pit deeper than 1.5 m; collapsing trenches are the most common site accident.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet in a cubic metre?
35.31 cu ft. So 100 cu ft is 2.83 m³.
Why is the removed volume larger than the pit?
Loose soil occupies more space than packed soil — this is called bulking and is typically 25%.
What does excavation cost?
Machine excavation runs ₹150–₹350 per m³ in normal soil; rock breaking costs several times more.
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