"How much for a load of dirt?" It's often the first question people ask when they want to fill a hole, raise their lot or level a yard. The honest answer is that it depends. The cost of a truckload of dirt moves with a handful of concrete factors, and you can act on quite a few of them.
In this article, we don't give you a price list. Instead, we explain what pushes the bill up or down, and why receiving fill dirt has nothing to do with buying garden soil.
Black earth or fill dirt: two different worlds
First thing to understand: the word "dirt" covers materials that follow completely different logic.
Black earth, garden soil or lawn soil is a product you buy. It's used to grow a vegetable garden, a flower bed or a lawn. You pay for the material itself, on top of transport.
Fill dirt is something else. It's the surplus that comes out of an excavation site: a basement being dug, a foundation, a street being rebuilt. It's used to fill, raise and level.
Other materials circulate in the same spirit: blue clay, recycled asphalt, crushed concrete or crushed rock. Each one has its use, and not all of them suit every spot on a property.
It's up to the receiver to make sure of what they receive, and up to the sender to make sure of what they send. Ask questions about where the material comes from and what it is before the truck shows up.
Free or paid: you set your conditions
This is where the logic changes completely. An excavator digging a basement ends up with dozens of loads of dirt they don't need. They have to get that surplus off the site, and every kilometre costs them time and fuel.
What they're looking for, then, is a nearby place to dump. If your lot is a few minutes from their site and you agree to receive their fill dirt, you're doing them a favour. That's why fill dirt is often offered for free: you're not paying for a prepared material, you're offering a solution to someone with a surplus problem.
But on Terreadonner, there's a bit of everything: free offers and paid offers, fill dirt as well as recycled asphalt or crushed concrete. It's up to you to get informed and set your requirements before accepting a load: the material, the quantity, where it comes from, the date, where to dump, and the price if there is one. An offer doesn't suit you? Move on to the next one.
To see how it works in your area, read our guides on free fill dirt in Montreal, in Laval or in Longueuil.
Distance, quantity, season: what makes the price of a dirt truck vary
Distance. It's the number one factor. A 12-wheeler that drives a long way costs a lot. The closer your lot is to the source, the better.
Quantity. A single load or twenty is not the same organization. For fill dirt, an excavator with a big surplus will often be more interested in a lot that can take several trucks. On the other hand, ordering too much is the classic trap. From the Terreadonner team's experience, a client who misjudges their needs and ends up with too much dirt can pay around $500 per truck to have it hauled out. Do the math before you say yes.
Type of material. Black earth, fill dirt, recycled asphalt, crushed concrete: the material determines whether you're buying a product or receiving a surplus.
Season. In Quebec, the spring thaw matters. In spring, the ministère des Transports reduces the allowed loads for heavy vehicles on public roads, because the pavement loses a good part of its strength during the thaw. These restrictions generally run from mid-March to the end of May, depending on the zone. Less load per truck often means more trips for the same quantity. On the other hand, when excavation sites are running full tilt, the supply of fill dirt goes up.
Site access, waiting and unloading: the hidden costs
These are the details people forget, and they're often the ones that throw a delivery off track.
Access. A 12-wheeler needs room to get in, back up and raise its box. From the Terreadonner team's experience, a lot that's too soft after rain means the truck breaks through and gets stuck.
Waiting time. If the driver arrives and has to wait while you move a car or figure out where to dump, that time has a value. Prepare the spot ahead of time.
Unloading and spreading. Dumping the box in a pile is one thing. Spreading the dirt, levelling it and compacting it is another, with extra machinery and time. Say from the start what you want: a pile, or a lot ready to receive the top layer.
Permits and municipal rules: a cost to plan for
Before bringing in trucks, check with your municipality. Several cities and municipalities in Quebec require a permit or an authorization for fill, cut or grade-raising work. Some ask for a land surveyor's plan, others limit the height of the lot relative to the street or the difference with the neighbouring lot. Fill is often prohibited on shorelines and in flood zones.
In agricultural zones, it's even more regulated. The Commission de protection du territoire agricole (CPTAQ) may require an authorization, and some municipalities ask for an agronomist's opinion. These steps take time and sometimes fees: plan for them.
This section provides general information and is not legal advice. For your situation, contact your municipality, consult Éducaloi or speak with a notary or a lawyer, especially if you're raising your lot near your neighbour's property line.
What Terreadonner changes for you
Terreadonner, a service of Groupe Eazyvrac, doesn't sell dirt. The service connects those who have fill to place with those who can receive it.
Are you a receiver? Signing up is free. You describe your lot, and excavators in your area see your request.
Are you an excavator? You post your surplus, or you do your own search among the lots that can receive it near your site.
FAQ
How much does a load of dirt cost?
There's no single price. The type of material, distance, quantity, season, access and the work at unloading all make the bill vary.
Why does black earth cost more than fill dirt?
Black earth is a prepared product you buy. Fill dirt is excavation surplus that the excavator has to place somewhere, ideally close to their site.
Can I receive fill dirt without paying?
Often, yes. On Terreadonner, you'll find free offers and paid offers. Get informed and state your conditions clearly before accepting. Signing up as a receiver, for its part, is free.
Do you need a permit to fill your lot?
Often, yes. The rules change from one municipality to the next. In agricultural zones, the CPTAQ may also be involved. Get informed before the work.
Why does spring make deliveries harder?
During the thaw period, the allowed loads for heavy trucks are reduced on public roads. That can mean more trips for the same quantity.
Conclusion
The price of a load of dirt isn't a fixed number, it's a sum of factors. If you need lawn soil for your grass, you're buying a product. If you want to fill, raise or level, receiving fill dirt from an excavator working near you, on your terms, changes the equation completely. Prepare your access, calculate your needs, check your municipality's rules, and let the local excavators find you.