Frequently Asked Questions
Cut and fill is the practice of excavating soil from high areas and placing it in low areas to reach design grades. Compacted fill takes less room than the soil did in the ground, so Maricopa County's guidelines show 1,000 cubic yards of cut at a 0.2 shrink factor yielding 800 cubic yards of fill.
Construction sites control dirt and dust by wetting haul roads and bare soil, mulching disturbed ground, adding windbreaks and gravel, and limiting how much ground is open. EPA guidance says gravel can cut soil loss by 95 percent versus bare soil, and gravel exit pads cut the mud trucks track onto streets.
Excess construction dirt sells fastest once its soil type, volume and test results are documented, because buyers need fill that meets spec and carries no contamination. Clean soil often goes to a nearby project cheaply or free, which still beats disposal fees. Soil Connect's Get Rid of Dirt service matches it with a closer site.
Dirt work is the earthwork part of a construction project: clearing, excavating, hauling, placing and compacting soil, and grading to the plan elevations. It also covers utility trenching and backfill, foundation excavation, and importing or exporting soil when cut and fill do not balance. Pads, roads and pipes all rest on it.
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