A self-made builder of house and garden has to keep an eye on numerous tasks so that the costs don't get out of hand. This includes a cheap solution to the tiresome question: where to put the excavated earth? This guide provides a constructive overview of how to determine the disposal costs correctly and step on the brakes on costs.

Not everything that is excavated counts as excavated earth

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Dispose of excavated earth cost overview
  3. Excavation classification
  4. Calculate excavation amount
  5. container or truck?
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • The disposal of excavated earth costs an average of 40 euros per cubic meter, including container rental and landfill fees.
    • Excavated soil according to legal classification includes earth, clay soil, topsoil, sand and small stones. No excavation in the legal sense is excavation mixed with rubble, turf, roots, asphalt, gravel and contaminated soil.
    • 1 cubic meter of excavated earth weighs about 1000 kilograms (1 ton), depending on density, moisture and composition.

    Dispose of excavated earth - costs at a glance

    The cost of digging depends on a variety of factors

    Excavated earth occurs in many small and large construction projects. Earth is removed from the ground for basements, floor slabs, underground tanks, cisterns or swimming ponds and is usually not completely returned. For builders, the question is now: How and where can you dispose of excavated earth inexpensively? The following table provides an overview of proven options and indicates average prices:

    Post Container self-filling 10 m³ Container external filling 10 m³ Truck self-filling 100 m³
    Container (rent, removal) 180-250 euros 120-150 EUR (rent only) 800-1000 euros
    Fill containers/trucks omitted 200-250 EUR (loading) 180-300 EUR (mini excavator)
    landfill fees 100-150 euros 100-150 euros 1000-1500 euros
    total 280-400 euros 420-550 euros 1980-2800 euros
    Cost per m³ 28-40 euros 42-55 euros 19.80-28 EUR
    cost per ton 28-40 euros 42-55 euros 19.80-28 EUR

    Please note: This overview does not claim to be a representative price statistic, but presents a rough framework for typical excavation costs for small and large quantities, calculated down to the costs per m3 and per ton. In Germany there are marked fluctuations between the prices in rural regions and urban areas. An acute shortage of landfills causes landfill fees to explode locally, as recently in the greater Stuttgart area as a result of the tunnel construction for Stuttgart 21 from an average of 10 to 15 euros to a dizzying 50 euros per tonne of excavated earth.

    What does a cubic meter of excavation weigh?

    In Germany, certified landfills are responsible for receiving classic bulk waste from private and commercial construction. If you dispose of excavated earth at a regional landfill, the cost per tonne will be charged. Fortunately, mathematical pull-ups are not required to find the weight of excavated earth:

    • 1 cubic meter of excavated earth weighs 900 to 1000 kilograms, depending on moisture, density and composition
    • Rule of thumb: 1 cubic meter of excavated earth weighs 1 ton

    If you have a company collect the excavated earth and do not dispose of it yourself, landfill fees are usually included in the flat rate. The prices per ton are at a low level compared to other waste fees, such as hazardous waste, because landfills only temporarily store the excavated earth delivered and reuse it for various construction projects, such as landfill.

    digression

    Topsoil - natural treasure in excavated earth

    As a finite resource, topsoil is subject to special legal protection. Section 202 of the Building Code stipulates that topsoil should be kept in a usable condition and protected from waste or destruction. Indeed, pure Mother Earth is teeming with life. Myriads of busy microorganisms produce valuable humus, the basis for plant growth. For this reason, it is a matter of course for builders and hobby gardeners to separate topsoil from excavated earth for the planting of magnificent flower borders and productive vegetable beds.

    What is excavation? - Classification at a glance

    The top layer of earth does not count as excavated earth

    Not everything that comes to light when digging a pit is excavated earth in the legal sense. The top layer of soil can usually be ruled out. When building a house, it is usually soil contaminated with foreign materials. Experience has shown that excavation in the garden begins under a layer of protected topsoil. As a rule of thumb, it has proven itself in practice: Only dispose of the soil as excavated earth from a depth of 30 to 50 centimeters. Because a builder is responsible for the correct classification, the following table provides an overview:

    excavation no excavation
    Earth asphalt
    clay soil old wood
    topsoil rubble
    clay soil masonry
    sand gravel
    sandy bottom plant remains
    small stones root
    Grass soil without turf sod

    Top soil mixed with roots, plant residues or sod is far too valuable to be disposed of in a landfill. Clever builders opt for the processing of suitable excavated earth on site and put the brakes on costs. For this purpose, smaller amounts of soil are separated from impurities with a through-type sieve. The following video shows how the plan succeeds with a high-performance vibrating screen on a new building site:

    youtube youtube

    Calculate excavation amount

    If a builder understands the precise calculation of quantities when excavating earth, there will be no rude awakening later when it comes to the costs of removal and disposal. In fact, the volume calculation goes well beyond the size of the building. If an underground tank with a capacity of 50 m³ is sunk into the ground, twice the amount of earth has to be excavated, of which about two thirds have to be disposed of. The following sample calculation explains how to correctly calculate excavation:

    Calculate excavation amount for basement

    For a cellar measuring 15 m long and 10 m wide, a 3 m deep pit is dug. To determine the amount of excavated earth, add 2 m all around for thermal insulation, drainage and space for movement. This results in the following calculation:

    • (15 m length + 2 m + 2 m) x (10 m width + 2 m + 2 m) x 3 m depth = 19 m x 14 m x 3 m = 798 m³ total excavation
    • of which to be disposed of: 2/3 of 798 m³ = 532 m³

    If you calculate the prices for excavation disposal with a sharp pencil, the loosening factor rounds off this formula sensibly. The loosening factor takes into account the ratio of undissolved soil to dissolved soil when calculating the volume. Experience has shown that during excavation work, the volume of the earth increases by 15 to 25 percent (on average 20 percent), which corresponds to a percentage factor of 1.20. By multiplying the calculated amount by 1.20, the larger volume that inevitably arises when digging, digging or excavating flows into the calculation. In the example calculation above, the loosening factor is reflected as follows:

    • 798 m³ excavated earth x 1.20 loosening factor = 957 m³
    • of which to be disposed of: 2/3 of 957 m³ = 638 m³

    tips

    Bargains know how to dispose of excavated earth free of charge. Small quantities of up to 10 cubic meters of excavation from a pit in a hand shaft quickly find a buyer. A free classified ad brings providers and interested parties together. For pure topsoil, there are topsoil exchanges on the Internet, where builders can also get rid of the excavated earth free of charge.

    Rent a container or rent a truck?

    Whether a truck is worth it depends on the amount to be lifted

    The volume of soil to be disposed of decides whether a container is sufficient for excavation or whether a truck is used. In practice, a volume of 30 cubic meters has proven to be the magic limit. Trough containers with a capacity of 7 to 10 cubic meters and a correspondingly small space requirement are practical for the hobby gardener who has dug a small pit in the hand shaft. Larger containers hold 20 to 30 cubic meters of excavated earth and can remain on the property for up to 14 days for stress-free filling.

    Excavation for the basement or a floor slab, on the other hand, produces excavated earth in quantities of several hundred cubic meters, which makes the use of a truck unavoidable. Because the idle time is usually limited to one day, maximum a weekend, we recommend renting a mini excavator that shovels the excavated earth onto the loading area.

    frequently asked Questions

    Where can you dispose of excavated earth?

    Various options are available for the disposal of excavated earth. Disposal within the scope of reuse when building a terrace, as a substructure for a herb spiral without similar garden projects is free of charge. Pure topsoil is excellent for creating a lawn or vegetable garden. Excess excavated earth can be handed in free of charge to people who collect it themselves. Quantities in excess of this must be disposed of at a municipal or commercial landfill.

    How much does excavation for the basement of a family home by a civil engineering company cost, including removal and disposal?

    For the mechanical excavation of a cellar pit with medium-heavy soil, civil engineering companies in Germany estimate an average of 40 euros per cubic meter. In the rare case that the soil is light, sandy and loose, the price drops to 16 to 20 euros per cubic meter. Rocky excavation drives up the costs to 80 to 90 euros per cubic meter. The price includes all work, from the provision and filling of the truck to the removal and disposal at the landfill.

    Can you store excavated earth on the property?

    In Germany, it is permitted to store the excavated earth from an excavation pit on the construction site, provided that the earth is intended for further use. The prerequisite is that it is excavated earth in the legal sense and not contaminated soil from a suspected contaminated site. However, permanent storage of excavated earth is not permitted. According to legal requirements, any excavated soil that cannot be used as building material on this or another construction site must be disposed of.

    tips

    Excavation according to the classification of the legislature is perfectly suited for the raising and leveling of land or gardens. Before that, the topsoil is excavated to a depth of about 30 centimeters and filled up separately. Excavated soil acts as a rough subgrade and drainage layer. The topsoil serves as the fine subgrade, which offers plants and lawns ideal growth conditions.

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Garden design