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Construction glossary · Sitework

What is import/export soilin construction?

Import/export soil in construction refers to hauling material onto a site (import, also called borrow) when the cut cannot supply enough suitable fill, or hauling surplus material off site (export, or haul-off) when the cut exceeds the fill. The need comes straight from the cut and fill balance after shrink and swell adjustments. Both are priced per cubic yard or per truckload, and trucking time usually dominates the cost.

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Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Ruh construction team

Measured in bank, loose, or compacted cySwell (worked example) 25% illustrativeComes from cut and fill on grading planCost driver truck cycle time

How export soil converts bank to loose cy

2,400 bank cyx 1.25 swell (illustrative)3,000 loose cy3,000 / 12 cy = 250 loads
The definition

Import/export soil, explained.

Import and export quantities are born on the civil grading plan, where the comparison of existing and proposed surfaces yields the cut and fill volumes, then adjusted by the geotech report, which decides how much of the cut is actually suitable to reuse. The sitework contractor owns the scope, and on unit price bid forms import and export often carry their own line items precisely because the quantities move. New estimators bust this line in predictable ways. The first is comparing bank cubic yards of cut directly against compacted cubic yards of fill: cut shrinks when compacted, so a site that balances on paper can still need import. The second is forgetting that exported material swells, so the trucks haul more loose cy than the bank cy measured in place. The third is treating trucking as an afterthought when cycle time to the dump or borrow pit is the single biggest cost driver, ahead of the excavation itself. Disposal fees and borrow royalties ride on top.

How it is measured

Import and export are measured in cubic yards, and the line must say which kind: bank (in place), loose (in the truck), or compacted (in the fill). Suppliers and truckers often price per load instead, so estimators convert: a tandem dump truck hauls around 12 loose cy, larger end dumps and side dumps more, with legal weight limits governing when material is wet. Cost drivers are round trip cycle time to the disposal site or borrow source, load and dump time, tipping fees or borrow material cost, and the swell or shrink factor that converts between bank, loose, and compacted volumes. The quantity itself comes from the cut and fill comparison on the grading plan.

Worked example

A worked import/export soil example.

Worked example

Loose volume2,400 bank cy x 1.25 = 3,000 loose cy
Truck loads3,000 loose cy / 12 loose cy per load = 250 loads
Truck hours60 / 40 = 1.5 cycles per hour, 250 / 1.5 = about 167 truck hours
Trucking cost (illustrative)167 hours x $110 = $18,370
Disposal cost (illustrative)3,000 loose cy x $5 = $15,000
Trucking plus disposal$18,370 + $15,000 = $33,370
How Ruh handles it

How Ruh handles import/export soil.

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Import/export soil: frequently asked questions

What is the difference between import soil and borrow?+

They overlap. Import is the general term for any material trucked onto the site; borrow specifically means soil excavated from an off-site borrow source or pit to make up a fill shortage, and highway work uses borrow almost exclusively. Either way, the geotech report or spec controls what material qualifies, since imported fill still has to meet gradation and compaction requirements before it goes under anything structural.

How many cubic yards does a dump truck hold?+

A tandem-axle dump truck commonly hauls around 10 to 14 loose cy, with 12 a usable planning number, while tri-axles, end dumps, and side dumps haul more. The real governor is legal weight, not volume: wet, heavy material hits the weight limit before the box is full, so loads shrink in the rain. Confirm the actual fleet and load size with the trucking quote rather than assuming.

Why does exporting soil cost more per cubic yard than excavating it?+

Because the excavation is a few minutes of machine time per yard while the export adds trucking cycles and disposal. Every bank cy becomes more loose cy through swell, each truck spends most of its cycle driving rather than being loaded, and the dump charges a tipping fee on top. On urban jobs with long hauls, export can cost several times the dig itself, which is why estimators fight to balance the site.

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Related terms

Spoilsstructural backfillCut and fillMass excavationTopsoilSoil stabilizationProctor test

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Figures on this page are illustrative. Construction estimates depend on project-specific conditions, source documents, market pricing, and professional judgment. Ruh's AI assists the estimator and does not replace professional review: your team reviews, validates, and approves every estimate, bid, and pricing decision.

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