the essentials in brief
- The disposal of Excavation costs an average of 40 euros per cubic meter, including container rental and landfill fees.
- Excavated earth according to legal classification contains earth, Clay soil, Topsoil, Sand and small stones. No excavation in the legal sense is excavation mixed with rubble, Sward, Roots, asphalt, gravel and contaminated soil.
- 1 cubic meter of excavated earth weighs around 1000 kilograms (1 ton), depending on density, moisture and composition.
Dispose of excavated earth - costs at a glance
The cost of excavation depends on various factors
Excavation occurs in many small and large construction projects. For cellars, floor slabs, underground tanks, cisterns or swimming ponds, soil is taken from the ground, which is usually not returned in full. The question now arises for builders: How and where can excavated earth be disposed of inexpensively? The following table provides an overview of tried and tested options and indicates average prices:
also read
- Top soil - tips on weight, calculating the amount, sifting and using it correctly
- Dispose of organic waste correctly - tips & tricks suitable for everyday use
- Creating a new garden from a financial point of view - overview of the costs
| Post | Container self-filling 10 m³ | Container external filling 10 m³ | Truck self-filling 100 m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container (rental, transport) | 180-250 EUR | 120-150 EUR (rent only) | 800-1000 EUR |
| Fill container / truck | not applicable | 200-250 EUR (charge) | 180-300 EUR (mini excavator) |
| Landfill fees | 100-150 EUR | 100-150 EUR | 1000-1500 EUR |
| total | 280-400 EUR | 420-550 EUR | 1980-2800 EUR |
| Costs per m³ | 28-40 EUR | 42-55 EUR | 19.80-28 EUR |
| Cost per ton | 28-40 EUR | 42-55 EUR | 19.80-28 EUR |
Please note: This overview does not claim to be representative of price statistics, but rather presents one Rough framework for typical excavation costs for small and large quantities, scaled down to the costs per m3 and per Ton. In Germany, there are marked fluctuations between prices in rural regions and metropolitan areas. Acute landfill shortage is causing landfill fees to explode locally, as was the case 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 staggering 50 euros per ton Excavation.
What does one cubic meter of excavated earth weigh?
In Germany, certified landfills are responsible for collecting classic bulk waste from the private and commercial construction sector. If you dispose of excavated earth at a regional landfill, the cost per ton will be charged. Fortunately, no mathematical pull-ups are required to determine 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 excavated earth picked up by a company and do not dispose of it yourself, the landfill fees incurred 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 Only temporarily store excavated earth delivered to landfills and reuse it for various construction projects, such as one Landfill.
Digression
Top soil - natural treasure in the earth's excavation
What is excavated earth? - Overview of classification
The top layer of soil 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 soil layer is mostly to be excluded. When building a house, it is usually a matter of soil contaminated with foreign materials. Experience has shown that excavation begins under a layer of protected topsoil in the garden. 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 building owner 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 soil | Plant remains |
| small stones | root |
| Grass floor without sward | Sward |
Soil mixed with roots, plant residues or sward is far too good to dispose of at the landfill. Clever builders decide to prepare suitable excavated earth on site and step on the brakes on costs. For this purpose, smaller amounts of soil are used with a Pass-through sieve separated from impurities. The following video shows how the plan works with a high-performance vibrating screen on a new plot of land:
Youtube
Youtube
Calculate the amount of excavated earth
If a building owner understands the precise calculation of quantities when excavating earth, there is 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 object. If an underground tank with a capacity of 50 m³ is sunk into the ground, twice as much earth has to be excavated, about two thirds of which has to be disposed of. The following example calculation explains how to calculate excavated earth correctly:
Calculate the amount of excavated earth for the basement
A 3 m deep pit is dug for a cellar measuring 15 m long and 10 m wide. To determine the amount of excavated earth, add 2 m all around for thermal insulation, drainage and movement space. 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 excavated earth disposal with a sharp pencil, the loosening factor rounds off this formula sensibly. When calculating the volume, the loosening factor takes into account the ratio of undissolved soil to dissolved soil. Experience has shown that during excavation work, the earth's volume increases by 15 to 25 percent (an average of 20 percent), which corresponds to a percentage factor of 1.20. By multiplying the calculated amount by 1.20, the larger volume, which inevitably arises when digging, excavating 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
Bargain hunters know how to dispose of excavated earth free of charge. Small amounts of up to 10 cubic meters excavated from a pit in manual shafts quickly find a buyer. A free classified ad brings suppliers and interested parties together. For pure topsoil, there are topsoil exchanges on the Internet, where building owners can also get rid of the excavated earth free of charge.
Rent a container or borrow a truck?
Whether a truck is worthwhile 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 magical limit of 30 cubic meters has proven to be good. Trough containers with a capacity of 7 to 10 cubic meters and a correspondingly low space requirement are practical for the hobby gardener who has dug a small pit by hand. Larger containers hold 20 to 30 cubic meters of excavated earth and can stay on the property for up to 14 days for filling without stress.
Excavation for the cellar 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 inevitable. Because the downtime is usually limited to one day, a weekend at most, it is advisable to rent 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 is free of charge as part of a reuse when building a terrace, as a substructure for a herb spiral without similar garden projects. Pure topsoil is ideal for creating a lawn or vegetable garden. You can hand in excess excavated earth free of charge to those who collect it yourself. Any amounts in excess of this must be disposed of in a municipal or commercial landfill.
How much does excavation cost for the basement of a single-family house by a civil engineering company, 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 event that it is light, sandy, loose soil, the price drops to 16 to 20 euros per cubic meter. Rocky excavation drives the costs up to 80 to 90 euros per cubic meter. The price includes all work, from the provision and filling of the truck to its removal and disposal at the landfill.
Can excavated earth be stored on the property?
In Germany it is permitted to store excavated earth 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. Permanent storage of excavated earth, however, is not permitted. In accordance with legal requirements, any excavated soil that cannot be used as building material on this or any other building site must be disposed of.
Tips
Excavated earth according to the classification of the legislator is perfectly suitable for the filling and straightening of property or garden. Before this, the topsoil is dug to a depth of about 30 centimeters and then poured separately. Excavated earth acts as a rough subgrade and drainage layer. Top soil is used as a fine subgrade, providing ideal growth conditions for plants and lawns.