Excavation for a 16×16 Area at 12" Deep
Digging a 16×16 area 12 inches deep removes about 9.5 cubic yards in the ground — roughly 11.9 CY loose, or 1 dump-truck load to haul off.
Dirt to remove
9.5 cu yd
Dig area
256 sq ft12" deep
In-ground volume
9.5 cu yd
Loose (haul) volume
11.9 cu yd+25% soil swell once dug
Truckloads
1~12 CY per dump truck
Haul + disposal (est.)
$237~$20/CY (varies by area)
Doing this for work? Estimate the whole job in minutes.
JRIQ turns plans and site photos into full material + labor estimates with AI — built by the team behind these calculators.
Try it free →
Want the full guide — tools, step-by-step, common mistakes and FAQ? See the Excavation Calculator.