Fill dirt etiquette

[Electra_Glide]

Digger's thread about scrap metal etiquette got me thinking about another issue.

I got a call last week from a potential customer who needs about 150 cu. yds. of fill brought in to level out his backyard.

The only place I know of to get fill is about 30 miles away. However, there are a few active construction sites much closer to the job that seem to have spoil piles sitting around.

What's the propper etiquette for approaching any of these sites to see if the dirt is available? I know "you just gotta ask", but is it customary to offer to pay for it or not?

Thanks in advance...

Joe

[CT18fireman]

I know around here some sites are paying to take fill. Lots of topsoil available at low prices as well. The closest one to me has "clean fill" that we have been taking for free, but I have a relationship with the developer.

I would say, best bet is to stop in and talk to the site manager or owner. Usually bigger quanities will get you better deals.

[xkvator]

seems like there are opportunities out there when you're not looking for them & viceversa...or don't have the time.
one site was giving a load of topsoil for every load of clay fill you hauled out for them...if you didn't actually want the fill, they had a place to haul it to about a mile or so up the road.
there's a place on 51 just south of Elizabeth that you can dig all the fill you want.

[digger242j]

It's been my experience that generally (and I emphasize *generally*), there's more dirt around than there are places to get rid of it. You could get lucky enough to find all you want at no cost to you.

At the other end of that equation, if someone calls you looking for dirt, you have to be honest about the possibility that there's likely to be some cost involved in getting it to them.

You might find somebody who'll let you load and haul all you want. You might find someone who'll load your truck for free, but won't consider paying for trucks to bring it to you. Sometimes you'll find someone who'll bring it and dump it where you want it, all at their own expense. A lot depends on how badly each party wants the dirt moved.

One place we used to dump charged something like $10/load. He had a great big hole to fill, but didn't care when it got filled. When the dirt and the money showed up, that was fine with him. If the dirt went elsewhere, he didn't care--he knew there'd be more sometime soon.

It's kinda one of those "being in the right place at the right time", sort of things. I've loaded a thousand yards of topsoil that was given away for free, and I've pushed fill around that was bought for $40/triaxle. (And once I was in the position of being paid to haul it away, and being paid to bring it in--the same loads. While dumping the second load, the bed fell off my truck. :Banghead )

I'd say that you should approach the owners of the spoil piles from the standpoint of being able to help them out by getting rid of some of their dirt for them. If they want paid for it, they won't be bashful about telling you so.

[Electra_Glide]

Well, figured I'd provide a little update...

Found a spot the other day that set out one of those "free fill" signs, so I called my potential customer to see if I could get him to commit to the job by telling him I had found some fill near him.

As I went by the site today, I noticed the sign was gone, and so was the pile. Not two hours later my phone rings, and my guy tells me to go ahead and get started.

Well, now on to plan "B"... :beatsme


Joe

[kamerad47]

Nowadays there is no more freebes anymore !! You get paid to take it out & you have to pay to dump!! In the meadowlands (NJ) the is a huge project going on fill in to make a golf course ab condo's the need alot of dirt!! The contractor setup a scale house & your paying him by the ton to dump!!

[BKrois]

It usually never works on your side, you pay trucks to haul fill away and pay them to haul it back. I have friends that will be working their trucks for hire, are given the fill and then sell it to homeowners or other people, so their getting paid the hourly rate plus the rate for each load. Around here a tri-axle load of fill delivered is usually like 100-150.

As other have mentioned, stop by local sites and talk to the construction manager or head of the job. The builder will usually pay to have the fill hauled away, so if you'll send a truck there to take it, it would work out for both parties.

[tylermckee]

Yup check the local construction sites. We just hauled ~200+ loads to one guy,and a couple dozen loads to other people that asked. We even let the guy use our dozer for free to push it all. all free for him. WE actually went looking for him, he's taken dirt for us before.

[FillExchange]

If you are in Minnesota or Wisconsin and want to get rid of or you are in need of fill go to fillexchange.com
Contact us at john@fillexchange.com

[Dualie]

A friend of mine set up quite a little racket for himself. HE owns some ranch property that is located 6 miles off of highways that run north south and east west here in the bay area. Aprrox. 150 acres. he charges $200 for an end dump load of clean fill.

Has contractors sign contracts that if there's any large rocks or metal in the fill there will be a $1,000 fine. In the last two years he has leveled out and created 20 acres of flat usable land.

He also will take road grading's from paving contractors for $150 a load. This makes a great #2 aggregate! Now he's got 20 acres of flat usable land with a great gravel top and charges people $175 a month to park RV's on this land!

The paving contractor even dropped off a 140 H to use to spread and level the road base out. he has a skip loader to move it around and just has the Hauler dump it in a convenient spot.

Now he has tree trimmers dropping off there chipping's to line the perimeter of all there roads and fences. The even spread them out and level them!

Its not what you know its who you know. Go make some friends people!:drinkup

[mflah87]

Getting rid of material can be a problem. Gravel is easy to get rid of and now ledge is to. I did a huge ledge job and SOLD the ledge for $2 a yard to a concrete company who sent the trucks to me.

[dozerdewees]

What I try to do is if the customer can wait I put the word out to all the jobsites nearby and let the super. know that If he is going to get rid of any material that I have a place that he can dump for free.If they do not want to wait then I tell them that they will have to pay for trucking and equipment for as long as it takes.

[mtb345]

i did a job a few years back . i needed about 1000yards of fill i drove to every job site inthe area i found one site willing togive free dirt i had to pay trucking fees [it was only an hour round trip ] i charged twice the trucking fee to the custermer which in the end came out cheaper than having a gravel co bring it

[buddy605]

did a job here a few years ago that I had a lot of extra clean fill around. noticed that they were building a house just half a block up the road and offered that I would load trucks for them and all it would cost them is trucking and me and the husband agreed the wife piped in with a streaking voice told me I was charging too much and a few more names and I hung up the telephone. I moved the dirt to the back of the property and charged the developer and the husband came along several times. he later had to get the fill brought in at $300 per load , where as I could of cost him $25. he stops by projects now and calls his wife heather mills for her big mouth.