Excavation Calculator

Why Contractors Lose Money Here

Earthwork is paid by the cubic metre and the truck trip, and both are easy to inflate: pits dug wider than needed, trips counted twice, or loose volume billed as in-situ volume.

Real Site Example

A 2 × 2 m footing, 1.5 m deep, with 0.3 m working space and vertical sides: 2.6 × 2.6 × 1.5 = 10.14 m³. In ordinary soil (25% swell) that is 12.7 m³ loose — 3 trips in a 6 m³ tipper.

Professional Best Practices

Measure excavation by levels before and after, pay on in-situ volume, and log every truck trip with the vehicle number and time.

Engineering Checklist

• Mark out pits with the working space shown on the drawing
• Slope or shore the sides of deep pits and trenches
• Measure in-situ volume, not the loose heap
• Keep back-fill soil on site
• Log every disposal trip

Government & Standards References

• IS 1200 (Part 1) — Method of measurement of building and civil engineering works: earthwork
• IS 3764:1992 — Code of safety for excavation work
• CPWD DSR — earthwork items and lead / lift

How Experienced Contractors Handle This

Contractors take levels before and after excavation, agree the quantity with the client's engineer, and reconcile truck trips with the loose volume.