For a small project, hauling your own fill dirt looks like the obvious way to save money. For anything beyond a few yards, the math usually flips. Here's an honest comparison across the four ways people actually get fill dirt to their property.
Option 1: Dump Truck Delivery
A dump truck delivers the full order — 10, 16, or 18+ yards depending on the truck — in one trip, placed exactly where you need it. In DFW, clean fill starts at $10/yard delivered; in Denver, $15/yard. There's no rental, no fuel cost beyond what's already in the delivered price, and no loading or unloading labor on your end beyond spreading the material once it's dropped.
Option 2: Pickup Truck Rental
A half-ton pickup can safely haul about 1-1.5 yards of dirt per trip (dirt is heavy — roughly 2,000-3,000 lbs per yard depending on moisture and material, and most half-tons have a payload capacity well under a full yard's weight once you account for the truck itself). For a 20-yard project, that's 15-20 round trips to a supply yard, each one requiring loading (by hand or with a rented skid steer) and unloading. Rental costs for a pickup run roughly $20-40/hour or a flat daily rate, plus fuel for every trip, plus your time — which for 15-20 trips is realistically a full weekend or more.
Option 3: Dump Trailer Rental
A rented dump trailer (towed behind your own truck, if you have one capable of towing it loaded) typically holds 3-7 yards depending on size, cutting the trip count for a 20-yard project to roughly 3-6 trips. Trailer rental runs roughly $75-150/day depending on size and location, plus you still need a loader at the source (many supply yards will load it for you, some charge extra) and you're doing the unloading yourself unless the trailer has a power dump feature. This is the most reasonable DIY option for a mid-size project if you already own a capable tow vehicle.
Option 4: Landscaping Company Markup
Landscaping companies that offer to "handle the dirt" as part of a larger job often mark up the material 30-60% over what a direct fill-dirt supplier charges, since they're subcontracting the delivery and adding their margin. This can still make sense if you're already hiring them for grading/installation labor and want one point of contact — but if you only need material delivered, paying that markup for delivery alone rarely makes sense.
Cost Comparison: 20-Yard Project (DFW)
| Method | Material Cost | Rental/Trip Cost | Your Time | Total (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dump truck delivery | $200 (20 yd × $10) | $0 | ~0 hours | $200 |
| Pickup truck rental | Often free/cheap at source, or similar to delivered price | $150-400+ (rental + fuel, 15-20 trips) | 1-2 full days | $350-600+ |
| Dump trailer rental | Similar to above | $75-150/day + loading | Half a day | $250-400+ |
| Landscaping company | $260-320 (30-60% markup) | $0 | ~0 hours | $260-320+ |
These are approximate ranges — actual rental rates vary by market and season. The pattern holds regardless: delivery wins on pure cost once you account for trip count, rental fees, and your own time, and the gap widens as project size grows.
When DIY Actually Makes Sense
Small projects under 2-3 yards, where a single pickup trip covers it and you're already going to the supply yard for something else. Rural properties where delivery access is genuinely restricted. Situations where you already own a capable trailer and tow vehicle and value the flexibility of picking up material on your own schedule rather than waiting for a delivery window.
How We Help
For anything beyond a couple of yards, delivery almost always comes out ahead on total cost once your time is factored in. Text us at (469) 253-2403 with your project size and we'll quote a delivered price to compare against your own numbers.