If you’re planning a home improvement project in your yard, lawn, or garden, this question might come into your mind: “Where can I get free fill dirt near me?”
If you need to fill dirt, determining your purpose is crucial. Whether for leveling a pathway or raising a garden bed, understanding your project’s scope will guide you in quantity and sourcing. Once you’ve identified your needs, the hunt for free-fill dirt begins.
While it may pose a challenge, proactive planning can lead you to local resources within your neighborhood or nearby town. Start by measuring your space to gauge the required amount of fill dirt, considering that it’s intended for substantial tasks like ground leveling or hole repair rather than gardening. Explore options such as visiting construction sites or browsing online platforms like Craigslist or Facebook groups to locate clean and safe-fill dirt suitable for your project.
Once you’ve found the right fit, arrange for pickup or delivery, ensuring you have the necessary equipment or transportation to transport the dirt to your location. With some initiative, acquiring free fill dirt can quickly and conveniently solve your landfilling needs.
15 Places Where You Can Get Free Fill Dirt Near You
If you’re hunting for ‘free fill dirt near me,’ there are plenty of places to check out. Start by visiting local construction sites or chatting with landscaping crews—often, they have extra dirt from their projects.
Online spots like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are also gold mines for freebies, with people regularly posting stuff they’re giving away, including dirt.
1. Dirt Fill.com
DirtFill.com has been the go-to spot for matching up people with extra fill dirt with those who need it since 1986. This site’s been around the block, and signing up is free. You can post for what you need or look for local fill dirt listings. You sort out details like delivery and cost directly with the other person.
You might find contractors dropping off fill dirt for free, or some might ask for a little cash. Look at their listings to see if you can snag some free dirt.
2. FillDirt.org
FillDirt.org is a helpful website that connects people with extra dirt and those needing it. Just fill out the form on their site, and they’ll pair you up with a dirt supplier nearby.
You can score some dirt for free or get price estimates from different suppliers. Not all the dirt there is free, but you can find some that won’t cost you anything.
3. Craigslist
Craigslist is a great spot to find free fill dirt, with lots of construction companies and other folks looking to dump extra dirt often for free. Plus, using Craigslist won’t cost you a thing.
Just hop onto your local Craigslist page and hit the “Free” section under “For Sale.” Once you’re there, search for “fill dirt” to see what’s available. You might not always find free dirt, but it’s a good place to check out.
4. OfferUp
OfferUp isn’t just for buying and selling—it’s also great for freebies, including fill dirt. It’s a worthy Craigslist alternative to check out. They have a free section where folks give away all sorts of things.
To find free fill dirt, just scroll through or search “fill dirt” in the search bar. You might see paid stuff, too, but you can sort by “Price: Low to High” to find the free offers. You might still find a cheap deal if you don’t spot free dirt immediately.
If you cannot land good results with this search term, you could try mulch, topsoil, crushed rock, or clean fill. Many people list free-fill dirt on OfferUp, so it’s worth looking at.
5. Excavation Companies
Contact an excavation company and see if they’re working on a nearby job. If they are, ask if you can grab a few bags of fill dirt for free.
They’ll usually be okay with it unless the place they’re digging at is off-limits or the owner doesn’t want people on their property. If you need more clarification, just ask the person in charge at the site if it’s cool to take some fill dirt.
6. Gardeners
If you like to garden and have yet to hire a pro gardener, here’s a tip: pro gardeners often know the best spots to get free-fill dirt, compost, and mulch. If you bring in a gardener to help with your yard, they might hook you up with free dirt and other goodies.
7. Nearby Nurseries
Most of the time, places that sell plants and nurseries also sell fill dirt, seeds, and baby plants. If you only need a little dirt, you can ask these nurseries if they’d be cool with giving you a small amount for free.
They usually sell dirt by the bag, so they might expect you to pay. If you don’t need a whole bag, they might just let you have some dirt without charging you.
8. Public Gardens
Public gardens seem like an easy option for obtaining free-fill dirt nearby. However, be cautious when considering taking fill dirt from such gardens. Even though it’s just dirt, it belongs to the government, and taking it without permission can get you into big trouble.
You can always ask the landscapers who manage the public garden or the right officials if taking some dirt is okay. If they say yes, get the name and details of the person who gave you the thumbs up before you shovel that dirt.
9. Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unit. They help out with free advice, materials, and even money to help farms, ranches, and other spots take care of their soil.
Sometimes, they even give away free fill dirt. If you live on a farm or have one, contact the NRCS to see what kind of help they can offer you.
10. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace isn’t just for buying and selling—you can score free stuff there, too, including fill dirt. They have a whole section for it, but you’ll see free and for-sale dirt. If you’re in luck, you might come across homeowners giving away gravel, sand, or subsoil for free.
Don’t forget to check out the free items section to see if any free fill dirt is up for grabs. It’s worth a look.
11. Local Construction Sites
Local construction sites often have more dirt than they know what to do after digging for foundations or clearing land. Visit a site, find the site manager, and ask if they’ve got any spare dirt they’d be willing to part with.
Most of the time, they’ll be glad to have someone take it off their hands, saving them the trouble of disposing of it, a few methods short of illegal dumping.
Before you head over, ensure you’ve got the means to transport the dirt. If they say yes, you’ll need a truck or a trailer ready to go. It’s also a good idea to bring your shovel and gloves because you’ll likely be doing the digging yourself.
Remember to be safe, wear sturdy boots, and keep clear of any heavy machinery in the area.
12. Educational Institutes
Big schools and colleges with nice gardens or lawns probably have extra fill dirt lying around, sometimes in little piles. If you take a walk around the campus and spot some, just ask the school folks or the gardeners if you can take some dirt, sand, gravel, and weeds off their hands.
13. Swimming Pool Builders
Pool builders dig up a ton of dirt when putting in pools, so they often have extra. If you need to fill dirt, they might just give it to you for free. Just know how much you need in cubic yards.
Give your local pool companies a ring and ask if they’ve got any spare dirt. It’s a smart move if you need dirt for your yard or a garden project.
14. Earth Movement
The Earth Movement website hooks you up with cheap delivery for fill dirt. It connects you with folks digging, building, and landscaping with extra dirt to spare.
Earth Movement talks about low-cost dirt delivery but doesn’t say anything about free dirt. However, they do give dirt for free sometimes. Even though some people there ask for a few bucks, others hand out dirt for free. Just fill in your address in the search bar and see what dirt deals you can find.
15. Local Landscaping or Tree Services
Local landscaping or tree service companies are often a good bet for finding free fill dirt. When they do big jobs like removing trees or reshaping someone’s yard, they end up with much extra dirt. Give them a call and ask if they’ve got any to spare.
Frequently Asked Questions – Free Fill Dirt Near Me
What Is the Purpose of Fill Dirt?
When you remove the top layer of any soil, also known as topsoil, you’re left with fill dirt. Unlike topsoil, fill dirt is packed with stones, sand, and rocks, making it suitable for filling holes or low areas or changing any property’s elevation, which are fill dirt’s main functions.
What Can I Use Instead of Fill Dirt?
Depending on your project, you can use compost, topsoil, or sand as alternatives to fill dirt.
What Is the Best Type of Fill Dirt?
The best type of fill dirt is clean, without organic matter, and has a mix of soil types for good compaction.
Can You Use Sand for Fill?
Yes, you can use sand for fill, especially in areas that need good drainage. However, note that it can easily shift and is prone to displacement. If you need sand for any other place besides wet areas, mix sand with dirt for a sturdy fill.
Conclusion – Free Fill Dirt Near Me
Better than shelling out bucks in supplier’s stores is getting fill dirt for free; you can just save your money or set it aside for more expensive purchases.
So, start strategizing on how to source your best free-fill dirt from the options outlined above.
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Founder of Spark Nomad, Radical FIRE, Journalist
Expertise: Personal finance and travel content
Education: Bachelor of Economics at Radboud University, Master in Finance at Radboud University, Minor in Economics at Chapman University.
Over 200 articles, essays, and short stories published across the web.
Experience: Marjolein Dilven is a journalist and founder of Radical FIRE, a personal finance platform, and Spark Nomad, a travel platform. Marjolein has a finance and economics background with a master’s in Finance. She has quit her job to travel the world, documenting her travels on Spark Nomad to help people plan their travels. Marjolein Dilven has written for publications like MSN, Associated Press, CNBC, Town News syndicate, and more.