fill dirt pit run stockpile with caterpillar wheel loader at las vegas desert jobsite

The Cheapest Legal Fill for the Job You Actually Have

Clean fill dirt in Las Vegas for utility trenches, foundations, and anywhere the spec calls for clean material. Pit run gravel for rough grading, pad prep, and bulk elevation where the budget matters more than the gradation. Delivered from the closest of our 3 ISG-operated quarries or any of 42 sourced Nevada quarries.

Bulk Material That Gets You to Grade

Contractors searching for fill dirt in Las Vegas typically need pit run or bulk fill material. Both do the quiet tonnage work on a site: raising a pad to elevation, backfilling against a foundation, filling an over-excavated footing, bulking up a detention basin. Neither is a finish material. What they do have is volume, compactability, and a low price per ton.

The call between clean fill and pit run usually comes down to what the plan says the inspector will check. Clean fill is screened, free of clay and organics, and spec-compliant for utility backfill and most engineered fill work. Pit run is unprocessed, cheaper, and belongs anywhere the spec does not ask for documented cleanliness. Put the right one in the right place and the savings add up on the large-volume phases.

Clean Fill or Pit Run

Same job family, different price points, different spec-compliance. Pick by what the plan calls for, not by what is cheapest.

Fill & Pit Run

Clean Fill Dirt

Screened, no contaminants

Best for
Utility trench backfill, foundation backfill, elevation adjustment, pad prep where the engineer wants clean material
Content
Screened soil free of clay, debris, and organics

The spec for utility work and anywhere an inspector is going to poke at what you put in the trench. Cleaner than pit run, a little more per ton.

Fill & Pit Run

Pit Run Gravel

Unprocessed, as it comes out

Best for
Rough grading, large-volume pad fill, temporary haul roads, over-ex backfill, bulk elevation
Content
Natural mix of stone, sand, and fines straight from the pit

The cheapest legal fill for the job. Packs well when compacted, but do not use it where the spec calls for clean material or where fine control of gradation matters.

large fill dirt stockpile at las vegas quarry staging yard golden hour

Fill Is Cheap. Use It Where It Belongs.

A pad that has to come up 3 feet over 10,000 square feet is roughly 1,100 cubic yards of tonnage below the finish lifts. That is the part of the job where the savings between pit run gravel and processed base actually matter. Get the bulk right and you have budget left for the Type II and the concrete.

We deliver single-truck residential loads and multi-truck commercial runs from the quarry closest to your site. Scheduling comes with the quote so the grade crew is not waiting between trucks on a tight window. We'll call you with a quote once we have the tonnage and site details.

Fill vs. Base vs. Screened Rock

When to spend more on the lift and when not to. Four materials, straight answers on each.

MaterialCostBest WhenLimits
Pit Run Gravel Lowest Rough grading, bulk elevation, non-structural fill Not spec-compliant for utility backfill in most jurisdictions
Clean Fill Dirt Low Utility trenches, foundation backfill, structural fill where cleanliness matters Does not compact as tight as crushed aggregate; no fines control
Type II Base Mid Compacted load-bearing base under slab, pavement, or structural pad Overkill for rough fill. Spec-mandated only where the plan calls for it.
Screened Rock Mid-High Drainage layers, ready-mix, clean engineered backfill Wrong material for most general fill work; does not compact the same way

Where Fill & Pit Run Actually Get Used

Site Grading & Pad Prep

House pads, commercial pads, parking-lot subgrade elevation. Pit run handles the bulk volume, then the plan usually calls for a Type II base lift on top before the slab or pavement. We size loads to your phasing so the grade crew is never waiting on the next truck.

Utility Trench Backfill

Water, sewer, gas, and dry-utility trenches. Clean fill dirt meets Nevada standards for utility backfill in most jurisdictions. Pipe bedding goes in first, then clean fill over the pipe zone, compacted in lifts. Confirm your utility provider spec and we will match the material.

Foundation & Over-Ex Backfill

Over-excavation backfill under spread footings, backfill against basement and retaining walls, pad makeup around building corners. Clean fill where the engineer wants a documented material; pit run when the spec allows and budget matters.

Temporary Roads & Haul Access

Construction haul roads across a soft site, staging-yard surfacing, equipment pads that only need to last through the job. Pit run compacts enough to hold equipment traffic and costs a fraction of processed base.

Residential Projects

Pool excavation backfill, landscape terracing, pad raising for accessory buildings, septic-system preparation, horse-property drainage correction. Small-ton loads for homeowners and contractors, same phone call, same delivery window.

Large-Volume Commercial Fill

Subdivision mass grading, commercial site prep, detention basin buildup. Pit run gravel by the truckload, multi-truck scheduling from whichever of our 3 ISG-operated quarries or 42 total sourced Nevada quarries is closest. Paperwork and test data where the plan requires it.

Fill in Place, on Real Sites

What fill and pit run look like during the active grading and backfill phases.

skid steer spreading fill dirt on residential house pad las vegas
Residential pad grading · skid steer spreading fill on a house pad
clean fill dirt backfill in utility trench with corrugated pipe las vegas commercial
Utility trench · clean fill backfill above the pipe zone

Clean Fill or Pit Run? Read the Spec First.

If the Job Is…PickWhy
Plan calls for clean or structural fill Clean Fill Dirt Inspectors look for the "clean" callout. Pit run does not pass on utility or foundation work.
Rough grade or elevation adjustment, no spec Pit Run Gravel Cheaper per ton, packs well enough, saves the budget for the material that actually has to be spec-compliant.
Utility trench backfill Clean Fill Dirt Nevada standards and most utility providers call for clean fill in the pipe zone.
Large-volume pad fill below the Type II lift Pit Run Gravel The lift above handles the compaction spec. Pit run fills the tonnage below for less.
Under a structural slab, engineered pad Type II Base (not fill) Fill is for getting to grade. Type II base is what compacts and holds the slab.
Drainage layer or french drain Drain Rock (not fill) Fill holds water. Drain rock moves it. Different jobs, different material.

Fill & Pit Run in the Pile and on the Truck

What the material looks like at the quarry and what a delivery actually looks like when the truck arrives.

pit run gravel stockpile closeup nevada quarry mixed aggregate
Pit run · mixed-size natural aggregate
fill dirt stockpile quarry golden hour las vegas
Fill dirt stockpile · staging yard
dump truck releasing pit run fill load at desert jobsite las vegas
Delivery · triaxle dumping a fill load
skid steer spreading fill on residential pad las vegas
Pad prep · fill placed and rough-graded
clean fill backfill in utility trench las vegas commercial
Utility work · clean fill above the pipe zone
caterpillar 980m loader on pit run stockpile las vegas civil work
Loader on stockpile · active dispatch

Fill & Pit Run Plus the Rest of the Site Stack

Frequently Asked Questions

Clean fill dirt is screened soil with clay, organics, and debris removed. It is what most utility providers and engineers call for in pipe zones, foundation backfill, and structural fill. Pit run is unprocessed aggregate straight from the quarry, with a natural mix of stone, sand, and fines. Pit run is cheaper and works for rough grading, temporary roads, and large-volume non-structural fill. Using pit run where the spec calls for clean fill is a common failed inspection.
Rough math: measure the area you are filling in square feet, multiply by the depth in feet, divide by 27 to get cubic yards, and multiply by roughly 1.5 to get loose tons. A house pad raised 1 foot over 2,000 square feet is roughly 74 cubic yards, or about 111 loose tons. Use our Material Calculator or call (702) 597-1010 for projects above 20 tons.
Fill delivered loose takes up more volume than the same material compacted in lifts. Typical shrinkage runs 10 to 20 percent depending on moisture and compaction effort. If the plan specifies compacted volume, order loose tonnage with that shrinkage built in or you will come up short on the last lift.
Yes, for most jurisdictions. Our clean fill dirt is screened to meet Nevada standards for utility trench backfill. Individual utility providers (water, sewer, gas, dry-utility) sometimes have tighter spec. Send us the provider spec with the quote and we will confirm the material meets it before the load goes out.
Sometimes. Pit run is fine for rough grading, pad elevation below a planned Type II lift, temporary roads, and general non-structural bulk fill. It is not fine for utility trench pipe zones, foundation backfill where the engineer calls for clean material, or anywhere the spec sheet specifically says "clean fill." When in doubt, read the spec; when still in doubt, call us.
Standard delivery is 2 to 5 business days. For schedule hits, we load from whichever of our 3 ISG-operated quarries or 42 total sourced Nevada quarries is closest to your site, and we dispatch multi-truck runs for large-volume jobs. Next-day is sometimes possible depending on volume and quarry proximity. Call us with tonnage, site address, and the window you need. We'll call you with a quote and real delivery windows.
Will-call pickup is available at select quarry locations, Monday through Friday 7 AM to 4 PM. Call ahead to confirm material availability and which yard to go to. For anything above a small pickup truck load, delivery is usually faster and cheaper once you factor in equipment and time.
Clear the delivery location so the truck can tilt and dump. Dump trucks need roughly 14 feet of vertical clearance for the raised bed and enough room at the back to clear the gate. Mark the drop zone. If the material has to be placed immediately, have your compactor or skid steer on site before the truck arrives. Call us 24 hours before delivery if anything about site access has changed.

Fill Dirt or Pit Run on a Real Schedule?

Tell us the tonnage, the site address, and whether the plan says "clean fill" or not. We'll call you with a quote, delivery windows from the nearest quarry, and pricing that matches the spec.