Grading estimator

Your project

mft

1Size and shape430.6 ft² · 5.9 in · 645.8 ft² · 4.7 in

Area to lower (cut)

= 40 m²

ft²

Average cut

= 150 mm

Area to raise (fill)

= 60 m²

ft²

Average fill, compacted

= 119 mm

2Region and siteQuebec (province) · Silt · 3.9 in

Region

Soil type

Topsoil to strip

= 99 mm

Grade change near the lot line

More options

Drop next to the foundation

= 201 mm

Over a distance of

= 2.01 m

Lawn slope

Landslide constraint zone

Near a watercourse or lake

3OptionsCommon fill

Common fillTopsoilMG-20

Customize the assumptions

Replace our values with yours (a supplier quote, the rental time you plan). The estimate is recomputed and the link keeps your choices.

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Price: Fill soil

$ / t

Default: 5 $ / t · allowed 1.25 to 20

The unit price before tax your supplier quoted you.

Rental days

days

Default: 2 days · allowed 1 to 14

Rotating laser, Skid steer, Medium reversible plate

Amounts before taxes. GST (5%) and QST (9.975%) are added and shown separately.

Do it yourself, beginner: $2,800*; * Includes your time: 45.5 h × $35.05/h (beginner). Money spent only: $1,201
Money spent only: $1,200; doing it yourself, before taxes
Contractor, typical: $2,400; $2,000 to $2,900
Break-even, beginner: $25/h; At $35/h: hiring costs less.

OverviewOverview MaterialsMaterials and rentals HoursHours by step ContractorHire a contractor SourcesAssumptions and sources

Before you digAll grading disturbs the ground: file a free Info-Excavation request before you start, and keep machines 1 m from the marks.

All grading disturbs the ground: file a free Info-Excavation request before you start, and keep machines 1 m from the marks.

Source: Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Travaux d'excavation · APSAM (Association paritaire pour la santé et la sécurité du travail, secteur affaires municipales), Fiche technique 34, Protéger les services publics souterrains

MunicipalityYou are adding fill: some cities regulate bringing in soil and changing ground levels. Check with your municipality before ordering.

You are adding fill: some cities regulate bringing in soil and changing ground levels. Check with your municipality before ordering.

Source: Ville de Sherbrooke, Fiche technique no 15 : Remblai

Other notes from the calculation (1)

No machine within 1 m of the locate marks: expose utilities by hand.

Where the money goes

Before taxes, one scale for both bars.

Do it yourself, money spent

$1,201

Materials$20
Equipment rental$1,181

Contractor, typical price

$2,362

Materials$19
Labour$553
Equipment and rentals$792
Delivery and disposal$125
Overhead$638
Margin$236

True cost: money and time

Before tax, one scale for every bar.

People

Value of one hour$35.05/h

By default, the average hourly wage in Quebec:

Money spentYour time ($35/h)Contractor's rangeTypical price ($2,400)

Do-it-yourself true cost and a contractor's price, before tax
Money, do it yourself	$1,201
True cost, beginner	$2,798
True cost, intermediate	$2,287
Contractor	$2,000 to $2,900 ($2,400)

Your time

Money, hours, days, value of the time and true cost, beginner and intermediate
Measure	Beginner	Intermediate
Money spent	$1,201	$1,201
Person-hours	46 h	31 h
Days of 8 h, 2 people	3 days	2 days
Your time at $35/h	$1,596	$1,085
True cost	$2,798	$2,287

Working days only: add rain days and waiting times (curing, deliveries).

Hiring costs less if your time is worth more than:

$25/h

Based on beginner hours.

At $35/h: hiring costs less.

Break-even = (the contractor's typical price minus the money spent doing it yourself) divided by your person-hours. Before tax on both sides: GST and QST apply to both.

Actions

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Step-by-step guide

Phases, "done when" checks, safety, common mistakes and sources, with your project's quantities.

Read the guide

Do it yourself

What you buy, rent and pay for

Quantities in orderable units, retail prices before taxes, with the source, date and region of every price.

Do-it-yourself cost detail
Item	Quantity	Unit price	Amount
Materials
Fill soil	4 t	$5.00/t	$20.00$5.00/t
Equipment rental
Rotating laser	1 dayUse: 7.1 machine h	-	$102.35
Skid steer	weekendUse: 12.1 machine h	-	$921.70
Medium reversible plate	1 dayUse: 1.3 machine h	-	$157.36

Tools to buy (5)

Untick the ones you already own.

Total before taxes: $1,201.41
GST (5%): $60.07
QST (9.975%): $119.84
Total with taxes: $1,381.32

GST and QST are computed on purchases and rentals; your own work is not taxed.

Your time

How many hours, at what pace

Person-hours (p-h): a professional's hours times a documented factor for your experience, rework and machine learning included, plus the guide's planning and checks (planning, locate request, permits). The factors are in the assumptions.

Beginner

46 h

about 3 days of 8 h with 2 people

Work: 32.1 h
Rework: 3.2 h
Learning the machines: 1.5 h
Planning and checks: 8.7 h

Beginner: has never compacted a base or cut pavers.

Intermediate

31 h

about 2 days of 8 h with 2 people

Work: 23.3 h
Rework: 1.2 h
Learning the machines: 0.5 h
Planning and checks: 6.1 h

Intermediate: has done at least one similar project.

For comparison, a professional: 12.1 h of work, about 1 crew day.

Step by step, from the guide

Each guide step, timed by the same calculation as the total: each task's hours at your level's pace, rework included. Hover a value to see the range.

Hours per guide step, beginner and intermediate
Step	Beginner	Intermediate
1Measure the grades around the foundationguide rate	2.9	2
Plan where the water goesguide rate	1.5	1
2Request a locate and check municipal rulesguide rate	1.5	1
3Strip the topsoil and stockpile itweather	12.9	9
Cut the high spots and move soil to the hollowsweather	3	2.1
4Spread fill in thin layers and compact each oneweather	3.8	2.6
Check the slopes before replacing the topsoilguide rate	1.5	1
5Fine-grade the surfaceweather	5.8	4.1
Put the topsoil backweather	9.7	6.7
Extend downspouts and protect bare soilguide rate	1.5	1
Learning the machines	1.5	0.5
Total (p-h)	45.6	31

The rows add up to the total: 36.8 h of work calculated by the engine, plus 8.7 h of planning and checks at the guide's rate (beginner). 5 steps depend on the weather. Read the full guide

Detail by calculation task(6)

Detail by calculation task
Task	Pro	Beginner	Intermediate
Cut and fill	1	3	2.1
Imported fill spreading	0.3	1	0.7
Topsoil stripping	4.4	12.9	9
Topsoil respread	3.3	9.7	6.7
Fill compaction	1	2.8	1.9
Fine grading	2	5.8	4
Learning the machines	-	1.5	0.5
Total	12.1	45.5	31

Person-hours per task. Beginner and intermediate hours include rework.

Hire a contractor

What a contractor would charge

Range before taxes for the same project built by a crew: labour, equipment, materials, overhead and margin.

Low

$2,000

Typical

$2,400

High

$2,900

Before taxes

Where the money goes (typical price before taxes, $2,362)

Breakdown of the typical price before taxes
Materials	0.8%	$19
Labour	23.4%	$553
Equipment and rentals	33.5%	$792
Delivery and disposal	5.3%	$125
Overhead(estimate)	27%	$638
Margin(estimate)	10%	$236
Typical price before taxes		$2,362
GST (5%)		$118.12
QST (9.975%)		$235.64
Typical price with taxes		$2,716

What moves the total

1Contractor overhead
Typical price from $2,126 to $2,706 with this factor
2Contractor profit
Typical price from $2,126 to $2,566 with this factor
3Labour productivity (grading)
Typical price from $2,212 to $2,593 with this factor

Each factor is pushed alone to its low, then high value; the others stay at their typical value.

The range shows the effect of documented price and productivity spreads. It is not a probability.

Every price, production rate and parameter has a documented low, typical and high value. The range shown starts from the typical cost and combines the swing of each factor taken one at a time, by the root of the sum of squares (independent spreads rarely all land at their extreme together). The stacked extremes stay in the detail. It is not a probability.

Range with taxes: $2,200 to $3,300.

Contractor crew: 12.1 h of work, about 1 day.

Rules in Quebec

Permits, licences and neighbours

What applies to this kind of work, with the source of every rule.

Neighbours
Lower land receives the water that flows naturally from higher land. The lower owner may not block that flow, and the higher owner may not make the lower land's situation worse (Civil Code of Québec, art. 979). Do not send water toward your neighbour.
Source: Gouvernement du Québec, Écoulement des eaux (rapports de voisinage) · LégisQuébec, Éditeur officiel du Québec, Code civil du Québec, RLRQ c. CCQ-1991
Utility locate
Before digging, file a free request with Info-Excavation. The RBQ asks contractors to file at least 4 business days before work; it stays valid for up to 180 days. Keep machines at least 1 m from the marks.
Source: Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Travaux d'excavation · Hydro-Québec, What to do before you dig (underground lines) · APSAM (Association paritaire pour la santé et la sécurité du travail, secteur affaires municipales), Fiche technique 34, Protéger les services publics souterrains · Info-Excavation
RBQ licence
Landscaping on private land does not need an RBQ licence. A contractor doing excavation and earthwork as construction work (pool, foundation) must hold subcategory 2.5 or a licence that includes it.
Source: Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Guide pour déterminer le besoin d'une licence et la sous-catégorie pertinente : sous-catégorie 2.7, Entrepreneur en travaux d'emplacement · Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Liste des sous-catégories de licence (document 1592, édition 2025-10)
Permit · Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke publishes a technical sheet on fill: check whether bringing in soil needs a certificate before the work.
Source: Ville de Sherbrooke, Fiche technique no 15 : Remblai
Check with your municipality: rules differ from one city to the next.
Permit · Québec
Quebec City regulates the height and slope of banks, alone or combined with a wall, and applies special rules near watercourses and steep slopes.
Source: Ville de Québec, Fiche 60 : Mur de soutènement, clôture et talus combinés (juillet 2023)
Check with your municipality: rules differ from one city to the next.
Safety
Never step into a trench deeper than 1.2 m unless its walls are shored or sloped back. Keep soil and materials at least 1.2 m from the edge, and machines at least 3 m back.
Source: Gouvernement du Québec (LégisQuébec), Code de sécurité pour les travaux de construction, RLRQ c. S-2.1, r. 4
Consumer protection
If you hire a contractor, ask for a written contract that describes the work, materials, total price, payment terms and warranty. A contract signed at your home after a sales visit can be cancelled within 10 days.
Source: Office de la protection du consommateur, Request a contract (lawn and landscaping) · Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Signer un contrat de rénovation

Assumptions

Calculation parameters

Typical value (low to high), source, date, region and confidence grade of every parameter in the calculation.

See the assumptions(22)

Calculation parameters
Assumption	Value	Source, date, region	Grade
Contractor overhead (share of price)	27% (20% to 35%)
Net profit (share of price)	10% (3% to 15%)
Contractor discount on retail prices	7.5% (15% to 0%)
Crew round trip to the site	1 h	fixed rule	-
Non-productive time per person per day	0.5 p-h (0.25 p-h to 1 p-h)
Job Bank median wages, no CCQ rates	Job Bank medians, no CCQ rates	fixed rule	-
GST	5%	fixed rule	-
QST	9.975%	fixed rule	-
Base hourly wage: foreman	$28.00/h ($22.00/h to $40.03/h)
Base hourly wage: heavy equipment operator	$36.00/h ($24.00/h to $43.40/h)
Base hourly wage: labourer	$21.89/h ($17.36/h to $28.50/h)
Base hourly wage: operator	$36.00/h ($24.00/h to $43.40/h)
Base hourly wage: paver installer	$27.00/h ($20.00/h to $38.00/h)
Time multiplier, beginner	2.65 x (1.88 x to 3.81 x)
Time multiplier, intermediate	1.92 x (1.52 x to 2.44 x)
Rework, beginner	0.1 x
Rework, intermediate	0.05 x
Learning time per machine, beginner	1.5 h (1 h to 2 h)
Learning time per machine, intermediate	0.5 h
People working (do it yourself)	2
Productive hours per day (do it yourself)	6 h
Fuel price	$1.51/L

Region: Quebec · prices as of October 13, 2026 · engine 1.2.0. These three values are enough to reproduce this calculation.

Sources

Where the numbers come from

Every price and parameter on this page points to one of these sources.

1.paysagement (research), Costs: equipment rentals, labour, production rates and contractor sell prices (Quebec, 2025 to 2026)October 10, 2026 · Amérique du Nord · 10 values
2.paysagement (engine plan), Engine parameter registry seed list (estimates with no external source)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 3 values
3.Job Bank (Guichet-Emplois), wage report, EI survey data 2023-2024, updated 2025-11-19November 19, 2025 · Québec · 2 values
4.Canadian Tire product page (price read from the search engine's copy of the page)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
5.Job Bank (Guichet-Emplois), wage report, EI survey data 2023-2024, updated 2025-11-19November 19, 2025 · Québec · 1 value
6.Job Bank (Guichet-Emplois), wage report, EI survey data 2023-2024, updated 2025-11-19November 19, 2025 · Québec · 1 value
7.Job Bank (Guichet-Emplois), wage report, EI survey data 2023-2024, updated 2025-11-19November 19, 2025 · Québec · 1 value
8.Lee Vrac Transport, Terre de remblais en vracOctober 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
9.Lou-Tec (web catalogue, CAD before tax)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
10.Lou-Tec (web catalogue, CAD before tax)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
11.Patrick Morin, Coquilles anti-bruit (Workhorse)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
12.Patrick Morin, Gant de travail WATSON GLOVES STEALTH, grandOctober 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
13.Patrick Morin, Lunette de securite legere (Workhorse)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
14.Patrick Morin, Masque de protection respiratoire anti-poussieres N95, 2/pqt (3M)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value
15.Simplex (product page, CAD before tax)October 10, 2026 · Québec · 1 value

Yourself$2,800*Money spent$1,200Contractor$2,400Break-even$25/hbefore taxes, estimate

Good to know before you start

Where the money goes

Do it yourself, money spent

Contractor, typical price

True cost: money and time

Your time

Hiring costs less if your time is worth more than:

Actions

Tools to buy (5)

Step by step, from the guide

Where the money goes (typical price before taxes, $2,362)