Middle Tennessee dirt-work cost guide

Typical ranges

These are published estimates, not quotes. This site does not bid jobs.

Grading and drainage: quoted after a site visit^[1]. The hourly rate above is one outfit's posted equipment rate, for reference only.

Fuel: Diesel in Tennessee averaged about $5.95 a gallon in late October 2026, up from about $3.39 a year earlier ^[2]. Quotes may run higher than older online guides. Local reporting says site work and grading are among the most exposed to fuel costs ^[3].

Same numbers in plain text

• Pond, about ¼–½ acre: about $5,000–$15,000. Source: Back 40, Pond Building (read 10/30/2026).
• Pond, about 1–3 acres: about $15,000–$50,000+. Source: Back 40, Pond Building (read 10/30/2026).
• Pond, per surface acre (Middle TN): about $10,000–$25,000. Source: Back 40, Pond Building (read 10/30/2026).
• Clearing / forestry mulching: about $1,500–$5,000 per acre. Source: Back 40, Forestry Mulching Cost in Middle Tennessee (updated Sep 2026; read 10/30/2026).
• Machine time: about $200–$350 per hour. Source: Back 40, Forestry Mulching Cost in Middle Tennessee (updated Sep 2026; read 10/30/2026).
• New gravel drive, 100–200 ft — Murfreesboro grading firm: about $1,500–$6,000. Source: Cannonsburgh Grading (Murfreesboro), Gravel Driveway Cost (read 10/30/2026).
• Refresh / regrade an existing drive: about $500–$1,500. Source: Cannonsburgh Grading (Murfreesboro), Gravel Driveway Cost (read 10/30/2026).
• Standard 18-inch driveway culvert — one Middle TN contractor, Coffee Co.: about $1,800–$4,500. Source: S&S Excavation & Hauling (Manchester, Coffee Co.), Culvert Installation (read 10/30/2026).
• National 2026 guide, gravel installed (not a local quote): about $1.25–$4.00 per sq ft. Source: Mid South Mulch, Gravel Driveway Cost in Middle Tennessee (2026) — republishes national HomeAdvisor/LawnStarter guide ranges (read 10/30/2026).
• Skid steer or mini-excavator with operator + helper (one local outfit's posted rate): about $135 per hour, 3-hour minimum. Source: Land Solutions, pricing (skid steer / mini-excavator rate) (read 10/30/2026).
• Grading and drainage: quoted after a site visit.
• Diesel in Tennessee: about $5.95 a gallon in late October 2026, up from about $3.39 a year earlier. Source: AAA, Tennessee average fuel prices (diesel) (prices as of 10/30/2026).

Prices in US dollars. Last checked October 30, 2026. Ranges come from the published sources listed. We did not make them up or average them, and they can change.

What changes the price

Acres and density, rock vs clay, access, haul-off vs mulch-in-place, culverts, and permits.

• Ponds: size and depth, soil (clay holds water; rock and gravel cost more), dam and spillway needs, access for equipment.
• Clearing: density (light brush vs. heavy cedar), slope, mulch in place vs. haul-off, stumps.
• Gravel drives: length and width, base depth, culverts, grade and drainage, distance from the quarry. Longer farm lanes are priced by the foot after a walk.
• Grading and drainage: how much dirt moves, where the water needs to go, and whether a builder or inspector is involved.

Permits and seasons

• Over 1 acre disturbed: county/city land disturbance permit plus TDEC construction stormwater permit ($250 for 1 to under 5 acres) ^[4][5][6].
• Driveway culverts at a county road: Wilson Road Commission sizes the pipe, 24 ft minimum ^[7]; Sumner charges a $50 or $150 driveway permit and sizes the pipe ^[8].
• Burn permit Oct 15 – May 15 for brush piles ^[9].
• Jobs $25,000+: licensed contractor required ^[10].
• Livestock ponds: possible NRCS cost-share — TN FY2026 pays $4.04/cu yd (embankment pond with pipe) ^[11]. See the pond cost-share guide.

Licensing

In Tennessee, a licensed contractor is required to bid or offer a price on jobs of $25,000 or more^[10]. You can look up any contractor's license on the state's public Verify search^[12].