Free aggregate & gravel quote calculator
Measure your project.
Compare the whole quote.
Work out the gravel, stone or sand you need, then reconcile two supplier offers against the same project — original units, minimums, delivery and tax included.
THE WORKING, NOT JUST THE ANSWER
A gravel calculator that carries the quote through.
Tallyspan turns measured sections into separate material requirements, then compares two whole-project offers. Enter a supplier’s original sales units—cubic yards, cubic metres, US short tons, metric tonnes or packages—and keep minimums, delivery and tax visible.
Start with measurements. Volume does not need a price or density. A finished-depth measurement needs an explicit loose-volume multiplier before it becomes a loose purchasing requirement.
Try a checked example
These are illustrative planning inputs, not recommended depths, densities or real supplier prices. Loading an example replaces the current tab’s draft.
A 24 × 3 ft path at 2 in loose depth is 12 ft³. An explicit 5% allowance makes 12.6 ft³, or 0.466666… yd³. With a 0.5 yd³ minimum and 0.25 yd³ increments, the planned order is 0.5 yd³. Density and price can stay unknown.
What the figures can—and cannot—tell you
Geometry and order arithmetic follow your inputs. Actual yield depends on the material, placement condition, moisture and supplier’s terms. Material names do not select densities or required depths. Tallyspan does not assess suitability, engineered base thickness, drainage, structural loads or code compliance.
Use non-overlapping sections. For separate layers, repeat the footprint with an explicit layer label and material assignment. One project represents one purchase occasion at one destination, not a delivery schedule or a cheapest split order.
Questions at the workbench
Do I need density?
Not for bulk volume or volume-labeled packages. Mass-priced material and mass-labeled bags need the quoted product’s loose bulk density. A missing density produces an unknown mass, never zero.
Which kind of ton?
A US short ton is 2,000 lb (907.18474 kg). A metric tonne is 1,000 kg. The planner uses the full label; ask the supplier to resolve an ambiguous “ton.” British long tons are not supported.
Does this include compaction?
Only if you enter a finished depth and a loose multiplier K. Already-loose volume is not multiplied. Entering K = 1 is an explicit no-conversion assumption, not evidence the material cannot settle.
Why is the order larger than the measured volume?
Finished-to-loose conversion, extra allowance, a minimum supplied quantity and an order increment are separate stages. The calculation shows each addition. Rounded purchasing excess is not necessarily waste.
Why are these quotes not comparable?
Every material must be covered, product correspondence confirmed, rules and charges resolved, and currency and fulfillment scope matched. Missing data, expired quotes, under-supply or stale fixed terms block a lower-cost label.
Does a minimum charge mean more material?
No. A monetary floor changes the bill only. A minimum supplied quantity changes the order. Use the field that matches the supplier’s actual rule.
Can I compare different products or delivery dates?
You can inspect both entered offers, but the tool does not decide substitutions. Confirm that products meet the same requirement. Different delivery occasions or destinations need separate projects; pickup and delivery are not ranked as equivalent fulfillment.