--- title: Cut and Fill description: Quickly calculate the amount of cut and fill needed on a site. --- [Skip to content](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/cut-and-fill#main-content) [![](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/primary%20wordmark.png?width=150&height=113&name=primary%20wordmark.png)](https://testfit.io/?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - - [Contact us](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) [Contact us](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) Welcome to the TestFit Knowledge Base - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [TestFit Knowledge Base](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Getting Started](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en) 3. [Setting up a Deal](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#setting-up-a-deal) August 6, 2026 # Cut and Fill ## Quickly calculate the amount of cut and fill needed on a site. NOTE: To access Cut and Fill calculations, you'll need access to the [Site Intelligence Add-On](https://support.testfit.io/knowledge/the-site-intelligence-add-on-?hsLang=en) within TestFit. ![Cut and Fill2](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Site/Cut%20and%20Fill2.png?width=670&height=529&name=Cut%20and%20Fill2.png) --- ### Displaying Cut and Fill To better see the cut and fill information: 1. Go to the ***Visibility button*** on the Map Controls ribbon on the right side of the canvas 2. Here, you'll see ***sliders*** for ***Site Plan***, ***Earthwork***, and ***Map*** 3. ***Slide*** Site Plan all the way to the ***left*** ****![site plan slider](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Site/Zoneomics/site%20plan%20slider.gif?width=670&height=547&name=site%20plan%20slider.gif)**** --- ### Site vs. Building There are two calculations available for cut and fill, across the site or building footprints. These can be calculated independently of each other or by themselves.  #### Flattened Site ![site flattened](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/site%20flattened.png?width=670&height=619&name=site%20flattened.png) #### Flattened building footprints ![footprint cut and fill](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/footprint%20cut%20and%20fill.png?width=670&height=585&name=footprint%20cut%20and%20fill.png) #### Both site and Footprints flattened ![building and site flattened](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/building%20and%20site%20flattened.png?width=670&height=717&name=building%20and%20site%20flattened.png) --- ### Auto-Graded site An auto-graded site adds cut and fill material around the building footprints that slopes at a set ratio to the existing site around it. ![cut and fill methods](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/cut%20and%20fill%20methods.jpeg?width=670&height=468&name=cut%20and%20fill%20methods.jpeg) #### Non auto-graded #### ![flattened](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/flattened.jpeg?width=670&height=608&name=flattened.jpeg) Auto-graded ![auto-graded](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/auto-graded.jpeg?width=670&height=632&name=auto-graded.jpeg) --- ### Default Elevation The default elevation displayed on the site and with each building footprint (in this case 62' 3") is set at the elevation where the cut and fill volumes will match. ![cut and fill 03](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Site/Zoneomics/cut%20and%20fill%2003.png?width=670&height=720&name=cut%20and%20fill%2003.png) --- ### Relative vs. Absolute The flattening method TestFit uses to calculate cut and fill can be either a relative elevation, or an absolute elevation. ![relative v absolute](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/relative%20v%20absolute.png?width=670&height=438&name=relative%20v%20absolute.png) #### Relative When using Relative Elevation, TestFit will use a + or - distance from the default elevation (the elevation at which cut and fill volumes are equal) as the elevation at which the cut and fill volumes are calculated. ![modifying reference elevation](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/modifying%20reference%20elevation.png?width=670&height=395&name=modifying%20reference%20elevation.png) #### Absolute When using Absolute, you are defining the elevation in absolute terms. ![absolute](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/absolute.png?width=670&height=275&name=absolute.png) --- ### Flattening a site To flatten a site, ***select the site layer***, and in the Input Panel set ***Cut Fill Method*** to ***Flatten***. ![flatten a site](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/flatten%20a%20site.png?width=670&height=1367&name=flatten%20a%20site.png) --- ### Flattening building footprints To flatten only the building footprint(s), select the ***building layer*** in the Navigation Tree, then in the input panel, set the ***Cut and Fill Method*** to ***Flattened***. ![building layer](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/building%20layer.png?width=670&height=929&name=building%20layer.png) ---   --- ### Modifying the Reference or Absolute Elevation There are three ways to modify the Reference or Absolute Elevation: 1. Use the ***+ and -*** signs in the ***Input Panel***. 2. ***Enter the desired elevation*** in the Input Panel 3. ***Click*** the ***elevation tag*** for the site or building footprint and enter the absolute elevation for that spot.\* ![absolute elevaation tag](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/absolute%20elevaation%20tag.gif?width=670&height=408&name=absolute%20elevaation%20tag.gif) --- ### Modifying the elevation of an individual building \* If you edit the absolute elevation or a garden or industrial building, all of the other buildings will move in relation. To modify the elevation of an individual building on a site (i.e. Garden or Industrial sites with multiple buildings), you'll first need to ***pin all the buildings***, then you can edit the elevation by ***clicking on the elevation tag*** for that building. ![building cut and fill](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Getting%20started/building%20cut%20and%20fill.gif?width=670&height=408&name=building%20cut%20and%20fill.gif) NOTE: If you don't pin all the buildings, all of the buildings on the site will move the same distance along with the one specified. --- ### Modifying the elevation of an individual intersection ### ![](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/testfit_G5hCfoSesM-png.png?width=667&height=591&name=testfit_G5hCfoSesM-png.png) ### Balancing the site Balancing the site will set the reference elevation so that the cut and fill volumes are the same. ![balancing the site](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Site/Zoneomics/balancing%20the%20site.gif?width=670&height=408&name=balancing%20the%20site.gif) --- ### Cut and Fill costs You can also define the costs associated with cutting, filling, importing, and exporting material in the Input Panel. ![cut and fill 05](https://support.testfit.io/hs-fs/hubfs/CS%20-%20Customer%20Success/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/CS%20-%20Knowledge%20Base/Site/Zoneomics/cut%20and%20fill%2005.png?width=670&height=475&name=cut%20and%20fill%2005.png) --- *Note, earthwork cut and fill calculations do no account for below grade parking garages. * - 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