First, a messy story about dirt
You win the bid. The machines are lined up. Crews are ready.
And then—boom.
The excavator’s moving thousands of yards of soil…
the wrong direction.
Turns out that “simple” 2D grading plan?
Not so simple.
You eyeballed it, sure. Even had someone double-check the cuts and fills. But now you’re trucking material in—and out—on the same day. That’s not earthwork. That’s a budgeting black hole.
Wish you’d seen the site in 3D first?
Yeah. That.
Welcome to the Era of 3D Earthwork Modeling
Spoiler: It’s not just for architects and video games anymore
Let’s get real. 2D plans are the industry standard. But let’s not pretend they’re perfect. Reading grading plans without a 3D model is like trying to fly a drone with a blindfold on.
That’s where 3D modeling changes the game.
You’re not just looking at lines.
You’re seeing the actual shape of the site.
The slope. The drainage. The high points. The pitfalls.
It’s like x-ray vision for dirt.
Why This Matters (A Lot More Than You Think)
Bidding, building, and not getting burned
We’ve all been there—sending out bids that feel more like best guesses. Hoping you balanced the site right. Hoping you didn’t miss a key slope or area of import.
But hope isn’t a strategy.
With a 3D model?
- You see the site.
- You know the cuts, fills, and quantities.
- You bid smarter.
- You build with confidence.
And yes—your competitors are doing it. Or if they’re not yet… give it five minutes.
So, Who’s Doing This Right?
Glad you asked
We are.
Here at Affordable Site Model, Inc., we specialize in building highly accurate 3D Earthwork Take-Offs. We take your flat 2D plans and CAD files and spin them into rich, 3D site models that reveal exactly what you’re up against. (Or up on. Or digging into.)
We use top-tier software and bring real-world construction insight to every take-off. Excavation, embankment, import/export, site balancing—our models cover it all. Want to know where the overages are? Where your site naturally balances? Which areas will eat up your schedule?
We give you the map before you hit the minefield.
Your Secret Weapon at Bid Time
Data that wins projects—not just estimates
Let’s cut to the chase:
You want to win more bids. But not by underbidding yourself into the red.
Our earthwork quantity reports give you:
- Real, verifiable volumes
- Clear areas of interest
- Calculations for import/offhaul
- Balanced cut/fill scenarios
- All the nerdy stuff you need to feel sure
Because when you walk into a bid knowing exactly what’s under the surface, you’re not gambling. You’re leading.
GPS-Ready. Field-Approved. Crew-Friendly.
Yes, your machines will thank you
Our models don’t just live on a screen. We prep them for field use—so your GPS-guided equipment gets the same data clarity your estimators do. Your crews don’t have to guess where the grade breaks. Your field supervisors aren’t scratching their heads over contour lines.
It’s clean. It’s accurate. It’s efficient.
(And yes, it makes you look very, very good.)
Still Clinging to 2D?
That’s adorable. But risky.
We’re not saying 2D plans are dead. We’re just saying they’re a limited view of a complex reality.
A 3D earthwork model gives you the full picture—before mistakes become expensive, before time gets wasted, and before you lose the bid because someone else had better numbers.
Think of it as an upgrade. Like switching from flip phone to smartphone.
Except the difference is thousands of dollars in dirt.
Let’s Build Something Better (Starting with the Data)
If you’re still estimating earthwork by feel or by flat lines, it’s time to step up. Your projects deserve more clarity. Your team deserves better tools. And your bids deserve to be built on something solid—literally.
Let Affordable Site Model, Inc. give you the edge.
Data-driven. Site-smart.
And just maybe, the reason you sleep better the night before breaking ground.