Cecil, this may or may not help but based on hiring excavators and gravel companies professionally, we use a rule of thumb to estimate their costs of approximately $0.5 each time a ton (approximately 0.68 yards) of material is moved. This number is accurate for excavation, loading, etc, dozer work is a little different. If it has to be excavated, allowed to dry then loaded into a truck that's $1 per ton. Keep in mind that we always pay by the ton so they bust their hump to get in and get out as quickly as possible. This may give you some idea of the profit associated with the job on a per ton basis. If you are paying by the hour (as the posts indicate above) it's a big gray area. Keep in mind that fuel prices may inflate costs a little this year.