Costs of sod a yard

Saturday 17 December 2022

Costs for laying turf'.

The installation of turf ranges from €450 to €4,520, or on average €1,850. Gardeners usually charge between €5 and €9 per square metre for labour and materials. In terms of costs one should consider €2,000 to €4,000 to cover a 2,000 square metre lawn. Removing old grass, changing the shape of the lawn and installing a sprinkler system obviously have an impact on the total price.

Sod is real grass that you can buy in rolls that look like a pregrown lawn. The cost of sod when you buy it yourself varies from € 150 to € 450 per pallet or € 1.00 to € 2.50 per square metre, depending on the type of grass, the supplier and the location. Centipede and Zoysia are the most expensive grasses, while Bahia and Kentucky bluegrass are the most affordable.

You can lay the turf yourself, but hiring a professional has an advantage. They have special equipment to lay it more evenly and hide seams to make sure it looks the way you want it.

Costs of laying turf per square metre

Surface area sod laying Price per m²
51 to 100 m² 8.50
101 to 200 m² 7.50
201 up to 400 m² 6.50
*These are indicative prices based on jobs previously carried out. The final costs may differ from the invoice you receive from us.

In order to lay turf in the backyard of a five-hectare plot, a budget of € 4,360 to € 8,720 should be taken into account. The total area to be covered equals about 1,250 square metres if the plot is split in two between the front and the back garden. Costs for laying turf in a back garden

If your garden has an irregular shape, the installer should measure the area before giving you an estimate. Curves, small hills and other terrain features can affect the size of the area. An installer may charge more for installation in a backyard when faced with limited access.

Restricted access can include things like:

Less than 2 metres wide passage from front to back
How far back the backyard is (often a problem with large houses)
How easy it is to get to the backyard (long driveway, stairs, etc.)
Costs for laying turf

Costs for laying turf in a small garden

For small gardens, the costs of laying turf range from € 1,000 to € 6,000. Take into account € 1,000 to € 3,000 in additional costs if the land is uneven or on a slope. If you choose to lay it on a steep slope, there are often more costs for labour.

Outside of slope, the biggest factor in installation costs is the size of the area you need to cover. The larger the square footage, the more material you will need and the more labour you will need to lay it.

Costs to install sprinkler system and turf

Installing a sprinkler system and turf costs an average of €4,500. Prices for the sprinkler system usually range from $1,700 to $3,400. The turf installation adds approximately €1,850 depending on the size of the garden.

If you are planning to have an irrigation system installed, it is best to do this before the grass is laid. Installing one in an existing garden costs more because the lawn has to be dug up to install pipes and sprinkler heads. In addition, installers must replace damaged grass with grass plugs or seed to create a uniform finish.

New Construction Lawn Installation Costs

Installation prices for new construction lawns range from €2,000 to €17,430 for 2,000 to 8,712 square metres. The cost corresponds to the basic rate of €1 to €2 per square metre, as there is no need for extensive preparatory work, such as removing or re-grading grass. Installers only need to perform the basic surface preparation tasks such as adding topsoil and lightly tamping the surface.

Price to rebuild a lawn

The price to rebuild an existing 600 square meter lawn ranges between € 1,180 and € 7,380. The total includes €1 to €2 per square meter for the installation plus grass removal, grading and fertilizer. The costs are lower (between € 1,180 and € 4,380) if the lawn is already flat and ready for installation. The cost of grass fertilisation varies from € 80 to € 380 and is only for the first treatment. For a full year of treatments, expect to pay up to € 1,000.

Costs for removing grass

Grass removal costs €1,000 to €2,000 when you hire a professional. The price includes disposal of the old grass at the local landfill site. By removing the existing material, installers can prepare the surface for the new turf and create the desired look. With all the grass out of the way, you can even reshape the area for an additional charge.

How do you know how much turf to buy?

A landscaper will usually measure your garden for you as part of their quote.

Measure your property yourself:

Make a sketch of the perimeter of your garden and divide it into smaller sections if necessary.
Measure the areas in metres and note the measurements as you go.
Multiply the length and width of each area and then add them all up.
When buying to measure, divide the square metre measurements by 9 to find out how much you need. Since most material cannot be returned once purchased, be as accurate as possible when measuring and calculating.

What do I put under turf?

In order for strong roots to grow quickly, turf needs between four and six inches of nutrient-rich dirt that is lightly pressed down to create an even surface. In most areas, grass grows best when placed on bare soil that has been prepared with topsoil and starter fertiliser. It does not grow well, or at all, when installed over existing grass, on hard-packed dirt or in areas with lots of stones.

Do I need to lay topsoil before the turf?

Topsoil is ideal when laying turf over clay and other types of poor quality dirt. You can check whether the existing soil contains the right nutrients by sending a sample to a soil testing laboratory or using a home test kit. If the test shows that the soil lacks the right levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, you can add topsoil to provide those nutrients. Starting turf can also help set ideal nutrient levels.

How long does it take for turf to take root?

It takes 10 to 14 days for new turf to have a healthy root system. Until the roots grow in, the grass is not firmly attached to the soil and can start to move accidentally. Disturbing the turf at this stage can interrupt its root growth and make it take much longer.

How long after installation can you use your lawn?

Most pros recommend waiting two weeks to use your lawn regularly. In the meantime, you should only walk on it sparingly to water it. After six weeks, the roots should be stable enough to resume regular lawn and garden maintenance like mowing and edging.