How much does it cost to install sod?

Sod, also known as turf grass, is fully mature lawn (grass, soil, and roots) that’s professionally grown and sold in squares or rolls. Purchasing Sod is a much quicker way to a beautiful and mature lawn versus planting grass seed to try and establish a new lawn. The installation of sod will transform bare (prepared dirt) in a matter of hours or days into a lush and established lawn.

Sod is available in many types of grass, popular types of Sod in the Triangle area are; Zoysia, Bermuda, and Centipede. Regularly we are asked “how much does sod cost”, and unfortunately like many home renovation projects, it is not a simple answer.

While overall size is the largest contributing factor in the cost of sod installation, we also wanted to address the 3 major steps of sod installation process that will impact how much sod costs:

Ground preparation in sod installation:

Ground preparation for the sod is incredibly important for the establishment of the lawn. This process is the removal of old grass(es) and weeds, as well as any major obstructions like large rocks and other matter that might impede the even installation of the sod. How much preparation is required will impact the cost of the sod installation.

Site Grading in sod installation:

Grading helps to ensure that the sod’s installation looks even and neat as the lawn matures. Issues of poor drainage will also be addressed at this stage. The amount of grading necessary on your property will have am impact on the cost of installation.

The actual sod installation:

Just like any construction project the complexity and size of the installation will have an impact on the overall cost. Staging, access, location, all of these will have an impact on the cost of this step. “Does any heavy equipment needed have easy access to the job location”, “are there areas that require special attention?”. Working with your contractor through this stage will help you minimize any unnecessary costs in the sod installation.

With that said, we wanted to share a few numbers that might help answers the cost of sod installation question:

Sod typically costs $0.68 – $0.75 per square foot depending on the type of sod that you want installed. The labor to install sod can add an additional $0.95 – $1.10 per square foot depending on the complexity of the installation. Site preparation / grading can be an additional cost based on the conditions of your property.

If you are looking to establish a beautiful lawn in the Triangle fast installing a new sod lawn is your best choice. The ease and efficiency comes with a cost but provides a far more certain result then attempting to establish a lawn with seeding. Turf Works is one of the areas leaders in sod installation and can provide you a free quote on your sod project!

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