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 |  | Do-It-Yourself: $160-$600 |  | Medium: $280-$1,000 |
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Sod is an "instant" lawn, either rolled out by machines (sometimes using an underlying netting) or placed by hand in mats or rolls. It generally takes about two years for a grower to mature good quality, weed-free turf sod.
Typical costs: |
- For the do-it-yourselfer, rolls of sod cost 8-30 cents a square foot, depending on the variety and quantity bought. For front and back lawns of 20x50 feet each, that's 2,000 square feet or $160-$600.
- Having sod professionally installed just about doubles the cost to 14-60 cents a square foot, or $280-$1,000 for 2,000 square feet. A contractor may use special equipment to install rolls of sod 42 inches wide and up to 128 feet long, which saves on labor costs, creates fewer seams and gets the job done more quickly. Usually the cost per square foot is lower for a large, flat area that can be installed mechanically, averaging 15-24 cents or $6,500-$10,500 an acre (43,560 square feet).
Related articles: Sprinkler System, Deck, Landscape Design
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What should be included: |
- The University of California[1] gives a good visual of how rectangles of sod should be laid out and the University of New Hampshire[2] outlines all the steps involved.
- Generally all that's needed for do-it-yourself installation is the ability to understand "green side up" and lots of dirty, sweaty work. The ground must be properly leveled and prepared, and the sod should be installed immediately upon delivery.
Additional costs: |
- A contractor will charge more for a steep slope, an unusually shaped (non-rectangular) area, a narrow (less than seven feet wide) access making it necessary to haul the sod in by hand or other special circumstances.
Discounts: |
- If installing your own sod, try buying direct from a grower at wholesale prices. There's no central national website for sod growers, but many regions have local associations.
Shopping for sod: |
- Draw a rough map of the area you want covered with lawn, showing all dimensions and obstacles. The sod seller should double-check your square footage calculations. For a complex, irregularly-shaped project an installer may need to visit the site before giving an estimate.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: 2021 Northern California in Galt, CA. | Posted: April 12th, 2021 06:04PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 1000 | Installer: Pro |
Info on this page is severely outdated, quality fescue sod (Not home depot/lowes bargain sod) in California 2021 is $.56+ per sq ft at retail before tax (8.25% in Sacramento), delivery is usually free if ordering over 1000sq ft. Sod Cutter rental 24/hr $90 and rototiller 24/hr $65. Top Soil/compost is around $45 per yard. I only charged $1500 for this client (removal, prep and install) because she lives next door, is 92 yrs old *double senior discount, makes me deserts all the time per nice old lady protocol and babysits my dogs.... or they keep her company, both I guess. If you dont fit that criteria expect to pay $2000-2500 although some others landscapers I know would ask as high as $3000+. Basically $2-$4 a sq ft for prep & install, also see if they include a guarantee for at least a few months, I guarantee survival, full green turf for the first 90 days which seems fair to me but other landscapers think im crazy. |
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| Posted by: Disappointed Sod Buyer in Greensboro, NC. | Posted: March 9th, 2020 02:03PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 2,300 feet | Installer: Colfax, NC |
Purchased sod & installation from a "reputable seller" in March, 2019; existing soil tilled, compost, lime, etc. added--I watered faithfully every morning (despite frigid, late winter temps). Lawn took off beautifully until mid-summer heat (late June-mid July) all grass is non existent. In retrospect, I should have simply sowed high-quality seed with comparable top soil/compost blend...NO MORE SOD--EVER! |
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| Posted by: sod fodder in Portland, OR. | Posted: February 7th, 2017 03:02PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 0 | Installer: Myself |
With sod costing .49 to .79 a sq ft here in Oregon, there is no way any contractor would be able to do a job for your ridiculously low figures. Update your info, and do a little research before posting low ball figures that fill consumers heads with unrealistic ideas about what they should pay for work. One way of doing it is to take the cost of the sod, and double it. So if the sod alone cost $500, expect to pay at least $1,000. |
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| Posted by: Ivan Kravtsov in Sacramento, CA. | Posted: July 17th, 2016 10:07AM |
Im a Landscape contractor and i cant help to notice that this information is completely wrong! Now days you'll be lucky if you can find good quality sod for .52/per square foot. Next there are many other factors that play a roll in installing sod. first if theres old sod you have to remove the sod. next you have to rototiller it. then you have to add another inch of dirt and then finally you place the sod down. there's Rental fees that have to be payed. so current Price per square foot of installation At least in California is $3.00/square foot. My costumers read this false info and then are disappointed when they actually find out the truth so update your INFO! Its not the 90s anymore we are in 2016! |
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| Posted by: Nevada miner in Winnemucca, NV. | Posted: June 4th, 2016 03:06PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 6800 | Installer: Home owner |
I did all my own sprinkler zones, put extra piping in the ground for future drip lines or gardens. Did my back yard took 4 days to get it all in 18 pallets of sod price included delivery, they have a truck mounted forklift dropped the sod right where I needed it. This year 2016 got another 2500' of sod $816 includes $150 delivery charge got it done in 1 day by my self. The sod came 2'x4' pieces stacked on a pallet.
The seller is very good they have clients coming 3 hours to the east from Reno NV because it's better quality and cheaper then sourcing it locally. |
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| Posted by: Joe Z in newton, NJ. | Posted: March 20th, 2016 09:03AM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 1000 | Installer: Self |
Just want to give some of you a little advice first make sure what the installer is doing is he tearing up existing lawn, adding soil, fert lime ect all these things plus labor add up.. this is a very labor intensive job so expect to pay for it if you do not agree go rent a tiller buy shovels spade, wheel barrow, ect and give it a shot yourself then you might rethink it... goodluck |
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| Posted by: Michael Judge in Confers, GA. | Posted: August 23rd, 2015 05:08PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 300 | Installer: self |
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| Posted by: Guillermo Valenzuela in Diamond Bar, CA. | Posted: August 4th, 2015 05:08PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 630 | Installer: |
the price for SOD nowadays is around $ 0.79 p/sq. ft.
$ 3.49 for a 5 sq. ft carpet. |
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| Posted by: Joey Dee in Smithtown, NY. | Posted: April 3rd, 2015 05:04PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 2000 | Installer: professional |
Included Sod (delivered), installed on fine screened and leveled top soil and fertilization (6 weeks after install). Also was hand watered for the first week. perfect 1 year later. |
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| Posted by: Fresno Ca. in Fresno, CA. | Posted: May 8th, 2013 04:05AM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 1000 sq ft | Installer: |
The price of sod is much higher at lowes and home depot approximetly .37cents a sq ft and buying direct from the grower was 32 cents. this was for Fescue, Hibrid is much higher. |
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| Posted by: TCov ATL in Atlanta, GA. | Posted: March 24th, 2012 05:03PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 110 | Installer: |
Home Depot charges $1.79 sqft. No where near quoted price on this site. |
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| Posted by: Cruzgardening in Pasadena, CA. | Posted: October 4th, 2011 07:10PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: over 30000sqft | Installer: |
a home owner without a reseller license can not find sod lower then $.33/sq ft in the LA county area or any sorounding counties that sell sod, i have been in the business for over 20 years and the only time we get sod sold to us at $.20/square foot is when we buy over 10000 sq ft so you guys need to revisit your numbers for home owners thank you |
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| Posted by: Mikes Sod Works in Jacksonville, FL. | Posted: April 1st, 2011 09:04PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 2500 sq ft | Installer: myself |
I am a landscaper and I always bought sod from a reputable seller * Round Tree Sod* until they sold me diseased grass or sod that had been cut to thin, meaning the root median had been cut off. I installed it in a customers lawn not aware of the problem. It wasn't the freshest sod I usually got from them but like I said I didn't know any better. Well all six pallets died and I heard from other customers and several garden centers that they had sold sod that had been cut to short at the sod farm and to make a profit sold it anyway. The sod all died in less than a week. I took them pictures to show and asked that they might atleast replace some of the grass if not all. They wouldn't stand behind one piece, they said once you lay it it's your responsibility. So beware! If the sod doesn't look fresh and green and doesn't have 1 1/2" of soil under it don't buy it! Turn the order around you don't have to except it. |
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| Posted by: a user in Yuba, CA. | Posted: February 7th, 2011 07:02PM |
I have never seen 8 cents per sq.ft! Sod farms that would sell for that cheap, will go out of business very fast! FALSE!
Different states, and different counties have different price varieties, but all of them have overhead so the best way to find out the price is by calling to the sod farms, or distributors straight and get a quote. This article is not helpful! |
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| Posted by: jacklyn in Clermont, FL. | Posted: November 9th, 2010 09:11AM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 3000-3800 sq ft | Installer: |
How much would it cost to install sod, st augustine for the square footage indicated...I'm in Florida. |
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| Posted by: victor tapia in chino, CA. | Posted: August 15th, 2010 06:08PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 1000 | Installer: marathon 1 |
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| Posted by: Jenny Doel in Salem, CT. | Posted: April 12th, 2010 04:04PM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 1000 | Installer: Southeastern CT Landscaping |
I purchased good sod through a local farm for $200 and prepped the area. South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping installed it for me. Still looks great after a year.
www.sectlandscaping.com |
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| Posted by: Aul Pearson in Sandwich, IL. | Posted: October 14th, 2009 11:10AM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 200 | Installer: self |
Need sod to fill in areas about new cement walks. |
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| Posted by: Unsatisfied Customer in Niceville, FL. | Posted: March 15th, 2008 05:03AM |
| Sq Ft of Sod: 2800 | Installer: Navare Turf |
Navare Turf sold me diseased sod and left me holding the bag. By the time I realised there was a fungus it was too late. All the grass died. I called them several times, they never returned my calls. |
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External Resources: |
- www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/TURF/SITEPREP/installsod.html
- extension.unh.edu/resources/representation/Resource000516_Rep538.pdf
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