How Much Does Sod Cost? – 2024 Lawn Price Guide
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Are you planning on installing a new lawn? One of the fastest ways to transform your yard is with sod.
Keep reading to learn more about the advantages of sod and the average cost to install it.
2024 Sod Costs
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| National Average Price | $2,200 |
| Typical Price Range | $1,500 - $3,000 |
| Average Price (per 1,000 sq ft) | $800 |
| Typical Price Range (per 1,000 sq ft) | $500 - $1,200 |
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How Much is Sod?
Sod is essentially grass on demand. An ingenious idea, it’s a faster way of having an aesthetically pleasing lawn than laying seed. Sod is more reliable than seed in terms of the probability of it taking root. It also doesn’t require as much care as seed because its water requirements are lower.[1]
It’s easy to see why any homeowner would want to buy sod for their new lawn instead of having to wait for the seed to take root and grow. There are pros and cons of both, of course, but if you want a lawn that looks vibrant and even immediately, sod represents an easier way of achieving this.
Convenience is often proportional to expense: the more convenient something is, the more expensive it is. As a result, sod is indeed much more expensive than grass seed.
Most homeowners pay $1,500 to $3,000 for a sod installation, with the average being about $2,200. The cost per square foot is around $0.80 to $2 per square foot, delivered and installed.
Because of the higher cost than seed, many homeowners choose to use sod in the most visible areas, while seeding the rest of the yard to help keep costs down. Let’s examine a few relevant factors that determine the overall cost of any sod project:
Type of Sod
The type of sod you choose for your yard will inevitably affect the overall price. If you buy it in large quantities from a sod farm or nursery, you could potentially get a discount. The cost ranges from approximately $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot, or about $3 to $5 per roll.[2]
Fescue is one of the cheapest types of sod, while Bermuda is one of the most expensive. Zoysia is only slightly less expensive than Bermuda, and St. Augustine is somewhere in the middle. These are not the only types of sod, but they give a good general impression of the variety of costs.
Turf prices do vary by species, region, nursery, and quantity purchased, so be sure to check in with your local turf farm to get a more accurate estimate for your project.
Climate and Region
The single most important factor when deciding the right type of grass is the climate of the region you live in. Some sods are known as cool grasses, and others are warm grasses. Some are suitable for a yard that gets a lot of sun, while others are only suitable for shady regions.
Choosing the right grass for your location and property is critical to avoid a yellowing, dying, or uneven sod lawn.
Delivery Costs
The distance from the property to the sod farm also has a direct impact on the cost of delivery. Delivery costs might be free, or they can soar to half the price of the sod installation depending on the sod provider and geographic location.[3]
One pallet of sod can weigh 1,500 – 3,000 lbs, depending on the type of sod and how much water it may be holding, so delivery might be necessary, especially for large orders.
Labor Costs
You might want to attempt sod installation yourself, but if you’re going to hire a professional, labor costs will be approximately $30 per hour or around $0.50 to $0.85 per square foot. For larger projects, it might be best to hire the work out to make sure the sod is installed quickly to ensure the lawn’s health.
Lawn Size Cost Impact
The size of the lawn will also have a direct impact on the cost of sod. The larger the lot, the more sod will be required, and the longer the installation will take. You can use an acreage calculator to get a more precise estimate of your property size.
Use our sod calculator to estimate how much you will need for your lawn.
Maintenance Tip for New Sod
Once you’ve installed the sod, there is one tip that every homeowner should remember. During the first few days and weeks, avoid walking on it. It is somewhat fragile until it settles in and the roots develop, so it’s best to be extremely gentle with it in the beginning.
All pricing information on this page is based on average industry costs, and is subject to variance for project-specific materials, labor rates, and requirements.
References
- Pennington, Benefits and Disadvantages of Grass Seed vs Sod, https://www.pennington.com/all-products/grass-seed/resources/which-is-better-grass-seed-or-sod
- Daniel Ray, How to Lay Down Grass Sod for a Yard: 6 Steps, https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/lawn-care-2/how-lay-down-grass-sod-yard/
- Trugreen, Sod Prices, https://mytrugreenlawn.com/resources/sod-prices/