Cost of Turf

What is included in the cost of synthetic turf? Besides the cost of the actual turf, the other materials include crushed rock (for the base), seam tape and glue, nail boards (if applicable), a geotextile fabric used as a weed barrier (if applicable) and miscellaneous items such as screws/washers.

Labor and installation is typically the largest portion of the cost incurred for synthetic turf installation.

These vary according to the size of the project and how clear cut the area is that you are dealing with. If it is a complicated setting with a lot of corners more labor may be needed.

Okay, but what is the cost of synthetic turf also known as artificial grass? The cost of turf can vary wildly, but typically falls into a number of price ranges based on the type of turf.

• High-quality budget turf can be purchased as low as $1.57 per square foot for new turf.
  • Used turf and factory-seconds can be found for even less, but typically shouldn’t be used for long-term installations.
• Premium quality landscape turf can be purchased for $2.99 to $3.99 per square foot.
• Putting Green Turf can be purchased for $1.99 to $2.99 per square foot. Other costs can be higher, such as labor, accessories and additional base work.
• Athletic field turf is typically sold with high installation costs included and will run $5-$6 per square foot and up.
• Playground turf can be purchased for $2.99-$3.99 per square foot, and you’ll need to factor in padding as an additional cost.
• Specialty dog turf with built-in antimicrobial technology can run between $3.99 to $4.89 per square foot.

How Do You Determine Quality? Purchasing artificial turf should be seen as a long term investment, unless you want to replace materials every few years. Pricing may be dramatically different when it comes to the quality, durability, look and feel of the turf. For better quality that will last the longest, expect to pay more. For more information about how to spot the best synthetic turf, check out the Consumer Buying Guide brought to you by Perfect Turf.

What are the other costs? You’ve got to keep these factors in mind:

• The base can vary in cost widely depending on the size of the area and a number of other factors. Some installs can be done directly on cement, while sometimes you’ll need a geotextile liner and typically between 2 to 8 inches of crushed rock. You can’t expect any company to quote a cost for your base without detailed information typically involving a site visit.
• Seam tape, glue and accessories will cost you about 5-10% of your material costs. Jobs that require more complex seaming can drive the costs up a bit, but some jobs require no seams at all.
• Finally labor make up about 50% of your project. Some jobs can have higher labor costs, such as Putting Greens, Playgrounds and especially Athletic Fields. More information here.

The silver lining: While the cost of synthetic turf may seem high at first, the cost efficiency compared to sod is actually very good. A typical installation will break-even after X years, and be cost positive afterwards while giving you the benefits of turf the entire time. Perfect Turf offers a money saving calculator to find your savings.

If you’re interested in a more specific quote, check out Perfect Turf’s free Quick Quote form for a quick and easy estimate.

The costs of installing synthetic turf aka. artificial grass make up the majority of your project’s cost. First we’ll go over the various factors that go into the cost of installation, because the costs we’ll list can be off by a lot if your project is easier or harder than ‘normal’. If you don’t care about any of that feel free to scroll down to the bottom for some general numbers, but for everyone else that wants to figure out a more accurate number or simply wants to learn keep reading and enjoy!

The size of the area is a huge factor in the cost of artificial grass. Larger jobs will always translate to a lower cost per square foot, as they offer better economies of scale.

Access to the site is another factor for synthetic grass. Some sites are a hundred yards into the woods, or on a tall rooftop, while others are right next to a parking lot. Time spent transferring materials to the site and a number of other factors mean that remote sites are more expensive to install.

Current conditions are another major factor to consider with artificial turf. Some sites are relatively straightforward while others have tree trunks, buried concrete or other obstructions that have to be removed.

Drainage needs are a key concern when installing synthetic turf. The frequency, amount and type of liquid expected to run through the turf all are taken into account for drainage needs. Frequency and Amount – If it rains hard or often, you might need a more advanced drainage system. Lowland vs Highland and other factors also need to be taken into account. Type – Indoor dog facilities may not expect rain, but they still have advanced drainage needs!

If you need to bury pipes and drains you’ll obviously have a higher cost.

Base Prep is an important facet of artificial grass installation. Sometimes you can install directly on a pre-existing concrete surface, and sometimes you need crushed rock, a geotextile fabric weed barrier and advanced base sculpting for a putting green. Base work increase cost both in labor and materials.

Waste of synthetic turf is something to take into account when planning. Most artificial turf comes in 15 foot wide rolls. You’ll also want to go a bit over the edge and cut it back, so ordering an extra foot of turf is a necessary evil. This means if you’re installing turf in a 11 x 11 area you’ll have a very easy installation on this end. However if you’re installing in a 18 x 18 area you’re going to have a lot of waste. You’ll either need a 2 seam install with a lot of waste (Going with a 15 x 37 cut of turf, cutting it in half, joining it in the middle and cutting it on the outsides.) or a 3 seam install with a decent amount of waste. (A 15 x 24 cut of turf, cut into a 15 x 18 area, plus a 15 x 3 area, plus a 3 x 3 area with the remaining 12 x 3 feet cut off.)

Finally here are some average numbers for a frame of reference. You can consider your job and the differences between these to get a ballpark for your install, or contact a company like Perfect Turf to get an exact quote.

We’ll need to break these numbers up into two sizes: Above and Below 1000 square feet. Economy of scale is such an important factor that we simply cannot give an average without separating it at least a little.

 

Job Type	Under 1000 s/f	Over 1000 s/f
Landscape	$10-15	$8-12
	Example	Example
Playground	$12-18	$10-14
	Example	Example
Dog Run	$11-16	$8-12
	Example	Example
Rooftop	$14-20	$10-16
	Example	Example

As a point-of-reference for perspective: Quality synthetic turf very, very rarely fails. If you’re buying synthetic turf from industry leaders like Field Turf, Astroturf or Perfect Turf the chances your synthetic turf will fail and need to be replaced are astronomically low. Lower quality artificial turf obviously has a higher-chance of failing, so take much more care to research not just the warranty but also the company’s ability to uphold it, when purchasing such synthetic turf.

Many styles of materials are warranted to resist fading, stains, blade and backing failure for 8 years or more; With low to moderate traffic well cared for high quality artificial turf should last much longer.

There are two major types of warranties offered in the artificial turf industry:

The first is a 100% 8 year workmanship, undue fading, and fiber degradation warranty. This is the industry standard, and you can find an example here.

This entitles the customer to a full replacement of any defective artificial grass, typically including shipping costs, and in many cases the labor to repair any damaged sections.

The second is a 10-15 year prorated warranty. This warranty may seem preferable because of it’s length, but is actually somewhat of a trap. The fact that it’s prorated means that if your turf breaks down after the 8 year warranty other companies offer would have ended, you’ll be receiving less than half of the price you paid. Moreover if your turf breaks down after 4 years, you’ll receive less compensation than the 8 year warranty would cover.

Moreover the form of compensation is often credit for more turf from the company. While this makes sense if only a small part of your artificial grass is defective and you want to purchase a replacement, you’ll be forced to buy a whole new installation from the company at your cost if your entire installation fails. Moreover you’re often not covered on labor, which can mean you can get hit really hard on the off chance your turf is defective.

Some companies in the market “provide” an excessive warranty that they will not be able to keep their word on in the future. The market standard is there for a reason, so if a company offers you a warranty greater than 8 years, be suspicious.