Feb 7th,2023
What Type of Application is Required?
You've finally decided to take the plunge and get the beautiful lawn you've always wanted—without the mud, mess, and maintenance that come with real lawns.
But you don't know anything about the cost of artificial grass and the cost of installing it.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the cost of a new artificial turf, there are no quick and easy answers, as there are many variants that can affect the price.
Artificial turf is an investment, so it's wise to do as much research as you can to make sure you understand the process and can choose an installer who will charge you a fair price.
We've written this guide to help you understand some of the costs involved.
We also try to help you understand the various factors that affect the cost of artificial grass. These are the things a professional installer will look for when they visit your property.
So let's jump right in.
What are the Benefits of Decking?
Artificial grass has many different applications.
Most installations are to replace existing lawns in back gardens. However, synthetic grass can also be installed on concrete, paving or floors – although these applications require different installation methods.
Artificial turf is not only used in residential gardens, but can also be used inside the home – for example, using the floor of a children's bedroom.
There are many other uses, for example in schools and playgrounds, sports fields, nurseries, kennels, offices or at events and exhibitions.
Due to the wide variety of uses, the method of installation employed will vary, and therefore the costs involved. However, an in-depth introduction to each of the different approaches is beyond the scope of this article.
Everything in this guide is based on replacing an existing real turf with a fake turf, as this is the most common type of artificial turf installation. We will cover other methods in future articles.
How Much Artificial Grass Do You Need?
To understand cost, the first step is to figure out how much artificial grass you need to cover your lawn.
For this, you'll need a tape measure, a piece of paper, and a pencil.
First, outline the shape of the lawn.
Next, measure the width of your lawn. When doing this, it is very important to measure the widest point.
Then do the same for the length, again making sure to measure the longest part of the lawn.
If your lawn is a simple rectangle, never assume it's a perfect square, because it usually isn't.
One very important thing to remember is that artificial grass is only 2 or 4 meters wide. (Length up to 25m.)
This means that depending on the shape of your lawn, you will most likely have some waste.
Even though your lawn may only be 30 square meters in size, you may actually need 35 square meters (or more) of artificial grass to cover it.
For example, if your lawn is 4.2 meters wide, it might be worth considering resizing your lawn to a width of 4 meters rather than buying another 2 meter lawn roll and only using 0.3 meters of it.
This can be achieved in any of the following ways:
Increase the size of existing flower beds, or add new ones. (To keep this low-maintenance, you could install a weeding mulch, then cover it with some decorative aggregate, such as slate chips, and then maybe introduce some plants in pots.)
Install some form of edging, such as block paving edging or sleepers.
Although having wastage isn’t ideal, it generally can’t be avoided and after most installations there are some offcuts left over.
However, people tend to find useful things to do with these offcuts.
For example, artificial grass makes for an excellent doormat, budding golfers can practice their chipping on it, and it’s great for covering shelving in a greenhouse, or even covering old garden tables and chairs.
Use your imagination and you’ll be sure to think of something useful to do with the offcuts.
What Type of Artificial Grass Should You Choose?
Artificial grass comes in many different pile heights, colors and fiber shapes. It can also be manufactured using various plastics.
Therefore, the cost per square meter of artificial grass does vary.
In general, the shorter the haystack, the less plastic you use and the less expensive the grass.
Also, like most things, there are good and bad artificial grass.
Finding out which ones are premium isn't always easy.
What should I look for when choosing a suitable artificial grass?
A good start is to ask your manufacturer for some samples. This will allow you to examine the artificial grass and get an idea of how it feels.
You also need to know exactly where your artificial turf came from. Generally speaking, the quality of grass in northern China is better.
Chinese manufacturers compete on price. For this reason, many manufacturers tend to use inferior materials and workmanship. For example, some grasses often have a latex backing with a much higher sand content, which can affect their strength.
Of course, the type of plastic used to make synthetic fibers affects cost.
Nylon, the most wear-resistant plastic used in artificial grass manufacture, is the most expensive.
Manufacturers also need to use some slightly different processes when dealing with nylon because it is more difficult to process than polypropylene and polyethylene (two other plastics used).
Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that nylon-based products will be the most expensive.
For hard-wearing, long-lasting turf, we always recommend purchasing artificial turf made from nylon (polyamide) fibers.
However, in some cases, you don't necessarily need to choose the most hard-wearing artificial grass.
For example, front garden lawns are generally not as well used as back garden lawns, so either polyethylene or polypropylene fibers are good choices here.
Other applications, such as balconies, schools or events or exhibitions, will also have different needs, and thus the cost of residential artificial grass.
You can view our product range on our website to find out how much artificial grass costs per square meter. Remember though, this doesn't include installation.
The Condition of Your Existing Garden/Lawn
The condition of your existing garden will have an impact on the cost of artificial turf installation.
When installing artificial turf, it will look best if the turf is level (a slight bump is ideal), and depending on the level of your existing turf, additional time may need to be spent on foundation work to achieve this.
Also, you may want the new lawn to be the same height as the existing yard or path.
For example, you may need to step over your existing lawn, and if you want to be able to walk directly onto the artificial turf from your garden path, additional excavation will be required, adding to labor and waste disposal costs.
In some cases, installers may simply skim off the top of the existing lawn and build the subbase from there, reducing excavation. This of course saves costs.
Some gardens can span multiple levels, with steps at each level. This certainly won't stop you from having artificial turf, but it could mean that installation takes longer to complete, again resulting in higher labor costs.
Are You A Dog Owner?
For pet owners, we recommend a slightly different installation than those that do not have pets in mind.
All artificial grass is suitable for dogs and pets, but there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing artificial grass for dogs, as some grasses will perform better than others.
The best advice for dog owners is beyond the scope of this article, but if you need more information on artificial grass for dogs, including the cost of artificial grass for dogs, read our article here.
How Big Is Your Lawn?
The larger the lawn, the lower the cost per square meter of artificial turf to install – because you save money through economies of scale.
Usually the more you buy, the greater your negotiating power for a better price.
Some builder merchants will charge you the same shipping cost as shipping one bulk bag.
You'll most likely want to protect your driveway with tarpaulins and/or plywood -- which will add to the cost if you don't already have one.
You or your installer should weigh the financial costs of bulk bags and bulk cargo to see which is best for your situation, but in general bulk bags are the best option for lawns smaller than 60sqm.
For larger lawns, not only will you save money on materials, but labor costs will often drop as well.
For example, it may take an installer two days to complete a 50 square meter installation from start to finish. However, a 60 square meter lawn can most likely also be done in the same two days, as not necessarily more work is involved.
As always, contact a reputable local installer who can discuss the various options with you and advise on the most economical way to install artificial turf.
How Good Is Access to Your Garden?
When installing a new artificial turf, the old turf needs to be removed and a sub-base (for laying the turf) installed.
However, every garden is different.
Usually, it is easier to get into the front garden than the back garden.
Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that artificial turf for front gardens will be less expensive to install than rear gardens.
Some rear gardens are easily accessed through a rear or side door, while some terraced house rear gardens are only accessible through the house itself.
The foundation works phase of the installation requires carting away excavations and bringing in aggregates, all of which must pass through your property before reaching the garden.
Few facilities prevent the installation of artificial grass, as carts and rolls of artificial grass can pass through standard doorways.
At worst the job will take longer and require extra care to ensure nothing in your home is damaged during the process.
This could mean laying down protective cloth and planks to cover the floors in your home.
Of course, this all has to do with the cost of artificial grass installation.
How much will the average artificial lawn cost?
When installing a new artificial turf, the old turf needs to be removed and a sub-base (for laying the turf) installed.
However, every garden is different.
Usually, it is easier to get into the front garden than the back garden.
Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that artificial turf for front gardens will be less expensive to install than rear gardens.
Some rear gardens are easily accessed through a rear or side door, while some terraced house rear gardens are only accessible through the house itself.
The foundation works phase of the installation requires carting away excavations and bringing in aggregates, all of which must pass through your property before reaching the garden.
Few facilities prevent the installation of artificial grass, as carts and rolls of artificial grass can pass through standard doorways.
At worst the job will take longer and require extra care to ensure nothing in your home is damaged during the process.
This could mean laying down protective cloth and planks to cover the floors in your home.
Of course, this all has to do with the cost of artificial grass installation.
