Why print both installed area and material area?

Because they're different numbers and the gap is real money. A 1,000 square foot lawn cut from 15-foot rolls with curves and obstacles may need 1,180 square feet of turf — showing both makes the material line credible instead of looking padded.

How much base should I specify?

Typically 3–4 inches of compacted aggregate for residential, more on poor soil or where drainage is an issue — and state that it's installed in compacted lifts. It's the main invisible difference between your bid and a cheaper one.

Should infill be a separate line?

Yes, with the type and pounds per square foot. Infill keeps the blades upright and the lawn cool, it's a meaningful material cost, and the cheap installs that fail early are almost always under-infilled.

Artificial Turf Installation Estimate Template (Free)

What belongs on the estimate

Business name, license number, contact info
Customer name, property address, phone
Installed area and material area with waste factor
Excavation depth and disposal
Base specification — inches compacted, in lifts
Turf product — name, pile height, face weight
Seaming, nailing, and edging
Infill — type and rate
Pet system, if applicable
Exclusions and access notes

The template

[Your Business Name] · License #________
[Phone] · [Email]

Estimate #____        Date: __________
Prepared For: [Customer Name]   Phone: __________
Property: _____________________________________
Installed area: ______ sq ft
Material area: ______ sq ft (waste factor ___%)
Machine access: [yes / limited / hand-haul]

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Demo / sod removal — ___ sq ft           $______
Excavation — ___ in depth                $______
Haul-off + disposal — ___ loads          $______
Base aggregate — ___ in compacted        $______
   (installed in ___ in lifts)
Weed barrier — ___ sq ft                 $______
Turf — ___ sq ft @ $___                  $______
   Product: ____________ Pile: ___ in
Seaming — ___ lf                         $______
Nailing / staking                        $______
Infill — [type] ___ lbs/sq ft            $______
Bender board / edging — ___ lf           $______
PET SYSTEM (if selected):
   Drainage layer — ___ sq ft            $______
   Antimicrobial infill                  $______
Access surcharge (hand-haul)             $______
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Estimate Total                           $______

PAYMENT: ___% materials deposit at signing
         Balance at completion.

NOT INCLUDED: irrigation capping or repair, drainage
correction beyond the turf area, tree root removal,
concrete or hardscape work, lawn restoration outside
the install area, fence or gate modification.
Valid ___ days.

Cap the irrigation, or exclude it

There are sprinkler heads under that lawn somewhere. Capping them properly is a small job that has to happen, and it’s a classic thing customers assume is included — so quote it or exclude it explicitly.

Warn about heat and pets

Turf gets hot in direct sun, and standard installs will hold pet odor without the right infill and drainage. Saying both up front turns them into product choices instead of complaints about work you actually did correctly.

Skipping the copy-paste

Software with your excavation, base, turf, and infill rates already saved builds this estimate with the waste factor applied automatically, and turns the accepted version straight into a deposit invoice.