How Much to Charge for Artificial Turf Installation
Artificial turf installation typically runs $8–$14 per square foot installed for a standard landscape product and $14–$22+ for premium turf, pet systems, or putting greens. Excavation and base account for $3–$6 per square foot of that, turf material runs $2–$7 per square foot at a 10–20% waste factor, infill $0.30–$0.80 per square foot, and most installers hold a job minimum of $2,500–$4,000.
The installed ranges
- Standard landscape turf — $8–$14 per square foot
- Premium / pet / putting green — $14–$22+
- Excavation and base — $3–$6 of that
- Turf material — $2–$7 per square foot, plus waste
- Infill — $0.30–$0.80 per square foot
- Job minimum — $2,500–$4,000
What drives the number
- Base depth and soil — clay needs more; drainage may need correcting
- Access — hand-hauling aggregate through a gate adds days
- Shape complexity — curves, trees, and beds increase waste and seaming
- Turf tier — face weight and pile height vary the material cost several times over
- Pet system — drainage layer and specialty infill
- Disposal distance — excavated soil and sod by the load
Quote the base spec, always
Two turf quotes can differ by 30% and by two inches of base at the same time. Printing your depth — and noting it’s compacted in lifts — reframes the whole comparison in your favor without you ever having to say a word about the other bidder.
Same mechanism as paver patios, gutter hanger spacing, and coating mils, really.
Waste is real, so show it
A 15-foot roll across a kidney-shaped lawn with a tree in the middle produces offcut nobody can use. Show installed area and material area as two separate numbers with the percentage between them — customers find that completely reasonable once it’s explained, and pretty suspicious when it’s hidden.
Don’t quote putting greens as lawns
Putting surfaces need a flatter base, tighter compaction, precise contouring, cup and hole installation, and often a contrasting fringe. It’s a specialty product, so price it as one — or turn it down if you haven’t built one before, since an unlevel green is obvious immediately to the person who paid for it.
Frequently asked questions
What waste factor should I use?
10% on simple rectangles, 15–20% on curved or obstacle-filled areas, and more on narrow strips. Turf comes in fixed-width rolls with a directional pile, so pieces can't be rotated to fit — that constraint is the entire reason waste is higher than it seems it should be.
How much does the base cost?
$3–$6 per square foot of the installed price, covering excavation, disposal, aggregate, and compaction — and more on clay soil or where drainage needs correcting. It's usually the largest single component and the one customers never think about.
Should putting greens be priced differently?
Yes, substantially higher. Putting turf requires a much flatter, more precisely compacted base, careful contouring, cup installation, and often a fringe of a second turf — it's a specialty install, not a lawn with different grass.
What's a fair job minimum?
$2,500–$4,000. Machine transport, material delivery, disposal, and crew mobilization barely change with a small area — a 200 square foot side yard priced purely by area doesn't cover the day.