Installing artificial grass has a lot of pros, the long term savings being one of them. Water prices will be cut back as the lawn will not need to be watered anymore, and paying somebody to take care of the lawn will be no longer needed. But having the artificial grass installed in the beginning is an investment that needs to be considered first.
The cost doesn’t just include the materials and physical turf, but it will also include labor fees, as there will be a lot of work that needs to be done to prepare the yard. Materials will include the turf, the base, the filler, along with miscellaneous tools depending on your yard. According to research done, for a quality installation, it will cost roughly $8 a square foot.
When deciding what grass you want, there are multiple types of fake grass to choose from. There’s turf grass, turf made specifically for pets, and even turf made specifically for sports. Picking the fake grass for your yard will be based off of what your needs are, but will also determine the price. Turf grass is the most popular type of artificial grass to use and can range from a price of $1.25 and $2.50. The square footage you order is not based on how much space is in your backyard, but the overall cut of turf. There is usually about 10-20% of waste from the turf after it is fitted to your backyard.
Before the artificial grass gets put down, there will need to be a few trips to the dump to get rid of the dirt and grass currently in the backyard. The amount of trips will be determined on how large the yard. You will also need to factor in how much the company installing the turf will charge for hauling away everything.
The additional pieces you need to lay down the turf will be the base, the weed barrier, and the mow strip. The base will most likely be gravel and comes in around $0.20 per square foot. The weed barrier stops weeds from growing through the turf, and comes in rolls. One roll covers about 1,000 square feet and will cost $70 a roll. And the mow strip separates the artificial grass from the rest of the yard, and looks like a wood board. It usually comes in in packs of 20 feet and will go around the perimeter of the turf area. You need to factor in the nails, glue, and other tools needed, which can add another $200 to the overall cost.
The artificial turf will also need infill, which is where there are more choices to make. You can choose a rubber filling or a few different types of sand filling. The price will have a considerable difference based on what you pick, with acrylic coated sand being the most expensive. You will need one to two pounds per square foot of turf.
For a 1,000 square foot yard, just getting the yard ready and the materials will cost on average $4300.
When looking at the labor costs, it truly is determined by what company you go with the install the turf. Going with a company that has more experience will cost more than a newer company on average, but you get to decide based on the work you want done! It is highly suggested to look at reviews of the company before hiring them. The cost of labor can range anywhere from $2000 to $3500.
At the end of the project, for the average backyard that is about 1000 square feet, it will cost $6500. When deciding whether or not to get artificial turf installed, the price can be daunting and turn many away. A few things to consider are the costs that you will cut back on in the long run, along with the perks that come with having turf in your yard.