How the sod cost is worked out
Lawn area = length × width (or the area of each shape, added up)
Cost = lawn area × installed price per sq ft
Example: a 40 × 50 ft back lawn on bare soil.
- Lawn: 40 × 50 = 2,000 sq ft
- At a typical $1.73 per sq ft: $3,460, within $1,700 to $5,200
- Sod alone: 2,100 sq ft with 5% extra at $0.20 to $0.90 = $420 to $1,890
- Labor alone: $700 to $2,000 at $0.35 to $1 per sq ft
- Replacing an old lawn instead: about $6,000, within $3,000 to $9,000
What moves the price
- New lawn or replacement. Taking out the old lawn first raises the typical price per square foot from $1.73 to $3.
- The grass. Fixr puts sod at about $0.20 per square foot for Bahia up to $0.90 for St. Augustine.
- Soil preparation. Grading adds $1 to $3 per square foot (HomeAdvisor), and poor soil may need new topsoil first.
- Delivery. HomeGuide puts delivery at $50 to $250 a load.
- Where you live. These are national averages; local labor varies.
Cost by lawn size
Typical installed cost, with the national range: new lawn $0.85 / $1.73 / $2.60 and replacing an old lawn $1.50 / $3 / $4.50 per sq ft.
| Lawn | New lawn | Replace an old lawn |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $865 ($425 to $1,300) | $1,500 ($750 to $2,250) |
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,730 ($850 to $2,600) | $3,000 ($1,500 to $4,500) |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,460 ($1,700 to $5,200) | $6,000 ($3,000 to $9,000) |
| 5,000 sq ft | $8,650 ($4,250 to $13,000) | $15,000 ($7,500 to $22,500) |
| 1/4 acre (10,890 sq ft) | $18,840 ($9,257 to $28,314) | $32,670 ($16,335 to $49,005) |
For the pallets and slabs or rolls to order, use the sod calculator.