How Much Does Turfing a Garden Cost?

A new lawn supplied and laid by a professional typically costs about £12 to £38 per square metre in 2026. This price depends heavily on the turf grade, how much preparation the ground needs, and your region. London and the South East sit at the top of that price range.

Typical turfing prices at a glance

The total cost of turfing a garden is split between the grass itself and the physical work required to lay it. Turf only costs £3 to £7 per square metre, rising to £6 to £10 per square metre for premium hard-wearing grades. The labour for a standard installation costs £10 to £20 per square metre.

Landscape gardeners typically charge £30 to £60 per hour for their time. Basic ground preparation is included in the standard square metre price, provided the soil is workable. If the ground needs heavy levelling or extensive preparation, you can expect to pay about £20 per square metre just for the groundwork.

A quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is a rough guess that can end up higher. You should always ask a landscaper for a fixed quote in writing, and remember to check whether VAT is included in the final figure.

Turfing costs by lawn size

Small front lawns of 10 to 25 square metres cost more per square metre because of minimum job charges. A landscaping firm still has to cover travel, fuel, and wages for a partial day, so they apply a minimum fee to make the visit worthwhile.

The table below shows typical total costs for different sizes of garden.

These figures are typical published prices for 2026, and your local quotes will differ based on the site conditions and your exact requirements.

What you are paying for

When you hire a professional for a lawn, you are paying for the grass, the labour and the groundwork. Turfing is soft landscaping, the living part of a garden, and it is usually a job for a landscaper or landscape contractor.

Turf should be laid within 24 hours of delivery if possible, so the landscaper needs to time the delivery to suit the work. The landscape contractor also brings the knowledge to spot poor soil conditions before the grass goes down. On light, poor soil, they might recommend raking in a general purpose fertiliser at about 35g per square metre to help the new roots establish.

Why ground preparation matters most

The preparation of the soil decides whether your new lawn thrives or fails. If you lay turf on compacted ground, the roots struggle to grow down into the soil to find water. The groundwork nobody sees is exactly where bad contractors cut corners.

The Royal Horticultural Society advises digging or rotavating the ground to a depth of 20 to 25cm so there is no compaction. A professional landscaper will fork out the roots of perennial weeds such as couch grass and bindweed. If these are left in the ground, they can grow up through your new grass.

The next step is working in well-rotted manure or garden compost to improve the soil structure. The ground must then be left to settle. The soil should settle for at least a few days, and ideally five to six weeks or more.

Once the soil has settled, the landscaper firms it by treading and rakes it repeatedly in different directions to create a level surface. This unseen groundwork decides whether the lawn lasts, and it is a large part of what you are paying a professional to do.

Extra costs to ask about

Most turfing quotes separate the cost of the grass from the cost of clearing the site. Lifting and removing an old lawn costs £150 to £400. If the garden needs levelling or shaping before the grass is laid, this adds £100 to £400 to the bill.

Importing topsoil is necessary if your current soil is poor or you need to raise the ground level. Topsoil costs £60 to £120 per tonne. One tonne covers roughly 10 square metres at a depth of 60mm. You can also buy it in bulk bags for £30 to £50, with each bag covering 10 to 15 square metres.

Lawn edging keeps the grass neat and stops it spreading into your flower beds. Edging usually costs £8 to £20 per metre.

Waste removal is a major factor in landscaping costs. Disposing of old grass and soil costs about £200. If the job is large enough to need a skip or a grab lorry, expect to pay £200 to £350 plus labour. A business that transports waste, including its own, must register as a waste carrier and can get an unlimited fine if it does not. Registered carriers appear on a public register of waste carriers that anyone can search online. You can read more about these disposal fees in our guide on what garden clearance costs.

How long turfing takes

A small lawn of up to 25 square metres takes about one day. A typical 50 square metre lawn takes one to two days, and a two-person crew can often finish a straightforward one in a day. A large 100 square metre lawn takes two to three days.

These timeframes assume the ground is already in reasonable condition. Heavy clearance, rotavating, or importing topsoil adds half a day to a full day to the project. Stripping an old lawn adds about a day of labour.

Access is a major factor in how long the work takes. Everything carried through the house costs more because the landscapers must work slower to protect your floors and walls.

The time of year also matters. Turf is best laid in mid-autumn, but it can be laid any time between mid-autumn and early spring whenever the soil is not too wet or frosty. The Royal Horticultural Society advises against laying turf from mid-spring to early autumn because it struggles to establish in hot weather and needs repeated watering.

Turf or seed on a budget

If the cost of laying turf is too high, growing a lawn from seed is a cheaper alternative. Seeding a lawn costs about £3 to £6 per square metre. Seed is cheaper and offers a wider choice of grass mixes for different soil types and shade levels.

The main disadvantage of seed is how long it takes to grow. Turf gives an instant result, but a seeded lawn takes 8 to 12 weeks before it can be used. Germination alone takes about seven to ten days.

You also have a narrower window for sowing seed. The best times to sow a lawn from seed are autumn, which means September to November, or mid-spring, which means March to April.

Should you lay turf yourself?

Laying a lawn is heavy, tiring work. You can save money by doing it yourself, but you must be prepared to move tonnes of wet grass and soil by hand.

If you choose to do the work, you must follow the correct professional process. Turf should be laid within 24 hours of delivery if possible, so you cannot leave it sitting on pallets over the weekend. You must stagger the joints like brickwork and push the pieces tightly together with no gaps. You must stand on boards to avoid footprints and firm the grass gently with a light roller.

In dry weather, you must water regularly to keep newly laid turf constantly moist. Once it has rooted well, which is usually about three weeks after laying, you can mow it with the blades set high.

A professional landscape contractor earns their money by completing this heavy work quickly and accurately. They handle the heavy lifting, know how to prepare the soil, and understand exactly when to lay turf so it survives.

Planning rules and landscape protections

Laying natural turf does not normally require planning permission. If the new lawn is part of a bigger project with paving, decking or new boundaries, those parts can have their own planning rules, and the rules differ across the UK, so check with your council if you are unsure. Listed buildings need consent for significant work.

If your new lawn requires clearing large plants, be careful with mature trees. A Tree Preservation Order makes it an offence to cut down, lop, uproot, or damage a protected tree without the council's consent. Work on trees in a conservation area normally needs six weeks' notice to the council.

Landscaping is not a licensed trade, so vetted membership and evidence of past work matter. The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) says its Accredited members are vetted on workmanship, skill, and health and safety. The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) says members are assessed, regularly inspected, and TrustMark accredited. TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme. If you are hiring a designer before the turf is laid, the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers (SGLD) is the professional body for designers. Membership of these bodies is a good sign, not a guarantee.

How to spot poor landscaping practices

Poor preparation can leave you with a lawn that struggles in its first summer or stays waterlogged in winter. You should always avoid doorstep callers offering cheap paving or leftover materials. Cash deals with no written specification leave you with little proof of what was agreed if things go wrong.

For natural grass, a common shortcut is laying new turf straight over an old lawn or failing to dig out weeds.

If your garden project includes hard landscaping, watch out for a thin or missing sub-base. A sub-base is the compacted crushed stone, often called MOT Type 1, that sits under paving and artificial grass to provide strength. Paving slabs should never be laid on dabs of mortar instead of a full bed. If the contractor does not calculate falls, which is the slight slope that sheds water, puddles will form on your patio or water will run towards your house.

What a good turfing quote should include

A professional turfing quote protects you from unexpected bills. Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three different traders.

A proper written quote should clearly state:

• The total area of the lawn in square metres
• The specific turf grade and named materials being supplied
• How deep the ground will be dug or rotavated and how the soil will be prepared
• The amount of topsoil being imported
• The type and length of any lawn edging
• The cost of waste removal and confirmation of who takes it away
• Clear watering instructions for the new grass
• Any guarantee provided by the landscaper

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, work must be done with reasonable care and skill. If it is not, you can ask for it to be put right or seek a partial or full refund. Citizens Advice recommends agreeing a written contract covering the work, timings, clean-up, materials, and payment terms.

You should keep deposits to no more than 25 per cent and pay by card rather than cash. Larger jobs are paid in stages, and you should never pay the full amount upfront. You might be able to cancel within 14 days of telling the trader to go ahead or signing a written contract. Before you make the final payment, check that the ground is completely level, the turf joints are pushed tightly together with no gaps, and the site has been entirely cleared of waste.

Common questions

How much is turfing per square metre?

A new lawn supplied and laid typically costs £12 to £38 per square metre. The grass itself costs £3 to £10 per square metre, while the labour and basic preparation make up the rest. Small lawns cost more per square metre because of minimum job charges.

Why do quotes for the same lawn differ so much?

The main cost drivers for landscaping are the area, groundwork, levels, access, waste removal, drainage, and materials. Quotes differ because some landscapers include deep rotavating, proper waste disposal and premium grass, while a cheaper quote may leave some of these out.

How soon can you walk on newly laid turf?

You should stay off the grass until it has rooted securely into the soil below. This usually takes about three weeks. After this period, you can walk on it and mow it with the mower blades set high.

Are lawn turfing prices higher in London?

Yes, landscaping costs more in London and the South East. Across most of the UK a supplied and laid lawn typically costs £15 to £30 per square metre, while in London and the South East it is £20 to £38 per square metre.

Next steps before you hire

Before you contact a local landscaper, make sure you know exactly what you want them to quote for. A clear plan helps you compare different prices accurately.

• Measure your garden area in square metres
• Decide if you need standard grass or a premium hard-wearing grade
• Check how the landscapers will access the garden and carry materials
• Ask contractors for two to three recent references from previous customers
• Check the trader has valid insurance documents

Once you have your measurements and know what to ask, you can find a landscaper near you to get your garden project started.