Turf or Sod, and What Turf Really Costs
Artificial turf and sod are not competitors so much as answers to different yards. Deep shade, a dog run, a slope, or a lawn that has already failed twice is a turf problem; real sun with irrigation in place is a sod problem. This guide is how we tell them apart, what each costs, and what to look for in a quote — because on a turf job almost all of the quality is in the part you cannot see once it is finished.
Which one your yard supports
- Artificial turf or sod?
Sod is the right answer in real sun with irrigation in place. Artificial turf is the right answer in heavy shade, in dog runs, on slopes, and anywhere natural grass has already failed twice. We will tell you which one your yard actually supports.
What each one costs
The published ranges for both surfaces and for a putting green, which is turf built to a different standard again.
| Service | Typical range | Measured rate |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base | $8,000 – $25,000 | $9 – $16 per sq ft installed |
| Houston Sod Installation, Graded, Amended and Watered In | $3,500 – $12,000 | $1.50 – $2.75 per sq ft installed |
| Houston Putting Green Installation With a True Roll | $12,000 – $30,000 | $22 – $35 per sq ft installed |
What you are paying for under the surface
The turf itself is a product anyone can buy. What separates one installation from another is the excavation, the base, the drainage, and how the seams and edges are handled — which is why these are the scope items on our own page.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Excavation & Base
Existing surface removed and a compacted aggregate base built to grade. The base is what keeps the turf flat and draining years later.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Drainage
Permeable base and, where the grade calls for it, drain lines beneath the turf so water leaves rather than sitting under it.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Turf Selection
Pile height, blade shape, colour, and density chosen for the use — a play lawn, a dog run, and a putting surround are not the same product.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Seaming & Anchoring
Seams cut and joined so they disappear, edges anchored and hidden against paving, borders, and planting beds.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Infill & Finishing
Infill brushed in to set the blades upright and stabilise the surface, with pet-appropriate options where the yard needs them.
- Artificial Turf Installation Built on a Drainage Base — Paver & Turf Detailing
Turf run as inlay between concrete or stone pavers, cut tight to the joint so the grid reads as one deliberate surface.
Questions to put to any turf quote
Two quotes for the same lawn can differ by half, and it is rarely the turf. Ask each of these of every bid and the difference usually explains itself.
How deep is the base, what aggregate is it, and is it compacted in lifts?
What happens to the water under the turf — permeable base alone, or drain lines as well?
Which turf product is it, at what pile height, density, and face weight?
Is the backing pet-rated, and is the infill appropriate for dogs if the yard has them?
How are seams cut and joined, and where will they fall relative to how the lawn is viewed?
How are edges anchored and concealed against paving, borders, and beds?
Is the existing surface being removed, or is turf being laid over it?
What is the manufacturer warranty on the product, and is it registered in my name?
What is warranted by the installer as workmanship, separately from the product?
Is the price a per-square-foot rate, and what does that rate include and exclude?