There are very many good reasons why you would want to have an artificial turf installed on your property. Chief among those reasons is the fact that it is cost-effective. While the initial installation might be a little costly, the overall maintenance and care costs are much friendlier than having natural grass on your lawn. Generally speaking, caring for artificial grass cost less than real grass.
For starters, you will no longer have to worry about paying so much on your water bill each month just because you spent a lot of time watering your lawn to give it that lush look. Artificial turf doesn’t need watering!
Secondly, you don’t have to occasionally pay a gardener or landscaper to make sure that your property is presentable. In fact, you don’t even have to hurt your back, making sure that your property is well-groomed. Artificial grass doesn’t grow and therefore does not need constant mowing or weeding.
How Much Does It Cost to Have Artificial Grass Installed?
The thing about having artificial grass installed is that there is a slew of ways through which you can utilize it. You could:
- Have it on your lawn
- Use it on your balcony
- Put it around your swimming pool
- Use it to make a play area for either your kids or your pets
- Use it as decorative borders between your patio pavers
- Use it to build your own putting green
The fact that it looks really goods makes artificial grass a frontrunner when it comes to economically sound landscaping options. But how much does it really cost to have synthetic turf installed on your property?
The answer to that question depends on a number of factors:
- How big an area you want to cover – artificial turf is sold in terms of square feet
- What type of artificial grass you want to install – different types of artificial grass are made of different materials with nylon being the strongest, polyethylene being soft and reasonably priced, and polypropylene being the cheapest.
Typically, however, these are the kind of numbers you would expect to get when looking to buy and install artificial turf:
How Much the Artificial Turf is Going to Cost
There will be a huge initial upfront cost with most types of artificial grass costing between $5 to $20 per square foot. Once you know how much the particular type of artificial turf you want to buy costs per square foot, it’s all about measuring the area you want covered to get the total amount you will spend on the turf itself.
How Much the Infill is Going to Cost
For the most part, you will need to use some kind of infill. This is what you spread over the turf to add weight to it so that the individual grass blades remain upright, and the entire area remains flat as opposed to bumpy and crumpled as you would see with a house rug when the kids are done playing on it. Infill is measured and sold in pounds. You should expect to buy about 1/2lb or 1lb of your chosen infill per square foot of artificial turf.
How much you will spend on the infill will be determined by what type of infill you choose, how much foot traffic your artificial turf gets, what type of turf you have installed, and how big the area covered by artificial turf is on your property. Typically, you should expect to pay about $0.50 to $1.05 per square foot.
There are also synthetic turfs that don’t require the use of any kind of infill. These no-infill turf options are, however, a little pricier than the regular type of turf.
DIY or Hiring a Professional?
Artificial turf installation is one of those projects that you can undertake by yourself. However, if you intend to go the DIY way, there are some additional costs with which you must contend. These costs include the money you will spend on tools and materials.
Some of the things you will need include:
- A cutter
- Nails or landscape anchor pins
- Adhesive
- Seaming tape
- Optional items: Carpet kicker and weed barrier
- A marker
- A rake
- Infill (if required)
- A broom
- Garbage removal
Of course, you might already have some of these tools. The prices here will depend on how much your local hardware store charges for these items.
You could also choose to hire a professional. In which case, you should expect to be charged by the square foot of turf laid down. Different contractors charge differently, but the average going rate for a professionally installed turf should be around $5 – $8 per square foot.
Tips on How to Save Money and Keep Within Budget when Installing Artificial Grass
Your artificial grass cost could be higher or much lower, depending on a few factors. If you are keen on keeping that cost low or you have a budget within which you must remain, here are some tips on how to ensure that you do that:
Compare artificial turf prices: Start by deciding what kind of turf you want installed and examine the main reasons why you want that particular type of turf. For the most part, you will find that vanity plays a much bigger role than practicality.
This means that you can switch to much cheaper options if you take practicality into consideration and leave vanity out. Once you have settled on a particular type of artificial grass, look around to compare prices. Try online stores like Amazon as well as local land-based stores in your area.
Consider doing it yourself: Apart from the cost that comes with buying the tools and materials, doing it yourself is the best options for three main reasons: you get to own the tools you buy anyway; you get to learn a skill and enjoy the experience; you get to save money since you don’t have to spend $5 – $8 on a professional.
Learn the entire process before buying into it: One of the most expensive things in this world is ignorance. If you don’t know everything that goes into the artificial turf installation process, you could be at risk of being taken advantage of by your contractor.
While most contractors are trustworthy and will only charge for actual work done, it pays to know exactly what is needed, so you don’t get charged for unnecessary materials and services rendered.
If you have the time, you can accompany the contractor as they install artificial turf on a smaller portion of your property. Once you know how to do it and the artificial grass cost that goes with installing one square foot of it, then you can go about installing it yourself on a much bigger portion of the property to save money on contractor fees.