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People generally price a new lawn by looking up the cost of turf per square metre. That number is real and it is also the smallest part of what a lawn costs, which is why quotations come back higher than expected.
What You Are Actually Paying For
- Clearing what is there. Stripping an old lawn, removing growth, taking out roots. On a neglected area this can be the largest single element
- Cultivating and levelling. Rotovating, grading, firming, raking. The part that decides whether the lawn is any good
- Topsoil, where it is needed. Frequently it is, and it is heavy, which means both the material and the carry
- The turf. The cheapest line on the quotation
- Laying it. Straightforward and quick by comparison
- Taking the waste away. Old turf and spoil are dense and heavy — a real cost rather than a rounding
The Things That Move It Most
What is there now
- Bare, cultivated soil — cheapest. Level and lay
- An existing tired lawn — strip it, cultivate, lay. The usual job
- Rough grass or a cleared area — more cultivation, more weed root removal
- Recently cleared overgrown ground — the most preparation, because perennial weed roots have to come out or they come through
Access
Turf is heavy. A pallet is around a tonne, and it does not go through a house easily. Where a vehicle can reach the garden, delivery is straightforward. Where every roll is barrowed forty metres down an alley, that is a substantial part of the day — and the same applies to the topsoil going in and the old turf coming out, in both directions.
Levels
A flat area needing a light grade is quick. Genuine level changes mean importing or moving soil, which is the single biggest variable on an awkward site.
What Does Not Change It Much
- The grade of turf. The difference between a decent hardwearing turf and a premium one is small against the preparation. Buy the hardwearing one
- Shape. Curves cost a little more in cutting and waste, not much
- Time of year, though summer laying needs more watering, which is your cost rather than ours
The one place not to economise is the preparation. A lawn laid on poor ground looks identical to a lawn laid on good ground for about three weeks, and then the difference becomes permanent. If the budget is tight, do a smaller area properly rather than a larger area thinly.
What Reduces It
- Combining with clearance or tree work, where the ground is being opened anyway
- Good access. Nothing else comes close for its effect on labour
- Being realistic about the area. Shaded ground that will not hold a lawn is money spent twice — better to plant it and turf what gets light
- Doing the watering yourself properly, which is free and is the difference between a lawn that establishes and one that does not
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Ask Us About Your Own Garden
Tell us roughly what area you want, what is there now, and how close a vehicle can get. Those three answers give an accurate figure.
Tell us what needs doing across Hertfordshire and we will quote for the work. Call 07388 094829, message us on WhatsApp or use the form below.