Lawn Care · Costs
Sod runs $1 to $2 a square foot laid. Ripping out the old lawn can double it.
Professionally installed sod on prepared ground costs about $1.00 to $2.00 per square foot in HomeGuide’s October 2025 cost guide, and $1.50 to $4.00 when the crew has to strip and haul away an old lawn first. On a 2,000 sq ft yard that works out to roughly $2,000 to $4,000 for a straight install and $3,000 to $8,000 for a full resod.
INSTALLED, NEW LAWN
$1.00–$2.00 per sq ft
REMOVE AND RESOD
$1.50–$4.00 per sq ft
SOD ONLY, PER PALLET
$130–$360
ONE PALLET COVERS
About 400–500 sq ft
What sod installation costs in 2026
Two national cost guides were current when this was written. HomeGuide’s sod installation cost guide is dated October 31, 2025, and HomeAdvisor’s sod cost guide was updated June 19, 2026. They broadly agree on a new lawn and differ more on resodding, where HomeAdvisor runs higher. Both are national ranges built from contractor and homeowner reports, so treat them as a starting point for quotes, not a price list.
| Item | HomeGuide (Oct 2025) | HomeAdvisor (Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Installed on bare, prepared soil | $1.00–$2.00 per sq ft | $1.00–$2.50 per sq ft |
| Remove old lawn and resod | $1.50–$4.00 per sq ft | $2.00–$4.50 per sq ft |
| Sod material only | $0.30–$0.80 per sq ft; $130–$360 per pallet | $0.35–$0.85 per sq ft |
| Installation labor | $0.50–$1.00 per sq ft | Included in installed price |
| Old grass removal and haul-away | $0.50–$2.00 per sq ft | Included in resod price |
| Grading an uneven or sloped yard | $0.40–$2.00 per sq ft | $1.00–$3.00 per sq ft |
| Delivery | $50–$250 per load | $65–$230 per truckload |
Worked example: a 2,000 sq ft front yard
Measure the area first; the lawn size calculator handles odd shapes. Here is the arithmetic for 2,000 sq ft using the HomeGuide ranges unless noted.
| Scenario | Math | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Pallets needed | 2,000 ÷ 450 sq ft per pallet (HomeAdvisor) = 4.4, round up | 5 pallets |
| DIY: sod plus one delivery | (5 × $130) + $50 = $700 to (5 × $360) + $250 = $2,050 | $700–$2,050 |
| Pro install on prepared soil | 2,000 × $1.00 to 2,000 × $2.00 | $2,000–$4,000 |
| Pro remove and resod | 2,000 × $1.50 to 2,000 × $4.00 | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Same resod, HomeAdvisor range | 2,000 × $2.00 to 2,000 × $4.50 | $4,000–$9,000 |
| Add 6 in of topsoil, if the site needs it | 19 cu yd per 1,000 sq ft (Purdue) × 2 = 38 cu yd; 38 × $10 to 38 × $50 per cu yd (HomeGuide) | $380–$1,900, material only |
The gap between the DIY line and the pro lines is mostly labor and site prep. HomeGuide puts installation labor alone at $0.50 to $1.00 per sq ft, which is $1,000 to $2,000 on this yard (2,000 × $0.50 and 2,000 × $1.00). The topsoil figure comes from Purdue Extension’s sod establishment guide, which says a 6-inch layer takes about 19 cubic yards per 1,000 sq ft; most yards need amending, not a full new layer, so this is a ceiling rather than a typical line item.
What moves the price
The sod itself is the cheap part. The bill climbs with everything that has to happen before the first roll goes down.
| Factor | What it adds | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An existing lawn to remove | $0.50–$2.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide) | Cutting, hauling and dumping the old turf is often as much work as laying the new |
| Grading or a slope | $0.40–$2.00 (HomeGuide) or $1.00–$3.00 (HomeAdvisor) per sq ft | Equipment and fill to get water flowing away from the house |
| Irregular shapes, beds, hardscape | Up to 10% of the total (HomeAdvisor) | More cutting, more waste, slower laying |
| Extreme heat | 10%–15% above 95°F (HomeGuide) | Sod has to go down faster and be watered in immediately |
| Grass type | See the table below | Growers price by species, region and supply |
| Permit | $40–$300 where required (HomeGuide) | Some towns and HOAs regulate regrading and lawn replacement |
| Soil test | $10–$50 (HomeGuide) | Cheap insurance; it tells you whether lime or fertilizer belongs under the sod |
Sod price by grass type
Material only, per square foot, from HomeGuide (October 2025). The ranges overlap heavily, so local availability usually matters more than species. Buy the grass that suits your climate and shade; our tall fescue vs Kentucky bluegrass and Bermuda vs St. Augustine guides help with that.
| Grass | Sod, per sq ft | 2,000 sq ft of sod |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | $0.30–$0.55 | $600–$1,100 |
| Tall fescue | $0.35–$0.70 | $700–$1,400 |
| Perennial ryegrass | $0.40–$0.85 | $800–$1,700 |
| Bermuda | $0.30–$0.85 | $600–$1,700 |
| St. Augustine | $0.30–$0.80 | $600–$1,600 |
| Zoysia | $0.28–$0.80 | $560–$1,600 |
| Centipede | $0.35–$0.90 | $700–$1,800 |
Sod or seed?
On price alone, seed wins by a wide margin. HomeAdvisor (June 2026) puts professional seeding at $0.10 to $0.20 per sq ft, so the same 2,000 sq ft yard is $200 to $400 (2,000 × $0.10 and 2,000 × $0.20) against $2,000 to $4,000 for installed sod. What sod buys is time and reliability: Purdue notes it gives an instant cover that stops erosion and mud, and it can go in when seeding conditions are poor. If you have a fall seeding window ahead and can keep seed damp for three weeks, seed is the better value. If you need a usable lawn this month, on a slope that will wash, sod earns its price. Seed rates for each grass are in how much grass seed do I need.
Stop if the yard drains toward the house.
New sod over a bad grade just locks the problem in. Purdue says the rough grade should fall away from the foundation for at least 15 feet, and a drop of about 1 foot in 50 usually drains well. If water pools near the house, the job needs a grading quote before a sod quote, and that is equipment work, not a weekend with a rake. The same goes for laying sod in a heat wave: Purdue warns that sod installed above 90°F may not root until the weather cools, so a cheap July install can turn into a second order of sod.
If you would rather hand the prep and install to someone else, LawnPhix’s lawn care services page connects you with a lawn care company serving your area.
Protecting the money once it’s down
Most sod failures are watering failures in the first two weeks. Purdue’s guidance is to water thoroughly right after rolling, then water every morning until the sod is rooted, which usually takes about 10 days; in hot, dry spells that can mean more than one watering a day. Most grasses root in 10 to 14 days in good conditions. Lift a corner to check: new white roots holding into the soil mean you can start watering less often and more deeply. Our guide to the best time to water grass covers the switch.
Timing matters for price too. Purdue rates fall as the best time to sod cool-season grasses like tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, while warm-season grasses such as zoysia and Bermuda do best in early to midsummer. Ordering in the right window avoids the heat surcharge and the replacement order.
Sod installation cost FAQs
How much does a pallet of sod cost?
HomeGuide’s October 2025 guide puts sod alone at $130 to $360 a pallet, and $400 to $1,000 a pallet installed, not counting old-lawn removal.
How many square feet is a pallet of sod?
HomeGuide gives 400 to 500 sq ft; HomeAdvisor uses 450. Confirm with your supplier, because pallet sizes vary by farm. Divide your area by the pallet coverage and round up.
Is it cheaper to lay sod yourself?
Yes, by the labor: HomeGuide prices it at $0.50 to $1.00 per sq ft. The catch is prep. Stripping an old lawn and grading by hand is the hard part, and it is where DIY savings disappear.
Can you lay sod over existing grass?
Not if you want it to root. New sod needs firm contact with loosened, prepared soil, which is why every resod estimate above includes removing the old turf.
How much does it cost to sod a quarter acre?
HomeGuide lists $11,000 to $22,000 for a quarter acre installed, before old-lawn removal. That is roughly 10,890 sq ft at its $1 to $2 per sq ft range.
Related guides
Sources: HomeGuide: Sod Installation Cost (Oct 31, 2025) · HomeAdvisor: Sod Installation Cost (updated Jun 19, 2026) · HomeAdvisor: Cost to Seed a Lawn (updated Jun 20, 2026) · Purdue Extension: Establishing a Lawn from Sod (AY-28-W)
