Turfing

TL;DR — Turfing Cost At A Glance

• Turfing costs £15 – £30 per m² supplied and laid outside London, rising to £20 – £38 per m² in London and the South East.
• That breaks down as roughly £3 – £10 per m² for the turf itself plus £10 – £20 per m² for labour, with ground levelling adding around £20 per m² if the soil needs work.
• A new 50m² lawn typically costs £750 – £1,500 (rest of UK); a 100m² lawn £1,500 – £3,000.
• The biggest cost drivers are turf quality, how much ground preparation is needed, garden size and access — prep is where budgets are won or lost.
• Prices usually include laying but not always old-lawn removal, topsoil or waste disposal — always confirm what the quote covers.
• Turf is far cheaper up front than artificial grass, but needs mowing and watering; spring and autumn are the best times to lay it.

Get a fixed price to turf your garden — check prices and book online or request a site visit to nail down the ground-prep needed.

How Much Does Turfing Cost In 2026?

Laying a new lawn costs £15 – £30 per m² supplied and laid across most of the UK, rising to £20 – £38 per m² in London and the South East. That all-in rate covers the turf, the labour to lay it, and a basic level of ground preparation. For a typical 50m² back garden you're looking at £750 – £1,500, and for a larger 100m² lawn around £1,500 – £3,000 — though the final figure swings a lot on how much work the ground underneath needs first.

That's the key thing to understand about turfing: the turf is the cheap part. Rolls of quality turf cost only a few pounds per square metre. What you're really paying for is the preparation — clearing the old lawn or weeds, removing debris, rotavating, levelling, raking to a fine tilth and firming it down — because a beautiful lawn lives or dies on the soil beneath it. Skimp on prep and you get bumps, dips, weeds and thin patches within a season.

Here's what you can expect to pay to have a lawn turfed across the UK:

Figures include VAT where applicable and reflect 2026 market rates. Small lawns can cost slightly more per m² because of minimum charges. Get a fixed quote here.

Turfing Cost By Garden Size

The by-size ranges above assume ground in reasonable shape. If your garden needs a full strip-out and re-level, add roughly £20 per m² to the figures — that can push a 50m² lawn from £1,000 toward £2,000 once prep is included. This table shows the typical all-in spend for the three most common lawn sizes:

The Turf Vs Labour Split — Where Your Money Goes

Turfing is one job where it genuinely helps to see the components separately. The all-in £15 – £30 per m² breaks down roughly like this:

The turf itself comes in quality tiers, and it's worth choosing the right one for how the lawn will be used:

What Affects The Cost Of Turfing?

Several factors decide where you land in the ranges above.

1. The Amount Of Ground Preparation

This is the single biggest variable. Laying turf onto ground that's already clear and level is quick. Stripping an old, weedy or bumpy lawn — then rotavating, adding topsoil and levelling — can double the prep cost and add around £20 per m². A site visit is the only reliable way to price this.

2. Turf Quality And Type

Budget turf keeps costs down but is less hard-wearing; premium, shade-tolerant or hard-wearing turf costs more per roll but lasts and looks better under family use. The difference between budget and premium turf across a 50m² lawn is only a few hundred pounds — often worth paying.

3. Garden Size And Shape

Larger lawns cost more in total but often less per m², because the crew is set up and working efficiently. Awkward shapes with lots of curves, borders and obstacles create more cutting-in and waste, nudging the per-m² rate up.

4. Access

Turf is heavy and perishable — it should be laid within 24 hours of delivery. If barrows have to travel through a house, up steps or down a narrow side return, the extra handling time adds to labour. Easy rear access keeps costs down.

5. Old-Lawn And Waste Removal

Stripping an existing lawn generates a surprising volume of heavy waste. Removal is usually charged on top (£20 – £50 or more), or a skip may be needed for large jobs. Some homeowners keep the waste to save money.

6. Your Location

London and the South East run roughly 15–30% higher than the North, Wales and Scotland, reflecting higher labour and disposal costs.

What's Included — And What's Not

Get the scope in writing — especially whether prep and waste removal are in or out — so the quote matches the final bill.

Can I Do It Myself?

Turfing is a realistic DIY job for a fit, patient homeowner on a small, straightforward lawn — the turf is inexpensive, and the laying itself isn't complicated. Where DIY comes unstuck is the preparation and the timing. Getting the ground truly level and firm is hard, physical work, and turf is unforgiving: it must be laid quickly before it dries out and yellows, and the joints staggered like brickwork so they knit together.

Bring in a professional for anything beyond a small, level plot, when the ground needs stripping and re-levelling, or when you simply want a guaranteed even, weed-free finish first time. A pro crew turfs in hours what takes a weekend of DIY, sources fresh turf, and knows how to prepare a base that lasts. Given how much the look of a lawn depends on the invisible prep, this is a job where paying for expertise usually pays off.

How To Save Money On Turfing

• Do the ground prep yourself if you're able — clearing and roughly levelling ahead of the crew cuts the priciest part of the labour.
• Choose the right turf, not the dearest — mid-range turf suits most family lawns; save premium for high-traffic or shaded spots.
• Keep the old-lawn waste if your council or tip access is cheap, rather than paying for removal.
• Lay in spring or autumn, the cheaper, quieter, and horticulturally best windows — avoid the summer rush.
• Measure accurately and order a small margin (around 5%) for cutting-in, so you don't overpay or run short.
• Get 2–3 quotes and compare exactly what prep and waste removal each includes.

How To Hire A Good Turfing Specialist

Ask for recent examples of lawns they've laid, confirm they're insured, and get a written quote that spells out the turf grade, how much ground preparation is included, and whether old-lawn removal and waste disposal are covered. A good installer will visit first to assess the ground rather than pricing blind — that's your sign they take the prep seriously.

With Fantastic Services, you get vetted, insured gardeners, quality turf, transparent pricing and easy online booking — describe your garden's size and condition to get a price for a lush new lawn.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does Turfing Cost Per Square Metre?

In 2026, turfing costs £15 – £30 per m² supplied and laid across most of the UK, rising to £20 – £38 per m² in London. That covers the turf, labour and basic preparation. Heavy levelling or old-lawn removal is usually extra.

How Much Does It Cost To Turf A 50m² Garden?

A 50m² lawn typically costs £750 – £1,500 outside London and £1,000 – £1,900 in London, supplied and laid. If the ground needs a full strip-out and re-level, add roughly £20 per m² — around £1,000 more on a lawn that size.

What's The Difference Between The Turf Cost And The Labour Cost?

The turf itself is only £3 – £10 per m² depending on quality, while labour is £10 – £20 per m² and ground levelling adds around £20 per m² where needed. In other words, most of a turfing bill is preparation and laying, not the grass.

When Is The Best Time To Lay Turf?

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–October) are ideal — the soil is warm and moist, so turf roots quickly with less watering. Turf can be laid in summer but needs frequent watering to survive, and hard winter frosts should be avoided.

Is Real Turf Or Artificial Grass Cheaper?

Real turf is far cheaper to install — £15 – £30 per m² versus £50 – £90 per m² for artificial grass. Artificial grass costs more up front but needs no mowing or watering, so the comparison comes down to budget versus long-term upkeep.

How Long Before I Can Walk On A New Lawn?

Keep off new turf for 2–3 weeks while the roots establish, and water it daily in dry weather for the first few weeks. After about a month, it should be knitted in and ready for normal use; full hard-wearing maturity takes a season.

Do I Need To Remove The Old Lawn Before Turfing?

Usually, yes. Laying fresh turf over an old lawn or weeds traps thatch and leads to an uneven, patchy result. A proper job strips the old surface, prepares the soil and levels it first — which is why old-lawn removal and prep are the parts most worth paying a professional for.