How Much Does SOD Cost

According to Wikipedia, a SOD, also called a turf in British English, is a grass or part of the soil that is held together by the roots or a piece of thin material. Sod is used and planted in lawns, golf courses, and sport stadiums. Basically, it is utilized to avoid soil erosion.

Cost Of SOD

If you need it computed per square inch, it is priced at eighty to thirty centavos. So on average, if the property is on the usual 2000 square-feet mark, it will cost you around $160 to $600 for the entire land.

You have to remember that the 2000 square feet is the minimum, so your computation should allow more expenses if you are expecting to cover a bigger land area. There are available sites online

If you will have the sod installed by a professional, the cost of sod plus the labor and other materials will be a total of $1,748, on a good estimate.

The price depends on a number of factors such as the type of sod you need, how much of it would you be purchasing, where you will buy it, and where you will be placing it. As for the types of sod, there is high grade (amounting to $1,854.55 mid-grade (amounting to $2,940.97), and low grade (amounting to $4,027.39) to choose from.

SodGod.com has enumerated these factors in their website.

Location

This particular factor affects the cost of sod highly, because here you have to consider adding the shipping fees in your computation. Plus, you have to remember that some types of sod may not be good for long travels. Of course you would not want to sacrifice the quality of the grass in exchange of money; otherwise, it will only be put to waste.

Type of Land and Degree of Difficulty

The type of land or soil where you will be putting the sod is also a huge factor in the work, whether you are planning to have it done by a professional or doing it yourself. If the land area is flat, the work will be done faster and will definitely cost you less. If on the other hand the land has a slope or in an irregular shape, it will take the laborers extra effort to flatten it, so you will have to pay them extra.

Take note that some work needs to be done by hand. Factors such as this affect the sod prices, especially if you are planning to give the contractor extra credits or tip.

Another important thing to remember is that the contractor should first check your property before he gives out an estimate.

Do-it-Yourself Sod Project

Are you planning to do this project by yourself? Maybe you want to save up some money?

If your answer is yes, then you have to know that the task is not a piece of cake. You can do your own research and your own shopping all you want, but still there is a huge room for mistakes. The truth is, the laying out process is not as easy as we think it is, especially if the land is not flat (which is the usual case).

Also, you have to be in the know of the possible danger or too much difficulty that this DIY sod project may bring. As stated in the SodGod website, some of these hassles involve the following: (1) breaking your bones or having your body suffer from lifting the sod itself (because one pallet already weighs 35 pounds—that’s around five average-sized babies); and (2) tiring yourself from preparing or clearing up the property days before.

Aside from the difficulty, there is also a possibility of doubling your expenses instead of saving up. Initially, if you pick the wrong sod (which is highly possible if you lack advice and proper research) it will only cost you more because you will need to acquire equipment that will pull out the wrong grass. This will not only make you more bankrupt but will also make you feel disappointed about yourself.

Professional Service

On the other hand, if you are up to contacting an expert with sod installation, you have to know that this is, even for these people, a dirty and tedious work. This means that if you hire someone else to do it for you, then they have to be paid accordingly for their time and effort. In comparison to the average sod prices, there is a significant increase when you have it installed. It goes up to 14 centavos to around 60 centavos per square foot.

The increase may not end in this range, though. There are instances when the land area needs a special arrangement and will, therefore need special equipment. This happens in instances like your property is hard to access. In this case, you will be charged extra. The advantage of having the special equipment though is that the work can be done a lot faster, resulting in a project done earlier.

Tips for Saving Up

Now if it is still a battle between whether you are going to do this by yourself or hiring some expert help, then you can turn to these few tips from Sod God on how to make the most out of your purchase.

First, you need to make a smart move by taking not only one but a lot of estimates from several different contractors. This will be practical since you can compare and contrast the estimates and select the best deal from there.

In asking for an estimate, be sure to inquire about the discounts that they offer. Or better yet, this will be the best time for you to use your bargaining skills. If these contractors want the project, which is highly likely, they will agree to a certain deal. Ask how much does sod cost and just haggle with the contractor as well as you can.