How Much Does Artificial Grass Cost?

What’s the Total Cost of Artificial Grass?

While there are many various types of artificial grass and different ranges on the market, you can expect to pay anything from £45-80 per m². This includes all associated costs, such as the subbase, labour and installation. The grass itself will be cheaper than this, but as an example on the high end of the scale, a 30m² garden could end up costing you £2,400 from start to finish.

Types of Artificial Grass

Artificial grass comes in three main types: nylon, polypropylene and polyethylene. The manufacturing process for each of these types is slightly different, but they can range from £10 per m² to £50. This can be the difference between standard, mid-range and top-end artificial grass.

Standard range artificial grass can be between £9 and £14 per m². This can depend on the options of thickness and realism. The cheaper option is usually best suited for areas of your lawn that you’re not so bothered about or might have high use.

Mid-range artificial grass will be anything from £14-£24 per m². The middle range is for those with a higher budget that are looking for more realism and a slightly more natural feel. Thicker grass will set you back more.

Top-end artificial grass is way above the other two levels. At £45-80 per m², it focuses on realism, thickness and endurance. The higher price tag may cause you to flinch, but you may be able to get a better economy of scale depending on the size of your garden.

Some manufacturers even recommend having a combination of different types of artificial grass to maximise on the various benefits. This will end up costing you more though.

What Other Factors Affect the Price?

While types of artificial grass greatly affect the price, the real costs to consider are in the detail of your garden. You’ll need to be aware of its size and shape, the existing surface and how much waste there will be.

Size and Shape of Your Garden

Simply put, the bigger your garden, the higher your costs will be. This isn’t just to cover the cost of the artificial grass, but the labour costs included as well. A larger garden will require a greater length of time to properly fit. Likewise, the shape plays a big role too. A rectangular or square shape is the easiest to fit, but you may have more of an irregular garden that doesn’t quite fit a standard size.

Additionally, artificial grass usually comes in two widths: two metres or four metres. It is rare to find a company that produces non-standard widths, but the length of your garden will dictate how much wastage you’ll have. You may need to order an additional roll to finish off the length of your garden, so it’s important to budget for an extra roll.

Existing Surface

Artificial grass requires a flat surface. Even before the grass can be installed, the ground needs to be level and fitted with a suitable sub-base. This will ensure it drains well so there is no waterlogging. Likewise, your existing grass needs to be removed. If your garden doesn’t already have good drainage, the topsoil might also need to come off.

Installation Costs

The next cost you’ll need to consider with artificial grass is the installation. This is usually at a daily rate and can be from £300 to around £600, but it comes back to what artificial grass you’ve chosen and the state of your garden. While we’ve put the cost as a daily rate, this can sometimes be given on a cost per m² and an hourly rate on top.

You should be realistic though as a 30m² garden can be completed in a day, but the garden will need to be prepared beforehand and any waste removed. If you have a larger garden, you can expect the installation to stretch over a few days.

You are able to get around this cost by fitting artificial grass yourself, but the installer will usually get a better rate for the removal of any material. If you’re fitting it yourself, you’ll have to take into account the cost associated with hiring a skip and potentially also hiring equipment. If you pay for installation, you’ll receive a perfectly level garden, even cuts and seamless joins; something you can’t necessarily guarantee yourself.

Additional Costs Associated With Artificial Grass

The artificial grass installed in your garden is finished with a brushed layer of sand. Some installers may skip this step to give you a cheaper quote, but brushing sand into your artificial grass prolongs its life. Not only this, but it helps the grass swards to stand up straight and look more natural. It also helps prevent rippling, protects the artificial fibres, increases fire resistance, improves drainage, keeps your lawn cooler, prevents static and the growth of weeds. You may even receive a bag of sand with your installation, which will cut down on future costs.

Silica, or kiln-dried, sand is a very fine sand that sets deep into the pile and lies underneath the visible surface of the artificial grass. It doesn’t contain any moisture and prevents weeds from appearing in your otherwise pristine lawn. The recommended amount of sand is 4kg per m², and this can set you back £5-£40 for every 20-25kg, depending on type and manufacturer. This is a small cost to take into account for maintenance, but it’s an additional cost all the same.

If you look after your artificial grass well enough, it can last 15 years or longer, giving you a better investment. Higher quality grass will generally last longer, but a little maintenance will always help, no matter what type of artificial grass you have.

Overview of Costs

For more information, see our guide on artificial grass pros and cons.