The short answer
Turfing a lawn in the UK typically costs around £15–£30 per square metre supplied and laid, depending on turf grade and how much ground preparation is needed. The turf material itself is usually £3–£10 per m² — budget rye turf at the lower end, premium turf at the top — with ground preparation and laying labour adding roughly £10–£20 per m². For a typical small-to-medium garden that works out at around £750–£1,500 for 50m² before heavy works. Levelling, excavation or new topsoil can push complex jobs toward £20–£30 per m², and prices tend to run higher in London and the South East. The main drivers are garden size, access, and how much ground work the site needs.
Price depends mainly on how many square metres you have, how much the ground needs reworking, and access for barrowing turf and soil. The figures below are typical supplied-and-laid prices for guidance, not quotations.
Typical UK costs
- Supplied & laid£15–£30 / m²
- Turf material only£3–£10 / m²
- Ground prep & laying~£10–£20 / m²
- Levelling / excavation~£20–£30 / m²
- Small garden (~50m²)~£750–£1,500
What drives the price
- Garden size: you pay largely per square metre, so a bigger lawn costs more in both turf and labour.
- Ground condition: a flat, clear site is cheaper than one needing the old lawn stripped, levelling or fresh topsoil imported.
- Turf grade: budget rye turf and premium hard-wearing or ornamental turf sit at different price points.
- Access: if turf, topsoil and waste have to be barrowed a long way or through a house, labour rises.
| Item | Typical figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Supplied & laid | £15–£30 / m² | varies by grade & ground work |
| Turf material only | £3–£10 / m² | budget rye to premium turf |
| Ground prep & laying | ~£10–£20 / m² | clearing, rotovating, firming |
| Levelling / excavation | ~£20–£30 / m² | complex sites, new topsoil |
Indicative UK figures for guidance. Sources: Checkatrade and MyJobQuote turfing cost guides.
Why ground preparation is most of the cost
The turf itself is rarely the expensive part — a roll of quality turf is only a few pounds per square metre. Most of the bill is the ground work: stripping the old lawn, rotovating to relieve compaction, raking level, firming, and topping up with topsoil so the roots have at least 100mm to grow into. Skimping here is a false economy, because turf laid on poor, lumpy or compacted ground roots badly and patches out within a season. When you compare quotes, the difference is usually in how much preparation each one includes.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to turf a lawn?
Typically around £15–£30 per square metre supplied and laid, which works out at roughly £750–£1,500 for a 50m² garden before heavy ground works. Complex sites needing levelling or new topsoil can reach £20–£30 per m².
How much of the cost is the turf itself?
Usually only £3–£10 per square metre — budget rye turf at the lower end, premium turf higher. Most of the price is ground preparation and laying labour, which adds roughly £10–£20 per m².
Why is the price range so wide?
Because gardens differ. The size, how much the ground needs reworking, the turf grade and access all move the figure. A measured quote gives the accurate number for your garden.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific garden. They are guidance, not a quotation.