The hidden costs of artificial grass
The price per square metre gets quoted; the groundwork is where the money goes. Here is what an artificial-grass quote leaves out — and how to work out what the finished lawn really costs.
What the sticker leaves out
The single biggest number the grass price leaves out. Lifting old turf, excavating to a depth and disposing of the spoil is labour-heavy, and it is typically what separates a cheap headline rate from the finished cost.
A proper installation needs a compacted aggregate base — commonly a crushed-stone layer topped with sharp sand — plus a weed-suppressing membrane. These materials are priced per square metre on top of the grass itself and are easy to overlook.
The soil and turf dug out has to go somewhere. Skip hire or grab-lorry removal is often a separate line, and it rises with the depth excavated and how much spoil the job produces.
Timber, composite or metal edging to hold the perimeter, ground pins or nails, and jointing tape with adhesive where lengths meet are all consumables billed on top of the grass area.
A garden reached only through the house or a narrow side passage means everything is barrowed by hand, which adds labour time — so two lawns of the same size can cost very differently to install.
Artificial grass has a finite lifespan — often quoted at around 10 to 15 years — after which much of the cost recurs. Periodic brushing, occasional infill top-ups and cleaning are modest but real running costs in between.
Why the per-square-metre price misleads
Suppliers quote artificial grass by the square metre, and that figure is real — but it usually covers only the roll of grass, not the job. A durable lawn needs the old surface excavated, spoil removed, a compacted aggregate sub-base laid and levelled, a membrane, edging and jointing before a blade of it goes down. The groundwork and labour routinely dwarf the material, so a low price per square metre can quietly be the dearer installation once everything is added up. Comparing quotes on the grass rate alone is exactly the mistake that hides the true cost.
How to work out your true cost
Start from the grass for your area, allowing for offcuts and waste, then add ground preparation and excavation, the sub-base aggregate and membrane per square metre, waste removal or skip hire, edging, fixings and jointing, and any premium for difficult access. For a lawn you will keep, factor in periodic upkeep and a realistic replacement point years down the line. For a sourced, dated figure on a specific installation rather than a rule of thumb, run it through the calculator.
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Rules of thumb only get you so far. Run a specific option through the calculator for a sourced, dated, confidence-graded figure.
Frequently asked
Because most of the cost is the groundwork, not the grass. Excavating the old surface, removing the spoil and laying a compacted sub-base is labour- and materials-heavy, so the per-square-metre grass price typically tells you only a fraction of what the finished job costs.
For a lasting, well-draining lawn, yes — a compacted aggregate base with a membrane is standard practice to stop sinking, weeds and pooling water. It is a real cost per square metre on top of the grass, and skipping it tends to cost more later.
Manufacturers often quote something in the region of 10 to 15 years depending on quality, traffic and sunlight. Because much of the installation cost recurs at replacement, it is worth folding a realistic lifespan into any true-cost comparison rather than treating it as a one-off.
Related guides
See the big picture in the Hidden-Fee Index — how much the advertised price hides across every category — or browse all buyer guides.
This guide explains typical, well-known cost mechanisms for general education — actual fees vary by operator, destination and date. Confirm live prices, fees and your consumer rights with the retailer and official sources before you buy. TrueTotal provides guidance, not financial or legal advice.