How Much Does Sod Installation Cost in 2025?

This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.

Need a lush, green lawn in a hurry? On average, sod installation costs between $1,075 and $3,048, with an average of $2,061. Your final price depends on where you live, the size of the yard, and the grass variety you pick. Build these factors into your budget and, when possible, lean on a trusted pro for long-term results and fewer future fixes.

Sod Installation Cost Factors

How much you’ll pay for sod installation depends on a variety of factors. Here’s a closer look at how your total breaks down.

Sod Type

The grass species you choose is one of the biggest drivers of your resodding budget.

Sod prices range from $0.35 to $0.85 per square foot. All in, that's $1 to $6 per square foot. The type of sod you need depends on the climate where you live, how much traffic it needs to withstand, the conditions in your soil, and whether the new sod needs to be resistant to a particular disease, fungus, or pest.

Delivery Fees

Expect to spend $65 to $230 per truckload for delivery. Many installers roll this into their quotes, but some list it as a line item. DIYers still have to cover delivery—unless you own a vehicle that can safely haul a pallet weighing well over a ton.

Size and Shape of the Area

Yard size and shape play a big role in the bottom line. More square footage means more rolls of sod and a higher materials tab. Irregular shapes, slopes, hills, or other challenging features can add up to 10% more to your total in materials and labor.

Here’s a look at average costs for installing sod in various yard sizes.

Site Preparation and Obstacles

Yard prep is critical—and it can swing your project cost up or down. Features in your yard, like tree roots, large decorative rocks, or lots of debris, can act as obstacles during installation. If you have tree roots near the surface, the installer might need to take extra care to avoid damaging your trees. 

Consider moving large rocks if possible, or discuss with your pro how to work around them. Lawn grading may be necessary if the area is uneven or sloped, which can add $1 to $3 per square foot.

Having hardscaping in the lawn area adds to your cost in terms of labor because it takes more time to work around these features. If a lawn has a lot of hardscape features, it can add an extra 10% to your project price. Hardscape features and permanent objects that may impact resodding cost include:

• Stepping stones

• Walkways

• Decorative rocks

• Firepit

• Raised bed

• Trees

New vs. Replacement Sod

Laying sod on bare, new-build soil runs $1 to $2.50 per square foot. This is more budget-friendly since there's no old lawn to remove, and prep work is minimal. You'll just need to add nutrient-rich topsoil and lightly tamp it down.

Resodding an existing lawn jumps to $2 to $4.50 per square foot because crews first have to strip and haul away the old grass. You may be able to sod over an existing lawn—check with your sod installation pro to see if that’s an option. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of lawn fertilizer, which ranges from $75 to $375 per treatment.

Sod Installation Add-On Costs

To maintain a healthy lawn so you don't have to resod every few years, you may need to invest in a sprinkler system. And to get a lush, green lawn or to repair brown patches in your sod, you may need to seed it, too. These types of add-ons can quickly increase the total price of laying sod in your backyard.

Sprinkler System

Installing a sprinkler system costs between $1,650 and $3,600. If you have the sprinkler system installed at the same time as the sod goes down, you'll pay closer to the bottom end of the budget because installing them together is the least labor-intensive and, therefore, the most cost-effective option.

Seeding

Seeding a lawn costs between $0.10 and $0.20 per square foot. You may want to seed or overseed areas of the existing lawn that you haven't resodded. And if the sod has brown patches or develops dead areas that just don't root properly, you can seed the area with minimal cost and effort to repair the damage.

DIY vs. Hiring a Sod Installer

DIY sod looks cheaper at first glance, but once you add equipment rentals, soil tests, and materials, you’ll spend roughly the same $2,000 you’d pay a pro. A seasoned installer handles the heavy lifting—delivery, regrading, even sprinkler installs—so you get the right grass and a stress-free finish. Hire a local sod installer to transform your lawn quickly and efficiently.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.