If you have started getting quotes for artificial grass, the first thing you notice is how much they vary. One company quotes £45 a square metre, the next quotes £90, and neither seems to be pricing the same job. This guide clears that up. It covers what the real numbers look like in the UK, where the money actually goes, and how to tell a fair quote from a false economy.
How much does artificial grass cost per square metre?
As a rough guide, a fully fitted artificial lawn in the UK costs between about £50 and £90 per square metre. In London and the South East, where labour and waste disposal cost more, that often rises to around £65 to £110 per square metre. If you only buy the grass to lay yourself, the roll on its own is much cheaper, usually £12 to £35 per square metre, depending on quality.
Treat these as starting points rather than firm prices. The figure for your garden depends on its size, the state of the ground and how easy it is to reach, which is why no honest installer will give you a fixed price without seeing the space first.
What is included in a fitted price?
When you pay for supply and installation, you are paying for a lot more than a roll of grass. A proper job usually covers:
- Digging out and removing the old lawn or surface
- Taking the waste away
- A compacted stone sub-base (normally MOT Type 1)
- A sand or granite-dust levelling layer, set to the right falls for drainage
- A weed-control membrane
- The grass itself, cut and laid with the pile running one way
- Joins taped and glued, and the edges fixed down
- Kiln-dried sand infill, where the product needs it
Once you see the list, the price starts to make more sense. Most of the work happens before the grass goes down.
Why is the groundwork the biggest part of the bill?
On a typical installed job, the groundwork (excavation, waste removal, the stone base and the levelling layer) makes up roughly half to two-thirds of the total. That surprises people who expect the grass to be the main cost, but it is the base that decides whether a lawn stays flat, drains well and keeps its shape.
This is also why suspiciously cheap quotes are worth questioning. If one price comes in well below the rest, the saving has usually come out of the base: less digging, a thinner layer of stone, or no proper falls for water. You do not see the shortcut on day one, but you see it a season later when the lawn starts to dip or hold puddles. It is the part of the job you never really see once the grass is down, and it is the part most worth paying for, because putting a failed base right later means lifting everything above it and starting the job again.
Is supply-only cheaper than having it fitted?
It is, because you are not paying for labour or groundwork. Buying the grass by the metre and laying it yourself can save a good deal of money on a small, straightforward area. The catch is that a DIY lawn is only as good as the base you build underneath it, and the base is the hardest part to get right. If you are confident with groundwork it can be a sensible saving; if you are not, paying for installation is usually money well spent. Our supply page explains what to order.
What makes one quote more expensive than another?
Two gardens of the same size can be priced very differently. The main reasons are:
- Shape and size: small, fiddly gardens with lots of edges cost more per square metre than large open ones.
- Access: if materials and waste have to be carried through the house, the labour goes up.
- The old surface: lifting slabs, decking or tree roots adds time and disposal.
- Drainage: ground that holds water may need a soakaway, which is extra work.
- Grass grade: a dense, natural-looking turf costs more than a basic one.
Does a bigger garden cost more or less per metre?
Usually less. A lot of a quote is made up of fixed costs, such as getting the team and machinery to site, hiring a skip, and the trips to the tip. Spread those over a large lawn and the price per square metre falls. Spread them over a tiny courtyard and it climbs. That is why a 15m² front garden can work out dearer, metre for metre, than a 60m² back one.
How do you compare quotes fairly?
The cheapest quote is rarely the best value, so compare what each installation quote actually includes rather than the headline number. Before you choose, check that every quote spells out:
- How deep they will dig and what the sub-base is
- Whether waste removal is included
- The exact grass: make, pile height and warranty
- How the edges and joins will be finished
- What, if anything, is being done about drainage
If one quote is far cheaper than the others, ask what it leaves out. More often than not, the answer is in the ground.
Is artificial grass worth the money?
For a lot of households, yes. You pay more at the start than for turf, but you get a tidy lawn all year, no mowing, and a surface you can use in the wet without trailing mud indoors. Over its life the running costs are close to zero, which closes much of the gap with a real lawn. For families, it also means a surface the children can use after rain without churning it to mud, and a tidy, level lawn can make a small garden feel larger and easier to look after. Whether it is right for you comes down to how you use the space and how you feel about a synthetic surface, and that is a fair question to weigh before you spend. For a tailored figure, read our full cost guide or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is artificial grass cheaper than a real lawn in the long run?
It costs more to put in, but far less to keep. There is no mowing, watering, feeding or re-seeding, so the running costs are close to nothing. Over ten to fifteen years the gap between the two narrows a lot, and for many people the saved time matters as much as the saved money.
Can I get artificial grass fitted on a budget?
Yes, within reason. Choosing a mid-range grass instead of a premium one, clearing the old lawn yourself and improving access all bring the price down. The one thing you should never trim is the sub-base, as a thin base is the most common reason a cheap lawn fails early.
Do installers charge for a quote?
Most reputable installers give a free, no-obligation quote after seeing the space or discussing the details. Be wary of a firm-sounding price given before anyone has looked at your ground, as the groundwork is exactly what changes the figure.