Lawns and turf
How much does turfing cost in the North East? Supply-only versus laid
Two lawns of the same size can cost very different amounts. The turf itself is often the smaller part of the bill; preparation, access and labour make up the rest. This guide explains what moves the price so you can compare like with like.
By the Gardens North East teamPublished , 4 min read
Why this guide has no price list
Turf prices change with the season and the grower, and delivery charges depend on where you live. A figure printed here would soon be out of date, so we explain the parts of the cost instead and point you to suppliers that show live prices. When you have a quote, the sections below help you check what it includes.
The parts of the bill
| Cost | What drives it | Supply-only | Laid for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turf | Area, grade (utility, family or premium) and order size | You pay | Included in the quote |
| Delivery | Distance, access and whether a vehicle can reach the drop point | You pay | Usually included |
| Removing the old lawn | Area, how it is lifted and how the waste is taken away | Your time, or skip hire | Often a separate line |
| Topsoil and levelling | How thin or uneven the ground is | You buy and spread it | Priced after a look at the garden |
| Labour | Size, shape, slopes and how far rolls have to be carried | Your time | The main difference between quotes |
If a quote is much lower than others, check which of these rows it leaves out.
Supply-only: what you take on
Buying turf and laying it yourself saves the labour cost and suits a reasonably flat garden with decent soil. The work is not complicated, but it is physical: clearing, digging or rotavating, raking, firming, raking again, then laying every roll on the day it arrives.
The hidden costs are tool hire, getting rid of the old turf, and topsoil if the ground is poor. Get those wrong and a cheap job becomes an expensive one when the lawn fails in its first summer.
For supply-only around the region, Brunswick Turf delivers turf and can lay it if you change your mind.
Laid for you: what you are paying for
A turf layer's price covers preparation as much as laying. On heavy North East clay, that might mean breaking up compacted ground, improving drainage or bringing in topsoil. On new-build plots it often means clearing buried rubble first; our new-build garden problems guide explains why.
Ask whether the quote includes lifting and removing the old lawn, how much topsoil is allowed for, what grade of turf is used and who waters it in. A good quote spells these out.
In and around Newcastle, Turf Laying Newcastle gives free quotes that cover lifting the old lawn, preparing the ground and laying new turf.
Things that push the price up
- Heavy, waterlogged clay that needs drainage work before turf can go down
- Thin builder's topsoil over compacted subsoil on new estates
- No vehicle access, so every roll and bag is carried through the house or along a back lane
- Steep slopes, narrow strips and lots of curved edges, which mean more cutting and more waste
- Premium-grade turf for a fine, ornamental finish
- Old lawns full of perennial weeds that need clearing properly first
Comparing quotes
Get the same job priced the same way. Give each firm your measurements (our measuring guide helps), say whether the old lawn needs lifting, and ask each to list preparation separately from turf and labour. Ask about timing too: autumn and spring are busy, and the right month affects how well the lawn establishes, as our month-by-month guide explains.
For a big new-build garden, it is worth reading the order of works before you book anyone. Getting drainage, levels and topsoil right before turf goes down avoids paying twice.
If the lawn is one part of a bigger redesign, a garden designer can settle levels, paths and planting first, so the turf is the last job rather than something dug up later. Overhanging trees are a job for a tree surgeon before the lawn goes in. A few of each are listed below.
Questions readers ask
Is it cheaper to seed than turf?
Seed costs less to buy, but takes longer to become a usable lawn and needs more care while it establishes. In the North East's shorter growing season, that wait can be several months.
Does the price include taking the old lawn away?
Not always. Ask whether lifting and removing the old turf is in the quote, and how the waste will be disposed of.
Why do quotes vary so much?
Mostly because of preparation. One firm may allow for topsoil and levelling that another leaves out. Ask for each part to be priced separately.
Get a real figure
The quickest way to a real number is a quote for your own garden. This North East business supplies turf and installs it.
Turf supply and installation for gardens across the North East.
Old lawns lifted, ground prepared and new turf laid, with a free quote.
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Local help
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Arbor Division Ltd
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Eves and Lewis Landscape Design
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Groundwork North East and Cumbria
