The Cost Difference Between Natural Grass And Synthetic

For anyone considering installing synthetic grass instead of natural, one question that always arises is cost. How does synthetic turf compare to natural grass? Will it be a smart investment?

Bear in mind that there are several types of costs you should contemplate:

• Actual out-of-pocket expenditures
• Personal time and effort spent
• Opportunity cost – the chance to have more time and money to yourself to do other things, versus missing out on these things
• Increased property value

Let’s look more closely at how these play out.

Dollars spent

If you’re thinking about installing a lawn, you can choose seed, sod, or artificial grass. Seed is cheapest, but it’s also the slowest. You’ll have to figure out which type(s) of seed to buy, carefully prepare the foundation soil, and buy a spreader to make sure the seed goes down uniformly. Let’s hope the birds don’t pick up too many of those seeds, or that the dog or kids don’t make a beeline across the yard, creating holes in that newly-planted expanse.

Sod costs quite a bit more than seed, but you get faster results. And you can hire the job out, rather than doing it yourself. Synthetic grass costs quite a bit more than either natural grass alternative. But you get instant gratification.

But wait. There’s more. As business experts like to point out, you have to evaluate the total cost of ownership, not only initial cost. With artificial grass, you’ll have miniscule outlay once it’s installed, so it will pay for itself over time. Natural grass starts out cheaper but racks up considerable expense for water and maintenance, year after year after year.

Quality artificial turf also comes with a warranty. (Heavenly Greens offers the longest and strongest protective warranty available.) Once you buy seed or sod, you’re on your own.

And here’s another reality check: every faux grass installation has unique characteristics that make it impossible to toss out a per-square-foot quote over the phone or online. Reputable companies that offer top-quality turf products and professional installation need to see your property to give you an honest quote.

Concerned about initial cost? Heavenly Greens can link you with several financing options, including a payment plan!

Personal time spent

Lawn maintenance is one the most common expenses new homeowners fail to plan for. It’s not just the money, it’s the time commitment, which can add up to 150 hours or more every year. Even avid gardeners don’t love lawn work. And that brings us to . . .

Opportunity cost

When you spend time and money on your lawn, you’re sacrificing the opportunity to invest elsewhere. To accurately compare costs, you’ll have to consider what you are missing. 

Enhanced property value

According to GE Finance, you can recoup all (or more) of your investment in quality landscaping when you sell your home. How your home looks to you matters, too. It’s called pride. With synthetic grass, you’ll hardly have to lift a finger, yet you’ll be the envy of your neighborhood. Priceless.

If you have a natural grass lawn now, do you really know how much it’s costing you? We’ve crunched some numbers and pulled them together in this free guide that compares costs of natural and artificial grass. Even we were surprised at the long-term savings you can reap from switching to artificial grass. And if it’s looking to you like the bottom line favors fake grass, you’re not alone. Across the US, use of synthetic turf for landscaping and recreation is growing 10% to 15% per year.

In the end, though, it comes down to you. Because while you can objectively compare certain dollar differences between natural and synthetic grass, only you can determine the relative value of subjective factors like time and fun.