How Much Does Lawn Removal Cost? [2024 Data]
Find out what to budget for your lawn removal cost
The average lawn removal cost is $1.50 per square foot. The price for this lawn task can range between $1 per square foot and $3 per square foot based on labor costs, additional land prep, and whether you replace the grass afterward. Grass removal alone costs $0.50 per square foot on average, while replacing the lawn with new sod can take costs up to $4 per square foot. To get an accurate estimate for your lawn removal project, consult a lawn care professional near you.
Lawn Removal Cost Factors
The type of job and yard size will have a major impact on your lawn removal costs, plus any necessary prep or cleanup. Check out the main factors that impact the cost of lawn removal.
Types
Your lawn removal cost depends on how you’ll be finishing the land: Will you leave it as is, plant new grass seeds, or lay a fresh layer of sod? Consider these average costs when planning your budget.
| Job Type | Average Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Remove sod | $0.50–$2 |
| Remove sod and reseed lawn | $1–$3 |
| Remove sod and lay new sod | $1.50–$4 |
Size
Yard size is the biggest factor that affects your lawn removal cost. Removing only a few hundred square feet is relatively affordable, while prices for a whole acre can be costly. Likewise, adding a new lawn will add significant extra costs.
| Yard Size in Square Feet and Acreage | Average Cost (Sod Removal Only) | Average Cost (Plus Reseeding/Resodding) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $50–$200 | $100–$400 |
| 300 | $150–$600 | $300–$1,200 |
| 500 | $250–$1,000 | $500–$2,000 |
| 1,000 | $500–$2,000 | $1,000–$4,000 |
| 5,000 | $2,500–$10,000 | $5,000–$20,000 |
| 1/4 acre | $5,500–$22,000 | $11,000–$43,600 |
| 1/2 acre | $10,900–$43,600 | $21,800–$87,200 |
| 1 acre | $21,800–$87,200 | $43,600–$174,300 |
Labor
The labor and equipment to remove a lawn will cost around $0.50 to $2 per square foot. If you’re only removing sod, labor charges will be the only cost for the entire project. However, reseeding or resodding afterwards can add another $0.50 to $2 per square foot to your lawn removal cost.
Prep
If you need to do additional land prep beforehand, this task will add to your lawn removal cost. For example, the cost to clear land is $500 to $5,600 per acre, or roughly $0.02 to $0.13 per square foot. If you need to correct a slope, the cost of leveling a yard is $1 to $2 per square foot, or up to $45,000 per acre.
Cleanup
Disposal of the old sod typically costs around $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot. Most landscapers will factor this into your total lawn removal cost, but be sure to confirm with your lawn care team ahead of the service.
Lawn Removal Ongoing Expenses
Your ongoing expenses following lawn removal will depend on what you do with the land afterward. For instance, if you plant a new lawn, you may want to consider the cost of having your lawn mowed regularly to help keep up with maintenance. On the other hand, if you’re planning a more elaborate landscape design with trees to maintain or hedges to trim, regular landscaping services cost between $1,300 and $2,100 on average.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Learning how to remove grass can be tough work, but it will save significantly on your lawn removal cost. The easiest way to DIY this project is to rent a sod cutter for around $80 per day. Alternatively, you can dig the old sod up with a shovel, but this will be far more labor-intensive to pull off.
You may also need to factor in the cost to rent a dumper for yard waste, which averages between $300 and $500 per week. Alternatively, you can dispose of old sod through your community’s yard waste pickup program—30-gallon bags are typically $2 to $4 for a 5-pack. Be sure to familiarize yourself with local pickup policies, as they will typically impose limits on the number of bags you can leave out at a time.
However, DIY lawn removal is only recommended for small areas of land. It’s time- and labor-intensive work, and mistakes made in your yard can be costly and difficult to remedy. To guarantee high-quality results, hire a local lawn care team that can create and implement a game plan for removing your current lawn and replacing it.
Cost of Common Add-Ons
Once you start fresh with a clean plot of land, you may want to prepare it for a new, healthy lawn or build a new structure. Here are a few common add-ons to consider for this project:
Lawn fertilization cost: $0.02–$0.08 per square feet
Lawn aeration cost: $80–$175
New sprinkler system cost: $1,700–$3,600
Mulch costs $30–$120 per cubic yard
Soil testing costs: $20–$100
New topsoil costs: $12–$55 per cubic yard
Artificial turf costs: $2–$8 per square foot
Cost to build a deck: $30–$60 per square foot
Concrete patio cost: $1,800–$4,900
Tips to Save Money on Your Lawn Removal Cost
Lawn removal costs can get expensive, but there are a few ways to save. Follow these cost-saving tips:
Compare quotes from at least three landscaping services to find the best deal.
When choosing between sod versus seed, opt for reseeding your lawn to save money.
Instead of replacing the lawn with another grass lawn, consider low-maintenance lawn alternatives such as xeriscaping or native plants.
Consider removing your own yard waste to save on cleanup costs.
If you're replacing the lawn with a new landscape feature, such as a garden or patio, consider doing the planting or installation yourself to save on labor costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, if you’re wondering whether you can lay sod over your existing grass, the answer is that it won’t work out well. Since sod needs to make as much direct contact with soil as possible in order to establish properly, a layer of old grass will hinder the process. In most cases, the new sod will never take and will eventually dry out and die.
To remove old grass effectively, you typically need to dig to one to two inches. This depth typically allows you to reach the root system of the grass, ensuring thorough removal. However, if the grass is a particularly dense or deep-rooted variety (such as Bermuda grass), or if you're planning to replace it with a different landscaping feature, you may need to dig deeper to loosen the soil and remove any underlying roots.
No, it's not a good idea to put grass seed directly on top of dead grass. For successful germination and growth, grass seed needs good soil contact. To prepare the area, start by removing the dead grass using a shovel or a sod cutter. Then, loosen the soil, add soil amendments if necessary, and spread the grass seed evenly. This allows the seed to come into direct contact with the soil, promoting better germination and establishing a healthier lawn.