Calculate how much sod you need by grass type, including pallets, cost, and installation estimates.
LotSite starting assumption
LotSite starting assumption
The prices filled in here are LotSite starting assumptions, not quotes and not sourced prices. Prices differ by region and supplier, so type in a local quote and the estimate will use it.
Don't know your lawn size? Measure it with LotSite for free →
Pallets including 7 percent waste, and material plus installed cost estimates, for common lawn sizes.
Dollar figures here use LotSite starting assumptions, not quotes and not sourced prices. Use the calculator above with a local quote for your own number.
| Lawn Size | Pallets | Kentucky Bluegrass | Tall Fescue | Bermuda Grass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 2 | $750 | $700 | $650 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 3 | $1,500 | $1,400 | $1,300 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 5 | $3,000 | $2,800 | $2,600 |
| 5,000 sq ft | 12 | $7,500 | $7,000 | $6,500 |
| 8,000 sq ft | 20 | $12,000 | $11,200 | $10,400 |
| 10,000 sq ft | 24 | $15,000 | $14,000 | $13,000 |
Prices include materials and professional installation. Actual costs vary by region, site conditions, and time of year.
Sod gives you an instant lawn, no waiting weeks for germination and months for fill-in. It is the right choice when you need immediate ground cover, have high-traffic areas, or want to prevent erosion on slopes. The tradeoff is cost: sod runs 10 to 20 times more per square foot than seed.
For large areas on a budget, seed is almost always more economical. But for front yards, high-visibility areas, or small patches, sod delivers a finished result the same day. Many homeowners use a combination. Sod for the front yard and seed for the back.
Whichever route you choose, start by measuring your actual lawn area. Use LotSite to paint your grass areas on the satellite map and get the square footage, so you order exactly what you need.
The pallet count adds 7 percent to the area you enter for cuts and waste, divides by 450 square feet per pallet, and rounds up. The costs are figured on the area you enter, without the waste. Pallet size varies by supplier and region; ask how many square feet are on the pallet you are quoted and divide your area plus waste by that number instead.
Material cost is area times the per-square-foot price for the grass type, and installation adds $0.75 per square foot. Neither includes delivery, which is priced per pallet or per trip, removing and hauling away the old lawn, or the topsoil and grading that a bare, uneven site needs before the first roll goes down. Get each of those as its own line on a quote; they are where two bids for the same lawn diverge.
Where the number is wrong: narrow strips, tight curves, and beds cut into the lawn waste more than 7 percent, because every cut loses a sliver and off-cuts rarely fit anywhere else, while a rectangular lawn with straight edges can come in under it. If you measured by painting the lawn on the map, carry only the grass area into this calculator. The house, driveway, and beds should already be left out.
Sod is perishable. Extension services advise laying it within 24 hours of delivery, sooner in hot weather, because stacked rolls heat up and the grass in the middle of the pallet yellows. Order only what you can lay in a day, and have the ground prepared and watered before the truck arrives. For a large lawn, two deliveries cost an extra fee but avoid losing a pallet to a weekend.
Enter your address and trace your lawn on satellite imagery to get its square footage for ordering sod.
Also check out our grass seed calculator and topsoil calculator