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Artificial grass is a plastic lawn that comes on a roll, like carpet. You lay it once and it stays green all year, with no mowing.
Fitting is the work of getting it down: digging out the old surface, laying a firm stone base, then rolling out and pinning the grass. You can do this yourself or pay a professional.
The fitting is where most of the money goes — the grass itself is often the cheaper part.
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The grass itself
Grass is priced per square metre. The price mostly depends on the pile height (how long the "blades" are) and how densely they are packed:
- Budget (around 20mm pile): roughly £8–£14/m². Short and hard-wearing. Good for play areas and pets.
- Mid-range (around 30mm pile): roughly £15–£20/m². Looks the most like a real lawn. The right choice for most gardens.
- Premium (35–40mm, pet-friendly): roughly £22–£30+/m². Longer, thicker and soft underfoot.
One thing to know: the grass comes in fixed roll widths, like carpet. So you'll usually have to buy a little more than your lawn actually measures, and trim off the spare.
Base materials and fitting kit
The grass is only part of the bill. You'll also need some of these, depending on what you're laying it over:
- Weed-control membrane (a fabric sheet that stops weeds growing through — needed when laying over soil): ~£1–£2/m².
- Foam shockpad underlay (a soft foam layer that makes the grass comfier — needed when laying over concrete or paving): ~£3/m².
- Sub-base aggregate (the layer of packed stone that goes under the grass — MOT type 1, which is crushed stone that packs down hard, plus sharp sand, a gritty sand, on top — for soil installs): ~£8–£12/m², usually bought locally by the bulk bag.
- Kiln-dried sand infill (very dry, fine sand brushed into the grass at the end — it weighs the grass down and helps the blades stand up): ~£2/m².
- Joining tape, adhesive & galvanised pins (tape and glue to join two rolls invisibly, plus rust-proof metal pins to hold the edges down): ~£40–£50 for a typical garden.
DIY vs hiring a professional
A supply-and-fit job (where a professional brings the grass and does all the work) typically costs £45–£70/m² in the UK, all in. The price moves with two things: how much groundwork is needed (digging out and preparing the base), and access — how easy it is to get grass and stone in and rubble out of your garden.
Doing it yourself cuts that a lot — often to £20–£35/m² including materials. Be honest with yourself, though: it's a weekend of fairly heavy digging, barrowing and levelling.
For a 30 m² lawn, that's a rough ballpark of £1,350–£2,100 for a pro versus £600–£1,050 DIY. The calculator works this out for your exact size.
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Why is there a price range?
Because every garden is different. Costs change with the grass quality, how easy your garden is to get into, how much digging and base work is needed, and where you buy. Treat any estimate as a guide for budgeting, then check real prices with suppliers.
Is artificial grass cheaper than a real lawn long-term?
It costs more up front. But after that there's no mowing, no watering and no patching up bare spots each year. Many people find that saving in time and upkeep pays off over the years.
What adds the most to the cost?
Two things: the groundwork (digging out the old lawn and laying the packed stone base) and choosing premium grass. Doing the labour yourself is the single biggest saving.