How Much Does Artificial Turf Cost in Los Angeles?

Artificial turf in Los Angeles costs $12 to $18 per square foot installed for a standard residential product, with entry-level turf from about $9 and premium, cooling or pet systems running $16 to $22 or more. A typical 600 square foot back lawn lands between $8,000 and $12,500 installed. The number moves with the product tier, what has to come out first, whether the crew can get a compactor and a dump trailer into the yard, and how small the job is.

These are typical Los Angeles budgeting estimates, not a price list or a quote. Your project can come in lower or higher depending on the house, the scope and the finishes; the only real number is a written proposal after a site visit.

For how we build a turf lawn and why bad ones fail, see our artificial turf service page.

Installed cost per square foot by tier

Installed means removal of the existing lawn, 3 to 4 inches of compacted base, weed fabric, nailer board, turf, seaming, infill and cleanup. A quote that does not list those is a turf-only price.

Product tier	Installed cost per sq ft	What you get
Entry level	$9–$13	Lighter face weight, 1.25–1.5 in. pile. Fine for a strip nobody walks on.
Standard residential	$12–$18	Mid face weight, 1.5–1.75 in. pile. Most back lawns.
Premium or cooling turf	$16–$22+	Heavier face weight, lighter blade colors, cooling infill.
Pet turf system	$15–$22	Permeable backing, draining base, antimicrobial infill. Adds $3–$5 to standard.
Putting green	$20–$40	Dense short pile, heavy sand infill, shaped base.

Two things move these numbers more than the turf itself. The first is access: if the sod cutter, the plate compactor and the base rock cannot get to the yard through a gate, everything moves by wheelbarrow and the labor climbs. The second is what is already there. A dead lawn on flat ground is the easy case. A lawn with Bermuda grass rhizomes, a sprinkler system to cap, tree roots at the surface and a low spot that ponds is a different job.

Three worked examples

Standard residential turf, including sod removal and haul-off, on a flat lot with reasonable access.

Area	Installed cost per sq ft	Installed total	Pet system	Time on site
300 sq ft side yard or front strip	$20–$25	$6,000–$7,500	Add $900–$1,500	1–2 days
600 sq ft back lawn	$13–$21	$8,000–$12,500	Add $1,800–$3,000	2–3 days
1,200 sq ft front and back lawn	$11–$16	$13,000–$20,000	Add $3,600–$6,000	3–5 days

The 300 square foot strip costs the most per foot because the crew, the compactor, the dump run and the minimum material order cost the same for 300 square feet as for 900. If we are already on site for a paver or concrete job, the turf is priced as an add-on and comes in lower.

The 600 square foot back lawn is the most common job we see: one day for removal and base, one for compaction and turf, part of a third for seams, infill and cleanup.

The 1,200 square foot yard comes in lower per foot because the fixed costs are spread over more turf. If half of it is a putting green, that half is priced at putting green rates from the table above. Add days if we are also running a drain line or building a nailer board around planters.

What adds cost

Item	Typical cost	Why
Sod removal and haul-off	$1–$2.50 per sq ft	The lawn, 3 to 4 inches of soil and the roots go to the dump. Laying base over a scalped lawn is the cheapest way to get weeds through turf in a year.
Grading	Varies with the yard	Turf sheds water rather than absorbing it, so a yard that was fine as lawn can send water at the foundation as turf.
Drainage	About $90 per linear foot	Channel or area drain run to the street or a dry well. A yard with a low corner needs it.
Pet backing and infill	Adds $3–$5 per sq ft	Permeable backing, a base that drains freely, antimicrobial or zeolite infill.
Putting green	$20–$40 per sq ft	Denser turf and a base shaped and compacted to the contours, which is where the labor goes.
Edging beyond the nailer board	$2–$6 per linear foot, more for pavers	A mow strip, steel edge or border between turf and planter. The nailer board itself is included.
Difficult access	Adds $500–$1,500+	Wheelbarrow instead of Bobcat and dump trailer.
Capping irrigation	Small line item	Heads cut and capped, the zone removed from the controller or redirected to planters. Skip it and a valve fails under the turf.

Turf vs sod vs drought-tolerant planting over ten years

Turf costs more on day one than either alternative and less than a lawn over time. Whether it beats a drought-tolerant planting depends on the rebate, which turf does not get. The example is a 1,000 square foot front lawn.

	Artificial turf	Sod lawn	Drought-tolerant planting with drip
Install	$12,000–$18,000	$1,000–$2,600 for sod, plus $1,650–$3,600 for irrigation	$5,000–$20,000
Yearly upkeep	$250–$350 for brushing and infill	$1,700–$3,700 for water, mowing, fertilizer and repairs	$300–$1,000 for mulch, pruning and drip repairs
Rebate	None	None	LADWP $5 per sq ft residential, so up to $5,000 here; other agencies differ
Ten-year total	$14,500–$21,500	$19,650–$43,200	$3,000–$25,000 after rebate
Lifespan	15–20 years	Indefinite with care	Indefinite; plants mature over 2–3 years

The lawn column is the one people underestimate. The yearly figure is what a typical lawn costs to water, mow and keep alive in Southern California, and in the Valley and inland it is the top of the range. Turf pays back against a lawn in roughly five to ten years. Against a well-done drought-tolerant planting with the rebate, it usually does not; you choose turf because you want a flat green surface for kids and dogs, not because it is cheaper.

The rebate, verified

The turf-replacement rebates in our service area do not cover artificial turf. LADWP’s residential Turf Replacement Rebate, applied for through the SoCal WaterSmart website, pays five dollars per square foot up to 5,000 square feet for converting lawn to California Friendly plants, mulch and drip irrigation, with pre-approval required before any grass is removed. LADWP lists synthetic and artificial turf among the materials that do not qualify. The regional SoCal WaterSmart program that most other water agencies in our service area use states that synthetic turf is not an approved conversion option. Programs change and agencies differ, and we check the rules for your water provider before you commit to a plan. If the rebate matters, see our landscaping and irrigation page.

Turf as part of a larger project

Turf is usually one piece of a backyard remodel: a lawn panel between a paver patio and a patio cover, or the green space around a pool deck. Doing it with the rest of the yard means grade, drains and irrigation get handled once, and the turf edge is built into the hardscape instead of butted against it later. See pricing and financing if you are combining turf with a larger remodel.

We install turf across Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley, Orange County, Ventura County, western Riverside County and western San Bernardino County; the ranges above hold across that area, with access and haul-off doing more to move the number than the zip code.

Frequently asked questions

How much does artificial turf cost per square foot installed in Los Angeles?

$12 to $18 per square foot for a standard residential turf installed on a compacted base, including removal of the old lawn. Entry-level turf starts around $9, and premium, cooling or pet systems run $16 to $22 or more. Jobs under 400 square feet often cost $20 to $25 per square foot because the crew and equipment cost the same whatever the size. These are typical Los Angeles budgeting estimates, not a price list or a quote. Your project can come in lower or higher depending on the house, the scope and the finishes; the only real number is a written proposal after a site visit.

Is artificial turf cheaper than a real lawn?

Not to install; a sod lawn costs a fraction of turf on day one. Over ten years, yes: a typical Southern California lawn costs a few thousand dollars a year to water, mow and keep alive, and turf costs a few hundred. The payback is usually five to ten years, sooner in the Valley and inland where lawns need the most water and die anyway. The comparison table above shows the math.

Can I get a rebate for artificial turf in Los Angeles?

No. The LADWP rebate and the regional SoCal WaterSmart program both pay for replacing lawn with plants, mulch and drip irrigation, and both exclude synthetic turf. If a rebate is important, a drought-tolerant planting qualifies for five dollars per square foot from LADWP and varying amounts from other agencies. We can build a yard that has both, with the rebated area planted and a smaller turf panel priced separately.

Why is the cheapest turf quote so much lower?

Usually because the base is thinner or not compacted, the old lawn is scalped rather than removed, the seams are nailed rather than taped and glued, or the turf is a light face weight that shows its backing in two years. A quote that does not list base depth, compaction, removal and haul-off, seaming method and infill weight is not comparable to one that does.

How long does artificial turf last?

Fifteen to twenty years for a mid- or heavy-weight turf on a properly compacted base. Yarn warranties typically run 8 to 15 years by tier. The base and edges decide the real lifespan: a base that was compacted stays flat, and a nailer board keeps the edges down. When the turf finally looks tired it is replaced on the same base.

Does the price include removing my old lawn?

Ours does, and every quote you compare should say so in writing. Removal of the sod and 3 to 4 inches of soil and roots is a real line item, and it is the step that decides whether weeds come through later. A price that leaves it out, or plans to lay base over the old lawn, is not the same job and should not be compared as one.

If your lawn is brown or your water bill is not, ask for a free site visit. We will measure the yard, check access and drainage, recommend the right tier for how you use the space, and send a written proposal within 48 hours.