How much does artificial grass cost in the UK? (2026)
Verified UK artificial grass costs in 2026 by garden size and per square metre, the sub-base preparation that decides whether the install lasts ten years or three, pile heights and quality tiers, and the scope gaps that catch homeowners out when comparing quotes.
Artificial grass in the UK in 2026 costs £1,000 for a small 20 m² garden up to £9,000+ for a 100 m² lawn in premium pile. Supplied and installed, the per-m² rate is £50 to £90 (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote). Sub-base preparation, the work you cannot see, takes up to half the labour and decides whether the install lasts 15 years or 3.
Quick answer
UK artificial grass cost in 2026 supplied and installed: £50 to £90 per m². By garden size: small 20 m² £1,000 to £1,800, medium 50 m² £2,500 to £4,500, large 100 m² £5,000 to £9,000. Sub-base preparation: £30 to £50 per m² of the total. Pile heights: 25mm budget, 30 to 35mm standard, 40 to 45mm premium. Manufacturer warranty typically 8 to 10 years; a proper install lasts 15 to 20 years.
How to read this guide#
Two kinds of figures appear below:
- Headline price ranges (per m², by garden size, sub-base share): cross-referenced against Checkatrade and MyJobQuote.
- Practical guidance (sub-base spec, pile heights, drainage, what the price should include, red flags): drawn from standard UK landscaping practice and manufacturer guidance.
Headline ranges (verified)#
Per m² supplied and installed#
| Quality tier | Range per m² |
|---|---|
| Budget (25mm pile, basic sub-base) | £45 – £60 |
| Standard (30 to 35mm pile, proper sub-base) | £55 – £75 |
| Premium (40 to 45mm pile, full prep, edging) | £70 – £90 |
By garden size#
| Garden size | Standard tier |
|---|---|
| Small (20 m²) | £1,000 – £1,800 |
| Small-medium (35 m²) | £1,800 – £3,000 |
| Medium (50 m²) | £2,500 – £4,500 |
| Large (80 m²) | £4,000 – £6,500 |
| Large (100 m²) | £5,000 – £9,000 |
| Very large (150 m²+) | £7,500 – £13,500+ |
Cost breakdown on a 50 m² standard install#
| Item | Approximate share |
|---|---|
| Grass supply | 35 – 45% |
| Sub-base materials and prep labour | 30 – 40% |
| Installation labour | 15 – 20% |
| Edging, sand infill, sundries | 5 – 10% |
Extras#
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Turf and topsoil removal, disposal | £6 – £12 per m² |
| Timber edging | £12 – £20 per linear metre |
| Metal or composite edging | £18 – £30 per linear metre |
| Kiln-dried silica sand infill | included in standard install |
| Drainage works (poor-draining garden) | £400 – £1,500 |
| Pet odour-control sub-base system | +£10 – £20 per m² |
| Tree root barrier | £15 – £25 per linear metre |
| Sloped garden uplift | +15 to 25% on per-m² |
London and South-East uplift#
Artificial grass in London and the South-East runs roughly 10 to 20% above national, mostly on labour. A £3,500 medium-garden install nationally typically lands at £4,000 to £4,200 in inner London.
Practical guidance (industry standard)#
The sub-base decides whether the install lasts#
The grass itself is durable and rarely fails first. The sub-base is the work nobody sees, and it is where every shortcut lives. A proper UK sub-base for a garden install is:
- Excavation: existing turf and 75 to 100mm of topsoil removed.
- Geotextile membrane at the bottom of the excavation to separate the hardcore from the underlying soil.
- Type 1 MOT hardcore: 50 to 75mm of crushed limestone, whacker- plated to compact.
- Sharp sand or grano dust: 25 to 35mm screed, levelled and compacted to a flat finish.
- Weed membrane across the screed before the grass is laid.
The whole prep is £30 to £50 per m² of the installed cost. Quotes that come in well below the lower end of the bands above are almost always skipping the geotextile, the Type 1, or both. Laying grass on flattened topsoil works for the first year; by year three the lawn dips where rain has eroded the underlying soil, and weeds start to push through.
A fair quote names the sub-base specification line by line. "Sub- base prep" as a single line is exactly where the cost gets cut.
Pile heights, in plain terms#
Pile height is the length of the grass blade. Four common UK ranges:
- 20 to 25mm: budget end, looks visibly short, suited to play areas, putting greens, and small spaces where the look matters less than the cost.
- 30 to 35mm: the standard mid-range. Full visual impact, good wear resistance, holds shape under regular use. The most common choice for family gardens.
- 35 to 40mm: upper mid-range. Softer underfoot, more luxurious appearance, slightly less wear-tolerant than 30 to 35mm.
- 40 to 45mm: premium. Closest to a manicured natural lawn but flattens faster in high-traffic areas and on slopes.
Quality is also affected by pile density (stitches per m²) and the yarn type (PE for soft feel, PP for durability, nylon for premium). A reputable installer will give a spec sheet showing pile height, density, and yarn type.
What a fair artificial grass quote should cover#
A complete supply-and-install quote should include:
- Site survey and measurements
- Removal and disposal of existing turf and topsoil
- A specified sub-base build-up (geotextile, Type 1, sharp sand or grano dust)
- Weed membrane between the screed and the grass
- Grass supply with named brand, pile height, pile density, and yarn type
- Cutting, jointing, and tape adhesive for seams
- Edging restraints (timber, metal, or composite) where the lawn meets soft borders
- Kiln-dried silica sand infill brushed into the pile
- Final brush-up and site clean
- Workmanship guarantee (typically 5 to 10 years)
- The manufacturer warranty (8 to 10 years against UV and structural failure)
It often does not cover:
- Drainage works if the garden does not drain (clay subsoils, high water table). Add £400 to £1,500.
- Skip hire for waste removal if the volume is significant.
- Pet odour-control sub-base systems (Brush Off, Zeofill, similar). +£10 to £20 per m².
- Tree root barriers next to large shrubs or trees.
- Reinstating decorative borders, patio edging, or paving disturbed during prep.
- Internal drainage gullies on perfectly flat or sunken gardens.
When artificial grass is a bad idea#
A few cases where natural lawn or a different surface treatment makes more sense:
- Heavily shaded gardens: pile flattens and looks dull without sun exposure. Real grass alternatives or gravel work better.
- Very wet gardens with poor drainage: artificial grass can sit damp without underlying drainage works, which negates the cost saving against a real lawn.
- Pets, especially female dogs: urine does not soak away as it does on real grass. Without an odour-control sub-base and regular hosing, the lawn smells. Specialist systems exist but add cost.
- Sloped gardens above 1 in 12: the sub-base prep cost rises significantly, and water runs across rather than through the surface.
A fair quote raises these where relevant. A quote that assumes a flat sunny pet-free garden when yours is none of those things is either incomplete or about to land an extras invoice.
Regional variation#
Artificial grass costs vary by region, mostly on labour:
- Inner London: ~15 to 20% above national
- Outer London / South-East: ~10 to 15% above
- Midlands and East: close to national
- North of England, Wales: ~5 to 10% below
- Northern Ireland, rural Scotland: ~10 to 15% below
Red flags in artificial grass quotes specifically#
Beyond standard quote red flags (covered separately), some are artificial-grass-specific:
No sub-base spec named. Type 1 hardcore, sharp sand or grano, weed membrane, geotextile: each should be on the page. A "sub-base prep" lump line is exactly where the corners get cut.
Grass brand, pile height, or yarn type missing. "Premium artificial grass" is not a spec. Quotes should name the manufacturer (Namgrass, Easigrass, Lazylawn, Royal Grass, FieldTurf) with the specific product range and pile height.
No mention of edging. Without edging restraints, the perimeter moves with use and the membrane shows. Edging is not optional.
No sand infill. Kiln-dried silica sand is brushed into the pile to keep the blades upright and weight the carpet down. Quotes that skip it have a lawn that flattens fast.
Per-m² rate well below £45. Either the grass is the lowest grade, the sub-base is incomplete, or both.
Disposal of existing turf not addressed. A 50 m² garden generates several cubic metres of waste. Skip hire is £180 to £350 and should be on the page if needed.
No site visit before quoting. Sloped gardens, drainage issues, and existing features need to be seen. A quote produced from a postcode and a square-metre estimate is a guess.
No mention of drying or settling time. A proper install can be walked on immediately, but heavy use should wait 24 to 48 hours for the adhesive on seams to fully cure.
Sequence of work on a typical install#
- Survey and quote. Measurements, slope check, drainage check, discussion of grass spec.
- Excavation. Existing turf and topsoil removed; geotextile membrane laid.
- Sub-base. Type 1 hardcore laid, whacker-plated to compact.
- Screed. Sharp sand or grano dust laid 25 to 35mm thick, levelled, compacted to a flat finish.
- Weed membrane. Laid across the screed.
- Grass. Rolled out, cut to shape, seamed with tape and adhesive, fixed at the edges.
- Sand infill and brush-up. Kiln-dried silica sand brushed into the pile.
- Handover. Workmanship guarantee issued, manufacturer warranty paperwork provided.
A 50 m² install typically takes 2 to 4 days on site.
Comparing your artificial grass quote#
The reliable way to know if a quote is fair is to check the per-m² rate against the bands above, confirm the sub-base specification is itemised, and verify the grass brand and pile height are named. The easier way is to paste or upload your quote into Check the Quote, where we check every line against current UK rates, flag missing sub-base scope, and run a Companies House check on the contractor. Your first check is free. For related outdoor landscaping, see the patio, decking, and garden landscaping guides.
Got a quote you want checked?
Paste any UK contractor quote and Check the Quote compares every line item against current market rates, flags missing scope, and runs a Companies House check on the contractor. Free on your first project.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does artificial grass cost in the UK in 2026?
- Supplied and installed, artificial grass runs £50 to £90 per m² in 2026 (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote). A small garden of 20 m² costs £1,000 to £1,800. A medium garden of 50 m² costs £2,500 to £4,500. A large garden of 100 m² costs £5,000 to £9,000. The grass itself is roughly 40% of the total; sub-base preparation and labour are the other 60%. London and the South-East run 10 to 20% above national.
- Why does sub-base preparation cost so much?
- The sub-base decides whether artificial grass lasts ten years or three. Proper prep is removal of existing turf and topsoil, a compacted Type 1 hardcore base, a layer of sharp sand or grano dust as a screed, and a weed membrane. £30 to £50 per m² of the installed cost is the sub-base alone. Skipping it (laying turf straight on soil or old grass) is the most common reason an artificial lawn dips, ripples, and grows weeds within two years.
- What pile heights are available and which is best?
- 25mm pile is the budget end, suits lighter use and play areas. 30 to 35mm pile is the mid-range, the most popular choice, with a fuller look and good wear resistance. 40 to 45mm pile is premium, soft underfoot, looks closest to real grass but flattens faster under heavy traffic. For a typical UK garden used by family and pets, 30 to 35mm is the standard recommendation. Quotes should name the pile height; "artificial grass" with no spec is impossible to compare.
- How long does artificial grass last?
- A quality install with a proper sub-base lasts 15 to 20 years. The grass manufacturer warranty is typically 8 to 10 years against UV fade and structural failure. A budget install on a poor sub-base lasts 3 to 5 years before it dips, ripples, or weeds break through. The grass itself is rarely what fails first; the sub-base is.
- Will artificial grass work on a sloped garden?
- Yes, but the slope changes the prep. The sub-base must be cut into the slope to form a level base, or the surface tilts and water pools. Sloped gardens typically add 15 to 25% to the per-m² cost because of the extra excavation and base work. Quotes that ignore the slope and assume a flat install will run over once the prep is started. A site visit should establish whether the garden is level or graded.
- What is normally left out of an artificial grass quote?
- Common gaps: disposal of removed turf and topsoil (sometimes included, sometimes skip hire is extra), edging restraints (timber, metal, or stone borders to hold the grass in place at the perimeter), sand infill (kiln-dried silica sand brushed into the pile to keep the blades upright), pet treatments or odour-control sub-base systems, drainage works for poorly draining gardens, and any required tree-root barrier where the lawn meets large trees or shrubs.