Lawn creation in back garden

Investing in a professional gardener or landscaper removes the back-breaking labour of soil preparation and ensures the right species of grass is selected for your garden’s specific light and soil conditions. Proper installation now prevents expensive drainage issues and patchy growth later.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Site Survey: Measuring the area, checking soil pH, assessing drainage, and identifying sun/shade patterns.
• Ground Clearance: Stripping away old turf, weeds, and surface debris using a turf cutter or manual tools.
• Soil Preparation: Rotovating or digging over the soil to a depth of 150mm to relieve compaction and remove large stones.
• Levelling: Raking and treading the soil to create a firm, level "subgrade" without low spots where water might pool.
• Topsoil & Conditioning: Adding high-quality screened topsoil or organic matter if the existing soil is poor or heavy clay.
• Installation: Laying rolls of cultivated turf in a staggered "brickwork" pattern or precision-sowing grass seed.
• Finishing: Trimming edges, light rolling to ensure soil contact, and the first thorough watering-in.

Typical Costs

Lawn creation costs depend heavily on whether you choose turf for an "instant" lawn or seed for a budget-friendly option. Prices in 2025/26 reflect rising costs for high-quality topsoil and fuel for waste removal.

Factors affecting the price include the ease of access (e.g., carrying materials through a terraced house), the amount of levelling required, and whether you require premium "luxury" turf or a hard-wearing family mix.

How Long Does It Take?

• Small Garden (up to 50m²): 1 to 2 days for a two-person team to strip, prep, and lay turf.
• Medium Garden (50m² - 100m²): 2 to 3 days, depending on the volume of soil to be moved.
• Large Garden (100m²+): 4+ days; often requires machinery like mini-diggers or tracked loaders.
• Establishment Time: Turf can be walked on lightly after 3 weeks; seeded lawns require 6–8 weeks before their first mow.

DIY or Professional?

While DIY seeding is achievable for most homeowners, turfing a garden is physically exhausting and requires a keen eye for levelling. If the ground isn't perfectly prepared, your expensive new turf will eventually settle into an uneven, bumpy surface that is difficult to mow.

Professionals have access to heavy-duty rotovators and turf cutters that make the job significantly faster. More importantly, they understand soil structure and can install land drains if your garden is prone to waterlogging—something that is very difficult to fix once the lawn is down.

Expert Tip: Always ask your gardener if they are using "fresh-cut" turf. Turf is a living product and should ideally be laid within 24 hours of delivery to prevent it from yellowing or "cooking" in the roll.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Portfolios: Look for photos of "level" lawns and neat edging, not just green grass.
• Insurance: Ensure they have Public Liability insurance (minimum £1m-£2m).
• Waste Management: Confirm they have a valid Environment Agency Waste Carrier Licence if they are taking old soil away.
• Questions to Ask:
  • What grade of topsoil do you use?
  • Do you provide a first-mow service or aftercare guide?
  • How do you handle drainage in boggy areas?
  • Is the turf sourced from a TGA (Turfgrass Growers Association) certified supplier?

UK Regulations

• Waste Disposal: Professional gardeners must be registered waste carriers to remove your old turf and soil legally.
• Drainage (SuDS): While lawns are permeable, if you are installing significant hard landscaping alongside the lawn, you must ensure water doesn't run off onto public highways.
• Water Restrictions: Newly laid lawns are often exempt from temporary hosepipe bans, but you should check with your local water provider (e.g., Thames Water, Severn Trent) for "new lawn" concessions.

Common Problems

• Sunken Patches: Caused by poor soil compaction during prep; the lawn looks great for a month then becomes "lumpy."
• Yellowing Turf: Usually due to turf being left in the roll too long or insufficient watering in the first 14 days.
• Weed Encroachment: Occurs when old perennial weeds (like dandelions or docks) aren't properly removed or killed off before the new lawn is laid.
• Poor Drainage: Laying a lawn directly onto heavy clay without adding grit or organic matter can lead to a "mossy swamp" in winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to use turf or seed?

Turf gives an instant result and can be used within weeks, making it ideal for families with pets or children. Seed is significantly cheaper and offers a wider variety of grass types (e.g., very shady or very ornamental), but it requires months of protection from birds and foot traffic while it establishes.

When is the best time of year to lay a lawn?

Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to October) are the best times in the UK. The soil is warm and there is usually plenty of rain. Summer laying is possible but requires intensive daily watering to prevent the turf from shrinking and dying.

How much should I water my new lawn?

For the first two weeks, a new turf lawn should be kept soaking wet. Water every evening (and morning if it's hot) until the roots have knitted into the soil below. You can check this by gently trying to lift a corner of a turf roll; if it resists, the roots are taking hold.

Why is my new lawn turning brown at the edges?

This is usually a sign of "shrinkage." If turf isn't watered enough, the individual rolls dry out and pull away from each other, leaving brown gaps. Fill these gaps with a mix of light soil and seed immediately and increase your watering schedule.

Can I lay a new lawn over my old one?

It is never recommended. The old grass will rot down unevenly, and weeds will grow through the new layer. Proper lawn creation requires stripping the old surface to ensure the new grass has direct contact with fresh, nutrient-rich soil.