Artificial Turf Cost – How to Get the Best Value

Have you ever dreamed of having the perfect grass, the one that all the neighbors envy? Where all the blades of grass are the same length and there are no dead brown spots? I think we all want a lawn like that, but it is a lot of work and can be expensive. There is an alternative that requires very little work for the perfect lawn. The cost of artificial turf is not what you expect. Read on to learn more.

Financial Cost of Artificial Turf Versus Real Grass

When people start looking at alternatives to real grass and check into the cost of artificial turf, they tend to look at the initial price. However, there are many other factors that come into play when comparing real grass with an artificial lawn. One of the costs is maintenance.

When looking at real grass, there is the cost of seeds and fertilizer. You will most likely need to reseed parts of the grass occasionally due to wear and tear and the weather. Real grass can be destroyed with droughts and high temperatures. There is the cost of pesticides or ways to remove fungus and weeds from your lawn. Then there are other costs that are not normally thought of such as gas and oil for the lawn mower and the weed whacker.

There is the cost of disposing of the clippings and this could be from buying plastic lawn bags or the cost of disposing them at a waste management site.

One of the largest costs for growing real grass is water. The grass needs to be watered regularly in order to grow and look fresh and green.

On the other hand, artificial turf is placed on the ground and there is no mowing, seeding, watering, and minimum maintenance costs.

Labour Costs of a Grass Lawn Versus Artificial Turf

It takes a lot of time to grow and maintain a perfect lawn. In addition to the cost of the material needed to maintain your lawn, your time and energy need to be factored in. When you have to give up a Saturday morning to mow the lawn, or a Friday night to make sure that the lawn has water, this is your time and money. There is also the frustration when mother nature or the dog next door ruins your lawn.

With artificial turf there is no damage to the lawn from weather or animals. With very little maintenance, your lawn will look perfect.

Environmental Costs

When looking at the cost of artificial turf versus grass, also consider the cost to the environment – the cost of watering grass as well as the impact of using fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals can then be absorbed into the water and eventually end up in rivers and lakes. There is also the environmental cost of recycling the clippings as well as burning fuel or other energy to mow the lawn. All of these actions affect the environment negatively.

There will continue to be a debate about the cost of real grass versus the cost of artificial turf, but there is more than just the initial cost. When looking at all the other costs, including time and labor, artificial turf is the more affordable – and sustainable – alternative.