How much does sod installation cost in Middle Tennessee?
LawnStarter’s 2026 guide puts installed sod at about $1.65 per square foot. HomeGuide’s 2026 guide lists $1 to $2 for a new lawn, and Fixr runs $0.85 to $1.75. For a 1,000 square foot yard, HomeGuide’s table shows $1,000 to $2,000. Prep work like removing old turf pushes the number higher.
What does sod installation cost per square foot?
HomeGuide puts new sod installation at $1 to $2 per square foot, and the other guides land close to that. LawnStarter prices the sod alone at about $0.60 per square foot. Its $1.65 installed average covers the sod, delivery, basic ground prep and installation. Fixr’s range for sod and installation together is $0.85 to $1.75.
HomeGuide puts labor to lay sod at $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot, plus $0.50 to $1.00 for the sod. That price assumes a site with leveled bare dirt. Tearing out an old lawn and resodding runs $1.50 to $4.00 per square foot.
We price our sod installation and lawn seeding work around Franklin after an on-site look at the ground, and that quote is free.
How much does a pallet of sod cost?
LawnStarter puts a pallet at $150 to $450, covering about 450 to 500 square feet. HomeGuide prices the sod alone at $130 to $360 per pallet. Installed, HomeGuide’s total runs $400 to $1,000 per pallet, before any old grass removal.
Pallet sizes vary. Mississippi State Extension says a pallet typically contains 450 to 500 square feet. UT Extension’s Master Gardener handbook puts one at about 50 square yards, which is 450 square feet. Fixr calls 450 square feet the most common size.
UT’s handbook also says one pallet weighs about 2,000 pounds. Delivery adds $65 to $230 in LawnStarter’s guide, or $50 to $250 per load at HomeGuide.
What does it cost to sod 1,000, 2,500 or 5,000 square feet?
At published rates, 1,000 square feet runs about $850 to $2,000, and 5,000 square feet about $4,250 to $10,000. Prep comes on top. Pallet counts below use 450 square foot pallets plus 5 percent extra, as Mississippi State Extension advises.
| Yard size | Fixr at $0.85 to $1.75 | LawnStarter at about $1.65 | HomeGuide at $1 to $2 | Pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 square feet | $850 to $1,750 | about $1,650 | $1,000 to $2,000 | 3 |
| 2,500 square feet | $2,125 to $4,375 | about $4,125 | $2,500 to $5,000 | 6 |
| 5,000 square feet | $4,250 to $8,750 | about $8,250 | $5,000 to $10,000 | 12 |
LawnStarter prices a 2,000 square foot yard at about $3,300 fully sodded. Buying just the sod for that yard runs about $1,200, and the labor falls to you.
HomeGuide’s totals leave out removing an old lawn, which it prices at $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot. On 5,000 square feet, removal alone runs $2,500 to $10,000 at that rate.
Does the grass type change the price?
Yes, but only by cents per square foot. LawnStarter’s 2026 table puts installed fescue at $0.89 to $1.60 per square foot. Bermudagrass and zoysia run a little higher.
| Grass | Sod only, per square foot | Installed, per square foot |
|---|---|---|
| Fescue | $0.32 to $0.67 | $0.89 to $1.60 |
| Bermudagrass | $0.44 to $0.83 | $1.01 to $1.76 |
| Zoysia | $0.47 to $0.72 | $1.04 to $1.65 |
UT Extension names tall fescue for most home lawns in East and Middle Tennessee. It suits yards where you want a longer green season in spring and fall. Warm-season grasses like bermudagrass and zoysia go dormant in winter.
UT Extension says hybrid bermudagrasses and most zoysiagrasses are only available as sod, plugs or sprigs. Seed is not an option for those.
What else adds to the cost of sod installation?
Prep work on the ground under the sod adds to the bill. LawnStarter and HomeGuide both price it as separate line items.
- Removing old grass. LawnStarter lists $0.88 to $1.84 per square foot, disposal included. HomeGuide’s range is $0.50 to $2.00.
- Grading. LawnStarter puts tilling and grading at $0.90 to $2 per square foot. HomeGuide lists regrading at $0.40 to $2.00.
- Topsoil. LawnStarter lists $12 to $50 per cubic yard, and HomeGuide lists $10 to $50.
- Soil test. HomeGuide lists $10 to $50. Mississippi State Extension says a professional analysis costs less than $20.
- Access and shape. LawnStarter says curved yards and hard access can add about 15 to 20 percent.
Mississippi State Extension says to grade so water drains away from the house, with no low spots that hold water. We do fine grading before the sod goes down in-house with our compact track loader.
What changes on a new-construction yard?
On a new-construction yard, the soil work comes before any sod. UT Extension’s Master Gardener handbook says to stockpile on-site topsoil before major excavation begins. Topsoil carries more organic matter than subsoil, which gives roots a better place to grow. If the topsoil was hauled off or buried, the yard needs new topsoil and a fine grade.
UT Extension adds that sod needs good grading and strong soil-to-sod contact to succeed. We deliver topsoil in our own dump trucks, so the soil and the grading come from one company.
LawnStarter says one cubic yard of topsoil covers around 100 square feet at 3 inches deep. At that depth, a 5,000 square foot yard takes about 50 cubic yards. At LawnStarter’s $12 to $50 per cubic yard, that is $600 to $2,500 in material. Deeper beds take more, and our guide to how much topsoil a new lawn needs runs the yardage math.
Fast-growing new-build towns like Spring Hill and Thompson’s Station sit inside our service area.
Is seeding cheaper than sod?
Yes, by a wide margin up front. LawnStarter puts seeding at $0.09 to $0.19 per square foot, against about $1.65 for installed sod. Its seeding guide puts a whole lawn at $427 to $1,514. On 5,000 square feet, that is $450 to $950 to seed, against about $8,250 to sod.
UT Extension says sodding costs more at first than seeding. It can be worth it when you want usable cover sooner, often with less weed pressure than seeded ground. Seed brings the longest establishment time and higher weed competition.
We install sod and seed lawns. UT lists rapid erosion control among sod’s strengths, and says seed may not suit steep slopes. On a steep bank, that tips the choice toward sod.
When is the best time to lay sod in Middle Tennessee?
UT Extension says sod can go down almost any time of year. The soil must not be frozen, and you must be able to water it. Summer is the hard stretch for cool-season sod. Many producers will not harvest and ship tall fescue sod in extremely hot, dry weather.
UT says bermudagrass and zoysia sod can go in during winter dormancy. It may take several months for those plants to root.
Seeding runs on tighter windows. UT puts tall fescue seed in late summer or early fall, no later than mid-October. Seeded bermudagrass and zoysia go in late spring or early summer, no later than June 30.
Mid South Mulch has been in business since 1996, working from our yard on Lewisburg Pike in Franklin. We serve Williamson County and part of Rutherford County. Call (615) 599-7550 for a free on-site quote on new sod.