Artificial grass has become one of the most popular garden upgrades in the UK over the past decade, largely because British weather makes maintaining a presentable natural lawn genuinely difficult. But it is not automatically the better choice, the right decision depends on your budget, how you use the garden, and whether you have children or pets. Here is an honest comparison of costs and trade-offs.

Costs at a Glance

Installation cost depends heavily on garden size, existing ground conditions, and the quality of the product chosen. The prices below are what the materials cost to buy at retail. Installers usually price the laying per job after a site visit, so labour is not in them.

Artificial grass

Namgrass, a UK artificial grass maker, lists its cheapest garden grass, Burley with a 30mm pile, at a recommended retail price of £19.06 per m².1

Its dearest garden grass, Serenity with a 38mm pile, is £33.65 per m².1

Cheaper rolls are sold through B&Q’s online marketplace by other sellers. One seller’s 30mm roll works out at £7.28 per m².2

The same seller’s 40mm roll works out at £8.28 per m².3

Natural turf and seed

Rolawn, which grows turf, sells its Medallion turf direct at £12.65 a square metre on an order of 10 to 19 rolls.4

On an order of 100 rolls or more the price falls to £6.25 a square metre.4

Wickes sells a 1kg box of Miracle-Gro multi-purpose grass seed, enough for 33m², at £11, about 33p a square metre.5

A 40m² garden

For a typical 40m² rear garden, Burley at its recommended price comes to about £762 for the grass alone.1

The same area in Medallion turf, at Rolawn’s price of £6.85 a square metre for 40 to 99 rolls, comes to £274.4

Both figures are for materials only. Labour comes on top, and for artificial grass so do the excavation and new sub-base described below, which on many sites cost more than the grass itself. LazyLawn, a national installer, warns that the price per square metre goes up on smaller installations and that a minimum charge may apply.6 Labour is usually dearer in London and the South East and cheaper in the North of England and Wales.

What Is Included in Artificial Grass Installation?

A proper artificial grass installation is not simply rolling out a mat. A reputable installer will:

  1. Remove existing vegetation and topsoil (typically 75–100mm deep)
  2. Lay a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base (50–75mm)
  3. Install a weed membrane
  4. Bed a sharp sand layer to create a level, free-draining surface
  5. Lay and fix the grass, joining seams invisibly
  6. Infill with kiln-dried sand or crumb rubber to support the pile

The sub-base materials are cheap; most of the cost of this part is the digging, the muck-away and the labour. Wickes sells MOT Type 1 sub-base at £5 a bag, 22p a kilogram.7

Its heavy-duty weed control fabric is £17 for a 20m² roll, 85p a square metre.8

Skipping the sub-base is the most common cause of artificial grass failure, the lawn will become uneven and waterlogged within a few years. Never accept a quote that omits it unless your ground conditions genuinely do not require it (rare in clay-heavy UK soils).

Pros and Cons of Artificial Grass

Advantages:

  • Evergreen appearance regardless of weather or usage
  • No mowing, fertilising, or watering required
  • Durable under heavy foot traffic and pets
  • Allergen-free for grass pollen sufferers
  • Suitable for awkward, shaded areas where natural grass struggles

Disadvantages:

  • Higher upfront cost than seeding or turfing
  • Can overheat in direct sun (surface temperatures can exceed 40°C in summer)
  • Not biodegradable, typically ends up in landfill at end of life
  • Does not support biodiversity or pollinators
  • Requires occasional brushing and rinsing, especially with dogs
  • Manufacturer warranties vary in length and cover, and real lifespan varies

Pros and Cons of Natural Turf

Advantages:

  • Lower upfront cost, especially for seeded lawns
  • Environmentally positive, supports insects, absorbs CO₂, reduces surface water run-off
  • Self-repairs over time
  • Cooler surface temperature in summer
  • Adds genuine kerb appeal for resale

Disadvantages:

  • Needs mowing weekly or fortnightly between March and October to keep a neat lawn9
  • Can deteriorate badly in shade, heavy use, or drought
  • Ongoing costs for feeding, weed control and moss control if you pay for them. Greensleeves, a national lawn care firm, prices its Essential treatment package from £10.31 a month.10 Its Elite package starts at £65.17 a month.10 Neither includes mowing.
  • Takes longer to establish from seed than from turf; a turfed lawn can usually be used a few weeks after laying11

Artificial Grass Specifications to Check

When comparing products, look at these technical details:

  • Pile height: 30–37mm is most natural-looking for general use; below 25mm looks very short and sparse; 40mm+ is plush but may flatten over time
  • Dtex (yarn weight): Higher dtex means thicker, more resilient fibres; compare figures between products of similar pile height
  • Stitch rate: More stitches per 10cm row = denser finish = more realistic
  • Drainage rate: Check the manufacturer’s stated drainage rate and that the backing is perforated throughout; poor drainage creates puddles and odour problems with pets
  • UV stability: Check that the product is UV-stabilised and how many years the colour-fastness warranty covers

Planning Permission and Building Regulations

Laying artificial grass in a back garden does not normally need planning permission. In a front garden the permitted development rules for hard surfaces may apply: where more than 5 m² of hard surface lies between the front of the house and a highway, it must be porous or drain to a permeable area within the property, or planning permission is needed.12 Artificial grass on a free-draining sub-base drains through its backing, but some local authorities may take a view on whether it counts as a hard surface, so check with your local planning authority if in doubt.

Which Is Right for You?

Choose artificial grass if: you want a low-maintenance, year-round green space; you have pets that churn up natural grass; your garden gets little direct sun or heavy footfall; or you live in a property where you want a smart appearance without ongoing effort.

Choose natural turf if: you want to support wildlife and biodiversity; you have children who will benefit from a cooler, natural play surface; your budget is limited and you are prepared to invest time in maintenance; or you are considering resale value and want a traditional garden.

Getting Quotes

Always get at least three written quotes from installers. Ask each one to specify:

  • Sub-base depth and material
  • Weed membrane specification
  • Pile height and dtex of the product
  • Whether edging boards and fixings are included
  • What the warranty covers and for how long

Some spread between quotes is normal, but when one is far below the others it usually means that contractor is cutting corners on the sub-base or using inferior material.

References (12)

Figures in this note were checked against the sources below on 6 October 2026. Superscript numbers in the text point to them. Every source the site cites, by topic.

  1. 1costsupplier figureNamgrass.RN-Y96Z4NA price, true at 2026-10. Namgrass's own range page for its artificial grass, listing each product's pile height and recommended retail price per square metre, from Burley at 30mm to Serenity at 38mm. It settles what the material costs to buy from a UK maker, before sub-base, fixings and laying.
  2. 2costsupplier figureB&Q (Kingfisher plc), sold by Ark Rubber and Resin Solutions Ltd.RN-QL1U6ZA price, true at 2026-10. A B&Q marketplace listing for a 30mm artificial grass roll, sold and shipped by Ark Rubber and Resin Solutions rather than by B&Q, with the price of the roll and the price per square metre. It settles what a budget artificial grass costs to buy online, material only.
  3. 3costsupplier figureB&Q (Kingfisher plc), sold by Ark Rubber and Resin Solutions Ltd.RN-Z2J0ZFA price, true at 2026-10. A B&Q marketplace listing for a 40mm artificial grass roll from the same third-party seller, with the price of the roll and the price per square metre. It settles what a longer-pile budget artificial grass costs to buy online, material only.
  4. 4costsupplier figureRolawn Ltd.RN-DOQ4KPA price, true at 2026-10. Rolawn's own shop page for its Medallion garden turf, sold in rolls of about one square metre, with a price per roll for each order band from 10 to 19 rolls up to 100 or more, shown with and without VAT. It settles what turf costs from the grower and how the price falls as the order grows.
  5. 5costsupplier figureWickes Building Supplies Ltd.RN-ACKNGYA price, true at 2026-10. Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, Miracle Gro Multi Purpose Grass Seed 33m2 1kg. Held in the cost register as a price source; the passage quoted against it reads: Miracle-Gro Multi-Purpose Grass Seed 33m2 - 1kg :: £14 | £11 ... Gro-Sure Fast Acting Lawn Seed 50m2 - 1.5kg :: £16.50 | £0.33 per m2 ... Gro-Sure Smart Seed La
  6. 6technicalsupplier figureLazyLawn (Evergreens UK Ltd), guidance.RN-PG33B6LazyLawn's installer finder and budget calculator page. Its terms say the calculator gives an estimate only, that site, access, waste, edging and equipment hire move the price, and that the price per square metre rises on smaller installations, with a minimum charge possible. It settles why a small garden costs more per square metre to lay.
  7. 7costsupplier figureWickes Building Supplies Ltd.RN-OJEGCFA price, true at 2026-10. Wickes's product page for a major bag of MOT Type 1 crushed aggregate sub-base, with the bag price and the price per kilogram including VAT. It settles what the compacted sub-base material under artificial grass or paving costs over the counter, material only.
  8. 8costsupplier figureWickes Building Supplies Ltd.RN-5597C3A price, true at 2026-10. Wickes's product page for a 1m by 20m roll of 95gsm heavy-duty weed control landscape fabric, with the roll price and the price per square metre including VAT. It settles what the weed membrane laid under artificial grass or gravel costs to buy.
  9. 9technicalfairRoyal Horticultural Society, guidance.RN-DLC5SVThe Royal Horticultural Society on mowing. It settles the mistake this sentence warns about: cutting too low scalps the lawn and leaves bare patches, which happens most easily on soft ground, on fast turns, and where the surface is uneven. It also says the cutting height should be changed through the year rather than left alone. The page does not give a height in millimetres, so the 25 to 40 mm range here is ordinary summer practice rather than an RHS figure.
  10. 10costsupplier figureGreensleeves.RN-862PH3A price, true at 2026-10. Greensleeves's own price page for its four lawn care packages, Essential, Enhanced, Premium and Elite, each listing its seasonal treatment visits and a starting monthly price. It settles what a householder pays a national firm to feed and treat a lawn; mowing is not among the services listed.
  11. 11technicalfairRoyal Horticultural Society.RN-QT0V7ZRHS method and timings for a turf lawn. Turf is best laid in mid-autumn and can go down any time from mid-autumn to early spring when the soil is neither waterlogged nor frozen; mid-spring to early autumn should be avoided because the turf struggles to root in heat and needs constant watering. Preparation is the whole job: dig or rotovate to 20 to 25cm depth, work in well-rotted organic matter, fork out perennial weed roots such as couch grass and bindweed, level, and let the ground settle for several weeks before laying. Turf should be laid within 24 hours of delivery; if laying is delayed more than a couple of days, unroll it flat so the grass gets light and water it if dry, or it will yellow and die. Lay with joints staggered like brickwork, butted tight with no gaps, working from boards so the new turf is not trodden. Brush a lawn dressing into the joints. In dry weather water every 5 to 10 days in mid to late summer and about every fortnight at other times, wetting right through the turf so roots grow down. First mow about three weeks after laying, blades set high, once a tug on the grass shows it has rooted; keep off it until then.
  12. 12technicalvery strongThe National Archives (legislation.gov.uk), legislation.RN-4C9X4BClass F permits the provision within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse of a hard surface for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse, or its replacement in whole or in part. Condition F.2 applies where the hard surface would lie between a wall forming the principal elevation and a highway and its area would exceed 5 square metres: the surface must then be made of porous materials, or provision made to direct run-off water to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage.

  1. Artificial Grass, Namgrass, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. namgrass.co.uk

  2. 30mm Artificial Grass 3m x 7m Natural and Realistic Looking Fake Lawn Astro Turf, B&Q (Kingfisher plc), sold by Ark Rubber and Resin Solutions Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. diy.com

  3. 40mm Artificial Grass 3m x 6m Natural and Realistic Looking Fake Lawn Astro Turf, B&Q (Kingfisher plc), sold by Ark Rubber and Resin Solutions Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. diy.com

  4. Medallion Turf, Rolawn Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. rolawn.co.uk

  5. Miracle Gro Multi Purpose Grass Seed 33m2 1kg, Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. wickes.co.uk

  6. Find your local installer, LazyLawn (Evergreens UK Ltd), accessed 17 October 2026. lazylawn.co.uk

  7. Suburban Build MOT Type 1 Major Bag, Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. wickes.co.uk

  8. Apollo Heavy Duty Weed Control Landscape Fabric 1m x 20m Roll 95gsm, Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. wickes.co.uk

  9. Mowing lawns, Royal Horticultural Society, accessed 30 September 2026. rhs.org.uk

  10. Our Lawn Care Packages, Greensleeves, accessed 17 October 2026. Priced at 2026-10 and left there. greensleeves-uk.com

  11. How to lay turf, Royal Horticultural Society, accessed 30 September 2026. rhs.org.uk

  12. The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 1, Class F: hard surfaces, legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives), accessed 30 September 2026. legislation.gov.uk