▷ Lawn installation: how much it costs and how to negotiate

Do you want professionals to install your lawn? Let’s look at the stages of lawn installation, what should be included in the price and what questions to ask when evaluating a company’s proposal.

MANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS

When you don’t know how to evaluate an offer, all you have to do is compare prices. People don’t understand why installing a square meter of lawn costs twice as much in one company as in another.

When you only evaluate the price there is room for “improvisations”: then it turns out like this some services were not included in the costs and it must be paid. There are many cases where a company assumes no responsibility for the successful germination of the lawn, carelessly prepare the soil, use seeds that guarantee a quick but poor result.

At the Yellow Wheelbarrow Landscaping class, we heard countless stories of people realizing the difference after installing a lawn, especially if they get frustrated and call another company to fix the situation.

To prevent problems in advance and get a more precise picture of what we can expect from companies, I interviewed three specialists, Vaiva Marozienė (“Vaiva Gardens”, Vilnius), Jolita Deresevičienė (Aplinkotvarka24.lt, Vilnius) e Ramunė Alseikaitė (landscape architect, Klaipėda).

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE LAWN INSTALLATION

Vaiva Marozienė states that a serious and responsible company includes the following items in the price of lawn installation:

Spreading of topsoil;
Assembling stones, waste, etc.;
Leveling of the upper layer according to the slopes;
Seeds and sowing works;
Fertilizing and fertilizing work;
First cut;
Spraying against weeds.

So, if you ask what the price is for installing a lawn, chances are these items will make up the price. If the plant’s soil is rich and high-quality, some specialists may not use additional fertilizers.

V. Marozienė says that it is very important to pay attention to one point: a the first cut of the lawn. Payment for lawn installation is usually made in installments. So if the company wants to get the last bit of money, they will really try to sprout everything. Therefore, if the price includes the first cut of the lawn, you can treat it as such warrantythat the job will be done well and the grass will sprout.

PREPARATION WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT WILL COST ADDITIONALLY

Leveling slopes and pushing soil with equipment are separate jobs and are included in such a basic price offer not includedyou must inquire about these jobs separately.

J. Deresevičienė adds that if the terrain is smooth enough and only small corrections are needed, perhaps it won’t cost more. And if heavy equipment is needed, the company prepares an offer based on the individual situation. The company represented by J. Deresevičienė has its own equipment, so the conditions for moving land can be more flexible, even if you have to come more than once. If the lawn installation company does not have its own equipment, each return is ordered separately, therefore making it easier on your pocket.

PLANT SOIL WILL COST EXTRA

R. Alseikaitė says that if existing topsoil already on your plot is used for the new lawn, it often gets trampled, trampled by machinery or simply lies flat. This land must be cultivated. But if the existing land is sufficient, cultivation is included in the base pricehe says.

If you need to bring additional topsoilwhich will need to be added to the cost of installing the lawn. Several companies usually work here: some install lawns, others transport the earth. You can also order the soil yourself: search through the ads and order the required quantity. Of course, if you have your lawn installed by specialists, they will arrange suppliers and check the quality of the soil delivered. This is very important: a quality potting soil will be rich in nutrients and not full of obvious perennial weed roots.

HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND HOW PAYMENT IS PROCESSED

Payment for lawn installation usually occurs in three stages:

one part is the advance payment,
the second part is paid when the seed is released,
the third part is paid after the first lawn mowing.

Specialists said that prices for lawn installation differ in different parts of Lithuania, but when you try to generalize, you pay 3-3.5 euros per square meter you can expect quality work and ask for guarantees. After asking, I got the impression that, for example, there are much more opportunities to find a budget option in Kaunas than in Klaipėda, where prices are higher. In any case, if the lawn surface is large, the price per square meter can be significantly reduced.

Before negotiating a price, ask for information meadow seed mix. More expensive mixtures contain in their composition more lawn fog and other seeds, which are decorative and durable. Cheaper seed mixes contain more grass, less beautiful, less suitable for grazing, more likely to freeze over the winter and require reseeding.

QUALITY GUARANTEES

Responsible companies can also take additional measures to ensure good lawn growth, which are included in the price. J. Deresevičienė says for example that they always sow grass areas up to 10 acres covered with a white agro coatingfor germination to be truly successful. Other specialists do not necessarily always do this, but also cover with agrofilm if necessary, especially if sowing takes place on a slope and there is a high probability that the seeds will be washed away by rain.

If no irrigation system is installed, it is very useful to cover with agricultural film, because this way it retains more moisture and protects it from washout, if the owner does not move the sprinkler to another place in time.

Of course, when sowing, not all seeds germinate evenly. Some specialists at the same price also guarantees sowingif this happens. Ask about it before you fold your arms, so there are no surprises later.

Quality is inseparable from irrigation. Indeed, the lawn needs to be watered so much that an ordinary citizen, who has not encountered this, will certainly water too rarely and too little. What changes if an irrigation system is installed, the settings of which allow you to care for the lawn exactly as needed. V. Marozienė states that for this very reason specialists usually donate warranty for lawn germination only when if an irrigation system is installed.

Lawn installation may not be guaranteed if you water yourself.

Lawn installation may not be guaranteed if you water yourself.fore, if you water with your own hands, you will certainly be able to boast of a quality lawn installation with the first cut and with a guarantee.

CARE AFTER INSTALLATION

If you sow with a better seed mix, don’t expect a beautiful lawn right away. Well taken care of, she beauty will reveal itself in the second or third year. Then you can count on that soft green carpet you’ve always dreamed of.

Also V. Marozienė says that if you sow prestigious lawn seeds, then the treatment must be prestigious: fertilize at least 3 times a year, aerate, mow once a week, use an irrigation system.

So, before you make an agreement, think about how much lawn you really need and responsibly choose a company that can install it.

This mini survey does not pretend to be statistics or an accurate overview of Lithuanian companies, but I hope it will help you understand the entire lawn installation process and help you choose a reliable partner.