Cost of seeding vs turfing
Turf supplied and laid costs £14 to £22 per square metre on our figures where the ground is already close to level. Grass seed itself is much cheaper per square metre, which is the main reason people consider it.
The saving is smaller than it first looks, though, because the expensive part of any lawn is the preparation: stripping the old surface, bringing in topsoil where the ground is poor, levelling and firming. That work is identical for turf and seed.
Time until you can use it
A turfed lawn looks complete on day one and, with steady watering, roots in over the following weeks. A seeded lawn shows a green haze after a week or two but needs a full season or more to thicken up enough for children and dogs to play on it. Over that time it needs keeping off, protecting from birds and watering through any dry spells.
Weather and weeds
- Turf can be laid most of the year as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged
- Seed relies on warm soil and steady moisture, so its window is narrower
- Turf smothers weed seed in the soil underneath; seed competes with it
- Heavy rain can wash seed into patches on a slope; turf stays put
Turfing
- Ground cleared and prepared
- Accurate levelling
- Aftercare guidance included
Returf or reseed an old lawn?
If the existing lawn is thin but the ground is level and drains well, overseeding can bring it back. If it is bumpy, full of moss and weeds, or sitting on compacted subsoil that puddles, seed will not fix the cause. That is the point where stripping it out, correcting the ground and returfing gives the better result. Our returfing guide covers that process step by step.
One thing we never do is lay new turf over an old lawn. The grass underneath dies, leaving a spongy layer that stops the new roots getting into the soil.
Our usual advice
For a new lawn in a family garden, we recommend turf on properly prepared ground. It is ready sooner, more predictable and far more forgiving of a wet autumn. Seed is a fair choice for large, low use areas or for thickening a lawn that is already in good shape.