Free price guide · the GTA and Peel Region, Ontario
How Much Does New Sod Cost in Ontario? (2026 Price Guide)
New sod in the GTA typically costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot installed. A flat front lawn where the old grass is stripped, 50mm of topsoil goes down and the sod is laid sits near the bottom. Full removal of a failed lawn, grading corrections and irrigation repairs push it up.
The spread is mostly about what happens before the sod arrives. Sod itself is a fairly stable commodity price; soil, disposal and grading are where quotes diverge.
What it costs, by tier
| Tier | Typical cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward | $1.50–$2.25per sq ftExisting lawn cut low or lightly stripped, good grade already, a thin layer of screened topsoil, standard nursery sod, easy access from the street. | Existing lawn cut low or lightly stripped, good grade already, a thin layer of screened topsoil, standard nursery sod, easy access from the street. |
| Typical | $2.25–$2.75per sq ftOld lawn removed and hauled away, 50–75mm of new topsoil, minor grading to move water away from the house, back yard access. | Old lawn removed and hauled away, 50–75mm of new topsoil, minor grading to move water away from the house, back yard access. |
| Complex | $2.75–$4per sq ftSignificant regrading, poor or compacted subsoil needing amendment, sprinkler heads to be adjusted, difficult access, or a premium sod blend for shade or heavy wear. | Significant regrading, poor or compacted subsoil needing amendment, sprinkler heads to be adjusted, difficult access, or a premium sod blend for shade or heavy wear. |
What moves the price
Soil depth is the number to ask about
Sod laid on 25mm of soil over compacted clay will look perfect for six weeks and struggle every summer after. 100–150mm of good soil is what gives a lawn a root system. It is the most common place for a quote to be quietly thin.
Removal and disposal of the old lawn
Stripping an existing lawn produces a surprising volume of material. Whether the quote includes haulage — and how many bins — is worth reading carefully.
Grade correction
If water pools against the foundation now, new sod will not fix it and will die in those spots. Correcting the grade first costs more and is the difference between a lawn and a repeat job.
Timing
Spring and early autumn establish best in Ontario. Sod laid in a July heat wave can be done well, but it needs watering discipline that most people underestimate — and some installers will not warranty it.
Watering is your cost too
New sod needs daily watering for two to three weeks. On a metered supply that is a real number, and it is not in anyone’s quote.
Red flags when you are hiring
None of these mean somebody is dishonest. They mean the quote in front of you has not been thought through — and that is where the trouble usually starts.
A large deposit up front, with no schedule attached to it
A deposit to cover materials is normal. A deposit that is most of the job, before anything has been ordered or booked, is the pattern behind most of the money people lose. Tie payments to stages of work you can see.
No written contract, or one with no itemised scope
You should be able to read what is included, what is not, what happens if the ground holds a surprise, and what the schedule is. "We will look after you" is not a scope.
Leftover materials from another job, offered at the door
Legitimate contractors do not sell surplus asphalt or stone door to door. This is a seasonal pattern in the GTA and it very rarely ends with work you would want.
Pressure to decide today
A price that expires this afternoon is a sales tactic, not a market condition. Good crews are busy and can tell you when they are free; they do not need you to sign before you have read it.
A price well below the ranges on this page
If the quotes you are holding sit far under $1.50–$3.50 per sq ft installed, something has been left out — usually the part you cannot see once the job is finished. Ask what the base depth is, what is being disposed of, and what happens if the ground is not what they expected. The answer tells you a lot.
A quote that does not state the depth of topsoil being added.
No mention of where the old lawn goes.
Sod delivered and laid on the same pallet-day it was cut is ideal; a quote that cannot tell you the sod farm is worth a second question.
Questions people ask
Is sod better than seed?
Sod costs several times more and gives you a finished lawn in a day, with far less weed pressure while it establishes. Seed is much cheaper and can produce an equally good lawn, but it needs a longer establishment window, more watering attention and tolerance for a patchy first season. On a slope, sod also holds soil that seed would let wash away.
How soon can we walk on it?
Light foot traffic after about two weeks, normal use after a month, and keep pets off it for the first couple of weeks if you can. The roots need to knit into the soil below before the lawn can take wear.
Not sure which end of that range you are at?
That is what a consultation is for. For $150 you get a written verdict on whether your project is viable, the reasoning behind it, and a realistic price range for your site — not the internet average. The fee carries forward if you go further with us.
Typical range for this project: $1.50–$3.50 per sq ft installed.