Published Miami bands put a complete professional installation at 9 to 15 per square foot, with most jobs landing between 11 and 15 per square foot. A typical 500-square-foot backyard lands between 4,500 and 7,500 installed.
The published bands
| Line | Published band |
|---|---|
| Complete professional installation | 9 to 15 per square foot |
| Most common installed range | 11 to 15 per square foot |
| Basic residential grass, material only | 2 to 5 per square foot |
| Premium pet-grade or high-face-weight grass, material only | 5 to 7 per square foot |
| Labour | 8 to 12 per square foot |
| Removing an existing lawn and hauling debris | 1 to 3 per square foot |
| Excavation and compacted base | 1 to 3 per square foot |
| Typical backyard, 500 square feet | 4,500 to 7,500 |
Why the same yard gets three different prices
Three variables move the number: the aggregate (open-graded washed stone costs more than dense road base), the compacted depth, and what is included. Removal, hauling and disposal are the lines that get left out of a cheap quote and added later.
Specialty surfaces
Published South Florida bands put putting green material at 12 to 16 per square foot with labour at 15 to 20, and sports or playground material at 15 to 20 with labour at 12 to 15. Premium landscaping turf runs 10 to 15 per square foot for material and 10 to 12 for labour. These are priced per square foot but delivered as small areas, so fixed costs spread over fewer feet.
The lines a quote has to contain
- Measured area in square feet, taken on site.
- Excavation depth and aggregate type, by name.
- Compacted depth and the compaction check.
- Drainage: fall, outlet and any channel drain.
- Removal, hauling and disposal of the old lawn.
- Edge restraint and perimeter anchoring.
- Infill type and rate.
- Warranty terms for material and for workmanship, separately.
Where a cheap price costs more
A base that holds water fails in the first wet season, and fixing it means lifting the surface. Published repair bands put minor works at a few hundred dollars and a section rebuild at several thousand. The difference between a base that drains and one that does not is about 10 per ton on the aggregate.
How to use the numbers
Treat the bands as a check on the quotes you receive, not as a substitute for them. Every yard differs in access, rock depth, drainage and edge detail, and the only honest comparison is between itemised quotes for the same scope.
Frequently asked questions
How much does artificial grass cost per square foot in Miami?
Published bands are 9 to 15 per square foot installed, with most jobs between 11 and 15. Material alone is 2 to 5 per square foot for basic grass and 5 to 7 for premium grass, and labour is 8 to 12.
How much for a 500 square foot backyard?
Between 4,500 and 7,500 installed, depending on the aggregate, the compacted depth and what removal is included.
Is artificial grass cheaper than a natural lawn?
The installation costs more up front. The saving comes from mowing, watering, fertilising and disease treatment, which in a South Florida wet season are a real annual cost.
What does removal of the old lawn add?
1 to 3 per square foot in the published bands, including hauling the debris off site.
What does the base add?
1 to 3 per square foot for excavation and a compacted base, and more where rock is shallow or access is tight.
Do quotes include the permit?
Usually not, because a lawn replacement normally needs none. Where a fence, wall, deck or grading change is involved, a permit allowance of 100 to 500 should be a separate line.
Related
Sources
- InstallArtificial - artificial grass prices in Miami
- Monster Grass South Florida - cost to install turf in Miami
- Synthetic Grass Warehouse Florida - Miami artificial grass cost page
- National Weather Service Miami-South Florida - wet season and hurricane season
- Florida Statutes s. 373.185 - Florida-friendly landscaping and association rules