Cost to Restore a Lawn – 2021

| Last Updated: August 23, 2021

National Average Improvement and Repair Cost

Pro

DIY

Hours:

12.1

4.5

Cost:

$ 495

$ 215

Would you do this project? According to our survey, 72% of respondents preferred DIY compared to hiring a pro.

The average price to Restore a Lawn noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.

What’s the cost to restore a lawn? The contractor cost to restore a lawn is $495 vs. doing yourself for $215.

Bring new life to a tired lawn with a facelift designed to cure its ills and transform the look of your property. Your lawn needs attention if the grass is ridden with patchy clumps of weeds, unsightly bare spots, or areas of hard compacted soil.

This lawn renovation isn’t an instant makeover; your grass requires regular attention, but in one growing season you’ll be amazed at what a little tender loving care and feeding can do. This kind of care is best suited for a homeowner who’s around regularly to feed, water, and nurture the new growth, rather than a landscaper who would have to make return visits.

If you want to hire out the job and can find a landscaper to take it on, he’ll charge $495 to weed, level, aerate, fertilize and seed a 100-square-foot patch of lawn. This includes labor and material. You can do the job for $215, the cost of lawn seed and soil amendments. That includes $90 for a day’s rental of a power aerator if it’s necessary.

The scope of the job depends on the condition of the soil and extent of the damage. Typically it involves short, incremental tasks that include removing the weeds and raking and leveling the soil before fertilizing and seeding. If there are thick clumps of thatch or compacted soil, rent a power aerator to loosen the soil and create drainage.

Then add amendments such as organic matter, fertilizer, lime, or sulfur to the soil and seed the area. The follow-up work is important: protect and watch for new growth, and water and nurture the seedlings until they are strong and thriving.

Consumer Reports has this advice about How to Fix the 5 Most Common Lawn Problems.

The average price to restore a lawn noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself. 

Welcome! We hope you’ll find the job costs of home improvement projects useful when you’re deciding whether to do a job yourself vs. hire a contractor. We’re the authors of 20 home improvement books, most notably Home Improvement for Dummies©, Bathroom Remodeling for Dummies©, Carpentry for Dummies©, Plumbing for Dummies©, and Painting and Wallpapering for Dummies©. Our most recent book Fix It and Flip It is in its second edition. We’ve appeared as home improvement experts on television programs such as CNN, Dateline, the Today Show, HGTV and many others.