So, you have decided that artificial grass is the best choice to complete your outside space. Now you need to choose who will install your lawn for you.
Artificial grass installation may appear to be a simple and straightforward endeavour. However, it really isn’t!
Many individuals and businesses claim to be artificial grass installation experts. But their level of expertise can vary greatly, and some installers will cut corners and/or use inferior materials to reduce costs.
To make matters worse, poorly installed artificial grass can look perfectly fine for a while. Issues such as bumps and hollows, curling at the edges, drainage problems and bad odours will only develop weeks or months later.
Only the best artificial grass installers will achieve visually stunning and long-lasting results.
How do you choose artificial grass installers?
Ask the right questions
If artificial grass isn’t your field of expertise, it is all too easy to be misled. What may sound like a perfectly good approach to grass installation could be one that leaves you with a raft of problems that are costly to rectify.
If you are to identify a superior installer, it is important to ask the right questions about each stage of the proposed installation and to know what the answers should be!
You should certainly ask to see previous examples of the installers’ work and check out their feedback online.
It is also worth asking to sign off on the groundworks before any artificial grass is installed. Don’t forget that larger businesses will often subcontract the installation work and so the company who have provided you with a quotation might not be the one that installs the grass. If you sense that the company you are dealing with might subcontract the work, ask for the details of the proposed installer.
It is important to ask the installer to provide an explanation of both their installation method and the materials they propose to use. You should also check their work at each stage of the project to ensure that they are doing exactly what they said they would.
Here’s how a typical installation measures up against a superior Kennedy Landscapes installation:
Typical installation
- Remove natural grass and excavate area to a depth of 100mm.
- Install timber edging secured with timber pegs.
- Install membrane (prevents weed growth) and 75mm compacted type 1 aggregate.
- Lay 20mm of sharp sand over the aggregate.
- Cut artificial grass to shape and nail it to timber edges.
There are several issues with this method of installation.
The timber used will eventually rot and timber edges make curves difficult to tackle.
Grass that is simply nailed to wooden edging may lift and curl.
Sharp sand tends to trap and hold odours if pets urinate on the grass.
The inadequate depth of the aggregate will cause the artificial grass to sink over time. Sunken areas can cause water to accumulate both on and beneath the turf. Stagnant water provides the perfect breeding ground for insects and causes odours.
Superior Kennedy Landscapes installation
- Remove natural turf and excavate the area to a depth of 125mm.
- Install granite setts or similar edges constructed in concrete and with a concrete haunch.
- Install membrane and 100mm compacted type 1 aggregate.
- Lay 25mm of grano dust (firm and stable yet permeable).
- Cut and glue grass to the concrete haunch.
This enhanced method of construction will deliver a lawn that drains efficiently and last for decades. Grano dust does not hold odours and the artificial grass can be replaced easily in the future without the need to redo either the edging or the base.
Artificial grass should never be:
- Laid without edging
- Laid on a thick layer of sand
- Laid on a solid concrete base as it won’t be permeable
- laid on a patio as it won’t be permeable
- Secured with large nails
Artificial grass installation cost in Sussex
Naturally, cost will be a major consideration when you are choosing your artificial grass installer.
But it is crucial to remember that cutting costs will usually prove to be a false economy. Indeed, the cheapest installations can ultimately prove to be the most expensive choices as they will probably need to be reworked. Many installations are cheaper because the proposed groundworks and edging are inadequate and feature inferior materials.
Installers are able to offer lower prices if they can complete the projects quickly and use cheaper materials. However, this will result in lawns that are less aesthetically pleasing, that will be plagued with issues and that won’t stand the test of time.
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side!
It is worth spending a little more to benefit from a beautiful, long-lasting lawn. One that won’t constantly require remedial work and so will not be a constant drain on your finances.
Regardless of the installer you choose, artificial grass will always be a more expensive option than laying turf, at least at the outset.
But artificial grass tends to be more cost effective in the long run as you won’t be spending your hard-earned cash on maintenance, fertilisers, weedkillers and mowing equipment.
Artificial grass could save you money but only if it is correctly installed.
