Sod installation cost in Chico, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,650 – $3,600
- Per sq ft
- $1.10 – $2.20
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #32
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the Chico area: $1,650 to $3,600 for 1,500 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 10% higher than the US figure. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $21.71 an hour in the Chico area, 15% above the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Chico, CA, standard level
$2,250 to $3,050
About $1.45 to $1.90 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,050 | $1,350 |
| Labor | $1,150 | $1,450 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $2,250 | $3,050 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Chico, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $790 | $1,200 | $1,600 | 45% |
| Labor | $870 | $1,300 | $1,750 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $300 | 6% |
| Total | $1,650 | $2,650 | $3,600 | 100% |
Why Chico prices look the way they do
Labor is 49% of the midpoint bill here, against 47% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is landscaping and groundskeeping workers (80%), construction laborers (20%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Chico the blended ratio comes out at 1.16.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Chico is at 105.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,150 nationally becomes $1,200 here (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 101.2: $0 to $300.
Planning more than one job in Chico?
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Chico wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+17%) and sprinkler system lowest (+8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $700 – $2,450 | +17% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $4,350 – $10,800 | +8% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,900 – $14,700 | +10% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,850 – $11,700 | +14% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $40,300 – $126,000 | +12% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Chico bid
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Is Chico cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Chico. Redding comes closest at about $2,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CAthis page | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | |
| Sacramento, CA70 miles | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 | +1% |
| Redding, CA80 miles | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 | level |
| Napa, CA90 miles | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 | +5% |
| Vallejo, CA100 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +2% |
| Santa Rosa, CA105 miles | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +3% |
| California (statewide) | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +2% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | −9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Chico ranks #32 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Chico is 2% below the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $1,650 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +2% |
| San Francisco, CA | 2,373,920 jobs | $1,800 – $3,900 | $2,850 | +8% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | −2% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +3% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $1,750 – $3,850 | $2,800 | +6% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 | +1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Chico against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | 79,510 jobs | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | −2% |
| Napa, CA | 77,860 jobs | $1,700 – $3,800 | $2,750 | +5% |
| Saginaw, MI | 80,000 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −14% |
| Racine, WI | 76,280 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | −10% |
Cost by quality level and size in Chico
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Chico. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,650 to $2,450
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,250 to $3,050
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,850 to $3,600
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $1,100 – $1,650 | $1,550 – $2,100 | $1,950 – $2,500 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,650 – $2,450 | $2,250 – $3,050 | $2,850 – $3,600 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $4,400 – $6,300 | $5,850 – $7,700 | $7,250 – $9,150 |
The best months for sod lawn in Chico
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Chico Univ Farm (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For digging, grading and setting material in the ground, the comfortable months in Chico are October through June: 9 of 12. Outside them, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Chico gets about 27 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (5.1 inches in February). Inside the workable window, May and June are the driest, at 1.4 and 0.6 inches. The station averages about 99 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 36 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 38 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 42 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 45 | 1.9 | Workable |
| May | 81 | 52 | 1.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 57 | 0.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 95 | 61 | 0.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 94 | 59 | 0.1 | Hot |
| Sep | 91 | 55 | 0.3 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 47 | 1.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 40 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 36 | 5.0 | Workable |
Who does the work: Chico trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Chico the blend is 1.16.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $21.71 an hour, 15% above the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.05 and $23.69 an hour. About 710 work in the metro. That is 90.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $26.31 an hour, which is 16% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $34.60 an hour. BLS counts 480 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $95 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $180. That is a swing of roughly 6.6% to 3.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Chico has 78,220 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 241st by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $18.05 | $21.71 | $23.69 | $18.82 | 1.15 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.14 | $26.31 | $34.60 | $22.66 | 1.16 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.16 | |||||
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Sod installation in Chico: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Chico?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,650 to $3,600 in the Chico area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,250 to $3,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Chico?
About $1.10 to $2.20 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $300 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Chico or Sacramento?
Sacramento is 70 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,650, which is 1% more than Chico ($2,650). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Chico?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $1,300 out of $2,650. Materials are 45% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Chico?
$1,650 to $3,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Chico?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $300 for fees in the Chico area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Chico expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of California?
Chico is 2% below the California statewide estimate ($2,700 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Chico?
The BLS median is $21.71 an hour in the Chico area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.05 to $23.69.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Chico?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,650 to $2,450 and premium work $2,850 to $3,600. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+When is the best time to lay sod in Chico?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through June. May and June are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Sod installation near Chico
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.