Sod installation cost in Savannah, GA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,400 – $3,100
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.90
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #230
- 1 = most expensive
A new sod lawn in Savannah, GA usually costs $1,400 to $3,100 for 1,500 sq ft. That works out to about $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $150 less. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $17.73 an hour in the Savannah area, 6% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Savannah, GA, standard level
$1,900 to $2,600
About $1.20 to $1.60 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $890 | $1,150 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,900 | $2,600 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Savannah, GA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 48% |
| Labor | $690 | $1,050 | $1,350 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,400 | $2,250 | $3,100 | 100% |
Why Savannah prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Savannah wages are 0.91 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (47% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Savannah is at 96.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,150 nationally becomes $1,100 here (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.2: $0 to $290.
How Savannah compares
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Hilton Head is the priciest of the group at $2,300. Augusta is the cheapest at $2,250.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GAthis page | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | |
| Hilton Head, SC30 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| Charleston, SC95 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| Augusta, GA100 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Jacksonville, FL135 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +2% |
| Columbia, SC135 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Georgia (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +3% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Savannah ranks #230 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Savannah is 3% below the Georgia figure.
Elsewhere in Georgia
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 2,889,670 jobs | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +5% |
| Augusta, GA | 231,930 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Columbus, GA | 116,380 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −3% |
| Gainesville, GA | 103,870 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
| Athens, GA | 95,800 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −1% |
| Macon, GA | 95,030 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Savannah against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NH | 199,560 jobs | $1,550 – $3,450 | $2,500 | +12% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +19% |
| Santa Maria, CA | 200,760 jobs | $1,650 – $3,650 | $2,650 | +18% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −3% |
Why two Savannah quotes can differ
Sod type
Sod alone costs $0.30-$0.80 per sq ft, or $130-$360 per pallet; delivery is $50-$250 per load.
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Savannah
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Savannah. 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
$1,400 to $2,100
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,900 to $2,600
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,400 to $3,100
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $940 – $1,450 | $1,300 – $1,800 | $1,650 – $2,150 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,400 – $2,100 | $1,900 – $2,600 | $2,400 – $3,100 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,750 – $5,350 | $4,950 – $6,600 | $6,200 – $7,800 |
Savannah weather and the sod installation calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Savannah Intl Ap (10 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 Savannah are September through May: 9 of 12. Outside them, June, July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Savannah gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 2.4 inches. The station averages about 81 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 | 61 | 40 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Feb | 65 | 43 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 71 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 78 | 55 | 3.4 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 63 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 90 | 71 | 6.7 | Hot |
| Jul | 92 | 74 | 5.8 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 73 | 5.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 69 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 79 | 59 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Nov | 70 | 48 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 64 | 43 | 3.2 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Savannah
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Savannah wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, sprinkler system comes out highest (−9%) and gravel driveway lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $540 – $1,900 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,650 – $9,100 | −9% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,150 – $12,200 | −11% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,050 | −11% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $32,100 – $100,500 | −11% |
What local crews earn in Savannah
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 Savannah the blend is 0.91.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $17.73 an hour, 6% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $15.85 and $20.42 an hour. About 960 work in the metro. That is 48.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $18.12 an hour, which is 20% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $14.71 and $21.63 an hour. BLS counts 1,210 of them working in the area, 61.0 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 $130 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $90. That is a swing of roughly 4.0% to 5.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Savannah has 198,360 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 116th 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% | $15.85 | $17.73 | $20.42 | $18.82 | 0.94 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $14.71 | $18.12 | $21.63 | $22.66 | 0.80 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.91 | |||||
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Sod installation in Savannah: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Savannah?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,400 to $3,100 in the Savannah area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,900 to $2,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Savannah?
About $0.95 to $1.90 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $290 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Savannah or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,300, which is 3% more than Savannah ($2,250). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Savannah?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,050 out of $2,250. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Savannah?
$1,400 to $3,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Savannah?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $290 for fees in the Savannah area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Savannah expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Georgia?
Savannah is 3% below the Georgia statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 10 metros in Georgia; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Savannah?
The BLS median is $17.73 an hour in the Savannah area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $15.85 to $20.42.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Savannah?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,400 to $2,100 and premium work $2,400 to $3,100. 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 Savannah?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through May. February and November 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 Savannah
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.