Sod installation cost in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,250
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #111
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new sod lawn in the Coeur d'Alene area: $1,500 to $3,250 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 lands close to the US figure. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.2).
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Coeur d'Alene, ID, standard level
$2,000 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $990 | $1,300 |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $2,000 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Coeur d'Alene, ID
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 46% |
| Labor | $760 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,350 | $3,250 | 100% |
What is behind the Coeur d'Alene number
Labor is 48% 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 Coeur d'Alene the blended ratio comes out at 1.02.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Coeur d'Alene is at 96.2 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 98.3: $0 to $290.
Why two Coeur d'Alene quotes can differ
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.
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).
Who does the work: Coeur d'Alene 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 Coeur d'Alene the blend is 1.02.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $18.86 an hour, in line with the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $18.10 and $23.09 an hour. About 740 work in the metro. That is 102.4 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 $24.48 an hour, which is 8% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.40 and $28.20 an hour. BLS counts 1,080 of them working in the area, 149.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (landscaping and groundskeeping workers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $200 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $35. That is a swing of roughly 1.5% to 8.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Coeur d'Alene has 72,280 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 254th 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% | $18.10 | $18.86 | $23.09 | $18.82 | 1.00 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.40 | $24.48 | $28.20 | $22.66 | 1.08 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.02 | |||||
Related projects, priced for Coeur d'Alene
Jobs that often go together with sod lawn are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Coeur d'Alene wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, French drain comes out highest (+4%) and sprinkler system lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $630 – $2,200 | +4% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,850 – $9,600 | −4% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $7,100 – $13,400 | level |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,550 – $10,400 | +2% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $36,100 – $113,000 | level |
Is Coeur d'Alene cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1,500 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Seattle is the priciest of the group at $2,750.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene, IDthis page | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | |
| Spokane, WA55 miles | $1,650 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +10% |
| Missoula, MT120 miles | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +5% |
| Kennewick, WA150 miles | $1,650 – $3,600 | $2,650 | +11% |
| Yakima, WA210 miles | $1,600 – $3,450 | $2,550 | +7% |
| Seattle, WA240 miles | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,750 | +15% |
| Idaho (statewide) | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +1% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Coeur d'Alene ranks #111 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Coeur d'Alene is 1% below the Idaho figure.
Elsewhere in Idaho
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $1,550 – $3,350 | $2,450 | +3% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −3% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Coeur d'Alene against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | −2% |
| Bangor, ME | 72,270 jobs | $1,550 – $3,350 | $2,450 | +3% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −8% |
| Bozeman, MT | 72,210 jobs | $1,600 – $3,550 | $2,600 | +9% |
Cost by quality level and size in Coeur d'Alene
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Coeur d'Alene. 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
$1,500 to $2,200
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,000 to $2,750
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,550 to $3,250
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $990 – $1,500 | $1,400 – $1,900 | $1,750 – $2,250 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,000 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,250 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,950 – $5,650 | $5,250 – $6,950 | $6,500 – $8,200 |
The best months for sod lawn in Coeur d'Alene
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Coeur D'Alene (in the city). 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 Coeur d'Alene are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F).
In January, February, March, November and December the average low is at or below freezing, which means frozen ground and slower digging, compaction and sod or stone placement. NOAA counts about 121 days a year with a low at or below 32°F at this station.
Coeur d'Alene gets about 25 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, November and December (3.5 inches in December). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 0.7 and 0.8 inches. The station averages about 18 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 | 36 | 26 | 3.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 41 | 27 | 2.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 48 | 31 | 2.7 | Cold |
| Apr | 56 | 37 | 1.9 | Workable |
| May | 66 | 44 | 2.1 | Workable |
| Jun | 72 | 51 | 2.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 83 | 57 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Aug | 83 | 56 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 74 | 48 | 0.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 39 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Nov | 44 | 32 | 3.3 | Cold |
| Dec | 36 | 26 | 3.5 | Cold |
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Sod installation in Coeur d'Alene: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Coeur d'Alene?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,500 to $3,250 in the Coeur d'Alene area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,000 to $2,750. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Coeur d'Alene?
About $1 to $2 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 Coeur d'Alene or Spokane?
Spokane is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,600, which is 10% more than Coeur d'Alene ($2,350). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Coeur d'Alene?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $1,150 out of $2,350. Materials are 46% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Coeur d'Alene?
$1,500 to $3,250. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Coeur d'Alene?
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 Coeur d'Alene area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Coeur d'Alene expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Idaho?
Coeur d'Alene is 1% below the Idaho statewide estimate ($2,400 at the midpoint). We cover 3 metros in Idaho; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Coeur d'Alene?
The BLS median is $18.86 an hour in the Coeur d'Alene area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.10 to $23.09.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Coeur d'Alene?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium work $2,550 to $3,250. 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 Coeur d'Alene?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. July and August 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 Coeur d'Alene
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.