Sod installation cost in North Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,200
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.95
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $2,400
- Metros covered
- 11
North Carolina prices for sod lawn: $1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, or $0.95 to $1.95 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 4% below the national one. Local wages for landscaping and groundskeeping workers are $18.22 an hour.
Inside North Carolina, the metros we cover range from $2,250 (Greenville) to $2,350 (Durham) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in North Carolina (statewide), standard level
$1,950 to $2,650
About $1.25 to $1.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 47% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $940 | $1,250 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in North Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 47% |
| Labor | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 47% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,200 | 100% |
How North Carolina compares with nearby states
North Carolina ranks 35 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for sod lawn, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $2,850 and the cheapest Mississippi at $2,100, both for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint. North Carolina sits at $2,300. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 120 miles away | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Virginia | 180 miles away | $1,500 – $3,250 | $2,350 | +3% |
| West Virginia | 240 miles away | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −6% |
| District of Columbia | 260 miles away | $1,700 – $3,750 | $2,700 | +18% |
| Georgia | 270 miles away | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | level |
Weather windows across North Carolina
Weather decides when digging and ground work can happen, and North Carolina is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Greensboro has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in North Carolina at 11 months (February through December); Asheville has the shortest at 9 (March through November). Rainfall runs from 41 inches a year in Asheville to 60 inches in Wilmington.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 32 | 90 | 44 | 10: February through June and August through December |
| Raleigh | 32 | 91 | 46 | 10: February through June and August through December |
| Greensboro | 30 | 89 | 46 | 11: February through December |
| Durham | 32 | 91 | 46 | 10: February through June and August through December |
| Winston | 31 | 88 | 43 | 11: February through December |
| Wilmington | 36 | 90 | 60 | 11: August through June |
| Asheville | 29 | 86 | 41 | 9: March through November |
| Hickory | 30 | 87 | 47 | 11: February through December |
| Fayetteville | 34 | 91 | 45 | 11: August through June |
| Greenville | 33 | 90 | 53 | 11: August through June |
| Burlington | 30 | 91 | 43 | 10: February through June and August through December |
Basic, standard or premium: North Carolina prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small yard (1,000 sq ft) to large yard (4,000 sq ft).
Basic
$1,450 to $2,150
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,950 to $2,650
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,500 to $3,200
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $970 – $1,450 | $1,350 – $1,850 | $1,700 – $2,200 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,450 – $2,150 | $1,950 – $2,650 | $2,500 – $3,200 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,850 – $5,500 | $5,100 – $6,750 | $6,350 – $8,000 |
Other North Carolina jobs that often go with sod lawn
Each project weights the trades differently, so North Carolina's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, French drain is −6% and retaining wall −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $1,950 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,350 | −7% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,400 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,450 | −7% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,200 – $104,000 | −8% |
North Carolina metro-by-metro prices
4 of the 11 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $2,300, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (1,500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Charlotte, NC | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Raleigh, NC | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Asheville, NC | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,350 | +1% |
| Wilmington, NC | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Greensboro, NC | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Winston, NC | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Burlington, NC | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −1% |
| Hickory, NC | $1,450 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Fayetteville, NC | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Greenville, NC | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
Why two North Carolina quotes can differ
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.
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.
What landscaping and groundskeeping workers and the other trades earn in North Carolina
North Carolina's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.96 times the national level.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011), 80% of the weighting: a median of $18.22 an hour, 3% below the US median of $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.23 and $21.40 an hour. About 32,730 work in the state. That is 66.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 61.3 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $21.50 an hour, which is 5% below the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.97 and $23.59 an hour. BLS counts 35,620 of them working in the state, 72.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for landscaping and groundskeeping workers ($21.40 an hour) would add about $150 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.23) would take off about $45. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 4,941,820 jobs across North Carolina (May 2025), which is 3.2% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.23 | $18.22 | $21.40 | $18.82 | 0.97 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.97 | $21.50 | $23.59 | $22.66 | 0.95 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
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Detailed sod installation report for North Carolina, $9
Multi-page report for North Carolina: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Sod installation in North Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in North Carolina?
$1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside North Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in North Carolina is cheapest for sod lawn?
Greenville at about $2,250 (midpoint, 1,500 sq ft). The priciest is Durham at $2,350.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in North Carolina than the US average?
It is 4% cheaper: $2,300 against $2,400 for 1,500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in North Carolina?
About 47% ($1,100). Materials are 47%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.96x the national wage level.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in North Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $18.22 an hour, against $18.82 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.23 to $21.40.
+Where does North Carolina rank for sod lawn costs?
35th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $2,300 for 1,500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in North Carolina?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,450 to $2,150 and premium work $2,500 to $3,200. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Does the season matter for sod lawn in North Carolina?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the North Carolina metros we cover, Greensboro has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Sod installation by city in North Carolina
- Durham, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Charlotte, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Raleigh, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Asheville, NC$2,350 midpoint
- Wilmington, NC$2,300 midpoint
- Greensboro, NC$2,300 midpoint
- Winston, NC$2,300 midpoint
- Burlington, NC$2,300 midpoint
- Hickory, NC$2,250 midpoint
- Fayetteville, NC$2,250 midpoint
- Greenville, NC$2,250 midpoint
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.