Sod installation cost in Hilton Head, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,450 – $3,200
- Per sq ft
- $0.95 – $1.95
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #156
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in Hilton Head, plan on $1,450 to $3,200 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $0.95 to $1.95 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 3% lower than the national one. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.3).
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Hilton Head, SC, 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 | $90 | $210 |
| Total | $1,950 | $2,650 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Hilton Head, SC
| 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 | $150 | $290 | 6% |
| Total | $1,450 | $2,300 | $3,200 | 100% |
Why Hilton Head 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, Hilton Head wages are 0.97 times the national level. Labor makes up about 47% of the midpoint estimate (47% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Hilton Head metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,100, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (98.0) and land at $0 to $290.
Sod installation: what moves the price in Hilton Head
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).
Related projects, priced for Hilton Head
Because every project leans on different trades, Hilton Head's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs −6% and retaining wall −9%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $560 – $2,000 | −6% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,750 – $9,300 | −7% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,400 | −9% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,350 – $9,550 | −6% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $33,300 – $104,000 | −8% |
Climate in Hilton Head: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Beaufort Mcas (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Hilton Head (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Hilton Head gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are June, July and August (6.5 inches in August). Inside the workable window, May and November are the driest, at 2.5 and 2.5 inches. The station averages about 73 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 40 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Feb | 64 | 43 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 77 | 56 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 84 | 64 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Jul | 92 | 75 | 5.6 | Hot |
| Aug | 90 | 74 | 6.5 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 70 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 78 | 59 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 69 | 48 | 2.5 | Workable |
| Dec | 63 | 43 | 3.2 | Workable |
Hilton Head: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Hilton Head wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
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) | $960 – $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 |
Hilton Head labor market for sod lawn
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Hilton Head is 0.97 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.16 an hour, which is 4% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.02 and $21.76 an hour. BLS counts 1,550 of them working in the area, 189.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.99 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.13 and $25.12 an hour. About 910 work in the metro. That is 111.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($21.76 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $170. At the 25th percentile ($17.02) it shrinks by about $55. The total moves by 7.4% or 2.4%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 81,920 jobs in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal area. That makes it the 232nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.05% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.02 | $18.16 | $21.76 | $18.82 | 0.96 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.13 | $21.99 | $25.12 | $22.66 | 0.97 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.97 | |||||
Is Hilton Head cheap or dear? The local comparison
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 1,500 sq ft range from $2,200 to $2,300 across Hilton Head and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head, SCthis page | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | |
| Savannah, GA30 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Charleston, SC65 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | level |
| Augusta, GA100 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Columbia, SC115 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Florence, SC135 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,250 | −2% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +4% |
Across 300 US metros, Hilton Head comes in at #156 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $2,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $2,000 (midpoints, 1,500 sq ft). Statewide, Hilton Head is 2% above the South Carolina figure.
Other South Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −2% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | level |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | −2% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −5% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −4% |
Cities with a workforce like Hilton Head's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Hilton Head against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | 82,160 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −3% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 81,840 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | level |
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −7% |
| Johnson City, TN | 81,690 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,250 | −3% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Sod installation in Hilton Head: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Hilton Head?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,450 to $3,200 in the Hilton Head area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,950 to $2,650. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Hilton Head?
About $0.95 to $1.95 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 Hilton Head or Savannah?
Savannah is 30 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,250, which is 3% less than Hilton Head ($2,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Hilton Head?
About 47% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $2,300. Materials are 47% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Hilton Head?
$1,450 to $3,200. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Hilton Head?
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 Hilton Head area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Hilton Head expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Hilton Head is 2% above the South Carolina statewide estimate ($2,250 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in South Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Hilton Head?
The BLS median is $18.16 an hour in the Hilton Head area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.02 to $21.76.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Hilton Head?
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.
+When is the best time to lay sod in Hilton Head?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. May 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 Hilton Head
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.