Sod installation cost in Dallas, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,500 – $3,300
- Per sq ft
- $1 – $2
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −1%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #105
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in Dallas, plan on $1,500 to $3,300 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $1 to $2 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint lands close to the national one. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $18.12 an hour in the Dallas area, 4% below the US median of $18.82.
Estimate your sod installation cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Dallas, TX, standard level
$2,050 to $2,750
About $1.30 to $1.70 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 45% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,000 | $1,300 |
| Labor | $930 | $1,200 |
| Permits and fees | $95 | $220 |
| Total | $2,050 | $2,750 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Dallas, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $770 | $1,150 | $1,550 | 48% |
| Labor | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 45% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $150 | $310 | 6% |
| Total | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,300 | 100% |
Where the Dallas price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: landscaping and groundskeeping workers at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, Dallas wages are 0.96 times the national level. Labor makes up about 45% of the midpoint estimate (47% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Dallas metro is 102.8 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,150, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (103.1) and land at $0 to $310.
Dallas 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 Dallas is 0.96 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $18.12 an hour, which is 4% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $17.37 and $21.30 an hour. BLS counts 19,750 of them working in the area, 48.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $21.14 an hour, 7% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.19 and $22.79 an hour. About 29,670 work in the metro. That is 73.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($21.30 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $150. At the 25th percentile ($17.37) it shrinks by about $35. The total moves by 6.4% or 1.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 4,049,800 jobs in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area. That makes it the 4th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 2.60% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $17.37 | $18.12 | $21.30 | $18.82 | 0.96 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $18.19 | $21.14 | $22.79 | $22.66 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.96 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Dallas?
Because every project leans on different trades, Dallas's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, retaining wall runs −2% and gravel driveway −4%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $580 – $2,050 | −3% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,900 – $9,750 | −2% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,850 – $13,300 | −2% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,400 – $9,850 | −4% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $35,000 – $109,500 | −3% |
How Dallas compares
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 $2,150 to $2,400 across Dallas and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TXthis page | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | |
| Waco, TX90 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −8% |
| Tyler, TX105 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −7% |
| Killeen, TX125 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −7% |
| Longview, TX135 miles | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −9% |
| College Station, TX145 miles | $1,350 – $2,950 | $2,150 | −10% |
| Texas (statewide) | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +1% |
Across 300 US metros, Dallas comes in at #105 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, Dallas is 4% above the Texas figure.
Other Texas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −3% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | −4% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $1,350 – $3,050 | $2,200 | −8% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $1,300 – $2,850 | $2,050 | −14% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $1,250 – $2,750 | $2,000 | −16% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | −9% |
Cities with a workforce like Dallas's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dallas against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +13% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | −3% |
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $1,650 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +12% |
| Washington, DC | 3,136,190 jobs | $1,600 – $3,500 | $2,550 | +7% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: sod installation pricing in Dallas
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Dallas 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
$1,500 to $2,200
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$2,050 to $2,750
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,550 to $3,300
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 – $2,300 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,050 – $2,750 | $2,550 – $3,300 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,950 – $5,700 | $5,250 – $6,950 | $6,550 – $8,250 |
Climate in Dallas: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Dallas Love Fld (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
October through May is the stretch where digging, grading and setting material in the ground runs into the fewest weather problems in Dallas (8 of 12 months). June, July, August and September have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Dallas gets about 38 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 2 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and October (4.8 inches in October). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.6 and 2.8 inches. The station averages about 108 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 | 58 | 38 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Feb | 62 | 42 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| Apr | 77 | 57 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 85 | 66 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jun | 93 | 74 | 3.8 | Hot |
| Jul | 97 | 78 | 1.7 | Hot |
| Aug | 97 | 77 | 2.2 | Hot |
| Sep | 90 | 70 | 3.1 | Hot |
| Oct | 80 | 59 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Nov | 68 | 48 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 40 | 3.2 | Workable |
Sod installation: what moves the price in Dallas
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.
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $2,050 to $2,750 for Dallas, TX is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Dallas, TX: 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 Dallas: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Dallas?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,500 to $3,300 in the Dallas area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,050 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 Dallas?
About $1 to $2 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $310 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Dallas or Waco?
Waco is 90 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,200, which is 8% less than Dallas ($2,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dallas?
About 45% at the midpoint, or $1,100 out of $2,400. Materials are 48% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Dallas?
$1,500 to $3,300. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Dallas?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $310 for fees in the Dallas area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dallas expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of Texas?
Dallas is 4% above the Texas statewide estimate ($2,300 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Dallas?
The BLS median is $18.12 an hour in the Dallas area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.37 to $21.30.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Dallas?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,500 to $2,200 and premium work $2,550 to $3,300. 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 Dallas?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are October through May. January and February 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 Dallas
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.