--- title: "Artificial Grass FAQs | Cost, Installation & Care | Bucks & Surrey" url: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/artificial-grass/faqs description: "Answers to the most common artificial grass questions: installed cost per m², base build-up, drainage, dogs, lifespan and maintenance. Family-run installers in Bucks & Surrey." lang: en-GB --- 01494 211167 (+441494211167) 9am–7pm, 7 days Serving Bucks & Surrey hdlandscapingandpaving@gmail.com Call Now: +441494211167 Get Free Quote: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/contact Image: Low-maintenance artificial grass lawn installed on a prepared base in a family garden (https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/d0926762-356c-4c8e-bf84-37da3f04da37/artificial-grass-garden-03.jpeg) # Artificial Grass FAQs Cost, Installation, Drainage & Care Everything homeowners across Buckinghamshire and Surrey ask us before laying a synthetic lawn, answered honestly by the team that installs them. Free in-person survey, fixed written quote, 0% deposit. Get My Free Quote: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/contact Call 01494 211167: +441494211167 Artificial grass has changed a great deal in fifteen years. The yarn is softer, the colours are more convincing, and a well-specified lawn now stands up to dogs, children and British winters without turning to mud. What has not changed is the single factor that decides whether a synthetic lawn still looks right in a decade: the groundwork beneath it. The answers below cover the questions we are asked on almost every survey, from realistic installed costs per square metre through to base build-up, drainage, pet use, lifespan and long-term care. If your question is not here, call us on 01494 211167 (+441494211167) and we will answer it straight. ## Cost and quoting Artificial grass is priced by the square metre, but the number that matters is the installed price, not the price of the roll. Most of the cost sits in the groundwork underneath, which is exactly the part a cut-price quote leaves out. ### How much does artificial grass cost to install in Buckinghamshire and Surrey? ### Why are some quotes so much cheaper? ### Do you take a deposit? ### Do you charge for the quote or the site visit? ## Installation and groundwork A synthetic lawn is only as good as the base beneath it. This is the part of the job you never see again, and the part that decides whether the lawn still looks flat and drains freely in ten years. ### How long does an artificial grass installation take? ### What does the base build-up actually consist of? ### Can artificial grass be laid over my existing lawn? ### Can it be laid over an existing patio, concrete or decking? ### Will the joins be visible? ### How is the perimeter fixed down? ## Drainage, pets and everyday use These are the questions we get asked most on site visits, usually by families with dogs, young children, or a lawn that has been churned to mud every winter. ### Does artificial grass drain, or will I get puddles? ### Is it suitable for dogs? ### Is it safe for children? ### Does it get hot in direct sunlight? ### Will weeds grow through it? ### Can I put a barbecue or fire pit on it? ## Materials, lifespan and maintenance Specification is where the long-term difference shows. Two lawns that look identical on day one can be years apart by year five. ### What specification of grass do you use? ### How long does artificial grass last? ### What is the sand infill for? ### How much maintenance does it need? ### Can artificial grass be recycled or removed later? ## Working with Hi Design We are a family-run landscaping and paving business with more than 35 years of combined experience, working daily across Buckinghamshire and Surrey. ### What guarantee do you offer? ### Which areas do you cover? ### How do I get a quote? ## What to check before you accept any quote - The excavation depth in millimetres, and the aggregate type and thickness that replaces the soil. - The pile height, stitch density and yarn shape of the grass being supplied, not just a product name. - How seams are joined, tape and adhesive rather than pins pushed through the surface. - How the perimeter is fixed, timber frame, kerb or ground pins. - The infill quantity in kilos per square metre. - Who removes and disposes of the old lawn, and whether that is inside the price. - The workmanship guarantee in writing, and whether the manufacturer warranty is passed to you. ## Related pages Artificial Grass Installation: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/artificial-grass Real Turf: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/turfing Patios & Paving: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/patios Decking: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/decking Drainage: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/drainage Our Work: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/our-work Hazlemere: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/areas/hazlemere Farnham: https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/areas/farnham ## Still Got A Question About Artificial Grass? Free in-person survey with grass samples. Fixed written quote same day. 12-month workmanship guarantee. Call 01494 211167: +441494211167 Free site visit · Fixed written quote same day · 0% deposit · £10m insured ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "#organization", "name": "Hi Design Landscaping & Paving", "legalName": "Hi Design Landscaping & Paving", "url": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk", "logo": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/favicon.png", "image": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/favicon.png", "telephone": "+441494211167", "email": "hdlandscapingandpaving@gmail.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "ELD House, 64 Upper Mulgrave Road", "addressLocality": "Cheam", "addressRegion": "Surrey", "postalCode": "SM2 7AJ", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "#website", "name": "Hi Design Landscaping & Paving", "url": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "publisher": { "@id": "#organization" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "LocalBusiness", "@id": "#localbusiness", "name": "Hi Design Landscaping & Paving", "image": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/favicon.png", "telephone": "+441494211167", "email": "hdlandscapingandpaving@gmail.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "ELD House, 64 Upper Mulgrave Road", "addressLocality": "Cheam", "addressRegion": "Surrey", "postalCode": "SM2 7AJ", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "areaServed": [ "Hazlemere", "Great Missenden", "Amersham", "Chalfont St Giles", "Chalfont St Peter", "Beaconsfield", "Chesham", "Farnham" ], "openingHours": "Mo-Su 09:00-19:00", "priceRange": "££", "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "reviewCount": "100", "bestRating": "5", "worstRating": "1" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "url": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/artificial-grass/faqs", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much does artificial grass cost to install in Buckinghamshire and Surrey?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Supply and install for a domestic lawn typically works out at £70 to £110 per square metre. The range reflects three things: the grade of grass you choose, how much excavation and waste disposal the site needs, and whether extra drainage is required. A flat 40m² rear lawn with easy access sits at the lower end. A sloping garden with poor drainage, restricted access and a skip on the road sits at the upper end. Every quote we give is fixed and written, so the figure you accept is the figure you pay." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why are some quotes so much cheaper?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Almost always because the base has been reduced or removed. Laying grass straight over an existing lawn, or over a thin skim of sand, cuts a day or two of labour and several tonnes of aggregate from the job. It also guarantees dips, puddles, moss and lifting edges inside two seasons. If a quote is dramatically lower than the rest, ask for the excavation depth and the aggregate specification in writing. That single question usually explains the gap." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you take a deposit?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. We work on 0% deposit, so you pay nothing upfront and settle on completion once you have walked the finished lawn with us. You can pay by bank transfer, card or cash." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you charge for the quote or the site visit?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. The survey is free and always in person. We never quote artificial grass from photographs, because photos hide the two things that set the price: ground levels and drainage. We bring physical grass samples so you can see the colour and pile against your own fence, patio and planting rather than on a screen." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does an artificial grass installation take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A typical 40 to 60 square metre garden takes two to four days from strip-out to handover. Day one is excavation and waste removal, day two is the sub-base and laying course, day three is grass, seaming and infill. Larger gardens, tricky access or heavy rain during the compaction stage can add a day. We give you a realistic window at quote stage rather than an optimistic one." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What does the base build-up actually consist of?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For a standard domestic lawn we excavate to 75 to 100mm, lay a weed-suppressant membrane over the consolidated ground, then compact roughly 50mm of MOT Type 1 or Type 3 aggregate in two passes with a plate compactor. On top of that goes around 25mm of granite dust or grit sand as a laying course, screeded smooth and set to a fall of about 1:100 so water always has somewhere to go. Only then does the grass go down." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can artificial grass be laid over my existing lawn?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not if you want it to last. Soil and turf compress unevenly under foot traffic, so the surface develops dips within a season. Organic matter left underneath holds moisture, which encourages moss and, in shaded gardens, an unpleasant smell. Weeds also find their way through. Any installer offering to roll grass straight onto turf is saving themselves labour at your expense." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can it be laid over an existing patio, concrete or decking?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, provided the surface drains. Solid concrete with no falls or drainage points needs holes cored or a permeable layer added first. On sound paving or a stable concrete slab we normally lay a shockpad or foam underlay for comfort underfoot, then bond the grass at the perimeter. This is a common approach on roof terraces, balconies and small courtyards where excavation is not practical." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will the joins be visible?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not when they are done properly. Every roll is laid running in the same pile direction, the selvedge is trimmed back to the third stitch line, and the seam is bonded onto jointing tape with a grass-specific polyurethane adhesive, then weighted while it cures. Visible stripes across a lawn are almost always the result of two rolls laid in opposing directions, which no amount of brushing will fix afterwards." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How is the perimeter fixed down?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Edges are secured to a pressure-treated timber frame or a concrete edging kerb with galvanised nails at roughly 150mm centres, or pinned with ground pins where the lawn meets a bed. A lawn that lifts at the corners after a year has almost always been laid without any perimeter fixing at all." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does artificial grass drain, or will I get puddles?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A correctly installed lawn drains faster than real turf. The backing is perforated with drainage holes at roughly 100mm centres, and water passes straight through into the open aggregate base below, then away through the falls we build in. Puddling is a symptom of a missing or contaminated sub-base, not a fault with the grass itself." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is it suitable for dogs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people call us. Urine drains through the perforated backing into the aggregate below and rinses away with a hose. For dog-heavy gardens we specify a shorter, denser pile that recovers well from repeated use, a fully permeable backing, and an open-graded aggregate base that clears liquid quickly. Solids are picked up as normal, and an occasional rinse keeps the lawn fresh. Dogs cannot dig it up once the perimeter is properly fixed." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is it safe for children?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The yarn is non-toxic and lead-free, and the surface is considerably softer to fall on than paving or compacted soil. For dedicated play areas beneath swings or climbing frames we can lay a shockpad underlay to improve the critical fall height. There is no mud, so there are no muddy footprints indoors from October to March." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does it get hot in direct sunlight?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "On a genuinely hot, cloudless day a synthetic lawn in full sun will feel warmer than real grass, commonly five to ten degrees above ambient. A minute with a hose cools it immediately. Gardens with partial shade, tree cover or a north-facing aspect rarely notice it at all." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will weeds grow through it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Weeds cannot root through a membrane and a compacted aggregate base. What can happen over years is windblown seed germinating in organic debris that has collected on the surface. Brushing off leaves in autumn and an occasional rinse prevents it entirely." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I put a barbecue or fire pit on it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not directly. Synthetic yarn melts under direct heat or a dropped ember. Where clients want a barbecue or fire pit area, we design in a paved or gravel zone at the same level, which also looks deliberate rather than improvised." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What specification of grass do you use?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For domestic lawns we normally specify a 30 to 40mm pile height, a high stitch density of around 17,000 stitches per square metre or more, and C-shape or W-shape yarn, which springs back upright far better than flat yarn. A multi-tone thatch layer of brown and green beneath the main pile is what gives a lawn its natural look rather than a flat, uniform green. We work with established ranges including Namgrass, Nomow, Easigrass and TigerTurf." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does artificial grass last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "On a properly built base, quality grass lasts ten to fifteen years before the pile flattens beyond recovery. Premium products carry manufacturer warranties of eight to ten years, which we pass directly on to you. Grass laid on a poor base can look tired within three, which is why we will not quote a reduced-base installation." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the sand infill for?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Kiln-dried silica sand, brushed into the pile at roughly five to eight kilos per square metre over two or three passes, weights the lawn down, supports each blade so it stands upright, and improves fire performance. A lawn laid without infill ripples in the heat and flattens far sooner." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much maintenance does it need?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Very little, but not none. A stiff brush across the pile once a month lifts any matting in high-traffic routes. Leaves and blossom are best removed with a brush or a leaf blower before they break down into the pile. A rinse with a hose clears pollen, dust and pet use. That is the entire annual schedule: no mowing, no feeding, no watering, no scarifying." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can artificial grass be recycled or removed later?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. It can be lifted, and the aggregate base underneath is reusable for paving or a new lawn. An increasing number of manufacturers now run take-back and recycling schemes for polyethylene grass. If you ever want to return to real turf, the base is already prepared." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What guarantee do you offer?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A 12-month workmanship guarantee on every installation, alongside the manufacturer product warranty on the grass itself, typically eight to ten years, passed straight on to you. We are also covered by £10 million public liability insurance, and we are happy to show the certificate on request." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which areas do you cover?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We install artificial grass across Hazlemere, Great Missenden, Amersham, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter, Beaconsfield, Chesham and Farnham, and throughout the surrounding parts of Buckinghamshire and Surrey." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I get a quote?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Call us on 01494 211167 or send the enquiry form. We arrange a free in-person survey, bring grass samples, measure up, check your drainage, and give you a fixed written quote the same day." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Artificial Grass", "item": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/artificial-grass" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "FAQs", "item": "https://www.hdlandscapingandpaving.co.uk/services/artificial-grass/faqs" } ] } ] ```