Pricing
It costs $140–$1,300 to reseed lawns between 1,000 and 5,000 square feet.
Reseeding your lawn can cost between 3 and 32 cents per square foot.
The main factors influencing reseeding costs are lawn square footage, labor rates and grass seed quantity.
Our research shows that the cost to reseed a lawn ranges from $140 for a lawn smaller than 1,000 square feet to $10,500 for an acre or larger lawn. To obtain reseeding cost data, we sourced multiple lawn care experts — most of whom own a lawn care company that performs this service.
Below, we cover each factor that influences reseeding costs and provide tips for saving on this job type. We also explain the best time to add a new lawn based on your grass type.
Check out our list of the best lawn care companies to learn more about their reseeding services.
What factors influence the cost of lawn reseeding?
Multiple factors affect the final cost of lawn seeding, including your lawn’s size, labor, grass seed amount and type, any prep work needed and the condition of your lawn’s topsoil.
The sections below highlight the most common factors influencing reseeding costs.
Lawn size
Lawn size is the biggest contributor to reseeding costs. Larger lawns require more grass seed to complete a job. Ultimately, the amount you’ll pay for labor and materials depends on your lawn’s square footage.
The table below highlights cost ranges based on lawn size that we’ve compiled from Kody Ketterling, founder of Idaho-based K-IT Products:
| Lawn Square Footage | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Less than 1,000 square feet | $140–$300 |
| 1,001–3,000 square feet | $140–$840 |
| 3,001–5,000 square feet | $780–$1,300 |
| More than 5,000 square feet | $1,250–$10,500 |
Labor
Labor rates vary widely based on location, lawn condition and size, preparation work and seed application technique.
Ketterling stated that his company charges between $75 and $125 per hour for general reseeding services. He also noted that larger lawns require less labor due to the use of reseeding machinery.
The table below highlights Ketterling’s labor rates based on lawn size:
| Lawn Square Footage | Labor Rate per Hour |
|---|---|
| Less than 1,000 square feet | $75–$125 |
| 1,001–5,000 square feet | $75–$115 |
| More than 5,000 square feet | $75–$100 |
Amount of grass seed
The quantity of grass seed needed to properly reseed your lawn also affects cost. Your lawn’s size naturally determines how much grass seed you need — larger lawns require more grass seed, and vice versa. Also, a simple seeding service on an existing lawn with bare spots typically requires fewer pounds of seed than bare ground.
A 50-pound bag of grass seed costs between $110 and $125, while a 10-pound bag ranges from $14 to $50, according to Ketterling.
Grass seed type
The type of grass seed your lawn needs also affects the cost of seeding your lawn. For example, Lowe’s charges $10 per pound for tall fescue seed and $8 per pound for Bermuda grass seed. In addition, grass seeds that are difficult to harvest, such as buffalo and zoysia varieties, tend to cost more.
Because of bulk ordering, lawn care companies sometimes price grass seeds lower than retailers. The table below highlights the price ranges provided by Ketterling for various grass seeds:
| Grass Seed Type | Cost Range per Pound |
|---|---|
| Bahia grass | $8–$11 |
| Bermuda grass | $5–$19 |
| Buffalo grass | $39 |
| Carpet grass | $14 |
| Centipede grass | $11–$18 |
| Clover | $7–$32 |
| Fine fescue grass | $5–$7 |
| Tall fescue grass | $2–$6 |
| Perennial bluegrass | $5 |
| Kentucky bluegrass | $2–$7 |
| St. Augustine grass* | $3 |
| Zoysia grass | $70–$85 |
What other factors affect lawn reseeding costs?
Although the main factors influencing reseeding costs are your yard’s size, the amount and type of new grass seed needed, and professional labor, additional factors also affect price.
Professional reseeding vs. DIY
You can perform a reseeding service yourself, or you can hire a professional lawn care company. Doing it yourself will save on labor costs, although you still need to pay for the grass seed.
You’ll likely pay more per pound of grass seed than you would through a lawn care company since companies usually buy seed in bulk quantities. In addition, if your lawn is larger than 2,000 square feet, you’ll likely need to purchase or rent specialized lawn equipment to reseed it effectively.
If you rent reseeding equipment, you’ll need a lawn tiller or aeration machine and a seed spreader. Renting an aeration machine ranges from $50 to $80 for four hours and between $80 and $140 for an entire day, according to Ketterling. Seed spreaders cost between $25 and $75 to rent for a full day, though Ketterling said most people choose to buy these.
You’ll need additional lawn tools to complete the job. According to Jeff Rietveld, vice president and divisional merchandise manager of Tractor Supply, the tools you’ll need to properly reseed your lawn are seed spreaders, fertilizer, straw, a water hose, irrigation (such as a sprinkler system) and a rake.
Consider the time needed to perform these tasks, too. Although you may save money overall, ask yourself if you’d prefer reseeding yourself or having a professional do it.
We surveyed 1,000 homeowners in January 2024 and found that 920 of them hired a professional lawn care company. The graphic below shows respondents’ main reason for hiring a professional versus performing lawn care themselves.
Seeding method
The seeding method you use also influences cost. We break down each type of seeding service below.
Aeration and overseeding
Aeration and overseeding involve removing small plugs of soil over existing grass and filling them with grass seed. These services are fairly common; most reputable lawn care companies offer them.
Ronald Saddler, the owner and operator of Saddler Lawn Care in Ohio, prices lawn aeration between $75 and $150 per hour.
Hand seeding
Hand seeding is the manual procedure of spreading grass seed across your lawn using no equipment. This process is the most cost-effective since you can easily do it yourself.
However, hand seeding may not be the most efficient method since you spread grass seed using only your hands. Additionally, you run the risk of unevenly spreading the seed, which can cause lower germination rates. Lower germination rates lead to poor new lawn growth.
We recommend hand seeding if you’re working on a small lawn area. For larger sections, we suggest professional seeding services or renting seeding equipment.
Hydroseeding
Hydroseeding is the process of spreading grass seed and other ingredients — such as water, mulch and fertilize — onto your patchy or dead grass. Lawn care companies make a slurry of the components and apply the mixture using a pressurized hose, which makes hydroseeding more effective for larger lawns.
According to Janice Parker, the owner of Janice Parker Landscape Architects in Greenwich, Connecticut, hydroseeding costs 50 cents per square foot or $2,500 for a 5,000-square-foot lawn.
Slice seeding
Slice seeding involves using machinery to cut miniature holes into your lawn’s topsoil and drop grass seed directly into them. This method ensures that the seeds have a higher chance of germination, leading to better sprout growth.
Slice seeding costs range from 7 to 19 cents per square foot, according to Ketterling. He added that slice seeding costs reduce per square foot the larger your lawn is.
Lawn quality
The final factor affecting the total cost of reseeding your lawn is its condition. A dry, unhealthy lawn with many dry patches and tufts of old grass will typically cost more to reseed than a green lawn with a few thin areas.
If you use a lawn care professional to reseed your lawn, they can diagnose its soil conditions. Usually, professionals visually inspect your lawn or gather a soil test sample before recommending a type of seeding service. If your lawn’s soil is in poor condition, they’ll likely recommend soil amendment services before reseeding.
How can you save on reseeding lawn costs?
While some factors are out of your control regarding reseeding costs (such as the size of your lawn), you can take action to lower your total reseeding bill.
Here are some methods to help you save money:
- Do it yourself: The best way to save money on reseeding your lawn is to do it yourself since labor and equipment costs greatly contribute to a professional lawn company’s fee. Note that you must dedicate time to perform this job. Also, you may experience mixed results depending on how well you prepared your lawn’s soil, spread grass seed and kept up with watering.
- Perform prep work: You can save several hours' worth of labor costs by performing prep work on your lawn, such as aerating or dethatching, before the lawn professional arrives to reseed your lawn.
- Regularly maintain your lawn: Reseeding services will usually cost less if your lawn is well-maintained and healthy since your lawn professional won’t need to implement corrective procedures. These corrective procedures are additional services that cost extra.
When’s the best time to reseed your lawn?
The best time of year to reseed your lawn depends on your climate and the grass type your lawn needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so we’ve highlighted the optimal periods to reseed your lawn based on grass type.
Cool-season grasses
Warm-season grasses
Transitional zone grasses
Cool-season grasses grow best during the end of summer and throughout autumn. If you live in the northern regions of the United States, you likely have cool-season grass — examples include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue grass.
Warm-season grasses grow best during the end of spring and beginning of summer. Southern and western areas of the country tend to have warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda grass, Bahia grass and centipede grass.
Transitional zone grasses refer to cool-season or warm-season grasses that can successfully grow in the middle region of the United States. This requires more of an expert opinion since certain grass types may struggle in such a varied area. For example, hard fescue grass will thrive during the early fall and cooler months yet turn yellow and wilt during the summer heat.
What’s next?
Now that you have an idea of lawn reseeding costs based on lawn size, grass seed type and seeding method, you can contact a lawn care professional for a free estimate. We compiled a list of the best lawn care companies available nationwide — each offering reseeding and general lawn care services. Be sure to obtain pricing estimates from at least three companies to get the best value for your dollar.
If you prefer going the DIY route, perform the proper prep work beforehand, such as lawn aeration, for optimal results. Also, ensure you use the right grass seed based on your area’s climate.
