How much does turfing cost in Cambridge?
Turf laying in Cambridge costs from £9 per square metre for labour at ELawnCare, with a minimum job size of 25 square metres. Turf itself is charged at cost and typically runs £3 to £6 per square metre depending on the grade. For a typical 50 square metre back garden, the total cost including labour, turf, and basic ground preparation is approximately £750 to £1,100. The national average for professional turf laying is £12 to £18 per square metre fully installed, according to Checkatrade 2025 data. Cambridge sits at the lower end of this range when using ELawnCare, partly because turf is charged at cost rather than marked up. Site preparation adds to the total if the ground needs levelling, old turf removing, or topsoil adding. ELawnCare provides a fixed quote after a free site visit so there are no surprises.
What is included in a professional turfing service?
A professional turfing service includes more than just rolling out turf. At ELawnCare, the standard service covers removing existing vegetation or old turf, rotavating the soil to break up compaction, levelling and raking the surface to create a smooth seed bed, laying the turf in a staggered brick pattern to avoid visible joins, and firming the turf with a roller. Topsoil is added if the existing soil is poor quality or too shallow. The turf is watered thoroughly after laying, and customers receive aftercare instructions covering watering, first mowing, and feeding timescales. What is not included as standard is skip hire for large volumes of old turf or rubble, and any hard landscaping such as edging or path work. These are quoted separately if needed.
When is the best time to lay turf in the UK?
Turf can be laid at any time of year in the UK, but autumn (September to November) and spring (March to May) give the best results. Autumn is ideal because the soil is warm, rainfall increases, and the turf has time to root before winter dormancy. Spring turfing works well if you can keep it watered during any dry spells in April and May. Summer turfing is possible but risky: new turf needs heavy watering in hot weather, sometimes twice a day, and even then it can struggle to establish. Winter turfing is the least recommended because cold soil slows root development and the turf sits on the surface vulnerable to frost heave. In Cambridge, ELawnCare schedules most turfing work between September and November, taking advantage of the mild East Anglian autumn to get strong root establishment before December.
How do you prepare ground for new turf?
Good ground preparation is the difference between turf that thrives and turf that fails within months. Start by removing existing grass, weeds, and debris. Rotavate or fork the soil to a depth of 150 millimetres to break up compaction. Remove stones larger than 25 millimetres. If the soil is heavy clay or poor quality, add 25 to 50 millimetres of topsoil and work it into the surface. Rake the area level, filling any dips and removing any high spots. Firm the surface by treading it systematically, then rake again to create a fine, level tilth. The finished surface should sit about 25 millimetres below the level of adjacent paths and patios so the turf finishes flush when laid. Allow the prepared surface to settle for at least a week before laying if time allows, and remove any weeds that germinate in the meantime.