St. Augustine Sod Cost Calculator

By Michael Woo · Updated June 2026

Your state (adjusts the estimate for local cost level)

The national estimate is adjusted by your state's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2022, U.S.=100). This is a cost-of-living proxy applied to the national sod_st_augustine price — not a per-state sod_st_augustine quote. Always get local quotes before buying.

$450–$900 1,000 sq ft · $0.45–$0.9/sq ft St. Augustine sod (delivered + spread)

Sod material 60% $270–$540

Install labor 40% $180–$360

Not included in this price: existing lawn removal, irrigation system, topsoil or soil amendments, grading beyond light raking, tree or stump removal.

USDA NASS — Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture, and Sod Statistics

How this is calculated

Formula: area × $/sq ft St. Augustine sod (USDA NASS Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture & Sod survey)

Input	Value	Unit
Lawn length	40	ft
Lawn width	25	ft
Install tier	2

St. Augustine Sod Cost by Type

Per-sq ft price by install tier for st. augustine sod. The calculator above defaults to Delivered + spread; switch the selector to price any grade against your own dimensions.

Install tier	Price per sq ft	How it differs	When to use
Material only (DIY)	$0.3–$0.55	Pallets delivered to driveway; you handle transport and laying; sod roller rental adds $50–$80/day	Projects ≤2,000 sq ft where you have time, a helper, and a graded lawn area ready to roll
Delivered + spread	$0.45–$0.9	Crew delivers and lays rolls; you handle soil prep; saves ~50% labor vs full install; no grading	Homeowners who graded and tilled the area themselves but want professional placement speed
Full install + soil prep	$0.9–$1.6	Crew grades, amends soil, lays, rolls, and waters; most common turn-key residential spec	New construction areas or bare patches where ground prep is unknown — the all-in pricing option

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Ways to save on this project

Buy sod directly from the farm instead of through a landscaper's markup

Farm-direct pallets cost $180–$350 versus $300–$500 through a landscaper — saves 25%–40% per pallet

Install sod yourself on flat terrain with 2 to 3 helpers for a half-day

Professional installation runs $0.80–$1.50/sq ft labor; self-install with rented sod cutter saves $3,200–$7,500 on a 4,000 sq ft lawn

Use Floratam instead of premium cultivars for full-sun areas where shade tolerance is unnecessary

Floratam at $200–$350/pallet versus CitraBlue at $280–$420/pallet saves $50–$70 per pallet — $400–$700 on a 10-pallet order

Example project costs

Small shaded front lawn

500 sq ft

St. Augustine sod (~1 pallet)	$225–$450
Delivery	$50–$200
Total	$275–$650

Average suburban yard

1,000 sq ft

St. Augustine sod (~2 pallets)	$450–$900
Delivery	$50–$200
Total	$500–$1,100

Large yard

2,000 sq ft

St. Augustine sod (~4 pallets)	$900–$1,800
Delivery	$100–$300
Total	$1,000–$2,100

St. Augustine Cultivar Comparison

Option	Pros & Cons	Best For
Floratam	$200–$350/pallet, vigorous, chinch bug resistant, needs 8+ hrs sun	Full-sun lawns in Zones 9–10, most common residential cultivar in Florida
Palmetto	$250–$400/pallet, semi-dwarf, moderate shade tolerance, finer blade	Shaded yards with 4–6 hrs sun, smaller properties wanting refined texture
Raleigh	$220–$380/pallet, best cold tolerance for St. Augustine, moderate drought tolerance	USDA Zone 8 lawns, North Carolina through northern Louisiana
CitraBlue	$280–$420/pallet, blue-green color, improved shade and cold tolerance	Properties wanting premium appearance with better shade and cold performance than Floratam

Pro tips

Choose Floratam for full sun or Palmetto for shade — never reverse them

Floratam runs $200–$350/pallet but demands 8+ hours of direct sunlight. Put it under trees and it thins to 40% coverage within 18 months. Palmetto tolerates 4–6 hours of sun at $250–$400/pallet — $50–$75 more upfront, but the correct pick for shaded properties. Get this wrong on a 4,000 sq ft lawn (8–10 pallets) and you'll spend $1,600–$4,000 ripping out and replacing failed turf. The right cultivar premium? Only $400–$750. CitraBlue, released by the University of Florida, handles 4–5 hours of shade at $280–$420/pallet and resists SAD virus.

Water new St. Augustine sod twice daily for the first 14 days, then taper

Apply 0.25 inches morning and 0.25 inches late afternoon for days 1–14. Then 0.5 inches every other day for days 15–30, then 1–1.5 inches per week. Underwatering during the first 10 days causes sod edges to curl and shrink, creating gaps of 0.5–1 inch that weeds colonize within weeks. Hand-filling costs $0.50–$1.00/linear ft. Overwatering (standing water over 1 hour) promotes gray leaf spot fungus, costing $30–$60/1,000 sq ft in fungicide.

Need to price this step too? Use our Fill Dirt Cost Calculator to get an accurate estimate.

Install St. Augustine sod only from April through September in Zones 8–10

Augustine stops rooting when soil temperatures drop below 60°F. A 10-pallet order ($2,000–$4,000) installed in November in Zone 8b has a 40–60% failure rate by spring. The same order installed in June roots within 14 days and survives its first winter as established turf with less than 5% loss. In Zone 10 (South Florida), year-round installation is viable because soil temperatures rarely drop below 65°F. Insurance and bonding for st augustine sod add $500–$1,200 to a typical residential project but protect against $10,000–$50,000 in potential liability.

Don’t forget to budget for related work — try our Zoysia Sod Cost Calculator.

Planning the next phase? Our Bermuda Sod Cost Calculator can help you estimate.

Hidden costs

Pallet rounding and the partial-pallet penalty

Augustine sod sells by the full pallet (~400–500 sq ft) So a 600 sq ft lawn forces 2 pallets and you pay for 300 sq ft of sod. About $195 of scrap at the $0.65/sq ft midpoint. Suppliers rarely break pallets because the grass is cut to order and perishable within 24–48 hours. A 900–1,000 sq ft lawn is the efficient buy (2 pallets. Minimal waste) 1,050 Sq ft pushes to a 3rd pallet that is almost entirely scrap. Measure carefully, add a 5–10% waste allowance, then round up to whole pallets.

Budgeting for the full project? Estimate costs with our Pallet Centipede Sod Cost Calculator.

Delivery and the 24-hour install clock

Delivery runs $50–$200 per trip and the sod is alive on a clock. Lay within 24 hours of harvest in summer heat or the stacked slabs heat to 100°F+ and yellow before reaching your yard. A full pallet weighs roughly 2,500–3,000 lb, so you need a forklift or strong crew to offload. Some suppliers charge $50–$100 extra or require help on site. Schedule summer deliveries for a morning install before 10 a.m. So sod is down before afternoon heat peaks above 90°F. Only after ground prep is fully complete.

Chinch-bug and disease treatment — the St. Augustine tax

Chinch bugs can destroy a new lawn in a single hot summer. Treatment (insecticide plus monitoring) is a recurring $50–$150/year line item many homeowners discover only after 200–500 sq ft of turf is dead. Gray leaf spot and large patch fungus add $30–$60/1,000 sq ft in fungicide cost during wet seasons. Choosing a resistant cultivar like Floratam cuts the chinch bug risk by roughly 40–60% compared to non-resistant types, but does not eliminate it. Budget for ongoing pest management as part of total cost of ownership.

Rookie mistakes

Mowing St. Augustine below 3 inches and triggering scalp damage

Cutting below 3 inches exposes stolons to direct sunlight, causing browning and thinning that takes 4–8 weeks to recover. A scalped lawn in July is 3–5 times more likely to suffer a chinch bug infestation; treatment costs $40–$80/1,000 sq ft in insecticide. Severe infestations kill patches requiring $200–$400 in replacement sod per 500 sq ft. Set the mower to 3.5 inches and sharpen the blade every 25 hours of use. Chinch bugs cause $300–$800 in total damage on a 3,000 sq ft.

Skipping the soil test and guessing on fertilizer amounts

A soil test through your county extension office costs $10–$25 and returns results in 7–14 days showing exact nutrient levels. Southeast soils often test above 50 ppm phosphorus, meaning a 16-4-8 fertilizer wastes its phosphorus component. A 15-0-15 costs the same per bag but delivers what the grass needs. Over-applying phosphorus above 100 ppm causes iron chlorosis in St. Augustine, requiring a $15–$30 chelated iron supplement to correct.

Installing sod over existing weeds without killing them first

Torpedograss and nutsedge grow through 1–2 inches of sod within 30–60 days. This requires selective herbicides at $25–$50/1,000 sq ft per application across 3–4 applications over 6–12 months on a $2,000–$4,000 sod installation. Kill existing vegetation with glyphosate ($15–$30/1,000 sq ft, 7–14 day wait), then till, grade. Install on clean soil; the $40–$80 herbicide prep cost prevents $200–$600/year in post-install weed control for the next 3–5 years. Nutsedge alone produces 1,000–2,000 tubers per plant annually, and each tuber regenerates within 10–14 days — making pre-install eradication 5–8x cheaper than post-install management.

What NOT to build with st. augustine sod

Don't use st. augustine sod for: High-traffic play areas or sports lawns

Augustine withstands fewer than 4 hours of heavy weekly foot traffic before thinning. Bermuda or Zoysia handle the same load with 60–80% less wear damage and recover in 1–2 weeks versus 4–8 weeks for the slower-healing cultivar.

Don't use st. augustine sod for: Full-sun, drought-prone, water-restricted yards

Augustine needs 1–1.5 inches of water per week and struggles in hot full sun under watering restrictions where Bermuda and centipede thrive on less.

Don't use st. augustine sod for: Cold-climate lawns north of the Gulf/coastal South

A hard freeze below 25°F kills most St. Augustine cultivars; only Raleigh tolerates the upper South. Even it dies out north of USDA Zone 8a where 1–3 hard freezes per winter are common.

Tools for laying St. Augustine sod

Start with a sharp sod knife or utility knife to cut the heavy slabs around edges and curves. You'll need a steel rake for final grade, a lawn roller (rentable $20–$30/day) to press sod into soil contact, and a wheelbarrow for the heavy rolls. For watering, get a long hose with a fan nozzle and sprinkler timer — the 14-day watering window is non-negotiable. Bring a second person. Augustine's coarse slabs are heavier and floppier than fine-grass rolls, and a helper cuts lay time by 40–50%. Skip the roller and you get air pockets under seams that dry out and kill the edges within 7–10 days.

Laying it right — tight seams, then water

Lay the first row against a straight edge, butt each slab tight with no gaps and no overlaps. Stagger the end joints like brickwork — gaps of even 0.5 inches dry and die back within 3–5 days. Augustine spreads by stolons and knits closed within 2–3 weeks if kept moist. But only if the bed was prepared and the sod was rolled and watered immediately. Keep the top inch of soil continuously moist for 14–21 days while it roots, which in summer means watering once or twice daily. Under-watering during establishment leaves permanently open seams and invites weed colonization in under 30 days.

Time, size, and when to hire out

Plan 300–500 sq ft of laying per person-hour once the bed is prepped. So a 1,000 sq ft yard is 2–3 hours solo or about 1 hour with 2 people. Bed prep (clearing, tilling, raking, firming) adds a 3–5 hour block and must finish before the sod arrives. DIY saves the entire labor margin versus a landscaper's installed rate of $1.00–$2.00/sq ft — roughly $1,000–$2,000 on a 1,000 sq ft yard. Hire out for steep or heavily contoured lots, areas over 3,000 sq ft where a crew beats the 24-hour install clock. Or if you want an installer's establishment warranty.

Pallet coverage and price by variety

A pallet covers about 400–500 sq ft and runs roughly $200–$405 before delivery, working out to $0.45–$0.90/sq ft (USDA NASS Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture & Sod survey, which tracks sod production and farm-gate prices by variety and state). Variety drives most of the spread: Raleigh and Texas-common cultivars sit near $0.45–$0.55/sq ft at the low end, while premium types. Floratam, Palmetto, Seville, CitraBlue. ProVista — command $0.70–$0.90/sq ft at the top of the range. Divide your prepared area (plus a 5–10% waste allowance for cutting around beds and obstacles) by ~450 sq ft per pallet and round up. Suppliers do not sell partial pallets, since sod is cut to order and perishes within 24–48 hours of harvest.

Why St. Augustine — shade tolerance is the whole point

Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is the most shade-tolerant warm-season lawn grass. Holding a thick stand in as little as 4–6 hours of sun where Bermuda thins to bare dirt. It spreads aggressively by above-ground runners (stolons), knitting into a dense carpet and self-repairing small bare spots from the edges within 2–4 weeks. The trade-offs are real: coarse broad blades (not the fine texture of Zoysia), poor cold-hardiness below 25°F (Raleigh is the exception, rated to Zone 8a), and low tolerance for heavy foot traffic. For a shaded Southern lawn with 4–6 hours of filtered light, it is often the only warm-season grass that holds 80%+ coverage.

Sod or plugs only — there is no St. Augustine seed

Unlike Bermuda, centipede, Bahia, and most fescues — all of which are available as seed for $0.05–$0.25/sq ft — St. Augustine is established only from sod or plugs, making the $0.45–$0.90/sq ft pallet the real cost floor. Plugs (2-inch pieces planted on a 12-inch grid) are a lower-upfront-cost alternative but take a full 90–120 day growing season to fill in, during which weeds compete in the open gaps. Most people choose full sod for instant coverage and to crowd out weeds immediately. Lay in late spring through early summer when soil is above 70°F so it roots before its first winter.

Soil, water, and the pest reality

Augustine tolerates a wide soil pH of about 6.0–7.5 — the opposite of centipede's narrow acidic band. So it suits the alkaline and sandy coastal soils where it is grown without the sulfur amendments centipede demands. It is a thirsty grass requiring 1–1.5 inches of water per week in summer heat, which adds $20–$60/month to irrigation costs in water-metered metros. Chinch bugs are the number-one pest, sucking sap in sunny patches and leaving expanding dead spots; treatment runs $50–$150/year. Floratam's built-in resistance cuts that risk by roughly 40–60%. Budget for pest monitoring and occasional fungicide ($30–$60/1,000 sq ft in wet seasons) as part of the true annual cost.

How we source St. Augustine sod pricing

Material prices are derived from the BLS Producer Price Index for Floriculture Production (NAICS 111422) (series PCU111422111422), published monthly. Labor rates are benchmarked to the BLS OEWS survey for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011), currently reflecting May 2024 wage data. Augustine is limited to USDA zones 8–10 (Gulf Coast, Florida, coastal Carolinas), with regional adjustments via BEA Regional Price Parities (50 states + D.C.) accounting for higher per-pallet transport costs to inland markets. Expect 10–20% premium over bermuda in overlapping markets due to slower propagation (plugs, not seed).

USDA turfgrass adaptation zones

St. Augustine is limited to USDA Zones 8–10. It dies below sustained 20°F. The 2024 USDA map places that line from Wilmington, NC through central Texas to Tucson. Active growth needs soil above 65°F, with peak performance at 80–95°F. In Zone 8a (10–15°F winter lows), polar-vortex events cause crown damage — a real risk for borderline-zone homeowners who should budget 10–15% for winter-kill plugging or overseeding costs (Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a pallet of St. Augustine sod cost?

For a 1,000 sq ft lawn area, a pallet costs $200–$405, covering roughly 400–500 sq ft at $0.45–$0.90/sq ft per USDA NASS sod survey data. At the ~$0.65/sq ft midpoint, a 450 sq ft pallet runs about $290 before delivery. Delivery adds $50–$200 per trip. The clock starts immediately — the pallet must be laid within 24–48 hours of harvest.

How many pallets of St. Augustine sod for 1,000 sq ft?

About 2 pallets, since each covers 400–500 sq ft. Add a 5–10% waste allowance for cutting around beds and curves, which keeps a square lawn inside 2 pallets. An irregular 1,000 sq ft yard with curves can push to a third pallet. At $0.65/sq ft, plan on roughly $650 in sod plus one delivery fee.

Which St. Augustine variety should I buy — Floratam, Palmetto, or Raleigh?

For a 1,000 sq ft lawn area, Floratam is the Florida standard — vigorous and full-sun-loving, bred for chinch-bug and SAD-virus resistance. It's the least shade- and cold-tolerant of the three. Palmetto and Seville handle both better, carrying a small $50–$75/pallet premium over Floratam. Raleigh is the cold-tolerant choice for the Carolinas and upper Gulf, rated to USDA Zone 8a. Match variety to your shade, cold, and pest pressure. Not just price.

Can I grow St. Augustine from seed instead of sod?

No — viable seed is not commercially available for the common cultivars. So sod or plugs are the only options, making the $0.45–$0.90/sq ft pallet price the real cost floor. Plugs are cheaper upfront but take a full 90–120 day growing season to fill in while weeds compete in the gaps. Most homeowners choose full sod for instant coverage and $0 in ongoing weed-suppression labor during the first 60 days.

Why does my new St. Augustine lawn have spreading dead patches?

For a 1,000 sq ft lawn area, In sunny areas the usual culprit is chinch bugs — the number-one killer of this warm-season grass. Which leave expanding dead spots often mistaken for drought; treatment runs $50–$150/year. In shade or wet weather, gray leaf spot or large patch fungus is more likely, with fungicide applications running $30–$60/1,000 sq ft. A resistant cultivar like Floratam lowers the chinch bug risk by roughly 40–60% compared to non-resistant types.

This project often pairs with related work — estimate it with our Soffit Calculator.

Is St. Augustine sod more expensive than Bermuda or centipede?

Augustine runs $0.45–$0.90/sq ft versus Bermuda at $0.45–$0.85 and centipede at $0.30–$0.65, per USDA NASS sod pricing. A 10–30% premium over the cheapest warm-season option. That premium buys shade tolerance that Bermuda and centipede lack. In shaded oak-and-pine yards on the Gulf Coast, this grass holds 80%+ coverage under a canopy where Bermuda drops below 50%.

Related Calculators

Bermuda Sod Cost

Bermuda costs less than St. Augustine and handles foot traffic better — compare per-pallet pricing.

→ Bermuda Sod Cost Fescue Sod Cost

In transition zones, fescue is an alternative to St. Augustine with lower water needs.

→ Fescue Sod Cost Topsoil Cost

Augustine needs rich, well-drained soil.

→ Topsoil Cost Centipede Sod Cost Calculator

Centipede sod costs $0.30–$0.55/sq ft and thrives in acidic sandy soils with minimal fertilization — 50% less nitrogen than bermuda. Price a pallet for your lawn.

→ Centipede Sod Cost Calculator

Sources

USDA NASS — Nursery, Greenhouse, Floriculture, and Sod Statistics — verified 2026-06-11, updates annual