Pricing a 17,500 Sq Ft Sod Job: Don't Guess—Calculate

Removed 17,500 sq ft sod, brought 36 tons topsoil, leveled, planted Bermuda. What to charge?

If It's a Business: Cost-Plus

Hard costs (materials, fuel, rental) + Labor + Overhead + Profit (15–20%) = Price

Example math: ~$3,000 total → $0.17/sf. Future bids at $0.18–0.20/sf.

If One-Off: Negotiate Upfront

Never quote after. You have zero leverage.

Reality Check

Sod alone costs $0.35–0.50/sf contractor price. Your $1.16/sf quote ($20,300) is high for prep+sod unless you're including irrigation, grading, warranty.

Track every cost. Divide by square footage. That's your real unit cost.