Verified By
Karianne Jaeger, Construction Project Manager
Verified By
Karianne Jaeger
Cost to Install a New Synthetic Turf Sports Field
An artificial turf field costs between $700,000 and $1,500,000 depending on the size, the sport played on it, the quality of the artificial turf, the choice of infill material and the geographical location in which the field is to be installed or resurfaced.
Are you currently planning to install an artificial turf field for your sports facility? If yes, get an instant cost breakdown for your project by using our artificial turf field cost calculator.
| Costs of turf field construction | Artificial turf field | Natural grass |
|---|---|---|
Construction costs | $700,000 - $1,500,000 | $400,000 – $820,000 |
Maintenance costs | $6,000 - $10,000 x 10 years = $60,000 - $100,000 | $18,000 – $44,000 |
Utilization time/year | 2,800 hrs x 10 years = 28,000 hrs. | 800 hrs. x 10 years = 8,000 hrs. |
Cost per hour of use | $27 - $57 | $52 - $108 |
- This table compares sample costs for a turf field and a natural grass field, including the annual maintenance and upkeep costs. The last line breaks everything down to costs per one playing hour.
- These calculations assume a pitch size of 320 ft x 200 ft, backfill with sand and an EPDM infill granule, ancillary construction costs and taxes.
- Other sports field equipment such as floodlights, a barrier system or sports equipment are not included.
Does a Turf Field Cost More Than a Natural Grass Pitch?
When converting from natural grass to a synthetic grass pitch or modernizing an existing sports field, it is sometimes possible to continue using the drainage or the base layer. This, of course, reduces the cost of building a synthetic turf pitch.
Other top-line costs to consider are floodlight systems, sport-specific equipment and ball-catching fences that need to be built around the field. At the same time, facility managers should commission an assessment of the local environmental conditions and a soil survey to determine the soil properties, ensure your land is suitable to your ambitions and better estimate the costs.
Given the scope of possibilities, facility managers should consult a landscape architect or a planner specializing in sports facility construction to determine what is needed and offer a detailed budget for the various options.
Calculate the individual costs for your artificial turf football field project in less than 5 minutes: artificial turf field cost calculator
What Influences the Installation Cost?
When planning a new artificial turf sports field, it’s important to account for several key components in the budget. Below is a breakdown of the major cost factors involved:
- Soil testing (optional)
- Construction site equipment (e.g., fences, traffic safety, signage)
- Trench excavation
- Drainage system installation
- Subgrade preparation and base course for surrounding areas
- Paving of walkways, including boundaries and binder course
- Base course and paving in safety zones
- Base course for the artificial turf playing surface
- Installation of shock pads or elastic base layers
- Synthetic turf surface installation, including inlaid markings
- Optional infill material (depending on turf type)
- Control tests for grain distribution and water permeability
- Installation of ball-catching fences
- Anchored goal posts or equipment depending on sport requirements
Sport-Specific Cost Factors
The breakdown above outlines the costs at a general level, without yet diving into sport-specific details. Turf fields for different sports vary in several ways, including total area, shape, dimensions, the type of turf required, and additional factors like line markings, equipment needs, and safety zones.
Luckily, we’ve covered sport-specific cost factors in detail in our separate guides, which you can explore below.
Cost to Install Indoor Turf Fields
The cost of installing indoor turf fields tends to differ due to factors such as facility size, the absence of drainage systems, and the specialized turf required for indoor environments. Without the concern for weather conditions, indoor fields offer unique advantages—learn more in our comprehensive guide to indoor turf field costs.
Essential amenities
Ancillary construction costs will be determined by the facility’s use cases, sport-specific needs and the materials used. Suppliers of sports turf often carry other products and systems that augment the playing surface or improve the experience of players, attendees and staff. These can be new installations or improvements on existing infrastructure. They include:
- LED sports lighting system
- sports field sprinkler system
- protective and supportive barrier systems
- ball-catching fences
- sport-specific equipment
- maintenance equipment for the new turf field and other installations
How Much Does Artificial Turf Field Cost per Square Foot?
Many clubs and municipalities are eager to know the cost of installing a sports turf field per square foot, but determining this figure requires detailed information. The process involves assessing the intended use cases, consulting with specialists, and conducting site inspections. These steps help align stakeholders on project goals and set a foundation for planning.
Actual costs vary based on factors like turf quality, manufacturer, and infill type. Additionally, existing infrastructure, such as drainage and fencing, can affect the total expense. Total costs should also consider associated expenses for planning, expert assessments, and permits, as they play a crucial role in accurate budgeting.
For a precise estimate, use the artificial turf field cost calculator, which also helps plan for ongoing costs like infill replenishment.
Cost to Replace or Resurface an Existing Turf Field?
In case you have an existing turf that is getting close to the end of the warranty period – or already past it – you might want to start thinking about replacing the old turf with a new one and how to dispose of the old one properly. How long a synthetic turf field lasts depends not only on the maintenance and usage level but also on the generation of turf that was installed. Sports turfs built in the beginning of 2000s are expected to last around 10 years. In contrast you can add another five years to the lifespan of a turf field installed in the last 10 years. It’s also good to understand that sports turf manufacturers typically offer a warranty of eight years as a result of rigorous laboratory testing on the durability of the fiber material.
When renovating a sports turf, some costs can be eliminated, making the budget more palatable for the club. Many times the existing elastic layer can be reused and the turf can be reapplied elsewhere.
However, when renovating a turf field, the facility has to pay for dismantling the turf system and recycling the components. This must be performed by a specialized sports field contractor and the synthetic turf must be disposed of properly. The cost to deconstruct and dispose of the synthetic grass pitch and install a new surface ranges from $360,000 to $620,000.
In some cases, clubs can save money by performing some of the tasks on their own. For example, club members can pave the path areas and remove construction debris. The clubs should discuss the scope of in-house work with the sports field builder or specialist planner, who should still oversee in-house workers.
Use our artificial turf field resurfacing cost calculator to get a customized cost estimate for your turf field project!
Use our artificial turf field resurfacing cost calculator to get a customized cost estimate for your turf field project!
Cost of Replacing a Grass Pitch With Artificial Turf
Many clubs and sports facility operators know it: maintenance cycles are getting shorter and training on the aging sports field is becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Before long, they’ll be closing the pitch for extensive repairs amid complaints and grumbling from their members, many of whom remember the last time this was done, not too long ago. The alternative to another round of repairs (and starting the cycle all over again) is to replace your grass sports field with artificial turf.
This is a capital expenditure that involves high investment costs that will only prove their value over the long term. The club’s board or the municipality must estimate the costs and verify their ability to finance the project before getting deep into the planning process. The project stakeholders should bring in a sports field construction specialist, landscape architect or other large-scale construction planner right from the start. These experts can provide valuable tips and minimize the costs of overhauling a natural grass field into a long-lasting synthetic turf pitch.
Important Considerations
Whether substituting a grass sports field for artificial turf is worthwhile in the end depends on many factors, with money being an important one – as always – but not the only one.
Synthetic turf sports fields are becoming increasingly common across the country. The biggest advantage of an artificial turf playing field is that it can be played on year round. The maintenance and upkeep costs are also significantly lower than for a natural grass field.
Before deciding on an artificial turf system, facility managers should lay out their use concept and determine the general requirements for the field. This will let them assess whether the project is worth the investment. Knowing which sports at which level, and the frequency of play will help managers choose the right product and understand the turf field cost structure. They will need to consider the sport-specific needs of the surface, the preferences of the players (for example, are they more concerned about high-performance or a comfortable-on-the-joints surface?) and what other activities or events the field may host.
A new synthetic sports pitch can be “game-changing” for a club or town. It can turn a run of the mill sports field into a destination, attracting tournaments, sponsors and more and better players. But if, for whatever reason, those are not on the horizon for your facility and only a small number of teams will ever use the field, the artificial turf field may not fulfill its potential and may not be worth the investment. The club should take an in-depth look at the sales, marketing and user impacts that a new artificial surface will have before committing to construction.
On top of the financial concerns, legal and logistical issues will influence the decision to go forward with the project: Will a building permit be required? Do building noise protection requirements have to be observed? What will be the annual and accumulated costs of maintaining the artificial turf pitch over the next 10- 15 years? Are there any sport- or association-specific requirements or guidelines that should be taken into account, e.g. whether the planned field has the proper dimensions and safety consideration for intended user base.
Going Forward With a Conversion to Artificial Turf
Once the decision to swap your old pitch with synthetic grass is settled, the first major decision is aligning the use concept and the sports. A synthetic turf pitch for field hockey must meet different requirements than a pitch for soccer or for multifunctional use.
Each sport’s requirements should be hashed out with an sports facility manufacturer or a sports field builder early in the planning phase. Particularly if you want to be able to use the field for multiple sports, there may be a limited set of construction materials and unique area constraints that will satisfy all those use cases with a single field.
Additionally, facility managers should take stock of which components of the existing sports field can be integrated into the new construction. Preserving parts of the base layer, for example, can be quite economical. Likewise, in some cases, the drainage or other infrastructure related to the construction and maintenance of the field can carry over to the artificial turf. But to make this happen, you’ll need guidance from someone with a high level of expertise in sports field soils and base layers to determine how much can be preserved.
What Is the Cost of Artificial Turf Infill?
Infill granules are an important component of the new construction or renovation of a synthetic grass pitch. Anyone planning such a project should understand that infill material is an important cost item when installing artificial turf for a sports field. There are several artificial turf infill material options on the market to choose from which is why calculating the cost is not so straight forward. To give you an idea only the cost of infill for a small soccer pitch would sum up to around $12.000.
How Much Does an Artificial Turf Field Cost to Maintain?
The costs surrounding the care and maintenance of synthetic turf surfaces are divided into regular and advanced measures. Clubs should clarify the care and maintenance costs of an artificial turf pitch at an early stage. Compared to natural turf, a synthetic surface requires less maintenance and is therefore cheaper to maintain. Nevertheless, the club must maintain the synthetic pitch and have it checked regularly, either by its in-house staff or an outside company.
Cleaning the synthetic sports pitch is of particular importance, and should be performed on a weekly basis. It is important to remove leaves, foliage and debris so the contamination does not permanently impair the playing characteristics of the pitch. The groundskeeper needs appropriate training from the artificial turf manufacturer to ensure that the grass is optimally maintained and can last for 8 – 10 years.
At a minimum, the following measures must be carried out regularly:
- Cleaning the pitch
- Brushing the pitch
- Deep, intensive cleaning
- Repair of heavily-used playing zones
- Watering the field
The cost of synthetic grass pitch maintenance is approximately $4,000-$6,0000 per year for a small playing field. For large playing fields, it’s worthwhile to get quotes from companies that offer professional maintenance using industry-specific equipment and trained personnel.
Artificial Turf Maintenance Equipment: Optimally Maintaining the Field
The costs for sports turf maintenance equipment should factor into the plans and budgets at an early stage. Different machines can perform different functions in the maintenance of a pitch. Clubs can maximize their cost strategy by purchasing a few versatile machines instead of a fleet with many overly specific machines. Clubs should also account for the distinction between equipment for regular maintenance and those for advanced maintenance. Machines for regular maintenance should be owned by the club and can be operated by the groundsman or a trained club member, while it’s not cost-effective for clubs to own those from the latter category.
Some equipment clubs should consider buying for their regular in-house maintenance include:
- Towed equipment for attachment to a tractor or quad bike.
- Ride-on, push and trailer vehicles that can cover assorted regular maintenance requirements
- Multipurpose machines and complete solutions
How Much Does Maintenance Equipment Cost?
The cost of the appropriate maintenance tools starts around $12,000 for a wheeled trailer. Prices go up from there to all-in-one solutions that are more likely to be used by professional contractors and specialized sports field builders. Finding the right machine for the club depends on the maintenance responsibilities the facility owners assume for themselves. If the municipality maintains the city’s sports fields, a few machines are sufficient for the club. However, if the club, school or university is entrusted with the maintenance, the purchase of one or more specialized pieces of equipment may be worthwhile.
In addition, the size of the pitch and the infill of the pitch play an important role. Turf fields with artificial granules require more intensive maintenance and different maintenance equipment than fields that are filled with quartz sand.
The costs surrounding a fleet of equipment for clubs and municipalities should be calculated at the beginning of the planning phase and factored into the overall costing.
Get a Cost Estimate for Your Turf Field Project
If you have read this far you should have a pretty good understanding of the factors influencing the cost of building an artificial turf sports field and a ball-park price range. Installing artificial turf fields requires years of experience and it is not something that you want to do by yourself. We work with some of the leading synthetic turf field builders in the US and would be happy to connect you with them so that you can ask for more detailed information regarding the project.
Before you get in touch with them, we would recommend using our artificial turf field cost calculator to get a cost estimate customized to your project.
