Artificial turf installation: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering artificial turf installation
Artificial turf is a build job where the base, drainage and seams decide whether the lawn lasts. Your value is in excavating and compacting properly, installing the turf so it looks right and drains, and leaving the customer with clear care instructions.
What customers ask
- How long will the turf last, and what does the warranty cover?
- Will it drain after heavy rain?
- Does it get hot in the summer?
- How do I clean it, and do I need to brush the infill?
- Will my dog's urine smell or stay on the turf?
- Can you install it over my existing lawn?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask what the area will be used for, such as a play area, a dog run or a lawn, and how much sun and water the spot gets.
- Dig a test hole and check the soil and drainage on site before quoting, and tell the customer what you found.
- Put the turf product, the base depth and gravel type, the drainage plan, the seaming and the warranty in the written quote.
- Show a sample of the turf and the infill to the customer before you order, so the choice is theirs with the product in hand.
- Walk the finished area with the customer, explain the cleaning and infill care, and leave the care sheet from the manufacturer.
- Document the base and the drainage with photos before the turf goes down, and keep them with the job record.
What to put on your profile
- Photos of the base during construction, taken before the turf goes down
- The turf products you install and the uses they suit, with the warranties noted
- Your drainage method, such as the base depth and the drain lines you use
- Your licensing, shown where your area requires it
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Send a cleaning and infill care reminder on the schedule the manufacturer gives
- Offer a check after the first heavy rain to confirm the drainage is working
- Suggest a drainage or grading review if the customer reports standing water near the edges
Licenses and permits
Artificial turf installation is commonly licensed as contractor work when it includes excavation, grading, drainage or edging. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your permit office before you bid, and confirm what the project needs.
Questions
Do I need a contractor license to install artificial turf?
It is commonly licensed when the job includes excavation, grading or drainage. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you bid, since the rules for a simple surface can differ from the rules for a full build.
How do I handle a warranty claim on turf?
Keep the product records, the install photos and the base documentation together. Check the manufacturer's warranty terms, and tell the customer what the warranty covers and what care they must provide to keep it valid.
What do I do when a seam starts to lift?
Check whether the seam tape or adhesive failed or the base has settled under it. Repair the seam to the product's instructions, and fix the base if it is the cause, so the repair does not fail again.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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