Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Total seeding project cost
$663
Seed needed
25.0
Seed cost
$113
Cost per sq ft
$0.133
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How to use this
- 1Enter lawn area (sq ft).
- 2Enter seed coverage rate (sq ft/lb).
- 3Enter seed price ($/lb).
- 4Enter starter fertilizer cost ($/sq ft).
- 5Enter straw mulch cost ($/sq ft).
- 6Enter labor (0 if diy) ($).
- 7Read your total seeding project cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 8Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Seeding a lawn from scratch or overseeding a thin one costs more than just the seed bag — a full job typically includes seed at a per-pound coverage rate, starter fertilizer, straw or hydro-mulch to hold moisture and prevent erosion, and labor for spreading and light tilling or aeration prep. This calculator uses your lawn's square footage and a seeding rate (which varies by grass type — cool-season blends like tall fescue need more seed per square foot than warm-season Bermuda) to size the seed cost, then adds fertilizer and mulch on a per-square-foot basis plus labor. 2026 US national averages run about $0.15-$0.45 per square foot for DIY material costs and $0.50-$1.50 per square foot if you hire a lawn care company to do a full seeding job including aeration and starter fertilizer. New lawn installs from bare dirt run toward the higher end since they also need topsoil prep; overseeding an existing lawn runs toward the lower end.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Lawn area: 5000 sq ft
- Seed coverage rate: 200 sq ft/lb
- Seed price: 4.5 $/lb
- Starter fertilizer cost: 0.05 $/sq ft
- Straw mulch cost: 0.06 $/sq ft
- Labor (0 if DIY): 0 $
Results
- Total seeding project cost: $663
- Seed needed: 25
- Seed cost: $113
- Cost per sq ft: $0.133
What each field means
Inputs
- Lawn area (sq ft)
- The lawn area used in the calculation, measured in sq ft. Starts at 5000 sq ft so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 100–100000 sq ft.
- Seed coverage rate (sq ft/lb)
- The seed coverage rate used in the calculation, measured in sq ft/lb. Starts at 200 sq ft/lb so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 50–400 sq ft/lb.
- Seed price ($/lb)
- The seed price used in the calculation, measured in $/lb. Starts at 4.5 $/lb so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1.5–15 $/lb.
- Starter fertilizer cost ($/sq ft)
- The starter fertilizer cost used in the calculation, measured in $/sq ft. Starts at 0.05 $/sq ft so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–0.2 $/sq ft.
- Straw mulch cost ($/sq ft)
- The straw mulch cost used in the calculation, measured in $/sq ft. Starts at 0.06 $/sq ft so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–0.25 $/sq ft.
- Labor (0 if DIY) ($)
- The labor (0 if diy) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0 $ so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–5000 $.
Results
- Total seeding project cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Seed needed
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Seed cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost per sq ft
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How much grass seed do I need per 1,000 square feet?
For overseeding an existing lawn, most cool-season blends call for 3-5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft; for a brand new lawn from bare soil, that rate roughly doubles to 6-10 lbs per 1,000 sq ft since you're establishing full coverage rather than filling gaps.
Is hydroseeding cheaper than traditional seed and straw?
Hydroseeding usually costs somewhat more per square foot than seed-and-straw for small residential lawns, but it establishes faster and more evenly, which can make it cost-competitive on larger properties or slopes where erosion control is a bigger concern.
Do I need to aerate before overseeding?
Aerating first significantly improves seed-to-soil contact and germination rates, especially on compacted or clay soil, and many lawn care companies bundle core aeration with overseeding for this reason — it's not required but it meaningfully raises success rates.
How long until a newly seeded lawn is ready to walk on?
Most cool-season grasses need 3-4 weeks of establishment before regular foot traffic, though light walking can usually resume after the first two mowings, typically 3-4 weeks post-seeding depending on soil temperature and watering consistency.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Lawn Seeding Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lawn-seeding-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lawn-seeding-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lawn Seeding Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Lawn Seeding Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lawn-seeding-cost) (2026).