How Much Does Hydroseeding Cost?

Hydroseeding Cost Calculator

Hydroseeding is more cost-effective than other seeding or grass-growing methods like sod. All the required materials come in a liquid mixture and can be spread with a spray. The spray method makes for an easier application that requires less effort due to its wide range of coverage.

Average Hydroseed Prices

Hydroseeding is a combination lawn treatment that includes seed, fertilizer, mulch, and soil additives like moisturizing agents. 

The average price of seed is from $0.06 to $0.20 per square foot. The seed used in the procedure is inexpensive. Many of the expenses associated with hydroseeding come from the necessary equipment. You can find the following brands at stores like Lowe's, the Home Depot, and ACE or online retailers like Amazon and eBay.

Products claiming to be environmentally friendly can sell for up to $80 per gallon or $0.55 per square foot. A high-quality slurry will be more expensive because of the increased quality of the fertilizer and dyes. 

Spray-on grass seed does not use many materials. Some of the main ingredients include wood or paper mulch, grass seed, food coloring, and fertilizer.

Hydroseeding Cost Factors

The true cost of hydroseeding is dependent upon several factors. Homeowners should take the following into account when preparing a budget for hydroseeding.

Lawn Size - Acres and Square Footage

The amount of seed a lawn needs varies based on its size and shape. Below are some of the most common measurements for yards.

The current average is $3,500 per acre and $0.10 per square foot. Most landscapers charge by the square foot, though per acre can be common for larger yards, and some companies offer discounts for oversized properties.

Many professional landscapers will measure a yard to determine acreage or square footage before providing a labor quote. The average expense to cover an acre or square foot varies by state due to differences in water scarcity and the price of supplies.

NOTE: Do not let the prices for the acres worry you. Professionals measure home lawns in square feet. The average yard will have 10,000 square feet or less based on the location.

Yard Slope 

Hydroseeding a small slope is a straightforward process with an extra expense. The rule of thumb is to double the amount of seed, fertilizer, and water for a sloped area. If the slope is gentle — 10 degrees or lower — it's not necessary to use extra supplies. 

Slopes between 20 and 25 degrees need double supplies. A slope lower than 5 degrees requires almost the same amount of materials as a flat surface.

It is difficult to treat a yard with a steeper gradient. Yards with slopes need more materials because there is increased runoff and drainage. 

Professional services can calculate the exact amount of materials each area needs and give estimates. DIY landscapers need to estimate the extra quantities of supplies on their own. Thoroughly damaged and steep ground can cost property owners over three times more than a flat yard.

Consider making this and other lawn services easier and less expensive in the future by reshaping your yard. The cost for a pro to reslope a lawn ranges from $1,000 to $3,000.

Yard Condition

The condition of a yard can impact the overall hydroseeding cost. A lawn in poor condition will require more seed, fertilizer, and water to thrive. Weeds can also prohibit new growth as they compete for nutrients. Homeowners can address some of the issues before hydroseeding to lower the costs. 

Removing crabgrass improves yard health and can be done with or without a professional. Watering dry spots hydrates the soil making it easier for seeds to germinate. Homeowners looking to save money on hydroseeding can try DIY methods for addressing lawn health or dry patches.

Location

Regional water restrictions can directly impact the success of hydroseeding. The process requires a lot of water, especially in the early stages. So it may become difficult to establish a lawn in areas prone to drought using this method. Homeowners in warmer climates should consider their local water restrictions when planning this project.

DIY Hydroseeding vs. Hiring a Professional 

"Hydromulching" and "hydroseeding" are interchangeable. Professional landscapers charge an average of $0.10 per square foot. This price includes a broad range of factors such as labor, fertilizer prices in their state, water scarcity and prices in the state, and equipment usage. 

Most professional landscapers will use their own equipment and materials. They will incorporate the value of the equipment usage and slurry in their quotes and hourly rates.

Labor Costs

Professionals charge an average of $30 per hour to cover the equipment and labor needed to spray the material. More experienced professionals will charge a higher rate for their service, while a newer operation may charge $24 or less. Landscapers use hourly rates for jobs that are much smaller than average.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Landscaper

Hiring a professional can be expensive, but not as expensive as buying the materials and equipment outright. A hydroseeder alone can cost between $1,000 and $15,000.

Hydroseeding requires the exact size of the yard and calculations of both slope gradient and slurry material to cover the property. A professional is able to get the job done more affordably since they have more experience calculating these variables and purchase materials at discounted rates.

A common mistake is using too much or too little of the hydroseed solution in their yards. Too much can drown existing plants. Too little can lead to underwhelming grass growth. Many professionals know how much material it takes to prevent killing existing grass while promoting new growth.

Preparing a Lawn for a Professional

Growing new grass requires careful lawn preparation. Landscapers charge an average rate of $50 to $100 per hour for a team of two. 

Talk to your lawn care provider about the following pre-hydroseeding appointment tips:

• Remove any rocks larger than an egg from your lawn to prevent equipment interference.

• Kill or remove crabgrass a week in advance.

• Rake away dead debris.

• Avoid using chemicals or fertilizers for at least a week beforehand.

Additional Yard Services

Many homeowners opt for complementary or supplementary yard services after hydroseeding. These services can extend the life of grass and improve the appearance of a lawn. 

Yard Prep

Multiple services can spruce up a lawn and keep it looking presentable. Many homeowners opt for mulching to improve the appearance of their yard. On average, professional mulching costs $200.

Weed removal before hydroseeding allows for better application. Repeating this process after hydroseeding keeps the yard healthy. Fewer weeds mean less competition for the growing seeds. Professional weed removal costs about $30 per hour.

Leaf Removal 

Many homeowners opt for leaf removal come autumn. Areas with large trees can see a lot of leaf fall throughout the season. Leaf removal costs $350 on average, but the price can range from $190 to $600. Pricing usually reflects the type of removal, i.e., bagging, leaf blowing, or vacuuming. 

Mowing

Proper lawn maintenance can preserve the look and health of a yard. Most professional landscapers will charge between $50 and $210 to mow a lawn. The price can vary based on lawn size and the time needed to complete the project. You should expect to pay $130 on average for the service. 

Fertilization

Fertilization is a vital post-hydroseeding step that contributes to a healthy lawn. On average, lawn fertilizing costs $225, ranging in price from $80 to $400. Yard size and condition will impact the cost, as will labor rates in the region. Homeowners will need to fertilize three to five times a year. 

More in-depth landscaping ranges between $350 and $2000.

DIY Hydroseeding Equipment Costs

Most machines cost $1,500 to $15,000 to buy and $500 per day to rent. There are several pros and cons to each form of agitation, which changes the energy requirements of the machine and the price of the equipment overall.

Hydroseeding requires the use of a hose and a spraying machine. The majority of the equipment used during the process can hold between 600 and 900 gallons of slurry. The mixture is constantly agitated by either jets or paddles to keep it sprayable.

Jet Agitation

A typical machine is between $2,500 and $3,000 for a new 100-gallon model.

Jet agitation is a less expensive and easier mixing system for machines. It specializes in mixing thin slurries, using paper mulch as a fertilizer. You can buy this machine for significantly less than their paddle counterparts but it will limit the kind of slurry you can use. However, the inside of the equipment is easy to clean and maintain.

Erosion-risk areas should not use this method because jet agitation machines cannot process the necessary kind of mulch.

Paddle Agitation

A new model sells for $3,000 to $4,000 for a 100-gallon model.

Paddle agitation is more complicated than jet. The equipment breaks up slurries, which use thick mulches like wood pulp. Thick slurry works well for areas facing erosion problems.

Hydraulics, or an encompassing mechanical system of pulleys and belts, power the paddles. Both are effective, but mechanical is more likely to break down. Whichever you choose, this tool is more difficult to use and repair but versatile.

Other Materials and Tools Needed

Most machines come with the hoses required to spray the mixture. Besides the machine, a hose, and the slurry itself, you will need a way to transport the machine for a DIY job. 

Many people rent pickup trucks if they don't have one themselves, which can cost $20 per day or more. It's also possible to place the equipment on a trailer and hitch it to a vehicle capable of driving around the property.

Hydroseeding Kits

If you don't want to invest the time and money into equipment and slurry, you can try a kit. The kits are inexpensive compared to professional work but also less effective. A standard kit can treat a 100-square-foot area and is between $25 and $35.

Unlike traditional products, the kits contain materials that will dehydrate faster and have less fertilizer. These kits come from hardware, general, and lawn care stores. Many are jugs of mousse or grass seed mixed with fertilizer that can be sprayed around a yard. Many people use kits as a supplement to otherwise healthy yards. The kits are especially useful for treating dry patches.

Pros and Cons of Hydroseeding

Hydroseed vs. Sod vs. Broadcast Grass Seeding

Sod is grass seed which has already grown. It is sold in sections that include the grown grass, fertilizer, and soil held together with roots. Simply placing these pre-grown sections allows you to achieve the healthy lawn you want, fast.

Broadcast grass seeding is the process of spraying grass seed on top of the soil with some sort of seeder.

Both sod and broadcast are different from hydroseeding, which is applying slurry to an area and giving the seed time to germinate in moisture.

All three methods come with different levels of involvement and opportunities for plant growth. Sod is the most hands-off and simply requires laying the already grown grass. Broadcast grass seeding requires some physical labor, but sprays seeds around a yard so they can grow. Hydroseeding is the most in-depth and complex because of the nature of the equipment required and the slurry.

Below are the pros and cons of sod and broadcast grass seeding in comparison to the process discussed above.

Sod

Sod is the quickest way to get a healthy lawn. Sod installation costs are between $1,050 to $2,800.

Broadcast Grass Seeding

Most people in the United States use a form of broad grass seeding because of its ease and low price.

FAQs

What is hydroseeding?

This is when grass seed, fertilizer, some form of mulch, and water are mixed into a slurry and sprayed over an area to encourage grass growth.

Does hydromulching require unsafe chemicals?

The products used during hydromulching have low toxicity ratings. This means they are unlikely to hurt humans and pets but should still not be ingested. 

The ingredients in the fertilizers should transfer from the slurry to the ground after the lawn is watered roughly six times. Dogs and cats are unlikely to eat the slurry because it does not smell appetizing, but it depends on each individual pet. 

Overall, this means the ingredients are relatively safe but you should proceed with caution regardless, especially if young children and pets use the area.

How much is rental equipment for a DIY job?

Many hardware stores and landscaping companies rent hydroseeders to interested property owners. Most seeding businesses own 600- to 900-gallon machines and charge an average of $500 per day. Some companies offer discounted rates for extended rentals of three days or more.

When is the best time to hydroseed?

There are several "best times" to hydroseed. Spring and fall are great times to seed while saving money and conserving water. Summer seeding is best If you want the grass to grow as quickly as possible. Heat allows the seed to germinate and grow faster than it would in chilly weather.