Last updated on March 31st, 2022
Lawn aeration cost
Tired of a patchy lawn that refuses to grow? Lawn aeration could be exactly what you need. Here, we’ll break down the average lawn aeration cost when carried out by a professional and compare it to what you’ll spend if you do it yourself.
Tired of a patchy lawn that refuses to grow? Lawn aeration could be exactly what you need. Here, we’ll break down the average lawn aeration cost when carried out by a professional and compare it to what you’ll spend if you do it yourself.
What is lawn aeration?
Lawn aeration is a lawn treatment that involves making holes in the soil to break up thatch and improve drainage. Normally carried out between late spring and early autumn, it’s an effective way of encouraging lawn growth.
| Item | Unit | Cost - low | Cost - high | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn aeration service | Per lawn | £35 | £145 | £90 |
| DIY lawn aeration | Equipment | £8 | £160 | £64 |
Our costs are ballpark averages – get a local tradesperson to quote now
How much should lawn aeration cost?
The total cost of lawn aeration will depend on a number of factors, such as the size of your lawn, its condition and whether you also need lawn scarification. While aeration is a lawn treatment that removes sub-surface thatch, lawn scarification removes surface thatch. Whether or not you need both will depend on how compact your soil is and how easily it drains.
There are two main methods of aeration, although they should both cost roughly the same.
Hollow Tine
Hollow-tine aeration is a kind of aeration that removes soil plugs and materials from the ground to increase the oxygen in the soil and allow water to get to the roots of the grass better. This is usually achieved using machinery, although you could also use a hollow fork.
After the soil plugs have been removed, they’re usually collected and cleared away.
Fracture Tine
Fracture-tine aeration is a kind of aeration that breaks up sub-surface thatch and roots in order to create little channels that penetrate beneath the surface of the ground. Normally this is done by puncturing the earth with small blades.
Unlike hollow-tine aeration, the fracture tine method doesn’t involve removing any soil, which means there won’t be any clean-up required afterwards.
How much does lawn aeration cost?
Depending on the factors we mentioned above, the typical lawn aeration service cost normally falls between £35 and £145 per lawn.
If you’re looking to save on the cost of lawn aeration, you could attempt to do it yourself. However, you’ll need to purchase the right equipment. It’s worth considering that if you hire a professional, they will already have this equipment, which could save you splashing out on pricy tools and also will save you from having to store it.
The total cost of DIY lawn aeration will depend on the method you want to use. The cheapest method is probably to use aeration shoes (also known as lawn spiking shoes). You can purchase these for around £8 to £30 from most garden centres. Alternatively, you could use an aerator fork which will cost between £15 and £45.
If you have a bigger lawn or you get tired easily, however, you could rent an aerator instead. This is the most expensive option, as it’s likely to cost between £40 and £160 for a day (a petrol aerator will fall at the higher range of this price bracket).
Ultimately, DIY lawn aeration is a manual job that requires a lot of time and effort. Opting for a professional lawn aeration service is a cost-effective option that will save you a great deal of hard work.
Lawn aeration service cost summary
- Lawn aeration is an effective way of encouraging lawn growth.
- Hollow tine and fracture tine are the two lawn aeration methods.
- You can carry out lawn aeration yourself, but hiring a professional will be quicker and easier and provide better results.
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