Frequently Asked Questions

Most of it depends on area, slope and prep. HomeGuide's national range is 12 to 35 cents a square foot; on a yard of 5,000 square feet that works out to roughly $1,000 to $1,750. Most hydroseeding companies also have a minimum job charge. Yards that need topsoil or grading cost more. We come out at no cost, measure, and then put the number in writing.

Sod is instant and costs the most; hydroseed needs several weeks to thicken up and costs far less. On a large yard or a slope, hydroseed is usually the better value. On a small front yard where you need a finished look right away, sod can make sense.

For tall fescue, late summer through fall, so the grass roots before the next summer. For bermuda or zoysia, late spring and early summer when the soil is warm. Erosion cover for a construction site can go down any time the ground is not frozen.

Under ideal conditions the first sprouts can show in about 5 to 7 days. NC State puts normal tall fescue germination at 10 to 21 days with good soil moisture and temperature. Most lawns are thick enough for a first mow in 4 to 6 weeks; cool weather, dry spells and shade slow that down.

It will sprout, but it often thins out in its first hot summer. Loosening the clay, adding lime and fertilizer as a soil test calls for, and spreading topsoil where it is thin gives the roots a much better start.

A normal rain will not, because the mulch and tackifier hold the seed. A severe downpour on a steep, freshly graded bank can, which is why slopes get a heavier mulch rate, a bonded fiber matrix, or a straw or coir blanket staked over the seed.

Inside Raleigh, the city's development code requires an approved erosion and sedimentation control plan when more than 12,000 square feet will be uncovered, and also for work in certain protected areas such as watercourse buffers. A typical backyard reseeding is well under that. Outside the city, check with your town or county, and we can work to whatever plan you have.

HomeGuide's national range is 12 to 35 cents a square foot, which puts a lawn of 5,000 square feet somewhere around $1,000 to $1,750. Topsoil, grading, slope and access can move that up. After we have looked at the yard, the total we put in writing and you sign off on is your final bill.

Keep off it until after the first mowing, usually 4 to 6 weeks out. Light traffic after that is fine; heavy play is better left until the grass has been mowed several times.

Bermuda and zoysia can go down in early summer. Tall fescue seeded in mid-summer usually struggles in the heat, so we normally hold it for late summer or fall.

Not always. If there is a few inches of workable soil, loosening and amending it may be enough. If the yard is bare, packed red clay, topsoil makes a real difference to how the lawn holds up.

A colorant is added so the crew can see exactly where the slurry has gone and avoid gaps. It fades as the mulch breaks down and the grass comes in.

Yes. We follow the seed mixes, rates and mulch the plan specifies for temporary and permanent cover. If the plan leaves choices open, we recommend options that fit the season and soil.

We carry water in the tank and refill as needed. On large sites a nearby hydrant or water source with permission speeds things up a lot; we sort that out on the site visit.

Heavier hydromulch, a bonded fiber matrix, or straw or coir blankets staked over the seed, depending on the slope and how much water runs over it.

Permanent grass establishes slowly in cold weather, but temporary cover and mulch can still go down when the ground is not frozen, then permanent seeding follows in the right season.

Yes. A single lot behind a finished house is a normal job for us, and we can batch several lots in one trip.

Hydromulch is ordinary fiber mulch sprayed with the seed. Bonded fiber matrix adds a binder so it sets into a tougher mat that holds on steeper slopes and in heavier rain.

No. Both straw and coir break down by themselves as the grass roots in and fills the gaps. Some blankets have netting that lasts longer, so we pick the blanket with how you will use the yard in mind.

It depends on the soil, the length of the slope and how much water runs over it. As a rule, the steeper and longer the bank, the more it needs BFM or blankets. We decide on site rather than by a single number.

Only if the water feeding it is dealt with. We look for downspouts, runoff from above or a too-steep cut first, then seed and cover.

We can stabilize yards that slope toward streams, but stream buffers can carry their own rules. Check with the city or county about work near the water, and we will plan to those limits.

It depends on how much ground is disturbed. Inside Raleigh, a plan is required when more than 12,000 square feet is uncovered, and the plan sets where fence goes. Smaller jobs may still benefit from a short run on the low side to keep mud off the street. Outside the city, check with your town or county, and we install to whatever is required.

Until the disturbed area above it is stabilized, usually meaning grass has come in. Pulling it early lets sediment go straight off the site.

Most often the bottom was not buried, so water runs under it, or it filled with sediment and was never cleaned out. Fence run straight downhill also fails because water follows it.

Yes. We can clean out, repair and replace sections of existing fence and inlet protection.

Stone construction entrances are often on the same plan. Ask when you call and we will price it after seeing the site.

It depends on what is there now. Bare, packed clay benefits from a few inches of topsoil worked into the surface; a yard with decent soil may only need loosening and amending. We measure on site and put the quantity on the estimate.

Rough grading moves larger amounts of dirt to set the basic shape. Fine grading is the final smoothing and pitch that gets the surface ready for seed or sod.

Usually. We reshape the ground so it slopes out from the house, extend downspouts and, where needed, add a drain. First we trace where the water is coming from.

Yes, when a job leaves surplus soil or debris. Hauling is listed on the estimate.

Yes. Utility locates are requested before any trenching or excavation.

Late summer into fall, once the worst heat breaks. Seedlings then have fall and spring to root before the next summer.

On clay soils it usually helps. Aeration opens compacted ground and gives seed holes to land in, so more of it reaches soil.

Bermuda fills thin spots by spreading on its own when it is growing well. NC State advises against seeding warm-season grasses in fall, since there is not enough time before frost, so bare areas in a bermuda lawn are repaired in late spring or early summer.

Heat, drought, shade, compacted soil and mowing too short all add up. Raising the mowing height, watering deeply and aerating help, and some overseeding most falls keeps it thick.

Lawn Love's published range for overseeding is about 7 to 23 cents a square foot. Patch repair and full renovation depend on how much needs redoing, so we price them after seeing the lawn.