Sod Installation cost in Clearwater, FL
Clearwater, FL · updated August 2026
$2,700
Typical local cost
$900 – $7,300
Typical range
- per sq ft installed
- $0.50 – $1.50
- Permit
- Usually no
- Typical timeline
- 1-2 days of work
Installed, local pricing
$0 – $0 in fees
1-2 days of work
Clearwater runs +4% against the U.S. average · data confidence Medium · modeled estimate, not a quote
The modeled midpoint for Clearwater is $2,700. The local adjustment for this trade is x1.038 — driven mainly by Pinellas County labor rates and 5% exposure to local code requirements.
Estimate your Clearwater job
Priced with this market's cost index, so the calculator, the size table and the ranges on this page all agree.
Square footage
180 sq ft
- With waste allowance
- 198 sq ft
- Square yards
- 20
- Perimeter (per area)
- 54 ft
- Square meters
- 16.72
Priced for Clearwater (local adjustment x1.038).
Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.
Cost by project size
Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.
| Project size | Estimated range |
|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft installed | $800 – $2,300 |
| 2,000 sq ft installed | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft installed | $1,300 – $3,800 |
| 3,000 sq ft installed | $1,500 – $4,500 |
| 4,000 sq ft installed | $2,000 – $6,000 |
Based on Clearwater pricing of $1–$2 per sq ft installed.
Where the money goes
- Labor
- $1,200
- 44% of median
- Materials
- $1,500
- 56% of median
- Permit & fees
- $0
- 0% of median
Clearwater project costs+4% vs U.S. average
Based on Pinellas County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.
What the project looks like start to finish
Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.
01
Planning & quotes
Scope, material choice, contractor selection
02
Scheduling
No permit typically required for this scope
03
Materials & staging
Order lead time on non-stock materials
04
Installation
1-2 days of work
05
Closeout
Final sign-off, warranty and documentation
Clearwater labor intelligence
What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.
Loaded hourly rate
$56–$73
Outdoor crews in Pinellas County · +3% vs U.S. ($62/hr)
Typical crew
2 × 1 day
On-site time for a typical sod job here.
Labor in the price
$1,200
45% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.
Because labor is 45% of this job, Clearwater wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.
Basis: Hometriva labor model: national outdoor crew rates adjusted by the Pinellas County labor factor (x1.026). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology
Why Clearwater differs from the national average
The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.
Material and delivery+$50
Materials are nationally traded, so they move less — but delivery into this market runs 4% over baseline because of coastal logistics.
Trade labor rates+$25
Pinellas County crews price 3% above the national average, and labor is 45% of this job.
Basis: Decomposition of the modeled Clearwater median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of Clearwater building department, Hometriva methodology
Clearwater vs Florida vs the U.S.
Change the inputs, see your number
The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.
Simulated sod installation in Clearwater
$2,700
Likely range $900 – $7,300
Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.
What makes the number move
- Lawn square footage
- Grass type: St. Augustine, Bahia or Zoysia
- Removal of the existing lawn
- Soil preparation and topdressing
- Irrigation availability for establishment
Who issues each permit
Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.
| Discipline | Issuing authority |
|---|---|
| building | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
| electrical | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
| mechanical | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
| plumbing | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
| zoning | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
| fire | City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate |
Permit requirement in Clearwater
A permit is usually not required for sod installation on its own. Clearwater still applies zoning rules such as setbacks, lot coverage and HOA approval, and any structural, electrical or plumbing work added to the job does need a permit.
- Permitting authority
- City of Clearwater building departmentModeled estimate
- Permit fee
- Based on declared project valuationSee the department's adopted fee schedule. Typical range for this scope: $0–$0.
Local conditions that change this job
Only the exposures that materially affect sod installation.
Cooling load / heat exposure
Severe85/100
Annual rainfall
High74/100
Humidity
Severe84/100
Coastal Clearwater parcels frequently require flood elevation documentation with the permit application.
Nearby market comparison
| Market | Local factor | Median | Per sq ft installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater (this page) | x1.038 | $2,700 | $0.50 – $1.50 |
| St. Petersburg | x1.047 | $2,700 | $0.50 – $1.50 |
| Tampa | x1.053 | $2,700 | $0.50 – $1.50 |
| Brandon | x1.006 | $2,600 | $0.50 – $1.50 |
What Clearwater homeowners actually paid
Homeowner-reported invoices for this market. Nothing is published until enough reports clear review, so this section is often empty in newer markets — adding yours takes 20 seconds and no personal details.
Quotes homeowners were given in Clearwater
Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.
How Hometriva estimates Clearwater sod costs
Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The Clearwater estimate for sod installation is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:
- National baseline$2,600
Typical U.S. cost for sod installation on a single-family home.
- Local labor factorx1.026
Clearwater-area trade labor rates, weighted at 45% of this job.
- Material factorx1.042
Material and delivery pricing into Pinellas County, weighted at 55%.
- Regulatory factorx1.058
Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 5% for this project type.
- Applied multiplierx1.038
Blended Clearwater adjustment specific to sod installation.
- Permit component$0 – $0
Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.
Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, sod installation in Clearwater carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.
Reviewed by
Hometriva Cost Data Desk
Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for sod installation pricing in Clearwater, FL.
- • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
- • Local labor and materials factors for the market
- • Material installed-cost ranges and service life
Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error
Frequently asked questions
What is the best sod for Florida?
St. Augustine is the most common choice for Florida lawns because it tolerates heat, humidity and moderate shade. Bahia costs less and needs less water but looks coarser; Zoysia handles traffic best at a higher price.
How long does sod installation take?
1-2 days of work. Permit review and inspection scheduling are usually the largest source of variation.
What changes the price the most?
The largest cost drivers are lawn square footage; grass type: st. augustine, bahia or zoysia; removal of the existing lawn.
Sources
Sources & verification
- City of Clearwater building department
- Clearwater permit portal
- Florida Building Commission
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Model vintage August 2026. The links above are the issuing agencies' own pages — we publish them so you can confirm the current rule yourself, not as evidence that each fact on this page was re-checked with them today. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing, not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.