Shopping for synthetic lawn installation this spring usually starts the same way: three quotes that look almost identical on the front page. The differences are buried in what the crew does on day one. That's where the cost difference lives, and where the next ten years of lawn life are decided.
This is a breakdown of what a proper synthetic lawn installation looks like, step by step, so homeowners know what to ask for when the quotes come in.
Day One: Dig-Out and Sub-Base Prep
The crew starts by stripping the existing surface to a depth of 75–100mm. That's deeper than most homeowners expect. Anything shallower and the new lawn sits proud of the path edges by the second summer.
The base of the dig-out gets compacted. A weed membrane goes down. Then 50mm of MOT Type 1 is barrowed in, raked level, and whacker-plated until it rings hollow under the plate.
If the crew skips the compaction step or barely runs the plate over the surface, the lawn will dip within eighteen months. Watch for it on day one. The sound the plate makes is the cheapest quality check you'll ever do.