Artificial grass quotation example: from satellite measurement to final price

The measurements and prices below come directly from UltraQuote’s artificial grass quote software using the example garden included in its product tour.

Satellite lawn measurement with an optimised roll planAn irregular 306.2 square metre lawn traced over satellite imagery and divided into four grass cuts, with seven percent offcut waste.
306.2 m²7% waste
UltraQuoteQuotation
Materials
£5,206.84
Groundworks
£4,767.27
Plant & machinery
£708.00
Installation
£5,320.00
Client quote£21,602.85excluding VAT
The actual garden and default 2026 rates used by UltraQuote’s built-in product tour.

1. Trace the lawn from satellite imagery

The example begins with a real, irregular garden from UltraQuote’s built-in product tour. The map projection supplies the scale automatically, then the lawn is traced point by point rather than approximated as a rectangle.

The completed outline measures 306.2 m² with a 70.0m perimeter. That is the net lawn area: it is the starting point for membrane, groundworks and labour, but it is not yet the amount of grass to order.

2. Find the least-waste roll layout

For this example, the available grass widths are 5m and 4m and the maximum manufactured roll length is 25m. UltraQuote tests each lawn edge as a possible lay direction, mixes those available widths and chooses the plan that buys the least material.

The first direction required 345.0 m² of grass and produced 11.2% waste. The selected layout needs 329.2 m² and produces 7.0% waste. That saves 15.8 m² of grass, worth about £221 at the example £14/m² trade rate, before markup.

The four pieces in the optimised cut list
Roll widthCut lengthPieces
4m15.94m1
5m17.92m1
5m17.53m1
5m17.63m1

3. Turn the plan into job quantities

Once the cutting plan is fixed, the rest of the take-off follows from the measured lawn, its perimeter and the seams between the four pieces. UltraQuote applies editable rates to these quantities; the figures below use its UK-typical 2026 defaults.

Plan-derived quantities used in the quotation
ItemQuantityHow it is calculated
Net lawn306.2 m²Traced satellite outline
Grass to order329.2 m²Four full-width roll pieces
Offcut waste23.0 m² (7.0%)Ordered grass less net lawn
Weed membrane336.8 m²Net lawn plus 10% overlap
Joining tape and glue50.9mSeams from the cut plan
Soil and turf disposal31.2t60mm example excavation depth
MOT Type 136.7t50mm example sub-base
Sharp sand13.8t25mm example laying course
Edging70.0mMeasured lawn perimeter

4. Calculate the trade cost

The cost model prices grass at £14/m², membrane at £0.90/m², disposal at £48/t, Type 1 at £58/t, sharp sand at £52/t and edging at £6/m. Joining tape and adhesive follow the measured seam length.

At 306.2 m², the example allows three turf-cutter days, three mini-digger days and four compactor days. Installation uses a four-person crew for seven days at £190 per person per day. Every quantity and rate can be changed for the installer’s own operation.

Trade-cost summary
CategoryIncludedCost
MaterialsGrass, membrane, tape and adhesive£5,206.84
GroundworksDisposal, Type 1, sand and edging£4,767.27
Plant & machineryTurf cutter, digger and compactor£708.00
InstallationFour people × seven days × £190£5,320.00
Trade-cost subtotal£16,002.11

5. Add markup and produce the client quotation

A 35% markup adds £5,600.74, producing a client quotation of £21,602.85 before VAT. If the installer enables 20% VAT, the final total becomes £25,923.42.

UltraQuote can show the customer one final price, section totals or the complete itemised breakdown. For this example, section totals communicate the scope without handing over every internal rate, and the result downloads as a branded PDF.

6. What to verify before ordering

The satellite plan is enough to prepare and send an initial quotation, but the installer should confirm the key dimensions and site conditions before ordering or cutting material. Access, excavation depth, existing edging, drainage and imagery hidden by trees can all change the final take-off.

The useful split is simple: use satellite imagery and automatic roll planning to quote quickly from the desk, then use the accepted quotation to justify the short pre-installation check.

Frequently asked questions

Is this artificial grass quotation example based on a real calculation?

Yes. The outline, roll layout and quantities come from the same example garden used in UltraQuote’s built-in product tour. The prices use UltraQuote’s editable UK-typical 2026 default rates.

Why is the grass quantity higher than the lawn area?

The lawn is 306.2 m², but grass is bought in full-width rolls. The four-piece cut list requires 329.2 m², leaving 23.0 m² of paid offcut waste. Planning the roll direction reduced that waste from 11.2% to 7.0%.

Does the £21,602.85 quotation include VAT?

No. It is the £16,002.11 trade cost plus 35% markup, before VAT. With 20% VAT enabled, the client total would be £25,923.42.

Can an installer use different rates or roll widths?

Yes. Grass widths, maximum roll length, material rates, machinery, crew size, productivity, markup and VAT are all editable. The example shows the method; a real installer would save their own defaults.

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