Most corridor cities won't sign off on occupancy until the yard's graded and sodded to spec. We handle the whole thing — final grade, topsoil, sod or seed, drainage, and erosion control — on the deadline, in one project, one crew.
Most corridor cities require the yard graded and sodded before they'll issue your certificate of occupancy. If you're a builder racing a closing date, or a homeowner whose builder's sod is already failing, this is the part that holds everything up — and the part we fix.
Everything your new build needs, bundled into one quote and scheduled together. No coordinating four different contractors, no waiting weeks between phases.
Final pricing depends on lot size, sod vs seed, and how much grading is needed to fix what the builder left. Free on-site estimate with a written quote within 24 hours.
Most new construction yards take 1–3 days on site, plus growth time for seed. Sod jobs finish faster — you've got a usable lawn the same week.
We meet you at the property, walk the grade, find the drainage issues, and figure out what topsoil and seed/sod you need. Free, no pressure.
You get a detailed quote with scope and price within one business day. Optional add-ons priced separately so you can pick and choose.
Final grade gets cut, topsoil gets spread, seed or sod goes in. Erosion control set, downspouts buried, and the lot left clean.
We check in two weeks later to make sure the lawn is taking. If you added the mowing plan, we're on the schedule when it's time.
We work with homeowners in all the major growth corridors. Whether you're in a development or on acreage, the process is the same.
If yours isn't here, text Craig at (319) 430-6779.
Our turnkey new construction package starts at $4,500. Smaller lots with seed run $4,500–$7,500. Larger lots or sod installs typically run $8,000–$15,000+. Final price depends on lot size, how much grading is needed, and whether you go seed or sod. Free on-site estimate.
For a new build, the city usually decides for you — most corridor towns require sod to issue the certificate of occupancy, so the front yard (and often the whole lot) has to be sodded. Where seed is allowed — back yards, acreage, areas outside the CO requirement — it's cheaper and takes 3–8 weeks to establish, best in early fall or mid-spring. We do both and we'll tell you straight which the city will accept where, so you're not paying for sod you don't need or failing inspection on seed you can't use.
New sod and seed live or die by watering in the first few weeks — and most people underestimate how much. As an optional add-on we'll set up a watering system for you: hose timers, sprinklers, and hose runs positioned for full coverage, so all you have to do is leave it on the schedule we set. We don't run a daily watering service ourselves, but the setup takes the guesswork out and gives your new lawn the best shot at taking.
Early September is the absolute best — warm soil, cool air, less weed pressure. Mid-April through early May is the second-best window. Summer seeding works but needs heavy watering. We can install year-round but timing matters for results.
Builder grading is rough grading — moves the big piles, gets close to spec, leaves construction debris in the soil. Final grading is the finish work that comes after — smooth, sloped for drainage, ready for topsoil and seed. Most builders don't do final, and the ones that do charge a premium and skip the drainage.
Almost always, yes. What the builder leaves is usually subsoil and clay mixed with construction debris. It won't grow grass without amendment. We bring in screened topsoil and spread it to the depth your lawn actually needs to establish roots.
Some new developments require sod within a certain timeframe, specific seed mixes, or completed front yards by a deadline. We work in most major Johnson County developments and we know the rules. Send us your HOA doc with the estimate request and we'll factor it in.
Yes. Most new builds have drainage issues — water pooling near foundations, downspouts dumping at the house, slopes that drain toward the basement. We diagnose and fix all of it as part of the project. See our drainage page for more.
Yes — and we recommend it. New lawns need different care than established lawns: lighter mowing, different watering schedule, careful fertilization, no weed killers for the first season. Our first-year mowing plan is built for new-establishment lawns.
Free on-site estimate, written quote within 24 hours, and turnkey project management — graded, topsoiled, and sodded to clear occupancy.
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