Sod Installation Cost in Fort Myers, FL (2026): The Real Numbers

The Quick Answer

New sod in Fort Myers costs $1.25 per square foot installed at our published rate — and unlike the ranges national sites throw around, that number includes cutting out the old dead grass, prepping and leveling the soil, and laying fresh pallets the day they arrive from the farm.

One standard Florida pallet covers about 450 square feet, so the math is simple enough to do before you ever call anyone:

• 1 pallet (450 sq ft): $562.50 installed — a typical dead-patch or parkway strip replacement
• 2,000 sq ft front yard: $2,500 installed
• 4,500 sq ft full front-and-back replacement (10 pallets): $5,625 installed
• 9,000 sq ft large corner lot (20 pallets): $11,250 installed

That's the whole rate sheet. The full breakdown of what's included lives on our sod installation pricing page.

Why We Publish the Number

Most sod quotes in Lee County are made up in the driveway based on what the estimator thinks the house says you'll pay. Publishing one flat rate kills that game: the quote is your measured square footage times $1.25, in writing, and it's the same in Whiskey Creek as it is in Dunbar.

What legitimately moves a sod project's total is scope, not zip code — and it's always itemized separately:

• Irrigation repairs. New sod without working irrigation is a donation to the sun. If zones are dead or heads are crushed, we quote the fix separately before install day.
• Major grading or fill. Low spots get leveled as part of prep, but genuine regrading or truckloads of fill dirt are their own line item.
• Access. A fenced backyard that forces hand-carting pallets takes longer than a front yard we can fork directly — the rate holds, but we'll flag it on the walk-through.

Fort Myers Specifics That Change the Grass (Not the Rate)

The McGregor corridor and the river neighborhoods run under mature oak and royal palm canopy. Full-shade Floratam is a slow-motion failure — for those lots we spec a shade-tolerant St. Augustine like Palmetto or Seville, or Zoysia where the look justifies it. Same installed rate either way.

Gateway, Colonial, and the newer gated communities are the opposite: full sun, HOA letters about brown patches, and serious chinch bug pressure in the heat radiating off sidewalks and driveways. Floratam thrives there, but budget for a real pest program — and if your old lawn died of chinch bugs, read our guide to sod replacement after grubs or chinch bugs before replacing anything, because new sod over an untreated infestation dies the same death.

Watering days are limited across Lee County — most residential addresses get two assigned irrigation days per week, and new-sod establishment watering is one of the few exceptions carved out. We program your controller for the legal establishment schedule before we leave.

Not sure which grass fits your lot? Our St. Augustine vs Bahia vs Zoysia comparison breaks down shade, salt, pests, and watering for SW Florida conditions — and the Cape Coral sod guide covers the install process step by step.

When to Install in Fort Myers

Right now, honestly. Summer's daily rain does most of the establishment watering for free — the trade-off is staying alert for fungus in all that moisture. Dry-season installs (October–May) root well too but demand a strict 2–3×-daily watering schedule for the first two weeks. We install year-round.

Get the Written Number

Measure your dead lawn, divide by 450, multiply by $562.50 — that's your ballpark. For the exact figure, we measure it properly on a free property walk and put $1.25/sq ft in writing.

Call or text (239) 799-5594 or request a free quote — serving Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and all of SW Florida.