Laying a new lawn: turf, seed or artificial

Cultivated turf gives a usable lawn within weeks and can be laid for much of the year, as long as the ground is not frozen or baked dry. It costs more than seed and must be laid within a day or so of delivery, because rolled turf deteriorates quickly. Ask what grade of turf the landscaper uses; hard-wearing mixes suit family gardens, finer grasses suit ornamental lawns and need more care.

Seed is cheaper and gives you a choice of grass mixes, including ones for shade or dry ground. It needs warmth and moisture to germinate, which is why spring and early autumn are the usual seasons, and the lawn cannot be used for some weeks. Birds, weeds and heavy rain can spoil a newly seeded area.

Artificial grass needs no mowing or watering, and some people choose it for heavily used or shaded areas. It is a plastic surface on a prepared base, it gets hot in direct sun, it does not support insects or soil life, and it eventually has to be replaced and disposed of. If you choose it, the base and drainage beneath matter just as much as for real turf.

The old grass and weeds are removed, persistent perennial weeds dealt with, and the ground cultivated to break up compaction. Stones and debris come out. Topsoil is added where the existing soil is thin or poor. The surface is then levelled, firmed by treading or rolling, and raked to a fine tilth. Skipping the firming leaves soft spots that sink later.

Levels matter at the edges. A lawn should finish just below an adjoining path or patio so the mower can run over the edge, and it should not slope towards the house. On clay soils or where water sits after rain, drainage may be needed before any turf goes down.

• the area in square metres and a sketch or photograph
• removal of old turf and weeds, and where it goes
• cultivation depth and treatment of compacted ground
• topsoil added, its depth and standard
• levelling, firming and edging
• turf grade or seed mix by name
• watering instructions and any aftercare visits

Grass grows poorly in dense shade under trees or beside tall fences. A new lawn will not change that. Shade-tolerant seed mixes help a little; in deep shade, planting or a gravel area is often the better answer, and a good landscaper will tell you so.

Clay soils hold water in winter and crack in summer. Improving the top layer and adding drainage helps, but a lawn on clay will always need more care. Areas used heavily, such as a path worn from the back door to the shed or a goalmouth, wear out whatever grass is used. Stepping stones or a path through the lawn are cheaper than relaying it every year.

New turf needs a lot of water in its first weeks, especially in dry or warm weather. The landscaper should give you written watering instructions and tell you when you can first mow. Laying in autumn or spring reduces the watering needed.

In a drought, water companies in England and Wales can impose a temporary use ban, often called a hosepipe ban, which can include watering a garden with a hosepipe. The law treats anything used for the same purpose as a hosepipe, such as a sprinkler, in the same way. Each company's notice sets out its own exceptions. If a ban is in force or likely, check the notice before laying a lawn in summer, or wait for autumn.

Turf laid on unprepared, compacted ground is the classic. So is turf left rolled on a pallet for days in warm weather, which yellows and dies. Walking on new turf before it has rooted, mowing too early and too short, and letting it dry out in the first fortnight kill more lawns than bad turf does.

Another mistake is to lay the lawn before the rest of the garden work is finished. Paving, fencing and planting all involve barrows and boots. Lay the lawn last.

Tell us the size of the area, what is there now and whether you want turf, seed or artificial grass. Once we have verified your phone and email, the request is shown anonymously to landscapers in your area and only one firm can buy it. We send you its name, address and phone number before it gets your details. There is no charge for you. We confirm that the firm is registered, not that its lawns take, so ask how it prepares the ground.