Veteran-built.
Grass vs artificial turf vs water-wise plants: 5-year cost at City of San Diego water rates
Use your own water bill. See what your lawn really costs to water, what turf saves, and why the rebate goes to plants, not plastic.
What your lawn costs, and what each option saves
Your yard and your water bill
Fastest real number: look at your City of San Diego bill history. Enter your highest summer month and lowest winter month in HCF (1 HCF = 748 gallons). The difference is mostly irrigation. Or leave those at 0 and we estimate from lawn size.
City of San Diego single-family water rates from January 1, 2026: $8.51/HCF for the first 10 HCF, $9.50 for 11-22 HCF, $11.89 above 22 HCF (water rates rose 14.7% on that date). Irrigation water is billed at your highest tier, so use that rate. Single-family sewer charges in the City are based on winter water use, so summer irrigation usually does not raise sewer; check your bill.
Turf vs plants: the honest pros and cons
Artificial turf: pros
- No watering, mowing or fertilizer
- Green all year; good for small, hard-to-water strips
- Good for dogs with a drainage base and antimicrobial infill
Artificial turf: cons
- Not eligible for the turf removal rebate ("fake, plastic grass is not allowed")
- Gets much hotter than grass in full sun; kids and pets feel it
- Plastic; wears out and goes to the landfill; pet odor without rinsing
- Biggest upfront cost
Water-wise plants: pros
- Rebate from $2.00 per sq ft (plus $100 per 15-gallon tree, up to 5)
- Cooler yard, real habitat, lowest long-term cost
- Drip irrigation on a timer cuts water further
Water-wise plants: cons
- Needs 3 plants per 100 sq ft, mulch and a rain-capture feature to qualify
- Must be live lawn when you apply; pre-approval before you remove it
- Takes a season or two to fill in
Good, better, best, and pro results
Fix the grass you have
$50-$300
- Smart irrigation controller and rotary nozzles
- Water before 10 am, 2-3 days a week
- Raise mower height; aerate in spring
Water-wise landscape with rebate
$8-$12 per sq ft before $2+ rebate
- Native and Mediterranean plants on drip
- Mulch, boulders and a dry creek bed for rain capture
- Lowest 5-year cost for most yards
Premium artificial turf
$10-$16 per sq ft installed
- Polyethylene 1.75-2 in pile with thatch
- Compacted Class II base, weed barrier, pet infill
- Best for heavy dog areas and narrow side yards
Full yard design and install
Quote
- Grading and drainage fixed first
- Turf where you play, plants everywhere else
- Hire a CSLB-licensed landscape contractor (C-27) for installs over $1,000
Install artificial turf yourself
- Measure and call 811 (Dig Alert) before you dig; mark sprinkler lines and cap them at the valve.
- Remove the grass 3-4 in down with a sod cutter; haul it off or compost it.
- Grade for drainage away from the house, at least 1-2% slope.
- Base: spread Class II road base 3 in deep, wet it, compact with a plate compactor, then 1 in of decomposed granite, compacted again.
- Weed barrier on top of the base (some installers put it under; follow the turf maker).
- Lay the turf with all blades pointing the same way toward where you look at it; let it relax in the sun an hour.
- Seams: trim factory edges, use seam tape and adhesive, weight it down.
- Nail every 6 in on the perimeter and every 12-24 in in the field; tuck edges.
- Infill and brush with a power broom to stand the blades up (see the video).
Materials calculator
For a DIY artificial turf install. Prices are typical San Diego numbers; change them to your quotes.
| Material | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Line total | Buy |
|---|
Tools you need
Check off what you already own.
Estimates only. Buy links open store search results; we may earn a commission on Amazon purchases. Check local code and permit rules before you start.
Turf on our own properties
Where the numbers come from
Sources: City of San Diego water billing rates (January 1, 2026) · City water and sewer rate adjustments · San Diego County Water Authority turf removal rebate (Spring 2026) · SoCal WaterSmart rebate estimator. Lawn water use varies by sun, soil and controller; 40 gal/sq ft/yr is a typical starting point for a San Diego cool-season lawn. Checked October 2026.
Broker, not a contractor. David Thomas Mejia is a California real estate broker (CA DRE #01448424), not a licensed contractor. Work that needs a California contractor's license should be done by a CSLB-licensed contractor; check any license at cslb.ca.gov. Cost ranges on this page are general estimates, not bids.