How Much Is 500 Sq Ft of Artificial Turf?
A 500 square foot artificial turf installation in the Inland Empire typically runs $6,500 to $9,000 installed, or roughly $13 to $18 per square foot. Smaller yards cost more per square foot than larger ones because mobilization, dump fees, and equipment rental stay flat regardless of size. Base prep and access usually decide where a quote lands.
Last updated: September 2026
We get this question a lot from homeowners with smaller front yards or side yards, not the sprawling half-acre backyards we sometimes quote in Temecula or Menifee. A 500 square foot job is close to the size of a two-car driveway and a strip of parkway grass combined.
Why Does a Small Yard Cost More Per Square Foot?
On a recent 480 square foot front yard off Ramona Expressway in San Jacinto, we hauled out about 6 tons of old sod and soil and brought in 7 tons of Class II base rock. That's one dump run and one delivery truck, the same trucks we'd use on a 1,200 square foot job. The fixed costs don't shrink with the yard.
Gate width matters too. That San Jacinto yard had a 34 inch side gate, so base rock went in by wheelbarrow, about 250 pounds at a time. A yard with direct truck access from the street can save $500 to $800 on the same square footage.
How Does 500 Square Feet Compare to Larger Jobs?
| Yard Size | Typical Cost Range | Cost Per Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $6,500 - $9,000 | $13 - $18 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $10,000 - $12,000 | $10 - $12 |
| 2,000+ sq ft | $16,000 - $22,000 | $8 - $11 |
The turf material itself is a small piece of that number. Wholesale turf runs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot depending on face weight and pile height. The bigger costs are base rock, haul-off, and labor, and those barely change whether the crew is on site for four hours or a full day.
What Drives the Price on a Small Yard?
Three things move the number on a 500 square foot quote: gate access, drainage needs, and whether there's existing hardscape to remove. A yard in Hemet with a concrete walkway running through the middle costs more to prep than an open patch of dirt in a new Menifee tract home.
We warranty the turf itself for 16 years through the manufacturer. That doesn't cover base settling from poor prep, which is why we don't shortcut the rock and compaction step even on small jobs. See our full artificial turf installation process for how we handle base prep on every job.
Is a 500 Square Foot Turf Job Worth It?
For a lot of homeowners, yes. A front yard or side strip this size is usually a one to two day install for our crew, and it's often the section of a property that gets the most foot traffic and the least usable value as dirt or dying grass. We quote these jobs across San Jacinto and the rest of the Inland Empire the same way, with a free on-site estimate before anything is scheduled.