Roots in quickly
A cultivated, dressed bed lets turf knit into the soil within weeks rather than sitting on top of it.
Turfing and new lawnsin Kenilworth and across Warwickshireprepared properly, so it knits in fast
Old lawn stripped, ground levelled, graded and dressed, then fresh turf laid tight with staggered joints: a lawn that roots quickly instead of shrinking back at the seams.
Free quote within 48 hours · Fixed price on around 95% of jobs
10 years in the trade
5 of them running SOS Landscaping
Checkatrade approved
CHAS accredited
Fixed price on ~95% of jobs
Agreed before we start
Quotes within 48 hours
Free, after seeing the garden
Team of two or more
Turf laid the day it arrives
Service overview
What laying a new lawn involves
Turfing is 80% groundwork. The turf itself is the last hour of the job. Before a single roll is unwrapped, the old surface has to come off, the ground has to be cleared of roots, rubble and debris, levels have to be graded so there are no hollows or humps, and the soil has to be broken up and dressed so roots have somewhere soft and fertile to go. Turf laid onto compacted, unprepared ground sits there like a carpet and never takes properly.
We lay new lawns from scratch, replace tired or patchy grass, and turf the areas left behind after building work, patio construction or fence replacement. Rolls are laid tight with staggered joints in a brick-bond pattern, edges cut cleanly to beds and paving, and the whole lawn firmed down so there is contact between the turf and the soil beneath it.
It is the right job when your lawn is more moss and weed than grass, when the ground has been churned up by works, when the level is wrong and water sits after rain, or when you simply want a usable green space for children, dogs and summer evenings without waiting a season for seed to establish.
The professional value is in the preparation and the timing: correct grading and drainage falls, soil improvement, and getting fresh turf down quickly after delivery so it never dries out on the pallet.
Why it matters
What happens when turf is laid on poor ground
Turf on unprepared ground shrinks. Joints open into visible seams, edges curl and brown, and the roots never bridge into the soil, so the whole lawn lifts like a rug if you pull at a corner. The grass looks acceptable for two weeks and disappointing for the next two years.
Bad levels cause the slower problems. Hollows collect water and the grass drowns and goes to moss; high spots get scalped by the mower and thin out. Water sitting against a patio or house wall is worse still, because a lawn that never drains is a lawn that stays soft and rutted all winter.
The cost of getting it wrong is usually the whole lawn. Turf cannot be lifted and relaid successfully once it has dried out and shrunk, so the real expense is buying the turf twice, plus a growing season lost. Meanwhile, weeds and moss colonise the thin areas and the problem spreads outwards.
Mistakes we are called out to fix
- Laying onto compacted groundRoots cannot penetrate, so the turf never establishes.
- Leaving rubble and roots inEvery buried lump becomes a dry, thin patch in the first hot spell.
- Butting joints looselyGaps dry out and open into permanent seams across the lawn.
- Ignoring levelsHollows hold water and turn to moss; humps get scalped by the mower.
- Letting turf sit on the palletRolled turf heats up and deteriorates within a day or two.
Our process
From first call to finished work
- Step 1
Site visit and ground assessment
Guy checks the existing surface, soil, drainage, shade and access, and talks through the levels and shape you want the lawn to finish at.
- Step 2
Free fixed-price quote
A written figure covering strip-out, spoil removal, preparation and laying, usually the same or next day locally and within 48 hours at the latest.
- Step 3
Strip out and clear
Old lawn, weeds, roots, rubble and debris removed and taken away so the ground underneath can actually be worked.
- Step 4
Level, cultivate and dress
Ground broken up, graded to falls that drain away from the house, then raked and dressed to a fine, firm tilth ready for turf.
- Step 5
Lay, firm, trim and hand over
Turf laid tight in staggered joints the day it arrives, firmed down, edges cut cleanly, then a clear watering and mowing brief so it establishes properly. Anything that needs attention later, call Guy.
What you get
The difference it makes in your garden
No visible seams
Tight, staggered joints and firming down mean the lawn reads as one surface.
Usable straight away
Unlike seed, turf gives you a finished green space now instead of next season.
Drains rather than puddles
Grading to proper falls keeps water off the surface and away from the house.
Fewer weeds and less moss
Dense, healthy grass on decent soil crowds out what thin turf lets in.
Less wasted money
Preparation done once beats buying turf twice a year later.
In detail
Materials, methods and where turfing apply
Turf, soil and what suits your garden
Not all turf is the same product. Hard-wearing amenity turf with a ryegrass content is the sensible choice for family gardens where children and dogs will use it. Finer ornamental turf gives a more manicured look but needs more attention and is far less forgiving of heavy use. Shade-tolerant mixes exist for gardens hemmed in by fences, walls or mature trees, and are worth choosing deliberately rather than hoping.
Soil is the other half of the equation. Heavy clay, common around Warwickshire, holds water and compacts hard, so it usually needs breaking up and improving. Thin or builder-left soil often needs additional topsoil to give the roots any depth at all. Guy will tell you at the quote whether the existing ground can be worked or whether extra topsoil is genuinely needed, so it can be included in the price rather than sprung on you later.
- Hard-wearing amenity turfFamily gardens, children and dogs.
- Fine ornamental turfManicured appearance, higher maintenance.
- Shade-tolerant mixesEnclosed gardens and areas under trees.
- Topsoil and dressingsWhere existing soil is too thin or too poor to support root growth.
- Artificial grassWhere a real lawn genuinely will not thrive or maintenance must be near zero.
Preparation and laying method
The existing surface is stripped rather than buried, because turf laid over dead grass and weeds gives you a rotting layer between the roots and the soil. Roots, rubble and debris come out, then the ground is broken up so it is no longer a compacted pan. Levels are graded next, working to falls that move water away from the house and any paving, and avoiding the low spots that become winter puddles.
The surface is then raked and firmed to a fine tilth: soft enough for roots, firm enough not to settle into footprints. Turf goes down the day it is delivered, laid on the stagger so joints never line up, butted tightly and firmed into contact with the soil, then trimmed cleanly along beds, paths and paving.
Aftercare is where new lawns are won or lost, so you get a straight brief before we leave: water generously and often for the first fortnight, keep traffic off it while it roots, and take the first cut high with a sharp blade. We stand behind our work, if anything needs attention after we have finished, one call and Guy comes back.
When turfing is combined with other work
Turfing is very often the final stage of a bigger job. After a new patio, the lawn edge has to be re-formed and re-turfed to meet the paving flush so a mower can run over it. After fencing, the strip along the boundary needs making good. After a sleeper wall or new steps, the reshaped ground needs a surface.
Where a garden slopes badly, turf alone will not fix it; the ground either needs regrading or terracing with a low retaining wall to create a level, usable area. Where a garden is deeply shaded, permanently wet or used as a dog run, we will say honestly if grass is going to struggle, and artificial turf may be the more sensible answer.
For rental and commercial properties, hard-wearing turf and good preparation matter more than a fine finish, since the lawn will get used and mown by whoever is available rather than nurtured.
Where we work
Turfing across Kenilworth and Warwickshire
Based at 24 Common Lane, Kenilworth. Local work gets priced fastest: often the same day. Just outside these areas? It is still worth a call.
Common questions
Turfing: straight answers
How much does a new lawn cost?
Cost is driven by the area, how much strip-out and spoil removal is needed, whether extra topsoil is required and how good the access is. Guy quotes after visiting, and around 95% of jobs are fixed-price. Turf and topsoil are bought by you, so material costs are completely visible.
How long does turfing take?
Most domestic lawns are laid within a day or two once preparation is complete; the groundwork takes longer than the laying. You get a realistic duration with the quote.
How soon can I walk on the new lawn?
Keep off it as much as possible while it roots, usually a couple of weeks, longer in cold weather. Guy gives you a clear watering and first-mow brief before leaving site.
What is the best time of year to lay turf?
Turf can be laid across most of the year. Autumn and spring are easiest because the ground is moist and warm enough to root; midsummer works fine but demands serious watering, and hard frost is the one thing that stops us.
Do I need to water it every day?
For the first two weeks, generous and frequent watering is the single most important thing you can do, especially in warm weather. It is what makes the difference between turf that knits in and turf that shrinks.
Can you lay turf over my existing lawn?
No: that leaves a dead, rotting layer between the new turf and the soil. The old surface is stripped so roots can reach real ground.
My garden is shaded and wet. Will grass work?
Sometimes, with a shade-tolerant mix and improved drainage. Where it genuinely will not thrive, Guy will say so and talk through artificial grass rather than sell you a lawn that will disappoint.
Do you remove the old turf and rubbish?
Yes. Strip-out, spoil and debris removal are part of the quote and the site is cleared before we leave.
When do I pay?
Smaller jobs are settled on completion. Larger jobs are staged: one payment at the end of the first week and the balance on completion.
Do you turf gardens in Leamington and Balsall Common?
Yes. Kenilworth, Leamington, Warwick, Coventry, Balsall Common, Chadwick End, Knowle, Earlsdon and Leek Wootton are all areas we cover.
Free quote
Get a fixed price for your new lawn
Tell Guy roughly how big the area is and what is there now. You will get a free quote covering strip-out, preparation and laying, usually within 48 hours.
Prefer to talk it through?
07466 254430finchfinishings@gmail.com
Hours: 7:00am – 6:00pm
Free quotes · Fixed prices · Checkatrade approved · CHAS accredited