Gardening and landscaping
Artificial grass
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Artificial grass: what the job involves
Replacing a lawn with artificial turf: digging out the old grass, building a compacted, free-draining base, and laying, joining and pinning the turf. It needs no mowing, but how flat and dry it stays depends almost entirely on the base underneath.
Also asked for as: artificial grass installers · fake grass · astro turf garden · artificial lawn · artificial grass for dogs
How the job is usually done
- Measure the area and check how the ground drains — heavy clay holds water.
- Strip the turf and dig out to depth, removing roots and the worst weeds.
- Fit edging — timber, steel or composite — to hold the perimeter.
- Lay and compact a stone sub-base, then a finer laying course, to level.
- Lay a weed membrane and roll out the grass with the pile all one way.
- Join seams with tape and adhesive, cut the edges and pin the perimeter.
- Brush in sand infill and brush up the pile.
Artificial grass: what is included
Usually included
- Dig-out, base, membrane, laying, jointing and infill
- Edging around the perimeter
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Taking away turf and soil, unless quoted
- Drainage improvements beyond the base, such as a soakaway
- Shock pads for play areas, unless quoted
Materials and who supplies them
- The artificial grass — chosen by you from samples, supplied by the installer
- Stone, sand, membrane, edging, joining tape and adhesive — supplied by the installer
How long it takes
Two to four days for a typical back garden; hand-barrowing everything through the house or poor drainage adds time.
When to book
Spring to autumn is easiest; laying in heavy rain makes a mess of the base and the seam adhesive needs dry conditions.
Artificial grass: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
Collecting waste for reward — grass clippings, hedge cuttings, soil, old slabs — needs a waste collection permit, and a householder may only hand waste to an authorised collector or bring it to an authorised facility.
Applies to: the gardener or landscaper who takes waste away, and the householder
Waste Management Act 1996, sections 32 and 34; National Waste Collection Permit Office · revisedacts.lawreform.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
The EU restriction on intentionally added microplastics bans placing granular infill for synthetic sports surfaces on the market from 17 October 2031; sand infill is not affected.
Applies to: suppliers and installers of infill
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 amending REACH · eur-lex.europa.eu · Checked 9 October 2026
What artificial grass costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Area and shape — more joins and cuts take longer and waste more roll
- Grade of grass: pile height, density and backing
- Access: everything comes in and out through the house or a side passage
- Removal of soil and old turf
- Ground conditions and drainage
- VAT: hard landscaping is building work, charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered business unless materials are more than two-thirds of the price — ask whether a quote includes VAT
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.
Paperwork to ask for at the end
- The manufacturer’s warranty for the grass, with the product name
- The installer’s written guarantee on the base and seams
Safety
- Artificial grass gets very hot in direct sun — check before small children or pets go barefoot.
- Never use a disposable barbecue or let fireworks land on it; it melts.
- Dog urine needs regular rinsing, and solids picked up, to avoid smells.
Artificial grass: before you hire
Questions to ask a tradesperson
- How deep is the base, and what stone goes in it?
- Which grass, and what does its warranty cover?
- Who takes the turf and soil, and with what permit?
- What is your guarantee on seams lifting?
What you can do yourself
Laying a small, square area on a well-prepared base is possible; the dig-out, compaction and invisible seams are where most DIY jobs go wrong.
What to put in your task
- Roughly how big is the area?
- What is there now?
- Does the area stay wet after rain?
- Who will use it most?
- How do materials get into the garden?
Photos that help
- The whole area from two angles
- The edges — walls, beds, paths — where the grass will finish
- The access route, with its narrowest point
Artificial grass by county
Choose your county for artificial grass close to home.
- Artificial grass in Dublin
- Artificial grass in Cork
- Artificial grass in Galway
- Artificial grass in Kildare
- Artificial grass in Limerick
- Artificial grass in Meath
- Artificial grass in Tipperary
- Artificial grass in Donegal
- Artificial grass in Wexford
- Artificial grass in Kerry
- Artificial grass in Wicklow
- Artificial grass in Mayo
- Artificial grass in Louth
- Artificial grass in Waterford
- Artificial grass in Clare
- Artificial grass in Kilkenny
- Artificial grass in Westmeath
- Artificial grass in Laois
- Artificial grass in Cavan
- Artificial grass in Offaly
- Artificial grass in Sligo
- Artificial grass in Roscommon
- Artificial grass in Monaghan
- Artificial grass in Carlow
- Artificial grass in Longford
- Artificial grass in Leitrim
Gardening and landscaping
Need artificial grass? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about artificial grass
Does artificial grass need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
Will artificial grass drain in an Irish winter?
The grass is perforated, but water still has to go through the base and into the ground. On heavy clay, a deeper stone base or a soakaway is needed, or it will puddle. That is why the base, not the grass, decides how it performs.
Is artificial grass good for dogs?
It stays clean and mud-free, but urine must be rinsed through regularly, and a grade with good drainage helps. Some installers add a dog-friendly infill to control smells.
How long does it last?
A good-quality grass on a sound base commonly lasts many years, depending on use and sun. Look at the manufacturer’s warranty — it tells you what they expect.