I have reached out to some companies for getting my yard top dressed. On the high end I was quoted $0.52 per square foot. On the lower end I was quoted $0.17 per square foot. The former seems insanely high, but I'm not sure if the lower one is going to do good work. What has been your price expectations for top dressing?

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

---

The yard is ~6000 sqft. They both do not include aerating. The more expensive one said they use a standard top dressing mix from their supplier, so I assume it is compost? The cheaper one said theirs is 100% compost.

Does a 100% compost top dressing do anything to help with yard leveling? That is the primary reason I am looking into this.

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

---

The yard is ~6000 sqft. They both do not include aerating. The more expensive one said they use a standard top dressing mix from their supplier, so I assume it is compost? The cheaper one said theirs is 100% compost.

Does a 100% compost top dressing do anything to help with yard leveling? That is the primary reason I am looking into this.

---

Pure compost won't maintain the level over time like a sand mixture…it's why topsoil is a mixture of those components.

May be useful - https://texags.com/forums/61/topics/3373038

Astroag said:

---

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

---

The yard is ~6000 sqft. They both do not include aerating. The more expensive one said they use a standard top dressing mix from their supplier, so I assume it is compost? The cheaper one said theirs is 100% compost.

Does a 100% compost top dressing do anything to help with yard leveling? That is the primary reason I am looking into this.

---

Pure compost won't maintain the level over time like a sand mixture…it's why topsoil is a mixture of those components.

---

Ok so I need to drop these companies that are quoting me top dressing to level the yard. Does anyone know a good landscaping company in the SA or Boerne area that can do leveling with a soil and sand mixture?

tgi's comments are the way to go. I would add that I would add an organic fertilizer down after aerating and before topdressing.

For Compost, 100% compost, always consider it the same as fertilizer. You can put two inches of that stuff on your yard, and it just disappears (have done this). Grass looks great, but it will NOT level any areas. The topsoil, compost, sand mix is great. You lose soil in erosion.

I went down the rabbit hole of lawn leveling a few years ago. Was planning on ripping out my St. Aug and replacing with bermuda, but we wound up selling and building. I now have my Tiftuf lawn as of March. thelawnforum.com has a lot of great threads on this. Also lots of good youtube videos.

The consensus I've seen is that basically none of the companies that do this really do a good job. They'd spread material evenly across the yard with a spreader, and usually use the wrong material. Compost will decompose and provide little benefit for leveling. Or they'd use a sand with pebbles in it, which is awful if you ever intend to use a reel mower.

Seems like DIY is the way to go, and that's what I intend to do next spring. Get a load of clean masonry sand and use a rigid drag behind your mower or a "level rake" to get everything nice and smooth. I'd check out TLF if you have any interest in DIY.

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

Astroag said:

---

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

---

The yard is ~6000 sqft. They both do not include aerating. The more expensive one said they use a standard top dressing mix from their supplier, so I assume it is compost? The cheaper one said theirs is 100% compost.

Does a 100% compost top dressing do anything to help with yard leveling? That is the primary reason I am looking into this.

---

Pure compost won't maintain the level over time like a sand mixture…it's why topsoil is a mixture of those components.

---

Ok so I need to drop these companies that are quoting me top dressing to level the yard. Does anyone know a good landscaping company in the SA or Boerne area that can do leveling with a soil and sand mixture?

---

You need to make sure they are on the same page as you and understand what you want. Top dressing and leveling are pretty similar, so make sure they understand which one you're asking for.

You also specifically want masonry sand. Anything else will not incorporate into your lawn the same way. The standard top dressing mix mentioned by the more expensive contractor might actually be a sand mix with compost because leveling and top dressing can be done at the same time. I know some local suppliers have a mix for this.

Is this best to do twice or once a year? Early spring after scalping and end of fall after scalping? We have celebration in the front and tif in the back.

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

Astroag said:

---

Thunderstruck xx said:

---

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

Need details on what they're putting down and how big the yard is. Is it just sand? Sand and topsoil? Sand and compost? I've also seen premium mixes of sand and coffee grounds. Yard size kind of matters because a large yard does things like delivery costs further per sf. Also, are they aerating or just top dressing?

---

The yard is ~6000 sqft. They both do not include aerating. The more expensive one said they use a standard top dressing mix from their supplier, so I assume it is compost? The cheaper one said theirs is 100% compost.

Does a 100% compost top dressing do anything to help with yard leveling? That is the primary reason I am looking into this.

---

Pure compost won't maintain the level over time like a sand mixture…it's why topsoil is a mixture of those components.

---

Ok so I need to drop these companies that are quoting me top dressing to level the yard. Does anyone know a good landscaping company in the SA or Boerne area that can do leveling with a soil and sand mixture?

---

You need to make sure they are on the same page as you and understand what you want. Top dressing and leveling are pretty similar, so make sure they understand which one you're asking for.

You also specifically want masonry sand. Anything else will not incorporate into your lawn the same way. The standard top dressing mix mentioned by the more expensive contractor might actually be a sand mix with compost because leveling and top dressing can be done at the same time. I know some local suppliers have a mix for this.

---

So this is what the more expensive one told me. Their $3100 quote includes aeration, top dressing, and fertilizer. Their top dressing is 50% sand, 25% compost and 25% enriched topsoil mix. Does this seem like an acceptable mix? It might be worth it, but I am still going to ask around at other companies too.