How to Remove Your Lawn: 5 Methods Compared + Getting Paid to Do It

This is the most important step in the entire process. If you live in the western US, your water utility may pay $2–$7 per square foot to remove your lawn. On a typical 1,000 sq ft lawn, that’s $2,000–$7,000 back in your pocket.

BUT every single program requires written pre-approval before you remove a single blade of grass. SNWA (Las Vegas), LADWP (Los Angeles), Phoenix Water, Aurora Water, Denver Water, Austin Water, Albuquerque — all of them. No exceptions.

If you rip out your lawn first and then apply, you’re automatically disqualified. The utility needs to inspect your existing lawn, confirm it’s 75%+ healthy living grass, and issue you a project number that locks in your rebate funds. Once the grass is gone, there’s nothing left to verify.

Apply first. Get written approval. Then remove grass. This order is non-negotiable.

Rent a sod cutter from Home Depot or a local rental shop ($75–$150/day). The machine cuts grass and roots in clean strips that you roll up and haul away. It’s the preferred method for rebate projects because it leaves clean, prepared soil that’s ready for your replacement landscape.

Time: 1,000 sq ft in 2–4 hours.

Total cost with disposal: $150–$400.

Pros: - Fast — one day of work for most residential lawns - Clean removal with minimal soil disturbance - Soil is ready for planting immediately - Best documentation for rebate inspectors

Cons: - Physical labor — the machine is heavy and takes practice - Need a truck or trailer to haul sod to disposal - Rental cost adds up if you need multiple days

Cover your lawn with clear plastic sheeting and let the sun do the work. Over 4–8 weeks during hot months, the trapped heat raises soil temperature to 140°F+, killing grass, weeds, and soil pathogens.

Cost: $20–$50 for plastic sheeting.

Time: 4–8 weeks.

Pros: - Cheapest method by far - Kills weed seeds and soil pathogens - Improves soil biology after sheeting is removed

Cons: - Slow — 2 months minimum for full kill - Only works during hot, sunny months (June–August) - Lawn looks terrible during the process - Plastic must be secured against wind

Layer cardboard directly over the grass, then add 4–6 inches of mulch or compost on top. The grass decomposes underneath over 2–3 months, and the cardboard biodegrades into the soil.

Cost: $100–$300 for mulch (cardboard is free from local stores).

Time: Set up in a weekend. Grass dies over 2–3 months.

Pros: - No waste to haul away - Enriches soil as materials decompose - Can plant directly into the mulch layer - No chemicals or heavy equipment

Cons: - Slow — 2–3 months for full decomposition - Need large quantities of cardboard and mulch - Not as clean as sod cutting for rebate documentation - Cardboard edges can look messy during the process

Apply a glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup or generic equivalent). Grass dies in 1–2 weeks with minimal physical labor.

Cost: $15–$30 for product.

Time: 1–2 weeks.

Pros: - Minimal physical labor - Fast kill — grass dies within days - Works on any size area

Cons: - Chemical residue in soil - Kills everything — including beneficial organisms and nearby plants - Environmental and health concerns - May need repeat applications for stubborn grass types - Some rebate programs discourage chemical removal

Use a flat-blade shovel to cut grass into sections and pry up the roots. Viable for areas under 200 sq ft — anything larger and you’ll wish you’d rented a sod cutter.

Cost: Free (if you own a shovel).

Time: About 1 sq ft per minute. 200 sq ft takes roughly 3.5 hours.

Pros: - No cost — just labor - No chemicals or equipment - Immediate results - Full control over what you remove

Cons: - Extremely labor intensive for anything over 200 sq ft - Hard on your back and knees - Slow compared to every other method

All bare soil must be covered. This is both a rebate requirement AND good landscaping practice — bare dirt erodes, grows weeds, and looks worse than the lawn you just removed.

Rebate-approved ground cover options: - Drought-tolerant native plants + mulch — required for most rebate programs - Decomposed granite — accepted as permeable hardscape - Permeable gravel pathways — accepted in limited quantities alongside planting areas - Drip irrigation — many programs require drip for establishment of new plants

Most programs require 100% ground coverage of the converted area. No bare soil is allowed. Plan your replacement landscape before you remove the grass, not after.

Plant within 1–2 weeks of removal. Bare soil erodes quickly and develops weed problems fast. Most rebate programs have completion deadlines (30–180 days after approval), so have your materials ready before you start removing.

Here are the major rebate rates across the western US:

• •Las Vegas (SNWA): $5–$7/sq ft — the highest in the country
• •Los Angeles (LADWP): $5/sq ft
• •San Diego: $4/sq ft
• •Albuquerque: $3/sq ft
• •Denver: $3/sq ft
• •Aurora CO: $3/sq ft
• •Austin: $2.50/sq ft
• •Phoenix: $2/sq ft

On a typical 1,000 sq ft lawn, that’s $2,000–$7,000 back in your pocket. In most cases, the rebate covers the entire cost of removal AND the replacement landscape — meaning you get paid to upgrade your yard.

Use our calculator to get an exact estimate for your city and lawn size.