Backyard Artificial Grass in Pompano Beach, FL

The old lawn has to come out first. Lowe's warns never to lay turf over existing grass, because of drainage problems, weeds and an uneven surface. How deep the crew digs varies: Angi's guide says to remove the top 4 inches, Lowe's up to 2½ inches. Florida's rule then sets how the base is built:

• a natural subgrade such as crushed rock or crushed concrete, washed so the fines don't bind together
• soil underneath that isn't compacted so hard that water can't soak through
• grading for positive drainage, with no pooling and no extra runoff toward the neighbors; where possible, water goes to pervious ground on your own lot

Ask how deep the dig will be, which base material goes in and how thick it is once compacted.

Trees are where Florida's rule is strictest. Turf can't go inside a tree's drip line, whether the tree is yours or your neighbor's, unless a certified arborist certifies that it won't harm the tree, or the tree is a listed noxious weed. The installation also can't damage nearby roots. Under a big canopy that usually means a mulch ring or planted bed, with turf starting beyond it. Pompano Beach adds a step at permit time: any application with trees in the scope of work needs a Broward County Registered Tree Trimmer to qualify a tree permit.

Where no local buffer applies, Florida's rule keeps turf at least 10 feet from a canal, lake or other waterbody, measured from the high water line, unless a physical barrier such as a seawall or bulkhead stands between them. Pompano Beach's code adds its own detail. Turf beside a seawall is pinned or staked behind it, and no turf or fastener may be attached to or rest on the wall or its cap. On a beach lot, turf has to stay landward of any dune system and can't replace dune plants. Every edge and seam must be anchored to withstand wind and flooding. Storm damage is covered on turf repair.

Side yards collect what runs off the roof, and they sit right on the property line. Florida's rule doesn't allow turf to send more runoff onto the neighbor's lot, and if a drainage swale or ditch runs along the side of your lot, turf can't go in it at all. Ask where each downspout will discharge. Low corners and downspout puddles are covered on turf drainage, and if the strip is mostly for the dog, see dog run turf.

If the house is on septic, Florida's rule requires the turf to leave access to the tank for routine pumpout. Ask the installer how the lid stays reachable before they lay a single roll. The sprinklers need a decision too. In-ground irrigation can't be used to water synthetic turf, a local government may require those heads removed and the pipe capped, and Pompano Beach's code asks for nearby sprinklers to be capped or redirected. Lowe's adds one more step: call 811 a few days before any digging.