What are the true costs over a 10 year life cycle of traditional soil based field, sand based field, and turf field with infill?
SportTurf magazine of the
SportsTurf Managers Association (STMA) March 2009 issue, article by Curt Harler, "Wetness and Wealth--Key Foes of Native Soil Fields", included a very informative sidebar with information from
Dr. A.J. Powell, University of Kentucky. The figures below help explain the dichotomy in the question "Contractors Always Sell Grass First Really??"
- Even if a new grass field may only net $5,000 profit (versus $100,000 for synthetic turf)
- Knowing the risks of a grass Grow-In vs. an engineered system that can perform immediately--Surface performance unquestioned
- Surface performance identical to the elite competitors
- Few hidden costs with Engineered system
- Easy to minimize maintenance costs of synthetic Infills--some spend zero dollars
- Easy to exaggerate maintenance costs of grass--what the costs have been or should be
Comparing Sand vs. Infill
|
|
Current-Sand Field |
New Sand Field |
New Infield (high end) |
|
Initial Const. |
|
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
|
Maint. 1st yr |
$40,000 |
$40,000 |
$25,000 |
|
10 yr Maint. |
$458,600 |
$458,000 |
$326,190 |
|
10 yr Total
|
$458,600 |
$1,458,600 |
$1,326,190 |
|
Avg Cost/yr |
$45,860 |
$145,860 |
$132,619 |
|
Soil Based vs. Infill
|
|
Soil Field Contract |
Soil Field DIY |
New Soil Field |
New Infield |
Initial Const. |
|
|
$50,000 |
$600,000 |
Maint. 1st yr |
$20,000 |
$7,000 |
$15,000 |
$3,500 |
10 yr Maint. |
$229,358 |
$80,275 |
$172,018 |
$40,120 |
10 yr Total
|
$229,358 |
$80,275 |
$220,018 |
$640,120 |
Avg Cost/yr |
$22,936 |
$8,028 |
$22,202 |
$64,012 |
Grass vs. Infill
|
|
New Soil |
Current Soil |
New Sand |
New Infield |
Initial Const. |
$50,000 |
|
$600,000 |
$800,000 |
Maint. 1st yr |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
$40,000 |
$25,000 |
10 yr Maint. |
$172,018 |
$172,018 |
$458,600 |
$326,190 |
10 yr Total
|
$220,018 |
$172,018 |
$1,058,600 |
$1,126,190 |
Avg Cost/yr |
$22,202 |
$17,202 |
$105,860 |
$112,619 |