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The Contractor’s Edge: Why Adding Artificial Turf to Your Service Menu Is a Smart Business Move in 2026

Most landscaping contractors in Colorado are leaving money on the table.

Not because they’re doing bad work. Because they’re still treating artificial turf as a niche add-on instead of a core part of what they offer. That’s changing fast, and the contractors who get ahead of it now are going to own this market.

Here’s the business case.

The Market Is Growing and Clients Are Already Asking

The artificial turf market is on track to surpass $16.5 billion globally by 2035. In Colorado, that growth is being pushed along by something local: water restrictions.

Fort Collins, Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs and other municipalities across the Front Range are actively incentivizing or requiring water-smart landscaping. Homeowners are getting letters from their HOAs. Commercial property managers are facing new compliance requirements. They’re not just open to artificial turf. They’re actively looking for contractors who can install it.

If you’re not offering it, someone else is getting that call.

The Margin Math Works in Your Favor

Natural grass maintenance is a recurring revenue model, that’s true.  Mowing, fertilizing, aeration, overseeding. It keeps clients coming back, but the per-job margin is thin and the labor is constant.

Artificial turf flips that model. A single installation on a 1,500 sq ft residential backyard can run $8,000 to $15,000 or more depending on product selection and site prep. The labor is front-loaded, the materials are straightforward, and once it’s in, it’s done. No callbacks for brown patches. No warranty headaches because someone forgot to water.

For contractors who want to grow revenue without proportionally growing their crew, high-ticket installation work is the lever.

You Don’t Need to Be a Specialist to Start

The barrier to entry is lower than most contractors think. Artificial turf installation follows a repeatable process. Site prep, base compaction, turf layout, infill, edging. If your crew can handle hardscape or sod work, they can handle turf installation with minimal additional training. There is an art to it, but the learning curve is easy.

What you do need is a reliable supplier who keeps inventory local, offers contractor pricing, and can answer product questions when you’re mid-job and need a fast answer.

That’s exactly what Summit Turf Supply is built for.

We stock a full product line at our Fort Collins warehouse from Summit 56, the workhorse for high-volume residential installs, to the Royal line for clients who want a premium, ultra-realistic finish. Volume pricing kicks in at 500 sq ft, and we work directly with contractors so you’re not paying retail markup on every job.

The Opportunity Some Contractors Miss

Here’s where it gets interesting. Artificial turf opens doors to adjacent upsells that natural grass never could.

Putting greens. Homeowners who invest in a backyard turf install are often interested in a putting surface. Our Summit Putt and Pro Putt lines are purpose-built for this. It’s a natural conversation to have at the same appointment.

Pet areas. Families with dogs are one of the fastest-growing segments for artificial turf. A dedicated pet run with antimicrobial infill is a straightforward add-on that clients love.

Commercial properties. Once you have residential installs in your portfolio, commercial property managers, apartment complexes, office parks, HOA common areas become accessible clients. The jobs are larger, the decisions are more budget-driven than emotional, and the repeat business potential is significant.

What to Tell Clients Who Ask About the Environment

You’ll get the question. Here’s the honest answer.

The trade-offs around heat retention and synthetic materials are real, and it’s worth being upfront about them. But the concerns clients have heard about such as lead content, chemical off-gassing, and toxic materials largely reflect older products that are no longer on the market.

Modern artificial turf is manufactured from high-purity polyethylene and polypropylene, the same base materials used in food-grade packaging and children’s products. The fibers are lead-free and free of heavy metals. There’s no off-gassing during or after installation. The industry has also moved aggressively toward PFAS-free production, eliminating the fluorinated coatings that drew scrutiny in earlier generations of synthetic turf. What you’re installing today is a fundamentally different product than what made headlines ten years ago.

On the environmental side, the math is hard to argue with. Artificial turf eliminates irrigation entirely. In Colorado, that means saving tens of thousands of gallons of water per lawn per year and no pesticides, no fertilizers, no chemical runoff. A quality installation lasts 15 to 20 years. In a state where natural grass requires three times more water than the sky provides, the full picture strongly favors synthetic for most residential and commercial applications.

Clients who ask this question are engaged and doing their research. A confident, honest answer builds trust and closes deals.

The Bottom Line

The landscaping contractors who will win in Northern Colorado over the next five years are the ones who position themselves as full-service outdoor living specialists, not just mow-and-blow operations. Artificial turf is one of the clearest paths to higher-ticket work, better margins, and a service offering that stands out.

Summit Turf Supply is here to make that transition as easy as possible. Contractor pricing, local inventory in Fort Collins, and a team that knows the product inside and out.

Stop by our warehouse or click HERE to see our full product line and contractor pricing.