Sod delivery and supply service
Buy sod from local farms and deliver it to homeowners, landscapers and builders in your area.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
4,105 US businesses with employees in this field, +5.6% in a year
NAICS 424930 “Flower, nursery stock, and florists' supplies merchant wholesalers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You buy pallets of sod from a nearby sod farm at wholesale prices and deliver them to customers' driveways or job sites. You add a markup for sourcing, delivery and convenience. You can also sell topsoil, starter fertilizer and basic installation tips.
Your first three steps
- Call two or three sod farms near you to compare wholesale pallet prices, grass types and minimum orders
- Line up a truck and trailer (a used or rented one is fine to start) and a way to unload pallets, such as a pallet jack or farm delivery with a forklift
- Set up a simple website or local listings with your service area, grass types and delivery fees, and contact landscapers to offer trade pricing
Who pays
Homeowners doing their own lawns, small landscapers, builders, property managers and local churches or schools.
How it makes money
Price per pallet or per square foot, plus a delivery fee by distance. Repeat orders from landscapers and builders can keep you busy through the growing season.
Skills that help
- Reliable and good with schedules
- Comfortable driving and towing a loaded trailer
- Knowing which grass types suit your region
- Customer service
Watch out for
- General liability and commercial auto insurance, check that your policy covers hauling for business
- Weight limits and any commercial driver rules for your truck and trailer, check with your state DMV
- Local business license and sales tax registration, check with your city, county and state
- Sod spoils fast in heat, so plan pickup and delivery on the same day
- Demand is seasonal in many areas, so plan your cash flow
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: sod delivery and supply service
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a sod delivery business?
Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your truck, trailer and how much sod you buy at a time. Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your area and the season.
What insurance and rules should I check for hauling sod?
Check general liability and commercial auto insurance, and make sure your policy covers hauling for business. Also check weight limits and any commercial driver rules with your state DMV, and your local business license and sales tax registration.
What skills and time does a sod delivery service need?
The idea typically needs at least about 15 hours a week. Useful skills are reliable scheduling, comfortable driving and towing a loaded trailer, knowing which grass suits your region, and customer service. Sod spoils fast in heat, so plan same-day pickup and delivery.
Other ways to run this business
Similar farming and garden ideas
Hay and bedding delivery service
Buy hay and shavings from local growers and deliver to horse owners and small farms.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Pasture-raised pork for local customers
Raise a few batches of pigs a year and sell whole, half or cut-and-wrapped pork directly to local buyers.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small seasonal pumpkin patch
Grow a few acres of pumpkins and let local families pick their own each October.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Pasture-raised eggs and meat farm
Raise laying hens, chickens or a few animals on pasture and sell eggs and meat directly to local customers.
- $2k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small-herd livestock breeder
Breed a small herd or flock of sheep, goats or pigs and sell young stock to hobby farmers and 4-H families.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Pasture boarding for a few horses on your land
Rent out pasture, shelter and water to local horse owners who do most of the daily care themselves.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises