Module 4:

4.5 How much do they cost?

1   Introduction

The cost of a material within a particular material type can vary considerably. This might be due, for example, to the following:

• The quality of the product.
• Component costs.
• Costs of development.
• Its availability.
• Quantity purchased.
• Transportation costs from supplier.
• After sales service.
• Supplier’s profit margin.

This is a short section of the module and provides estimated costs for the example products previously given in this module and can act as general guide only. [The costs are based on April 2025 prices, with vat included where applicable, with manufacturer’s / supplier’s name included, also where applicable]

2   Fertilisers

• Prestige Organic TE Spring and Summer (25kg) [Collier Turf Care]: £54
• Enhance R Autumn & Winter 5:2:15 (20kg) [Vitax]: £72
• 6-2-4 Organic Sports Grass Liquid Fertiliser (10 litre) [Vitax]: £80
• Greenmaster NK 10-0-10 Liquid Fertiliser (10 Litre) [ICL]: £69

3   Fuel for machinery

• Diesel (white): £1.45 litre
• Diesel (red): 70p litre
• Petrol: £1.40 litre

4   Grass seed

• Masterline PM80 Renovator Grass Seed (20kg) [DLF]: £125

5   Line marking / paint material

• Excel Concentrate (10L) [Grassline]: £42
• Snowcal 40 (25kg) [Omya]: £18

6   Pesticide: Weedkiller (Herbicide)

• Depitox 500 (10L) [Nufarm]: £40

7   Top-dressing

The cost of top-dressing material can vary significantly according to the type and specification required, the total quantity required, whether a bulk load or 1-tonne bags, as well as size of lorry delivering the material.

£50 to £90 per tonne of sand / sandy soil for an 8 to 10 tonne bulk lorry load might be a useful starting guide.

8   Water

The cost of water used from the mains supply will depend on the local water authority charges. There is also a sewerage charge that is also applied to water usage, as water authorities assume that the majority of used water is also returned to be treated again. However, for the watering of football pitches the majority of irrigating will take place when the water is either used by the grass plant or evaporated from exposed bare soil areas. Significant discounts on the sewerage portion of a water bill are usually possible to sports clubs where they can evidence that most of the water that is used is not returned via the sewerage system.

Costs for water extracted from boreholes, or from harvested water sources will depend on the original costs of installation and construction, as well as any ongoing maintenance costs which might be allocated to its supply. A proportion of the total costs that were outlaid would be allocated per year. The water is not free as costs have been incurred somewhere to allow the water to be used as a source for irrigating turf.

General, indicative, figures for charges, for 2025-26, excluding any discounts etc.:

• Supply of water (through the mains, i.e. potable water): £2.75 per m³.
• Sewerage: £2.00 per m³.

There will also, usually, be an annual standing charge for each of these services of maybe £25 and £105 (for sewerage and surface water drainage) respectively.

9   Biostimulants

• Amino-Sorb F (5L) [Vitax]: £177

10   Other pesticides: fungicides; insecticides; bio-pesticides

• Heritage Maxx Turf Disease Control (3L) [Syngenta]: £1,070
• Acelepryn Insecticide (3L) [Syngenta]: £3,020
• Sportnem-T Leatherjacket Killer (1,000m²) [Koppert B.V.]: £90
• Sportnem-H Chafer Grub Killer (1,000m²) [Koppert B.V.]: £90

11   Plant growth regulators

• Attraxor - Plant Growth Regulator (1.5kg) [BASF]: £380

12   Soil acidifiers / soil conditioners

• Prestige W Conditioner (20kg) [Collier Turf Care]: £81
• Sulphur 95 (15kg) [Vitax] £60.00

13   Wetting agents

• Ultraflo Advance Liquid (10L) [Vitax]: £246

14   Summary

You can usually find current prices on most suppliers’ web sites, whilst each product will have a recommended rate of application as well as guidance on when it should or can be used.

Some useful web sites that provide comprehensive material costs include:

• Agrigem
• Collier Turf Care
• Pitchcare

You might like to create your own material information sheet using the various headings we have used (for Sections 4.1. to 4.5) to act as a handy reference guide for when you create your annual maintenance plan and budget. This would also help when communicating to others the purpose and use of each material.

For now, congratulations on completing this Module 4. We will now have a brief summary of the module before attempting the recall section.