Are you worried about whether your artificial grass drainage solution will come with a guarantee?

If the main reason you’re installing artificial grass on your property is to help improve drainage, you’ll probably want a guarantee that it’s definitely going to work. After all, it can be quite an investment!

As an experienced landscaper and artificial grass installer, I’m going to tell you why you shouldn’t have to worry too much, and what to look out for. Because in this case, it definitely pays to be cautious…

Artificial grass guarantees explained

All quality artificial grass should come with a manufacturer-backed guarantee or warranty. This should generally cover the UV stability (so your grass won’t discolour) and tensile strength of the grass (so it can withstand the described amount of footfall over time), but also the workmanship (i.e. installing the correct amount of sub-base).

Different companies will offer varying levels of guarantee, but this is the general rule of thumb.

A good guarantee should last around 8 years. Some companies may offer slightly more, whilst others slightly less. Saying that, the grass itself should last you around 15 – 20 years, with quality aftercare.

Still worried about getting a guarantee for your sub-base? Many companies will cover the grass for 8 years, but the sub-base is down to the individual company’s discretion. This is due to the fact that you simply cannot control natural movement in the ground.

A lot of companies will usually give a verbal guarantee that the base has been prepared correctly, and the right amount of product installed to rectify problems. This should include workmanship, sub-base and joins etc.

Will all companies guarantee workmanship?

It’s worth bearing in mind that not all installers will guarantee workmanship. That’s why it’s always a good idea to check with your chosen installer before agreeing to have any work carried out. We do a number of jobs through word of mouth, but we also correct a lot of work carried out by other installers who haven’t done the job to a high standard, inevitably causing the customer more money and headaches.

With one customer, we corrected a job where the sub-base had not been applied correctly. The ground had not been excavated to the required depth to apply all the various layers needed to rectify the customer’s drainage issues. This meant the customer’s drainage solution simply wasn’t adequate.

Every garden is different, and requires different quantities of materials based on the severity of the drainage problems.

As a result of poor workmanship, the customer’s garden was starting to sink and puddle in areas. The joins were even coming away due to the grass pulling at different parts of the lawn, due to getting weighed down with water.

To fix the issue, we had to do a full dig out, and dig further down to install a drainage layer and all the necessary layers on top of this to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. We also installed our high quality product with perforated holes in the backing, to ensure a fully porous system.

The customer contacted us because the other company hadn’t covered workmanship under their guarantee. They said they would compensate for the grass, but wouldn’t rectify the installation. They claimed they’d applied the correct amount of product to withstand this garden’s rainfall, but upon inspection from us, this was not the case.

Advice from an experienced installer

The story above is a great lesson in ensuring you choose a reputable installer from the beginning. Remember that the cheapest quote is not always best. Plus, if you don’t do your research, it could end up becoming very costly.

Do your homework and choose an installer that is reputable, with good reviews and testimonials. But also make sure it’s a company you feel comfortable with, and can trust. It also helps if you have word of mouth from a friend, colleague or neighbour who can tell you first-hand. Always go with your gut.

Conclusion

I hope this has helped answer your question about guarantees for your artificial grass drainage solution. Most reputable companies should offer a manufacturer-backed guarantee, but not everyone will guarantee their workmanship – so always do your homework first!

When it comes to solving your drainage issues, it’s usually the workmanship (i.e. ensuring the grass is laid properly with the correct amount of sub-base) that makes all the difference, which is why it’s important to ensure your artificial grass will be guaranteed for workmanship as well as the product itself.

Do you have any questions about artificial grass guarantees? Let me know in the comments’ section! I’m always happy to help.