Before artificial grass is installed, document what covers the ground, where the surface is uneven, where water collects, how the installer can reach the area and what borders the proposed turf. These observations give the installer a starting point for assessing preparation needs—not a ready-made installation specification.

Use this artificial grass ground preparation checklist to build a site-condition record before work is specified. Your role is to describe what you can see and how you intend to use the space. The installer’s role is to assess those conditions and explain the proposed removal, drainage, base preparation and compaction.

Record the existing surface and proposed boundaries

Make a simple sketch of the proposed turf area and take overview photographs from recognizable locations. Label features consistently so the installer can connect your notes to the site. Leave uncertain boundaries marked as unresolved rather than treating them as final.

• Existing surface: Note grass, bare soil, gravel, paving or a mixture of surfaces. Identify visible debris, exposed roots and remnants of previous landscaping.
• Intended use: Describe whether the area is for walking, sitting, play or another purpose. Identify expected furniture or equipment and features you want to retain.
• Proposed boundaries: Show where turf should begin and end, including curves, narrow sections and areas excluded from the project.
• Known site history: Share records of previous filling, excavation, drainage work or recurring surface changes. Distinguish documented information from recollection.

Ask the installer which existing materials need removal, which retained features affect preparation and what cannot be confirmed until the surface is exposed. Avoid clearing or covering questionable areas before the installer has had a chance to assess them.

Document unevenness and water collection separately

Mark visible dips, raised patches, ruts and abrupt changes in level on your sketch. Describe their location relative to a fixed feature, such as a patio corner or gate. If you have noticed an area changing over time, include that observation without assigning a cause.

For water collection, photograph the affected area when it is wet and again when conditions have changed, if you can do so safely. Note whether the observation followed rain, irrigation or another visible source. Record whether water was still present when you next checked; do not guess how quickly it drained.

• Where does water collect, and does it extend beyond the proposed turf boundary?
• Have you observed water moving into the area from a downspout, adjoining surface or another location?
• Are drain openings, covers or other drainage features visible nearby?
• Does the installer need further assessment before specifying ground preparation or drainage work?

Note Visible pooling records a condition, not its cause. Do not assume that the ground needs a particular drainage treatment or that installing artificial grass will resolve an existing water problem.

Identify access constraints and adjoining edges

Photograph the route from the property entrance to the proposed work area. Include gates, steps, narrow passages, overhead obstructions and surfaces you want protected. Note possible material-staging locations, but ask the installer to confirm what is usable.

Record each adjoining edge: patios, paths, planting beds, fences, walls, steps and building entrances. Show visible height differences and features that must remain accessible, such as drain covers or irrigation components. Share known underground-service information and ask how required identification will be handled before ground disturbance.

Ask how the proposed finished surface will meet each adjoining feature, which edges need a specified treatment and whether access restrictions change the preparation approach. A boundary drawn on a sketch still needs an on-site assessment of the transition.

Ask for a site-specific preparation scope

Bring your observations to the site visit and ask the installer to connect the proposed work to the conditions found. The aim is a clear scope with identified assumptions, not a universal excavation or base recipe.

• Removal: What will be removed, what will remain and how will unexpected conditions beneath the existing surface be addressed?
• Drainage: What assessment supports the proposed approach? Does an existing water issue require separate investigation or work before turf installation?
• Base preparation: How will the base requirements be selected for this site and its intended use? Which details will appear in the written scope?
• Compaction: How will the installer assess the prepared base before covering it, and what happens if it is not ready?
• Transitions and access: How will adjoining edges, retained features and restricted access be handled?
• Uncertainty: Which decisions remain open, who will resolve them and what must be confirmed before work proceeds?

Use a site-assessment worksheet

Copy the worksheet into your project notes. Add photograph labels and the installer’s responses alongside each topic. Keep observations separate from decisions so an unanswered question does not become an assumed part of the work.

Site topic	Owner’s observation	Question for assessment	Decision to record
Surface and use	Current covering, intended activities and retained features	What needs removal or further inspection?	Removal scope and unresolved below-surface conditions
Uneven areas	Locations of dips, raised patches or visible changes	What assessment is needed before preparing the base?	Preparation approach and any further investigation
Water collection	Location, observed conditions and related photographs	Does this require separate drainage assessment?	Assessment responsibility and prerequisites
Access	Route, obstructions and surfaces to protect	What access and staging arrangements are workable?	Agreed route, staging and protection arrangements
Boundaries and edges	Adjoining features, height differences and access points	How will the finished turf meet these features?	Confirmed boundaries and transition details

Resolve open conditions before proceeding

If recurring pooling, unexplained surface changes, uncertain underground services or unresolved edge transitions could affect preparation, ask for those conditions to be assessed before authorizing the affected work. Record who is responsible for the assessment and what decision it must support.

Ask how the installer will document and explain any proposed change to the scope and obtain agreement before continuing. Keep the site record, photographs and written scope together so you can distinguish confirmed work from pending decisions.

Boston Landscape Co. provides artificial lawn installation services throughout the Greater Boston area. Review its artificial lawn installation service and use your completed site-condition record to guide a discussion about preparation needs.