"He has reassured me that this is normal and the lawn should be just fine with some watering."

Well, I can assure you that it is NOT normal. Yes, you should expect that the sod installed should be green. Since it is bermudagrass, it would probably come back with daily soakings several times per day. But that is certainly not a guarantee.

Do you have a written contractual agreement with this contractor? If not, and it were me, I would withhold payment until either the sod is replaced, or until I see that the sod is greening up and is going to live (green up would take at least a week). I know that with bermuda sod there can be "some slight" browning of the grass when being installed, but your pictures are beyond what should be deemed acceptable. Did the sod sit on a pallet at your location or was it delivered in that condition on the day it was installed?

I hope Texas-Weed will post a comment on this thread.

Hey Weed, did that sod come from your farm? Lol, just kidding.

COtree: I know you must be very disappointed with how that looks.

This time of year you should expect it to be green, but if in early spring fall, or winter it would be tan because it is dormant.

So what this tells you the sod was cut some time ago and the sod went dormant from drying out aka drought dormancy. It is a natural defense of Bermuda grass to protect itself.

Now with that said if you water it properly it will come back. Your contractor did not use fresh cut sod. It sat on pallets a few days before he laid the sod.

Thanks you both so much responding. The sod was delivered on Friday afternoon and installed on Saturday afternoon. They also left 1 to 2 inch gaps in some places. I don't know if the pictures show that. Also, sometimes the corners overlap.

Texas-weed, knowing that it will come back with watering, is it reasonable of us to expect him to replace it? We had them install sod because we wanted a yard for the kids as soon as possible with as little work on our part to get started.

Probable not. Who supplied the sod? The contractor or you?

The contractor supplied the sod.

Regardless of whether your new sod is green or brown, you are going to have to water it thoroughly twice a day every day for at least 2 weeks. You might as well try to keep alive what you already have. If you water it thoroughly each day, it will probably survive.

The comment in my earlier post was suggesting that you not pay the contractor in full until you see that the bermuda is greening up and is going to live. Once the contractor is paid in full, you might have a difficult time getting them to return.

And the contractor knows that it is in his interest to stall you. The grass will come in before you know it...if you water it as suggested by nearandwest.

This is much more of a problem with St Augustine. When it sits on the pallet, it dies rather than going dormant.

You can fill in the gaps with topsoil or sand. If you use compost or mulch you will have gaps again when it decomposes. Where the sod overlaps, just get a knife out of your wife's kitchen drawer and hack off the offending part. Or you could use her sewing scissors. ;-)

Soak the sod, drink a few beers, and give it some time.

Lol @ texas-weed: I'm having a Red Oak...how 'bout you?

San antonio, I am the wife (can't you hear the emotion in the emails) and if I catch my husband using my sewing scissors he is dead meat. :) Now for that beer...

YOU GO GIRL !!!!!!!!

"Posted by COtree (My Page) on
Mon, May 16, 11 at 21:04

San antonio, I am the wife (can't you hear the emotion in the emails) and if I catch my husband using my sewing scissors he is dead meat. :) Now for that beer..."

SNORT.......busted