Pallets, not pellets.

Read your contract. How much sod was in the contract?

Wonder how an 8k sq ft mistake could be made? In my area, sod is $1/sq ft.

Sorry - yes pallets (still getting used to all this lingo). Looks like there was almost 20,000 sq foot allocated for sod. But good lord how am I supposed to know? They are the experts so they should be the ones knowing how to estimate how much I would need. I have no clue how people with this much experience can make such an error

Something is off.......although a bit variable depending on supplier, a single pallet of sod typically covers 450sf. 16 pallets should cover 7000+sf. And 7000sf is a BIG miscalculation!

How much more sod...in square feet.....do you actually need? $.59/square foot is a pretty inexpensive for the purchase and laying of sod so even though they miscalculated on quantity/square footage, I doubt you would have gotten a significantly lower estimate for the same thing without the miscalculation.

Well the job cost about 50K and another estimate I had finally gotten (took awhile to get back to me) after I went with this one was actually 39K. I just decided to stick with this company since I had given them my word and because they did many homes in my neighborhood

Couple of thoughts:

1. Does the contract speak to this issue?

2. How much have you paid him so far and what % of the job is done right now? This may be the most important thing.

3. Did he give you an "estimate" or a "quote"? If it is a written quote then that's what he should do the job for. If you think the work is of superior quality and it was an honest mistake you might offer to split the difference with him.

4. Curious whether the other quote indicated how many sf of sod they were providing and if that matches what the current guy says you need.

You may have all the cards if you haven't paid that much yet. Hell, you could probably kick him off the job and hire the other guys and end up saving a lot. Nobody could blame you for that if you had a written quote and if he is unwilling to eat the mistake. Don't feel hesitant about playing hardball if you need to. Sounds like he screwed up and needs to take responsibility. It's odd. If this were the 39K guy I'd say he lowballed you to get the job, but it is the 50K guy who you are paying extra for so the job is done right.

Interesting to hear how it works out for you.

What percentage of your total lot is the 7000 sqft. If it is less that 10% I would have calculated in a 10% overage in the price. If it is in the mid percenages 20 to 60% I would want some answers.

He estimated 19,000 square feet of sod and is now saying it's another 7,000 sq feet - that's over 36%.

Sounds like he forgot to add in a complete section of the yard. Does the contract say something like he will do the property with 19000 sqft. or does it say he will purchase 19000 sqft for in the yard.

He just wrote 19,000 sq ft of sod. Have no idea how he came up with that number but apparently he low balled it

If he contracted for 19,000 sf of sod and provides it, he's met his contract. If that isn't enough to finish the job, you can pay him the extra or you can hire someone else.