Clearance & Levelling
We strip back the old, tired lawn and level out any "humps and hollows" for a perfectly flat finish.

Turfing, Done Properly
Turf that holds on Colinton’s slopes and shaded gardens: honest prep, the right grades and fixed prices. Free site visits first.
What You Need To Know About Turfing In Colinton
Colinton turfing jobs come with character: sloped gardens, mature trees, and lawns that failed in the first place because of shade and roots. Relaying the same turf in the same conditions just restarts the clock, so we are honest about what needs to change for the new lawn to hold.
On sloped ground we grade and firm carefully so the new turf does not creep or gap, and under tree lines we use shade-tolerant grades and sort the compaction that years of moss left behind. Sometimes the right answer is reshaping the lawn to where grass can actually thrive, and we will say so.
Colinton is easy reach on our southwest runs. Every job starts with a free look at the garden, because on this side of town the ground dictates the plan more than the tape measure does.

A Complete Turfing Service
Every job starts with a free site visit, and we handle the lot, from ground preparation and drainage through to laying and the first cut.
We strip back the old, tired lawn and level out any "humps and hollows" for a perfectly flat finish.
If your garden turns into a bog every winter, we can install French drains or soakaways before the new turf goes down.
We source high-quality, weed-free turf from reputable growers, ensuring it’s suited to our northern climate.
We use a specific sand/soil "rootzone" mix to ensure your new lawn has the perfect balance of drainage and nutrition.
We work regularly with new builds across Edinburgh and the Lothians, installing lawns for people's forever homes.
Every turfing job includes the first cut. We leave your new lawn looking sharp from day one.
Davie’s Advice before you spend a penny
What Davie tells every customer, whether they book us or not. Free to ignore, but he’s usually right.

Turf laid on compacted, unlevelled soil never recovers.
New turf drinks heavily until it roots, more in warm spells.
First cut only once it has rooted and put on some height.
Summer lays survive, but they need serious watering.
Quality shows within a season.
Proper cutting-in keeps the lawn tight to paths and borders.
Got a question these don't cover? Ask Davie. He answers everything himself.
Why Folk Round Here Stick With DSM
Here’s why one job for a neighbour usually turns into three in the same street.
The old lawn comes out and the ground gets fixed first. Turf laid on bad ground fails twice.
Measured and quoted after a site visit, then the number does not move.
Fresh-cut rolls from growers we trust, matched to your garden's light and use.
Public liability cover on every job, and we're happy to show you the certificate.
Clear watering and first-cut guidance when we leave, and answers on the phone after.
Minutes off the city bypass, working Edinburgh and Midlothian every week.
What Colinton Folk Say About Us
Real reviews from Turfing customers around Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Contacted DSM turfing back in late spring/early summer to get a quote for de weeding, rotavating, levelling and turfing my garden. Davie was over when we both had availability and came back to me very quickly with an extremely reasonable quote. We booked a day in and it got done very professionally and quickly. Davie and DSM kept me in the loop with any information on deliveries and changes regarding materials. Overall I am extremely pleased with their…
We can’t fault DSM at all. We have their lawn care service and we recently used them to replace turf in the back garden. Great knowledge and quality products.
Had turf laid and garden looks absolutely fab now! Davie did a great job and was well organized. Great communication and punctual. Will definitely recommend DSM to anyone we know needing garden work done.
Turfing Projects From Around The Lothians
TurfingA turfing job completed in Kirkliston. We uplifted the old lawn, levelled it out using rootzone and replaced it with premium turf. The after photos are just two weeks on.
View project
TurfingA small turfing job in Tranent. The front garden was bare, stony ground with a young tree in the middle of it. We prepared the ground and laid fresh turf right up to the driveway and the stone border, cutting a clean circle around the tree. As normal, we came back to give it its first cut and make sure everything was as it should be.
View project
TurfingThis Whitecraig garden was ready for a fresh start. We stripped out the tired old lawn, prepped the ground and laid 165m² of fresh turf. What a difference a day makes.
View projectWhat Matters Here for Turfing in Colinton
Colinton turfing is proper craft: slopes towards the Dell, mature trees overhead and gardens where a spirit level earns its keep. Turf laid casually on this terrain creeps, gaps and dies in the shade within a season or two.
On gradients we cut and firm the levels first, lay across the slope with staggered joints, and peg where the angle demands it. The finished lawn holds its line through the first winter instead of migrating downhill.
Under heavy canopy we lay shade-tolerant grades and say plainly what a dark corner will and will not do. Sometimes the best answer is reshaping the lawn to where grass can genuinely thrive, and we will draw that line honestly.
Free site visit first, because on this ground the quote follows the levels and the light. Fixed price after, established aftercare guidance included.
Just Down The Road From Colinton
The same service and the same standards in the towns around Colinton. For the full local picture, see everything we do in Colinton.
Let’s Get Your Lawn On The Plan
A free assessment, clear pricing agreed up front, and a local team you’ll get to know. Twenty minutes now saves a season of guesswork.