First of all you are at least 4 months early in executing your plan. You can plan all you want to renovate bermuda in the spring, but if you act on the plan now, you will be severely disappointed for the next 8-12 weeks. Bermuda needs very warm soil and air temps to germinate. Typically you don't see those temps until late May to early June. Of course you can buy the seed in January, but they don't tell you it won't germinate. This happens every (EVERY) spring. In a week or two someone will write in to ask why their new bermuda seed is not coming in. EVERY SPRING.

Secondly you should understand that any variety of seeded bermuda is going to be under the general classification of "common" bermuda. To me, one variety of common is a bad as the other, but I know others who have very serious preferences. But they are all still common. The various coatings add poundage but don't help with coverage. But how many seeds do you need to sprout? It's bermuda, and it's going to take over anyway. Hybrid bermuda is only available as sod. When you buy sodded bermuda, most (if not all) is going to be Tif 419 because it spreads like wildfire and growers love it - instant yard. Common bermuda is considered to be a noxious weed to hybrid bermuda fans. You have probably already looked into sodded bermuda and abandoned the idea due to the cost to cover your area. But wait! Check this out...

Search this forum for the post by SimonR about sprigging or stolonizing his lawn. Everyone should know that any piece of bermuda root or a runner can take root and spread. What SimonR did was to buy a few pieces of excellent hybrid sod, wash off the soil, chop up the remaining grass into pieces, and scatter the pieces over his yard. Then he covered those lightly with topsoil and watered. GENIUS! In a few weeks he had an entire yard full of the expensive stuff for a fraction of the cost. Check it out. But if you get interested in doing that, wait until May. SimonR did it in December because he lives in Australia (summertime).

Thanks dchall. I know I'm early, but 4 months? I thought April 15 was the start planting date for Bermuda here?

I have plenty of leveling, digging, stump grinding, and fence repair to do in the next month and a half to keep busy. I am new to proper lawn care practices so I don't always know what questions to ask or when to ask them.

So I was unaware that I could have a tif419 lawn without spending a small fortune on sod and now I am intrigued. Two pallets of sod would be the same price as 50lbs of common Bermuda seed.

I really do not want to kill everything and start over. Would plugging be a good option? How fast does this stuff spread across a lawn? Are there any affordable tools that can help me get this done alone?

You can't mix common with hybrid without it looking weedy. If you don't want to start over, then wait and do the seed. It was just a suggestion. Everyone has a different budget, both time and money, for their lawn hobby/chore.

I don't know how much sod SimonR started with to cover his yard. He has a small yard, though. I would think just a few pieces would be all he used. He started out with scissors to cut his grass into pieces and ended up using a small electric chipper. I would think a powered hedge trimmer tool would work. Watch your fingers. Is that what you were asking about? tools?

Bermuda spreads fast. In a month in full sun it would be expected to get full coverage. It might not be perfectly dense, but it would cover.

You can seed in April if you want. We'll be here in May ready to answer your questions about why it did not germinate. I've been on several lawn forums for 12 years and someone does it every year. I live considerably further south from you and I would not seed bermuda until mid May.