[vash]

here is what my landscaping neighbor told me.

spray entire lawn with roundup. .kill everything. once it is good and brown, till it. rake up dead stuff. put in soil admendments. manure and peat is a good start. till it in, rake it flat, roll it firm with water thingie. lay down a starter fert, lay out sod, roll it to get roots to contact soil, water like a fool for three weeks. mow it tall, and enjoy. again, rental tillers are your friend.