Graveyard Guesstimates

One recent thread on the Lawn & Landscape Message Board delved into a discussion about maintaining cemeteries – specifically, the need to accurately estimate time spent trimming and mowing around individual headstones. And while the message thread centered on a few specifics, forum participants have more to say about the subject.

Estimating the time required to maintain a property is fairly routine for most landscape professionals. However, man-hours and cost equations can get a little tricky when dealing with the atypical genre of cemetery maintenance.

Figuring the time needed to mow large-acreage cemeteries is not much different from calculating the mowing requirements of a typical commercial property, explains Larry Bump, president, LawnMasters, Lawrenceville, Ga. "Weed around the headstones – count them and figure your time," Bump outlines. "Estimate the rest of the property as usual."

But trimming around individual grave markers efficiently is the challenge. The process involves a systematic approach, which can be difficult to quantify in terms of man-hours required to complete the job.

Because of the sensitivities often attached to cemetery grounds, lawn care operators should add extra care – and, thus, extra time – to their work near and around headstones, insists Joe Villines, landscape designer, Harris Lawn and Landscape, Mitchellville, Iowa. "You have to remember that, for better or worse, you’re working around peoples’ dead relatives," he adds. "You need to have a reverence and respect in mind when working on cemetery grounds."

Several factors can make cemetery maintenance more tedious for contractors, explains Matt Schattner, owner, Mat’z Snow & Lawn, Kansasville, Wis. "Everyone who has a loved one at the cemetery can be a possible avenue of complaint," he says. "People can be very particular when it comes to their gravesites."

And holidays – especially Memorial Day – are of special importance when cemetery maintenance is concerned, so Schattner suggests budgeting extra time to prepare grounds for the influx of visitors that often accompany them.

EFFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. Given the unique maintenance needs of cemetery grounds, specialized equipment may help contractors use time more efficiently.

"Most large cemeteries employ the use of their trimmer more in one day than maintenance companies do in one week," observes Marty Keith, Wernersville, Pa. "Trimming around headstones requires neatness. Being able to walk forward while trimming in a comfortable fashion without throwing the grass onto the stones is a huge time-saving measure that most large cemeteries doing their own cutting utilize."

This is why Keith recommends a curved-shaft trimmer. "The cutting head turns clockwise," he explains. "It is longer than a homeowner trimmer, although not as long as a straight shaft. With a clockwise-turning head, you won’t have to walk backward while trimming – thereby increasing efficiency."

Schattner agrees that using a curved-shaft trimmer saves time by reducing the need to re-trim shabby sections.

Smaller mowers also may be a good investment for those taking on cemetery maintenance contracts, asserts Kory Ballard, president, Perficut, Des Moines, Iowa. His company bought a few 44-inch zero-turning radius mowers to improve efficiency in tight areas and reduce operator fatigue.

But regardless of equipment specifications and designs, contractors should consider the extra wear and tear inflicted by the diverse terrain in cemeteries. "Whether a company wants to admit it, every now and then you’re going to run over a headstone," Villines asserts, noting that such run-ins mean instant blade damage. "Another favorite enemy is the metal grave markers – the metal easels people put wreaths on to honor their loved ones. Those can get lodged in tires and cause flats."

Schattner agrees, noting that granite headstones are far from forgiving when they meet up with mower blades. "Also, consider that you will be mowing over plot after plot of sites that have settled over the years, and it gets quite rough," he adds. "Those conditions are hard on the machine and operator alike."

To combat the rough terrain and stony interferences, Schattner recommends contractors invest in equipment backed by solid warranties and supportive dealers.

CALCULATED APPROACH. Aside from carefully selecting equipment for cemetery maintenance, contractors should make precise plans for trimming, says Andrew Aksar, owner, Outdoor Finishes, Walkersville, Md.

One thing is certain when planning for cemetery care – the trimming trail cannot be disorganized, asserts Erich Heinrich, Avalawn Landscaping, Cincinnati, Ohio. He recommends contractors go as far as planning and diagramming trimmer routes to save time. "Regardless of which way the trimmer spins, you can walk in either direction," he notes. That means contractors who use counterclockwise-spinning trimmers should walk backward and work toward the left – and vice versa, he adds.

For those seeking a more meticulous approach, Heinrich suggests walking forward around the headstone – keeping the trimmer at a one-o’clock angle. This method forces trimming debris out to the left and in front of the operator.

Aksar insists that routing, not walking forward or backward, is the key to efficiency. "I trim in a manner where there is no backtracking at all," he shares. For Aksar, that means designing a trimming plan that has operators covering ground only once.

"I walk down one side, trimming everything I can get," Villines outlines, sharing his example. "Then I turn around and go back in the opposite direction to get the other side of the stones."

Working in pairs also can help consolidate man-hours and save time.

There is no way to trim around headstones easily, Schattner explains. However, he has found that trimming is much easier when two people are working on a row of stones together. "One trims the front, the other trims the back of the stone," he notes. "It’s more efficient because you’re not backtracking to trim the back of the stones and the guys trimming kind of develop a competitive attitude to move along faster."

Assigning specific routes to individual crewmembers also can increase productivity, Schattner advises. "If the same person does one section all the time, they can develop a pattern to get through that area most efficiently."

Grass thickness should be considered when determining which direction or route to take with the trimmer. "I trim both ways (forward and backward), depending on how thick the grass is," Heinrich describes. "If the grass is thick, I will walk backward. If not, walking forward is fine."

Schattner also advises adding fertilizer applications to a cemetery estimate, since mowing and trimming weeds likely will not produce the most attractive results. Leaf collection also should be included in the maintenance plans, he shares.

And scalping – or removing dormant, straw-colored turf patches with a mower – every other season can help cut down on the follow-up needed to keep the area around headstones looking sharp, suggests Richard Goyette, WP Landscapes, Pawtucket, R.I. "In the spring and fall, the four-season maintenance men would scalp the area around the stone to minimize trimming," he says. "This takes longer but might help you skip a trim once a month."

MAKING ESTIMATES. Once the contractor has devised a time-saving strategy for cemetery maintenance, it’s time to put the plan into figures – estimated man-hours multiplied by assumed cost.

"Figure how many man-hours it will take you to mow the place and then put that many man-hours into the trimming of the headstones," Schattner advises. "You may want to increase the price a little to account for purchasing a new trimmer and extra line since cemetery work wears the product more quickly."

And when maintaining an older cemetery, Schattner suggests adding extra cash to the estimate – to cover blades bent by raised roadways, tree stumps, uneven stonework, etc.

But most of all, remember that it takes more time to trim a section of cemetery than it does to mow an area of the same size, Villines urges.

Overall, consider the potential cost of taking on cemetery maintenance work, Ballard suggests. "We found that cemeteries require too much management and were unprofitable for our company," he says, recalling Perficut’s past experiences with cemetery maintenance, which ended up requiring more time than the work was worth. "I would recommend contractors be very cautious when bidding cemeteries."

The author is assistant editor-Internet of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at aanderson@lawnandlandscape.com.