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johnnyjay

08-17-2000, 11:41 PM

I need advice on bidding on a 4 acre cemetary on a 12 month contract. I will be working alone. (Lots of weedeating)
I will be using 36" Exmark Metro with mulching kit.
1 1/2 acres I can use a velke at 5 mph (10% graves)
1 1/2 acres w/o velke at 2 or 3 mph (60% graves)
1 acre old cemetary mostly weeds and will use weedeater mostly and possibly 21" trimmer. Too many stones and borders to get my 36" into area. (80% graves)

I am in Georgia.

I am not sure how many times I will need to cut and trim. What are others who do cemetaries do? I guess cutting will be twice a month from April thru Oct; once in March and once in Nov. Dec thru Feb no cutting. Do you trim every cutting or just once a month. However, there will be requirement to keep the cemetary clean during all months. What do other do during Winter. I will be abled to use Roundup. What should I be expected to do? Do you remove dead flowers from graves?

Is 4 hours mowing and 4 hours weedeating conceivable? Should I be abled to do this in one day?
Is $250 per visit a good price to include 1 visit per month during winter. (18 visits total with 14 cuttings = $4500 anually or $375 per month)

Since this is new to me please feel free to give honest opinion and support on how you would bid on this job. How would you write up a contract for this? If you have a sample contract for cemetaries would you mind emailing me a copy? Thanks.

JohnnyJay
jonesjjjr@mindspring.com

Rufur

08-18-2000, 12:02 AM

you need to interview with the person or board who is responsible for hiring you get the exact specifications and how they want it done

bob

08-18-2000, 11:19 AM

There was a cemetary price question at the begining of the year. I can't remember who answered it, but their answer was something like this: After you get your bid together,add 25% then double it and maybe you"ll clear 5%.

SpringValley

08-18-2000, 03:25 PM

I mow three cemeteries in west central Indiana. The problem is they consist of very poor grass that is mostly weeds. Weeds grow fast. I was mowing twice a week in the spring and weedeating once a week. Lots of work,little pay. At least the residents didn't complain!!!

Matt

jaclawn

08-19-2000, 09:12 PM

You have the correct setup, 36" with mulcher. No discharge means not having to blow off stones.

You will be able to use the velke on all that you use the 36 on. Don't get a fixed type sulky for cemetery work, you will smack it into too many stones.

Don't use round up around the stones. Looks terrible.

We trim every week under times of heavy growth, mainly in the spring. Every other week under other times. Trimming is billed seperatly from mowing.

We do a spring clean up of all limbs, debris, and remove all X-mas decorations. Billed time and materials.

We will cut down flowers if they are overgrown with grass/weeds, or are out of season. We cut them with the mower and trimmer, leaving them lay. They are mulched and disapear.

I agree with what rufer said, get specific specs, they need to comapre apples to apples.

I cut two cemeteries, and they are my highest returns per hour on mowing. They weren't always this way, you need to get the right method and dollars.

Anyone that tells you that cemeteries are nice only for fill-in work does not know the in's and out's of cemeteries.

Ar a general rule, charge 2-3X what you would charge to mow the same area as a residential lawn. Charge 60-80% of mowing price for the trimming price. This will vary depending on layout, stone density, their expectations, location...

I am toying with the idea of offering a grave maintenance service. For a fixed amount per year, a family could have flowers(a few choices) planted, kept weed free, and removed at the end of season, and also have an X-mas wreath installed and removed. Would be gravy, already onsite, and would only take minimal time to do the extras.