Headstone lettering, cleaning and repair

Families adding a second name or date, cemetery managers, churches and funeral homes, and local historical societies caring for old graveyards.

Fixed price per inscription, per cleaning or per repair job. Cemetery and church contracts can bring repeat work across many stones.

• Steady hands and an eye for lettering and layout
• Comfortable with physical work, tools and heavy stone
• Patient and sensitive when dealing with grieving families

• Many cemeteries have their own rules and may require contractors to be approved and insured, so check each one
• General liability insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire help
• Check your city or county for a business license and any home occupation rules if you work from home
• Using the wrong cleaner or method can damage old stone, so learn proper conservation techniques first
• Lifting heavy stone carries injury risk, so use proper equipment and a helper

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your tools, lifting equipment, workshop space and vehicle. Insurance and safe lifting gear are also worth budgeting for.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many families, cemeteries and churches you work for and your prices. The low end assumes at least 10 hours per week.

Many cemeteries have their own rules and may require contractors to be approved and insured, so check each one. Also check general liability insurance and your city or county business license, and learn proper conservation techniques before cleaning old stone.