Facility Maintenance Schedules: Outsourcing vs. Internal Staffing—The Financial Reality
Your building is crumbling. The HVAC is making noise. The parking lot is cracked. Do you hire someone full-time or call a vendor? Here's how to run the numbers.
Key Takeaways
• 60% of small funeral homes don't have a maintenance schedule—they operate on crisis management• Average facility maintenance cost: $1,200–$2,500/month, split between preventive and reactive• Outsourcing vs. in-house differs by facility size, building age, and local vendor market• Preventive maintenance reduces emergency repairs by 50%—and saves money long-term
The Problem: Most Funeral Homes Have No Maintenance Strategy
You ignore the HVAC until it fails. You patch the roof until you have a leak. You're on crisis management.
This costs more than preventive maintenance. When your HVAC dies in summer, you pay emergency rates. A rushed roof repair is 30% more expensive than scheduled maintenance.
But how do you decide: hire someone or contract with a vendor?
Option 1: Internal Maintenance Staff
You hire someone part-time or full-time to handle basic building maintenance.
Cost Breakdown
Part-Time Maintenance Person (20 hours/week)
- Hourly wage: $16–$22/hour (varies by region)
- Weekly cost: $320–$440
- Monthly: ~$1,400–$1,900
- Annual: $16,800–$22,800
- Plus payroll taxes (15–20%): +$2,500–$4,500/year
- Plus benefits (if any): +$0–$5,000/year (health insurance, etc.)
Total annual cost: $19,300–$32,300
Full-Time Maintenance Person (40 hours/week)
- Salary: $28,000–$40,000/year
- Payroll taxes (15–20%): +$4,200–$8,000/year
- Benefits (health insurance ~$8,000/year): +$8,000/year
- Workers' compensation insurance: +$1,500–$3,000/year
- Tools, equipment, parts: +$2,000–$4,000/year
Total annual cost: $43,700–$63,000
What They Can Handle
A maintenance person typically handles:
- HVAC filter changes (monthly)
- Basic plumbing (clogged drains, leaky faucets)
- Light maintenance and repairs
- Parking lot and grounds upkeep
- Basic electrical work (outlet replacement, light bulbs)
- Coordinating with contractors for major work
Pros
- Faster response to issues (no waiting for a contractor)
- Dedicated attention to your building
- Staff knows your building intimately (history, quirks, etc.)
- Potential for other duties (facilities, some grounds work, equipment maintenance)
Cons
- High fixed cost (salary, taxes, benefits)
- Can't handle major HVAC, roof, or electrical work (need contractors anyway)
- Takes payroll time to manage
- Liability if injury occurs
- If they leave, you have downtime while hiring
- Requires training or you get incompetent work
Option 2: Outsourced Maintenance Contracts
You contract with a maintenance company (or multiple vendors) to handle specific services.
Cost Breakdown
Sample Maintenance Contract Costs (per month)
- HVAC preventive maintenance (quarterly filter changes, inspections): $150–$300/quarter = $50–$100/month
- Plumbing on-call (emergency visits charged at $150–$250 per visit): ~$100–$200/month (budget)
- Electrical on-call: ~$100–$200/month (budget)
- Grounds maintenance (lawn mowing, snow removal): $200–$500/month (seasonal)
- General building maintenance/janitorial: $300–$600/month
Total monthly: $750–$1,600 (before major repairs)
Annual: $9,000–$19,200
Pros
- Lower fixed cost (no salary, payroll, benefits)
- No management overhead (vendors handle scheduling, training, liability)
- Access to specialized expertise (HVAC techs, electricians, plumbers)
- Easy to scale up or down based on needs
- Vendor responsible for liability (insurance, injury, etc.)
- Predictable costs (if on contract)
Cons
- Slower response to issues (not dedicated to you)
- Emergency services cost more
- Coordination headache (managing multiple vendors)
- Quality varies by vendor
- No one person invested in your building long-term
Option 3: Hybrid Approach
Many funeral homes use a hybrid: a part-time maintenance person for routine tasks + contracted specialists for major work.
Example: Hybrid Maintenance Strategy
You hire a part-time maintenance technician (20 hours/week, $18/hour = $1,560/month) who:
- Changes HVAC filters monthly
- Handles basic plumbing and electrical
- Coordinates grounds maintenance
- Fixes small issues before they become big
Plus contracted specialists ($600–$1,000/month budget) for:
- HVAC annual service
- Roof inspections
- Emergency electrical or plumbing
Total monthly: ~$2,160–$2,560
Result: You get dedicated attention (part-time staff) + specialist expertise (contractors), without the cost of a full-time employee.
The Decision Framework: Which Option Is Right for You?
Choose Part-Time Internal Staff If:
- Your facility is larger (10,000+ sq ft) or older (30+ years)
- You have consistent maintenance needs (not just emergencies)
- You value quick response times
- Local contractors are expensive or unreliable
- You want someone familiar with your building's quirks
- Your building has multi-system complexity (HVAC, plumbing, electrical all aging)
Typical funeral home: 6,000–8,000 sq ft, 20–40 years old
Choose Outsourced Vendors If:
- Your facility is newer (10–15 years old) with fewer maintenance issues
- You want to minimize payroll complexity
- Local contractors are reliable and reasonably priced
- You prefer to pay for services as needed (not fixed labor costs)
- You don't have the cash flow for a full-time hire
- Your staff doesn't have time to manage a maintenance person
Typical funeral home: 4,000–6,000 sq ft, newer construction, low maintenance
Choose Hybrid Approach If:
- Your facility is medium-to-large (7,000–12,000 sq ft)
- You have some systems that are aging, others are newer
- You want dedicated attention but can't justify full-time staff
- You want the best of both worlds: routine coverage + specialist expertise
Most common approach for independent funeral homes
Creating a Maintenance Schedule (Preventive Maintenance Checklist)
Regardless of which approach you choose, set up a preventive maintenance schedule:
Monthly
- HVAC filter change
- Walk-through inspection (check for leaks, cracks, etc.)
- Test emergency lighting and fire safety systems
Quarterly
- HVAC system inspection (coils, etc.)
- Check roof for damage
- Inspect parking lot for cracks/potholes
- Test plumbing and drainage
Annually
- Full HVAC service
- Electrical system inspection
- Roof inspection by roofing contractor
- Plumbing system assessment
- Parking lot reseal/repair estimate
The Financial Impact: Preventive vs. Reactive
Let's say your HVAC system is 10 years old. Without maintenance, it dies in 2–3 years.
Reactive Approach (No Maintenance)
- Year 3: HVAC dies in summer (peak season, emergency rates)
- Emergency HVAC replacement: $8,000–$12,000 (vs. $5,000–$7,000 planned)
- Bonus: You're closed or uncomfortable during peak season = lost cases
- Total cost: $8,000–$15,000+
Preventive Approach
- Years 1–10: Regular maintenance ($50–$100/month = $1,200/year)
- Year 8: System running well, you plan HVAC replacement off-season
- Year 10: Planned HVAC replacement: $5,000–$7,000 (off-peak rates)
- No business disruption
- Total cost over 10 years: $20,000 (maintenance) + $6,000 (replacement) = $26,000
The Math
Reactive approach: $8,000–$15,000 emergency repair + potential lost cases
Preventive approach: $26,000 over 10 years = $2,600/year planned investment
Savings: $4,000–$6,000+ and zero emergency downtime.
Bottom Line
The choice between internal staff and outsourced maintenance depends on your facility size, building age, and local vendor market.
But regardless: preventive maintenance is always cheaper than reactive.
Set up a schedule. Commit to quarterly inspections. Budget for annual servicing. Your building will last longer, and your emergency repair costs will drop by 50%.
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