Buying A Monument.
With the loss of a loved one comes a flood of decisions. All of the decisions you make will be important. But few will have as long-lasting an impact as the decision you make to acknowledge the memory of your loved one. The monument or marker you choose will endure as a visible reminder of your loved one for years to come. Give yourself some time to make this decision now, for greater peace of mind in the future.
Selecting a monument or marker is foreign to most people. They are unaware of the variety and characteristics of the stones available. They are unfamiliar with the marker styles their cemetery will permit. They are unsure of what markers cost. That’s why we are here to help!
the process.
Where to begin.
First things first, determine who the memorial is for, and the number of
grave spaces the memorial will occupy. Next, select a cemetery.
Sometimes it helps to contact the cemetery to request a list of rules and
regulations for your information. Choose a shape, size, and color for the
memorial. This is where knowing the cemetery regulations can help.
Cemeteries are known to limit length, height, and sometimes even color
of memorials. When the stone is selected, think about what information
you would like on the memorial such as middle names, maiden names,
birth and passing dates, a marriage date, children’s names, etc.
Besides basic information, many people like to include some kind of
artistic element to the memorial. While we are happy to offer our own
design ideas, we encourage people to come up with ideas of their own to
make the memorial a little more personal. When all of this is established,
we will provide a scale drawing of exactly what the memorial will look like.
This will give you an opportunity to make any necessary changes or
revisions to the overall design.
granite colors
Customization.
Color is a crucial factor in helping you personalize your monument. Whether you’re looking for a traditional Barre Gray or something a bit more elegant such as Mahogany or Bahama Blue, we have a color that you will love. If you are interested in creating an ultra-personalized monument adorned with etched family photos and memories, choose one of the darker colors as
etchings don’t show as well on lighter colors.
design ideas
Upright memorials are comprised of two pieces, a tablet and a base. An upright memorial will typically have the most surface area for engraving. The back is usually polished and provides room for additional inscriptions or personalization. Upright memorials for a single grave space typically begin at 24”wide by 20” high and start at $1500. For more than one grave space, upright memorials have a starting point of 36” wide by 20” high with prices beginning around $2000.
The flush or Grass Marker memorial lies flat to the ground and can be made of granite or bronze. For most cemeteries, the standard size ground-level memorial for one grave space is 24” x 12” and will have prices starting at $500 for granite
Slant memorials are also above ground and allow more room for
engraving and personalization. The common single-grave slant
memorial is 24” x 10” x 16” with prices beginning at $700. A
memorial of this type for two or more grave spaces is
36” x 10”x 16” and prices begin at $1300. The face of a slant is
polished with the back having a sawn or frosted finish. Slant
memorials can also be put on bases to elevate them
from the ground.
Other considerations.
Carvings
A flat carving is created by sandblasting the outline (v-lines) of the design into the stone. This process creates a simple, two-dimensional contrast on the granite surface. Flat carvings are a great economical choice for many families and are also recommended on flat grass-markers. A shape carving is created after the v-lines have been sandblasted. Next, a worker manually hand-shapes the design to give it more of a three-dimensional look. Shape carving is generally more expensive than flat carving because of this extra step. Shape carving can add hand sculpted details to an upright monument without the higher cost
of an all-sculpted monument.
Etchings capture the greatest details of our loved ones. An etched memorial allows for unlimited options to memorialize the life and journey through life of an individual. The memorial can depict the portrait, personal interest, religious images and life’s accomplishments.
Sculpting, done by a sculptor, the shape of the image can be touched and the depth can be felt.
An image can be sculpted within a recessed area "niche" or sculpted out of the whole stone to provide a 3-dimensional "full round" design.