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Frequently Asked QuestionsClick on a question below to scroll down to the answer. Do we need to wait for any length of time after a death before ordering a memorial? For the date inscription, should I use years only or month, day and year? How long does it take to complete a memorial? Why should I buy a memorial in advance? What type of material should the memorial be made of? Who installs the memorials? How long will the stone last? What is the difference between granite and marble? How is the carving and design put on the stone? If I want a special design, can you do it? Do you stand behind your work? If I run into problems at the cemetery, who should I go to for help? Do all cemeteries allow the same type of memorial? Why should I buy a memorial from your company instead of from the cemetery? How much should I expect to pay for a memorial? What is the difference between a hand etching and a laser etching? Do I need to purchase a memorial even if the body was cremated? Do we need to wait for any length of time after a death before ordering a memorial? The right time to order a memorial is a very personal decision. Some families chose to select the memorial at the same time they are making funeral arrangements. Other families need more time to make this lasting and important decision, so they might wait until they can decide what the most appropriate memorial might be. Still others want to have their own arrangements made prior to their death so they won't have to burden their loved ones with these decisions. We call this pre-need purchasing, and it is very common in our industry. There is no "right" answer to this question--it is a very personal decision based on specific family situations. It is not necessary to wait for a grave to settle. A memorial can be ordered immediately after a death.For the date inscription, should I use years only or month, day and year? Sometimes this decision must be made based on the amount of space that is available on your memorial with your chosen design. If there is sufficient space, then you may be more specific with information, such as month, day, and year, to offer more detailed information on the memorial. In most cases, there is no additional charge for the more detailed inscription if it is chosen at the time of purchase of the memorial.How long does it take to complete a memorial? The length of time necessary to complete your memorial is dependent on the type of memorial you choose, the color of granite that has been selected, the level of design work required, and the time of year that the order is placed. Our very specialized monuments and memorials can take up to six months to be completed, while our simpler markers are generally ready to be delivered to the cemetery within 90 days from the order date. In all cases, orders can only be set in a cemetery when weather permits. Most cemeteries do not pour foundations in the winter months, so a memorial ordered in the late fall or winter will be installed in the Spring.Why should I buy a memorial in advance? Many families choose to preplan their final arrangements. This allows them to make their own decisions on the style and type of memorial that they wish to have. In addition, it alleviates a burden on family members at the time of death to make sometimes difficult decisions.What type of material should the memorial be made of? We offer memorials made from the finest quality of granite or bronze and we have a wide variety of granite colors to choose from. Some cemeteries only allow flat bronze memorials, and others that allow granite may have restrictions on color or size. Please contact us and we will help you find out the specific cemetery requirements and restrictions for your memorial.Who installs the memorials? Some cemeteries require that their personnel install the foundation for your memorial. There is usually a fee for this that is paid directly to the cemetery. We will deliver the memorial to the cemetery once the foundation has been poured and see that it is properly installed.How long will the stone last? Our memorials are made of granite and granite is a very hard stone that will last forever. At our manufacturing plant, we use a sandblast process for the design and lettering. It becomes a part of the granite and will also last indefinitely.What is the difference between granite and marble? The composition of granite and marble is very different. Granite is an igneous rock that was once a molten mass called magma. Marble is created by a concentration of bones and shells of sea creatures that build up a deposit of lime. Therefore, marble is not nearly as hard as granite and will erode over the years. Granite is the preferred material to use for memorials because of its durability.How is the carving and design put on the stone? We pride ourselves in our manufacturing process. We employ skilled craftsman that hand-carve special designs. We create a stencil that includes the design and the lettering. Through various sandblast processes, your design is permanently engraved in your chosen color and style of stone. Our craftsmen can duplicate any existing design or create a new personalized design made especially for your family.If I want a special design, can you do it? We pride ourselves in our ability to personalize each and every memorial. When you sit down with one of our design specialists, they can help you design a very meaningful and personal memorial. We have thousands of design options to chose from, or we can accommodate your special requests.Do you stand behind your work? We unconditionally guarantee the work we do for you. Please see our Unconditional Guaranteethat we offer for all of our products and services.If I run into problems at the cemetery, who should I go to for help? In most cases, individual cemeteries are responsible for pouring the foundation they provided for their monuments and markers. A separate fee is collected to cover this work. We then deliver the memorial to the cemetery and set it on the foundation they provided. If there are issues with the foundation work, we will be happy to work with you and the cemetery to resolve them.Do all cemeteries allow the same type of memorial? Cemeteries each have their own requirements for the size and type of memorials that they will allow. We will work with you to determine what is allowable for your cemetery and what will look best on your gravesite.Why should I buy a memorial from your company instead of from the cemetery? We specialize in making memorials, monuments, and markers. We have our own manufacturing plant, do our own work, and are experts in the field. While a cemetery may sell memorials as a sideline, it does not specialize in the product. We provide a high level of expertise to design an appropriate memorial for you, and we offer the most complete selection of designs and colors.How much should I expect to pay for a memorial? The cost of a memorial can vary significantly based on several factors. Our lawn level markers start at $400 and increase in price based on the design and color of granite that you choose. Monuments for one and two graves start at $1,300 and increase in price based on the style, design, size, color choice of granite and special features. Our mausoleums are very specialized, and start in price at $25,000.What is the difference between a hand etching and a laser etching? Hand etchings are done by an artist who uses specialized diamond-tipped tools to impress a series of tiny indentations directly in the granite. These impressions will last forever and provide the maximum amount of clarity of an image. Laser etchings are done using a computer and laser machine.Do I need to purchase a memorial even if the body was cremated? Cremation should not limit the need for a family to memorialize a person's life. We offer a variety of ways to do this. In many cemeteries, cremains are buried in a grave site and a regular monument or marker is used. We create a cut out space in the bottom of a monument or bench and then seal the cremains into the memorial. We also offer decorative urns for cremains that can be placed in a mausoleum. |
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