How much do memorials cost?
There are many variables in pricing including the color, size, and number of surfaces polished. Wearly Monuments has a long history of very competitive pricing. Please contact your nearest sales office to discuss your particular needs and obtain pricing. If you are working within a budget, please do not hesitate to bring this up at the beginning of discussion. We are in the business of providing excellent service whether the job is large or small.
Are there any "hidden costs"?
No. When a Wearly Monuments representative quotes a job for you, it should be a complete price finished and installed. The only exception to this answer would be in the rare case a representative needs to investigate pricing on the cemetery foundation fees. In this case, the rep will tell you he or she will get back to you as soon as they are able to find this information.
What are your terms of payment?
If the memorial is for someone who is deceased, we will start production with a 50% deposit. Please see your local authorized dealer for details regarding balance due. If you are pre-planning, we will start production with a 25% deposit and you may make equal monthly payments on the balance for up to 12 months with no interest. In either case, you will have the opportunity to see the finished memorial and make sure you are satisfied before final payment is due. We prefer payment in the form of check or money order, but will accept credit card payment if that is your only option.
Why do some retailers charge more for a given memorial than others?
While granite memorials come from relatively few places around the world, there are literally hundreds of manufacturers of blank memorials. As one might guess, there is a wide range of material, quality, and workmanship. The retailers serving any given market will also have different levels of skilled craftsmen working in their plants. They will all use different pricing structures and offer a different quality of memorial. We are a large enough company to get good pricing from our suppliers (being able to buy in bulk). We are a small enough company that we have never lost sight of what it means to conduct fair and honest business. As with any purchase, one normally gets what they pay for.
Is there a flat fee for cemetery foundations?
No. Every cemetery has different guidelines for foundation details. Some cemeteries do their own foundations and do not allow outside contractors. Some cemeteries have a contractor of choice. Other cemeteries have fairly loose guidelines. The branch office where you are conducting business will have cemetery foundation fees for each cemetery in the surrounding area and should include that fee when quoting a price for you.
What is the lead time to have a memorial set?
The average time it takes from start to finish is about two months. If you select a special order memorial, it can take three to four months. In some instances if the material is coming from overseas, it can take up to six months to have your memorial set.
What are memorials made of?
The overwhelming majority of memorials are made of granite. We do offer bronze markers if your cemetery requires it or if it is your personal preference. We also still produce memorials from marble on occasion. However, granite is the superior choice for beauty and durability.
Where does granite come from?
Granite is quarried literally all over the world. Most of the granite we stock is quarried in North America. However, we have suppliers for virtually any stone you can name that still has an active quarry.
How is granite formed?
Granite is a plutonic, or deep seated igneous rock characterized by the presence of the minerals quartz, feldspar, and mica. The rock is wholly crystalized and possesses an irregular granular texture. The feldspar and mica give granite its warm rich colors. The quartz gives it it's shine and sparkle. Igneous rocks are the hardest rocks, being almost impervious to erosion.
How are granite memorials made?
The making of a monument is a long process. Huge 20 ton blocks of granite are cut and blasted from quarries, some over 350 feet deep. Only about 20% of all granite lifted out of these quarries is good enough for memorials. The rest is discarded. The good blocks are then cut into slabs like loaves of bread using huge diamond tipped saws. The slabs are polished on both sides and then cut or broken down into selected memorial shapes. Using hammer and chisel, skilled craftsmen then perform the final shaping. The blank polished memorials are then shipped to companies like ours who work with the family to determine the final design that will be sandblasted into the surface of the memorial.
Do you have certain sizes for single or double memorials?
Single markers range in size from 16" to 28" wide and double markers range in size from 30" to 60" wide. With upright memorials, anything less than 36" wide is considered a single and anything 36" wide or more is considered a double. The size of your cemetery lot will determine the appropriate size for your marker or upright memorial.
Can I design my own stone or do I have to select from your design options?
Wearly Monuments welcomes the opportunity to discuss your design ideas. We have literally thousands of designs available that we know to be good. Most of our customers appreciate having us guide them through the design process. However, if you are a creative person and want to use your own design, we will be happy to work with you.