Purchasing A Cemetery Monument, Headstone or Marker

Many people have never had to purchase a cemetery monument, headstone or marker before. At DeChristopher Brothers, we took some time to put this section together to help customers by giving some simple insights.

First: Take a few moment to read this section. There are a lot of little things that can "pop up and easily overwhelm you. Plus there is also the emotional and stress levels that can effect any decisions which is why we encourage you to stop, take a breath and relax. Just read on and hopefully you will have all of your questions answered and feel much better about your potential purchase.

Be an informed shopper. It is always in your best interest to shop around and to compare. But howand what do you compare?

Check the quality, craftsmanship and prices before beginning any decisions.

Are they the same? When comparing anything, make sure they are the same; material, shape and size. Two memorials that look the same in every way can be made from different materials and this alters the pricing radically.

So where do you start?

A few things to consider: Visit the cemetery in question, bring along a tape measure, paper and pen. What types of memorials are there? What colors, sizes, styles and lettering? Make notes, measure, make sketches.

How big can the memorial be? Every cemetery has rules and regulations regarding size and shape. Check with the cemetery to see that you meet those guidelines.

How do I know what Granite to select? A cemetery headstone will be the most permanent thing you will ever purchase, so there is no need to make any hasty decisions.

It is important during the process of memorial shopping that you ask many questions.

For example, there are many types of grey granites out there with many different names. Barre Grey comes from Barre, Vermont while Classic Grey is from Georgia. Both appear similar on the surface, but Barre Grey is known to be far more superior and will not hold moisture like the less expensive and softer Georgia Grey granite will. Some companies have even changed the names of familiar granites they sell to hamper comparison shopping. An example being Dakota Mahogany changed to Burgundy.

Always ask the state, country or part of the world the granite in question comes from.

Whenever possible: Ask to see actual examples of finished work by the memorial dealer. Most dealers have showrooms displaying their products. This will offer a better idea of the craft and skill employed by the company. Take some time to carefully examine the quality, design, shape, material, finish, carving, lettering, etc. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from that particular company.

When having a cemetery headstone quoted: Get the exact dimensions, including the width of the memorial. The size of the base or bottom piece should be furnished with the length, width and height. The tablet or top piece should be furnished with the length, width, and height in this order (ex 1-10 x 10-20 x 1-4).

The test of time. The memorial or monument is constructed to be long lasting and be able to stand the test of time. Make sure you receive a written guarantee that covers a replacement should the monument prove to be defective from the granite or craftsmanship.

Any reputable monument or memorial business will provide you with this and it's important to remember, a written warranty is only as good as the company that is writing it.

There has been a surge in recent years of internet-only or "dot com" companies, (monument companies now adding to this list), that have appeared springing from other companies but only being in business for 10 years or less.

A lot of these dot com-panies come and go over time. So it is important that whoever you purchase from will be there if you need them 10, 20, 50 or 100 years from now.

*On a side note, DeChristopher Brothers has created this web site for the needs of the modern day customer, but is by no means a "web based only" company. We are a monument and memorial company that has been in business since 1915 and understands the importance of being current while keeping our traditions and values intact.

Pre-Needs and Pre-Need Arrangements. Let's take a moment to cover a hard topic... many children who are now preparing to purchase a memorial are baby boomers.

Previous generations show that the parents knew to make Pre-Need Arrangements as part of their responsibility, shielding the family from potential burdens, stress and unnecessary grief.

Today's generations find many of the families facing this huge unknown for the first time... and they have no idea where to start.

A Pre-Need Arrangement is the process of purchasing those products (memorials, monuments, urns, markers, etc…) or services that will be needed so your loved ones will not have to take on the responsibility or burden of making any stressful decisions at their time of loss.

By making Pre-Arrangements, the choices can be made in your own time, with the family involved, when everyone's comfortable.

This actually helps the family while alleviating the stresses and burdens that can be faced suddenly without warning.