December 17, 2020
Whether you are planning your burial or helping someone close to you with finalizing a cemetery memorial, there are specific things you will need to consider first. These may include important factors, including but not limited to, selecting the most suitable cemetery, burial type, and memorial headstone.
The cemetery location, pricing, type of interment, and different memorial options can significantly affect your decision. This is mainly because each cemetery has its own set of rules and regulations regarding specific memorial installations. One thing to consider for specific cemeteries is the cost associated with its various services.
Each cemetery has different costs associated with the many additional services they offer, so let’s look at what some cemeteries charge for different memorials.
Many cemeteries will have a permit charge for monuments that are to be installed into a cemetery. This requires you or your memorial company to fill out a form with vital details, like monument material (usually granite or bronze), headstone size (length, width, and height), and monument accessories (vases, photos, and more.) These charges usually range anywhere from $20.00 to $3000.00 depending on the cemetery and the type of memorial chosen.
You can confirm cemetery permit costs by consulting with your memorial company before making any final decisions.
Some cemeteries install monuments themselves (usually the flat markers) and charge for their service, depending on how big or small the memorial is. Again, the total costs will vary from one cemetery to another. Some of them also require that the flat markers be encased in cement.
However, it’s best to choose a cemetery that allows your memorial company of choice to complete this important task. Choosing to work with an experienced monument installer will provide you with much-needed peace of mind about your headstone installation.
Some cemeteries will often put in a ‘cemetery strip foundation’ – a long cement strip (resembling a long sidewalk) that the monuments are placed on. This helps keep all the gravestones in a cemetery in a straight row. If there is no strip, some cemeteries will pour a concrete foundation to install the monuments. There normally will be charges for either of these services provided by the cemetery.
Cemeteries may also have a ‘perpetual care fund’ – a charge to look after the cemetery grounds (cutting grass, leveling monuments, trimming trees, and additional services.) in perpetuity. This will be a charge depending on your headstone type (flat, pillow, upright), monument height, and whether the memorial is installed on a strip or not. You can confirm these costs by consulting with your memorial company.
Maintenance usually covers raking the leaves, mowing the grass, and cleaning the grounds. The cemetery crew also prunes trees and shrubs that they have placed. However, these charges do not cover the cost of repairing personal items a family has placed at someone’s gravesite (benches, memorials, baskets, vases, and others).
Other things a cemetery may charge for include planting a tree, adding lettering to a cemetery owned columbarium, adding a memorial bench, or adding a permanent in-ground vase. You can confirm all these details with your monument specialist before making your final decision.
Summit Memorials is proud to help you honor your loved ones with customized, high-quality granite headstone installation and maintenance services across Alberta and Saskatchewan. Visit our website to see our notable selection of memorials or contact us for personalized service.
