For many people, being buried next to each other is important. In fact, many families plan their final arrangements years in advance to ensure they will be buried next to each other. Because of this, many people are interested in having a joint or "two-person" headstone. However, it is common for people to have many questions about the costs of these types of stones.
What Goes into Making a Two-Person Headstone?
Most headstones are made from granite, but other materials can be used. Typically, the rock is cut from a quarry, then shipped to a stonecutter. Once it arrives, the stone is polished and shaped, then shipped to a monument builder.
The job of the monument builder is to transform the headstone into the design that the customer wants. Typically, computer-based drawings of the monument will be created, allowing the customer to visualize exactly what the monument will look like before the stone mason begins engraving the headstone.
Thanks to new technology, it is now possible to add a lot more detail than it was possible to in years past. Customers can add artwork, portraits, and other effects to their headstones today. It's possible to add visual effects highlighting or illuminating parts of the headstone or even add electronics to showcase pictures or other art.
This entire process can typically take anywhere from several weeks to several months. A headstone is a completely original creation; no two are alike, and each one will be a unique memorial to the person or persons it is designed for. The price of a headstone reflects the total cost of the material used to make it, as well as the labor costs of the stone cutters, artisans, and designers who all work on the headstone. Placing the headstone and maintaining the gravesite are usually additional fees.
Why Do Two-Person Headstones Cost More Than a Single Headstone?
Two-person headstones cost about 25% to 33% more than a single headstone. There are several reasons for the price difference.
Materials
Two-person headstones are typically larger than headstones designed for a single grave. This means that a larger granite slab must be cut and transported. In some cases, the increase in size corresponds directly with a price increase. For example, many assume a twice-as-large stone will cost twice as much. However, depending on the material used, a larger stone might cost much more.
The reason is that the quarry has to consider the availability of the material being ordered. While larger slabs of gray granite are fairly easy to find and cut, it can be very difficult to find large pieces of other types of stone. If there are a lot of requests for larger, rarer stones, the price of the rock for a two-person headstone may be double or triple that of a single-person headstone.
The rock then has to be transported to the stone cutter. In the case of very large stones, special shipping trucks may be required, adding to the price of the two-person headstone.
Workmanship
For many years, funeral directors, stone cutters, and other people in the memorial industry warned customers that they would not save a lot on the workmanship for a two-person stone versus a one-person stone. They would explain that the stone cutter had to perform the same amount of work; inscriptions, names, and dates had to be carved on the stone, and it didn't matter too much how many stones the stone cutter was working with.
How Can I Save Money on a Two-Person Headstone?
Today, however, the workmanship may be an area where a family can save a bit of money. Modern technology allows stone cutters to allow machinery to do a lot of the work that they once had to do by hand. This means that the main part of the work involved with creating a headstone is getting the headstone set up correctly on the machine and ensuring that the design and layout are correct. This means it is often the same amount of work to cut a headstone for two people as it is for one person.
Even with this in mind, there are still more ways to save money on a headstone.
Consider the material carefully. While some types of stone are critical for the design you may have in mind for you or your loved one's headstone, opting for a cheaper type of granite is often possible. Remember that all grades of granite will wear at the same rate, regardless of color.
Choose a smaller headstone. Even though the headstone is designed for two people, it comes in several sizes. A smaller memorial marker can still look elegant and hold all of the information that you want it to have.
Be willing to delay placement. Like other goods and services, headstone prices tend to go up when there is a lot of demand. If you're willing to wait a few weeks or months for a headstone to be placed, saving money on transportation, placement, and maintenance fees is often possible. Remember that it is very rare for a headstone to be placed immediately after a funeral; the stone cutter typically takes several weeks to create these memorial markers. A delay of a few extra weeks is usually not even noticed by loved ones.
If you're considering ordering a two-person headstone, contact us for more information. We have years of experience helping people and their loved ones select and create the perfect memorial or headstone. We look forward to meeting you.