muley

As anyone knows who has ever spoken to a cartoonist you will need a side-gig. My side-gig (the money job) is www.westmemorials.com. We make custom monuments and markers for cemeteries and civic locations. One of the cool things is that we don’t have to charge so much for our work because we sell all across the country (and around the world).

Some basics first: There are different types of memorials that you should be aware of so you can know what you want to memorialize your loved one. There are cemetery markers and they come in different designs and styles for one deceased person (individual or single markers) or for couples (companion or double markers).
http://www.westmemorials.com/CemeteryMa ... efault.asp

Cemetery Markers are usually flat to the ground, flush with the grass and are also called grass markers. There will be more on the different types of markers in a bit. With any of our marker products some parts of them are catalog items (that can’t be changed) and other parts of them can be customized. Markers usually take around 6 – 8 weeks to complete.

Granite Flat Markers are made from just granite and have lettering and designs sand-blasted into them. You can also have black granite markers that are laser etched in black and white or color etchings.
Single granite markers:
http://www.westmemorials.com/default.as ... D=10000886
Companion granite markers:
http://www.westmemorials.com/default.as ... D=10000893

Bronze on granite markers have a bronze plaque and it is attached to a granite base. These can come with a vase or without a vase. Vases usually increase the price by a little bit. These are also made for:
Single bronze markers
http://www.westmemorials.com/default.as ... D=10000871
or Companion bronze markers
http://www.westmemorials.com/default.as ... D=10000934

Bronze markers can be customized depending on what emblems you want on it. You can find the index of emblems here:
http://www.westmemorials.com/default.as ... D=10000980

Other types of markers include Bevel (aka Pillow) markers and Slant markers. Bevel markers are usually around 6 – 8” tall in the back and slope down to around 4” tall in the front. Slant markers are around 12” tall in the back and slope down to 3 or 4” on the front.

The great thing about West Memorials is that you are not stuck with the usual granite colors. We can customize that for you as needed because our resources are unlimited! Almost any granite color is available for markers and monuments.

All of our monuments are custom made for each order:
http://www.westmemorials.com/monuments/default.asp
On the website you will see Individual, Companion/Family, or Civic memorial options. This part of the website serves as a photo gallery to show what we’ve done in the past. You can create something totally new if you like using ideas by mixing different design elements of monuments we’ve created, or a brand new design never before seen! Knowing your budget will help us lead you in the correct direction. We also create the normal “cookie cutter” headstones you see everywhere in gray granite, but really like to create new designs. Otherwise, we do not keep stock items and everything is designed and created at the time of purchase and can take up to 6 months for production and delivery. These website images do not list prices or sizes because all of that is relative to what you need.

Some of the things folks don’t know to ask about before calling actually extends back to before you even buy a plot at the cemetery.

Start with a budget as to how much you want to spend total. Then, contact your cemetery to discuss the installation fees for the monument. Subtract that from your budget and that will let you know how much money you can spend on a monument. To have something slightly different, you need at least $2000. If you want custom hand-carving you’ll need at least $5000 in your budget.

When you go to a cemetery to buy a plot, try a few of them out. Some will only allow you to have a flat marker while others will let you make an upright monument. Cemetery rules really are what get in the way of creating special monuments (and budgets). Before buying the plot at the cemetery, know in advance if you want a flat marker or an upright monument and ask them that question. Knowing what their rules state before you buy will help you in the future understand what kind of memorial you will have. You will also want to ask them if they do the installation of markers/monuments at their cemetery and if so how much they charge. Obviously, their prices are subject to change as time goes on. When you find a cemetery with a friendly, helpful staff whose rules will allow you to do the type memorial you want, buy that plot! Be sure to ask them about any additional fees you may need to know about.

There are other design elements such as the aforementioned laser etchings (sometimes hand etching has to be done instead) and these can be done in black and white or color. You will need to let us price it as the memorial is designed to get the proper quote. Also, there are Ceramic Portraits in color or black and white:
http://www.westmemorials.com/emblems/
and to customize monuments you can sometimes find a statue that you like:
http://www.westmemorials.com/Statues/default.asp

We also partner with a custom bronze foundry that makes custom plaques for us in normal oxide or colorized images. Here are two examples of bronze plaques that have been customized:
http://www.westmemorials.com/imgdetail.asp?id=6444
http://www.westmemorials.com/imgdetail.asp?id=6359

When you call us at 1-800-508-6022 or e-mail at Kevin@westmemorials.com to discuss a monument or marker, there are a few things we need to know so we can better service your needs:
All of your contact information (name, address, phone number(s), e-mail address), all of the cemetery information (contact name, cemetery name, address, phone and fax number), information about the deceased (name(s), dates, sentiment), and any additional design elements you would like (etching, ceramic portraits, vase units). Lastly, we’ll need payment information.

Lastly, something I won’t dare touch but leave to my boss is the mausoleums. If this is what you need, you’ll need to let him know how many people it will be for (how many crypts) and which design you’re interested in. You can reach him at paulwest@westmemorials.com.

I will try to post samples of these images later.
Depending on situations, some of this information may not be applicable so I don't claim liability for those situations.

Oh, and if the deceased was in the military he/she qualifies for a free memorial from the US Government:
http://www.cem.va.gov/

See the sculptors at work here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RelaFZGtnyc

Here are images of the designs mentioned above: