Most families hire a monument company once. You have no basis for comparison, you’re doing it during a hard month, and every website says roughly the same things about compassion and craftsmanship.

Price and photos are the easy things to compare. The harder question is what the company is like to work with — whether they know what your cemetery requires, whether they’ll help you get the design right, and whether the installation is clean.

Here’s what we’d want someone to ask us.

Ask who you’ll be dealing with

When something needs changing — and it usually does — you want to know who to call.

With us it’s the same person start to finish. We design the memorial, engrave it, and set it. You’re not routed to a different rep each time you have a question, and revisions are a conversation rather than a ticket in someone’s queue.

Ask any builder how that works on their end. Who do you call when the middle initial is wrong on the proof? How long does a change take? The answer tells you a lot.

You should also get a scaled design proof before anything moves toward production. Every family reviews and signs off on the proof before we start. Nothing is carved until you’re satisfied with the layout, the lettering, and how it comes together.

Ask whether pricing is itemized

Surprise costs are the single biggest worry families bring into this.

You should get a written, itemized estimate before any work starts — not one lump number, but the monument, the engraving, and the setting broken out.

Ours looks like this:

• Flat markers start around $700

• Upright monuments start around $2,500

• Setting quoted separately, based on what the cemetery requires

Setting is always its own line on the invoice and never folded into the monument price. What it costs depends on the foundation requirements and how accessible the site is.

Some cemeteries also charge their own administrative or installation fees directly to families. Those are outside our pricing entirely and we don’t mark them up.

Itemized pricing is what lets you compare quotes fairly. A low headline number that excludes setting and engraving isn’t cheaper — it’s less complete.

Ask whether they know your cemetery

Every cemetery runs by its own rules — size limits, foundation specs, approved styles, installation procedures, paperwork. It varies more than people expect, and many memorial parks permit flat markers only.

A builder who works in your cemetery regularly will tell you the constraints before you choose a design. One who doesn’t will find out afterward, which is how families end up starting over.

We confirm requirements once you share the plot information, and coordinate directly with cemetery staff when it’s needed.

Ask about the timeline

Ours depends on the stone. A stock monument can often be ready in a few weeks. A fully custom project generally runs about two months from approved design.

If there’s a service date or anniversary you’re working toward, tell us early and we’ll be straight about what’s achievable — including when a stock stone is the smarter call.

Be careful with very fast quotes. They usually assume nothing goes back and forth, which isn’t how design works in practice.

Veterans

We offer a minimum 10% discount to veterans and their families, with more possible depending on the situation.

Ask any builder about the VA marker program as well. The government provides certain markers at no cost, and depending on your cemetery that may be the better route. We’ll tell you when it is, even if it means you don’t buy from us.

Local or national

Online retailers advertise a low starting price. Shipping, customization, engraving, and installation often get added afterward.

Working locally avoids most of that. Communication stays direct — you’re talking to the people building the memorial rather than a rotating service queue. Installation is handled by people who’ve seen the site. And a large piece of granite doesn’t cross several states.

If you’re comparing a local company against a national seller, ask for the full breakdown — every fee, not the number on the homepage.

What a family-run builder does differently

Your order isn’t a line in a queue. You get direct access to the people designing and producing the monument, questions get answered quickly, and revisions are a conversation.

There’s flexibility too. Plenty of families arrive without a clear vision, which is normal — it’s where the conversation starts, not a problem to solve. We’ll walk through granite colors, styles, lettering, artwork, and engraving until something clicks.

We also offer impact etching for photo memorials, which is at its best on darker granite, along with laser etching for a different feel.

About Legacy Stonework & Monument

We’re a family-run monument company based in Goddard, serving Wichita and the surrounding communities. Every memorial gets the same craftsmanship and attention, whether it’s a flat marker or an elaborate custom design.

Every estimate is itemized so you know what you’re paying for before anything begins.

Talk to us

If you’re ready to start planning, or just have questions you’d like answered honestly, we’re here for it.

Call 316-670-6350 or email Vincent@LegacyMonumentKS.com

Serving Goddard, Wichita, Derby, Haysville, Maize, Andover, and the surrounding communities.