Nobody enjoys asking this question, and most people ask it apologetically. There’s a sense that you shouldn’t be thinking about money at a time like this.

You should. A monument is one of the larger purchases a family makes in the weeks after a funeral, usually while exhausted and often without much idea of what’s normal. Going in blind is how people end up spending more than they meant to, or committing to something before they’ve understood what’s included.

So here are our actual numbers.

Flat markers start around $700.Upright monuments start around $2,500.

Setting is billed separately on both — more on that below.

Those are starting points, not averages. A flat marker with a name, dates, and a simple inscription sits near the bottom of that range. Add custom artwork, a larger size, or a photograph and it climbs. The same is true of uprights, where the range above the starting point is considerably wider, because an upright can be almost anything.

What we can tell you is that the starting figure is real. It isn’t a number designed to get you in the door before the price changes.

Why setting is quoted separately

This is the part that surprises people, so we want to be plain about it.

Setting a monument means preparing a foundation, getting the stone to the cemetery, and installing it to that cemetery’s specifications. What that costs depends almost entirely on the cemetery — their foundation requirements, their access, their own fees, and what they’ll let us do.

Because it varies, we don’t fold it into the monument price. It appears as its own line on your invoice, quoted once we know where the stone is going. That way you can see what you’re paying for the memorial and what you’re paying to install it, rather than getting one number that hides both.

Some cemeteries also charge their own administrative or setting fees directly to you. Those aren’t ours and we don’t mark them up. We’ll tell you what to expect from your cemetery before you commit.

What actually moves the price

Size. More granite costs more, and it also takes longer to finish and is harder to set. This is the single biggest factor.

Upright versus flat. An upright needs a base, more material, and a real foundation. That gap between $700 and $2,500 is mostly this.

How much engraving. A name and two dates is quick. A full scene, a portrait, custom lettering, or detailed artwork is craftsmanship, and it’s priced accordingly.

Photographs. We do impact etching, which puts an actual photograph into the stone. It adds cost and it’s worth it to a lot of families.

Granite color. Different stone costs different amounts. Darker granites also hold etched detail better, which matters if you want a photograph.

Companion monuments. Two names on one stone costs more than one marker but usually less than two, which is why families planning ahead often go this route.

Veterans

We take at least 10% off for veterans.

That’s a floor, not a ceiling — depending on the memorial we sometimes do more. Tell us at the start and we’ll apply it.

If your family member was a veteran, also ask about the VA marker program. The government provides certain markers at no cost, and depending on the cemetery that may or may not be the right choice for you. We’ll give you a straight answer about which makes more sense in your situation, including when the answer is that you don’t need us.

Turnaround

Two months is standard, from approved design to finished monument.

Granite gets cut, shaped, and engraved, and the proof stage usually takes a few rounds while families settle on wording. That’s most of the two months.

If you’re working toward a specific date — an anniversary, a dedication, a family gathering — say so when you order and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s achievable.

What to ask anyone you’re comparing

If you’re getting more than one quote, and you should, these are the questions that make quotes comparable:

•Is setting included, and if not, what’s the estimate?

•Does the cemetery charge separately, and how much?

•Is engraving included at this price or added?

•Is this a starting price or the final price for what I described?

•What’s the turnaround?

A low number that leaves out setting and engraving isn’t cheaper. It’s just less complete. The only way to compare fairly is to make sure each quote covers the same work.

Getting a real number

Everything above is a starting point. Your actual price depends on what you want, and we can’t know that until we talk.

Tell us the cemetery, roughly what you have in mind, and we’ll put together an itemized quote — monument, engraving, setting, and anything the cemetery charges, each on its own line. No pressure to decide on the call.