Frequently asked questions
What does Monument Maker do?
Monument Maker lets families and funeral-home staff design a granite memorial in a live 3D studio, see a clear price guide as they choose options, and pay a deposit when they are ready. A monument shop then cuts and sets the stone.
How much does a headstone cost?
Guide bands (not a locked cart): flat markers often start around $1,200–$2,400, slants and bevels $2,200–$4,200, upright singles $3,400–$7,200, companions $5,800–$11,500, and benches $4,800–$9,200. Color, lettering, carvings, portraits, and cemetery setting fees change the total. You always receive a firm quote before any deposit.
How long from design to setting?
Most standard granite memorials move from approved design and deposit to setting in about 6–12 weeks, depending on stone, cemetery approval, and weather. The studio states the next milestone at checkout.
Can I design from home?
Yes. Start a memorial design online, share a link with family, and a shop designer can lock production details. You can also book a guided design if you prefer someone to walk with you.
Do you work with funeral homes?
Yes. Staff can enter a case, import a CSV, or (later) connect Passare, FrontRunner, or Tribute. We never scrape another system. Names and dates flow once into the stone.
What if the cemetery has rules?
Each cemetery pack can limit size, finish, and emblems. The studio blocks options that would not be approved, and explains the switch in plain language.
What sizes are the stones?
Shops measure length × width × height (left-to-right, front-to-back, bottom-to-top). Our starting sizes are the common US granite sizes: flat 24 × 12 × 4 inches set flush with the lawn; bevel 24 × 12 × 6 inches (about 4 inches at the front); slant 24 × 10 × 16 inches on a 34 × 14 × 6 inch base; upright single 24 × 6 × 30 inch die on a 36 × 12 × 8 inch base; companion 42 × 8 × 26 inch die on a 54 × 14 × 8 inch base; bench 48 inch seat at about 18 inch sit height. Cemetery rules can require a smaller stone.
Is the picture I see what will be cut?
Yes. The studio shows the stone as it will sit on the ground — die on a base, slants with a sloped face, flush markers in the lawn. Every letter and carving maps to a production path we export as SVG, DXF, and a shop ticket. If something cannot be sandblasted, the studio warns you before you approve.
Do I pay everything up front?
No. A 50% deposit starts cutting. The balance is due before setting. Guide prices are not a charge until you approve a firm quote.
Who owns the carving artwork?
Premier Choice and catalog art are commissioned or licensed with no attribution requirement. Client photos need written consent before any portrait etch.
Who is this not for?
We do not sell bronze plaques in this version, and we do not set stone outside a partner shop’s area. Custom sculpture beyond the six stone shapes is quoted separately.