Understanding Funeral Home Procedures

If you have lost a loved one recently, you may be planning to purchase a headstone to be installed at his or her grave site. But since most people don't buy headstones very often, it is not uncommon to not know what steps to take. When buying a headstone, use the following tips:

Contact the Cemetery

Before you make an investment in a headstone, it is very important to contact the cemetery to get some information. Ask the cemetery if they have any rules or regulations in regard to the shape and size of the headstone. It is also important to find out if the cemetery requires that headstones be made of a certain type of material. Lastly, ask the cemetery if they offer headstone installation services or if you need to hire an outside company to complete the task.

Choose a Material

Headstones are available in several different types of material, and it can be hard to decide which one to choose. Most people select either a bronze or granite headstone for their loved one. These materials are known for lasting a long time, and they are easy to maintain. Limestone and marble headstones are also available, but these tend not to be as popular because the engraving can fade away over the years as the headstone is exposed to the elements.

Design Your Loved One's Headstone

You may choose to purchase a headstone in person from a funeral home or to buy one from an online retailer. If you choose to shop for a headstone online, don't forget to keep shipping costs in mind; headstones tend to be quite heavy, so it can be expensive to have them shipped. You will have the opportunity to look at samples of different styles and shapes, as well as passages that can be engraved on the headstone.

Ask for a Computer Rendering

The last thing you want is to spend the time designing your loved one's headstone only to discover a mistake when it arrives. You can help prevent this problem by asking for a computer rendering of your design before the headstone is made. This will give you the opportunity to look over the engravings to make sure that all information is correct and that there are no spelling errors. You will also be able to verify that the headstone that is being made is the same shape, style, and material that you ordered. 

For more information on headstones, contact a company like McGee Monuments.