Tips for Choosing a Monument Company
Working with a family-owned, experienced monument company can ease the stress of planning a funeral and paying tribute to your loved one. Their personnel can guide you through the entire process, make suggestions, and help you understand all of your memorialization options.
When you choose to work with a monument company, you are choosing to work with a compassionate partner who will listen to your ideas and develop a plan within your budget. Read on for some considerations for choosing the best monument company to help you honor your loved one.
Do Your Research
The best place to start when choosing a monument company is by doing some research on the internet. You should be able to easily find information about most businesses you are considering working with.
- A professional service should have transparent information available on their website. The website should, at least, be navigable, transparent, and communicate all of the necessary information.
- Look for reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook to find honest feedback from others who have worked with the monument company.
- Find some examples of monuments they have created and installed previously.
- You can also ask friends and family if they have worked with a local company they would recommend.
Consider choosing a smaller, family-run company to ensure a more personal experience in which you are receiving the time and attention you need. This is a great way to ensure a more supportive, collaborative relationship with a memorial service.
Communicate
Once you have chosen a company, make sure to communicate all of your ideas and needs to them. They should be easy to reach and should respond promptly to your messages, especially considering time is likely of the essence. You should feel that your thoughts and requests are being heard and respected. You should also feel that the company is offering valuable insight and expertise as they guide you through choosing a material, epigraph, cemetery, and all other parts of the memorialization process.
A company with lots of experience can offer the best insight into designing the memorial that will best honor your loved one. Don’t be afraid to share all of your ideas in addition to the full circumstances of your loved one’s passing and the role of the family in determining the best way to pay tribute to them.
If you do not feel like your ideas are being heard and valued during the grave marker planning process, you may not be consulting with the best possible company.
Collaborate
While working with a monument company, you will be advocating for the decedent. This is, of course, an important responsibility. A good grave marker company will want to understand the family’s values and priorities when it comes to making a permanent, lasting tribute to their loved one. Make sure you have consulted with all of the necessary parties so that the company can develop a monument plan that makes everyone happy. You may be surprised with how many people have opinions, so be sure to ask everyone who was especially close to the decedent.
The most important thing to consider is the decedent’s wishes. You should feel that you are partnering with your monument designers and working towards the mutual goal of designing a beautiful memorial that brings grieving people some peace.
Experience Matters
As it does in any industry, experience counts when it comes to monument companies. People who have lots of experience working with diverse types of memorialization will be able to provide optimal service during a difficult time. The more grave markers they have created and the more families they have assisted, the more likely it is that they can create a beautiful, durable monument and act as compassionate and supportive partners.
You want to focus on grieving your loved one and supporting their friends and family during a time of loss. You should be able to trust that an experienced monument company will fulfill their commitments once you have entered into an agreement and deliver a quality memorial. Choosing a grave marker company with lots of experience will all but guarantee a good experience that results in a quality memorial.
Bottom Line
Like you would with any other business before choosing to work with them, do some research online before choosing a monument company. If you see positive reviews and you like the types of grave markers and memorials they create, reach out and discuss your aesthetic ideas and budgetary restrictions. Be sure to communicate your ideas and circumstances honestly with the grave marker specialist. Opting to work with a company with lots of experience and knowledge of local burial requirements will take a significant amount of the stress of memorializing your loved one off your shoulders.
Grief is a difficult process, and a good monument company will take the work off your hands and allow you the space and time you need to be with your family and develop a long-lasting memorial that is worthy of your loved one.
Contact Us
If you are interested in working with a grave memorial service in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., or any of the surrounding areas, please contact Tegeler Monument Company today. We have over 100 years of experience helping families with their journeys through grief, acting as partners and caring friends all the while. Our headstone and memorial specialists can help you design and create the perfect grave marker for your loved one. Call (410) 944-0300 to learn more.