The Memorialist: Purchasing A Private Mausoleum

“Reprinted with permission from the Author”
Author: Burton Fletcher
Publication Date: 2005-07-01

Purchasing a private mausoleum is a major decision, comparatively similar to purchasing a house. The decision takes a lot of time and money, so one must be prepared to spend both, if the purchase is going to provide maximum satisfaction throughout the ages.

Some helpful steps to follow when buying a memorable private mausoleum for your loved one are listed below:

First, obtain a copy of and read the cemetery rules to determine if the cemetery will permit the installation of a mausoleum, and whether or not the rules contain any restrictions on size, color, dimensions, memorialization, or other details.

Second, determine the price range and availability of mausoleums so you can be aware of the prices of the competition to obtain the best price and quality for your dollar. One can spend from $10,000 to millions for a mausoleum.

Third, determine the number of crypts the mausoleum will hold. Though this assumption is not always true, usually, the larger the number of crypts inside the mausoleum, the higher its price.

Fourth, select the building materials, which could be many different options, including: brick, stone, concrete, marble and granite. Granite is a preferred medium in many instances, so I will focus on granite within this article. However, many of these points apply across any materials selection.

Fifth, choose a style that epitomizes your preferences. Over the years, I have developed a preference for a two-crypt vertical mausoleum over a two-crypt horizontal mausoleum. The vertical mausoleum allows for greater creativity in terms of memorialization. If you choose to spend a lot of money, you might as well build a memorial that will be an attractive symbol for your family.

Sixth, color of material is important, as the color of granite may dramatically change the price of a mausoleum. Gray granite may be the least expensive source, while Wausau Red is probably the most expensive granite. Price varies based upon demand, competition, and any one quarry’s monopoly on a particular color of granite.

Seventh, recognize that some pricing factors are uncontrollable when speaking with a monument dealer. Factors such as transportation costs, crane costs, concrete, depth of foundation, and installation are beyond the control of the monument builder’s.

Eighth, a solid foundation under any mausoleum is a necessity, as the crypt is being built to last forever. Not all foundations are equal. Be sure to ask the monument builder specifics about the foundation. Thickness of the foundation may vary based upon the weight of the mausoleum, surrounding structures, soil, weather, and freezing conditions.

The use of footings and iron rebar to support the foundation is also a smart idea. This is not a time to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, so to say. You will want the monument builder to specify, in writing, how exactly the foundation will be built. As a result of the weight, the size, and the investment of the mausoleum, we recommend the use of an engineer and a contractor in the preparation of the foundation.

In order to save money, some mausoleums have a concrete, instead of granite, floor. As long as the monument builder makes a full, complete, detailed disclosure, either option should be acceptable. At least one company produces an all-concrete mausoleum, which it advertises as a lower cost alternative to marble or granite.

Ninth, as you make your purchasing decision; don’t forget about the costs for exterior, and, for a larger mausoleum, interior memorialization. The life story can be expressed through engraving (sandblasting), etching, which provides life scenes and details, a porcelain photograph, or through bronze, either through plaques or ornamentation. A high-quality porcelain photograph should be considered an essential part of memorialization.

Everything comes with a price. Many monument builders have very little experience with memorialization, so be careful to hire a company that maintains editors on its staff in order to assist the telling of your “living legacy SM”.

A less expensive mausoleum choice tells a life story over a less crowded, larger mausoleum, only expressing names along with the dates of birth and death. Tell the life story for future generations so the mausoleum will be a memorial along with an exquisite work of loving art. A memorial should help to tell the story of the person’s life. The idea is to have descendants visit 100 years from now and be able to learn something about the person’s life, occupation, hobbies, values and their genealogical data.

About Burton Fletcher: Burton Fletcher, with over 20 years’ business experience, owns AAA-Memorials.com and ValdostaMemorials.com. He writes frequently on monument building and memorialization. He is a licensed memorialist in Georgia and Florida and he ships and installs across the United States and Canada. Burton is the founder and president of the Georgia Monument Builders Association, www.GAMonumentBuilders.com. He enjoys genealogy and visiting cemeteries, and studying Southern monuments. Reach Burton at (888) 9Statue,(888) 978.2883, or (229) 245.8858 or e-mail Burton@AAA-Memorials.com for all your monument needs. © Burton Fletcher 2005 All Rights Reserved.