Gravestone Pricing

All prices are listed for each size on the website. This includes all engraving and shipping to most major Canadian markets. Find your preferred size and the price will be listed below it. The weights are included as well. 

We consistently receive questions regarding gravestone prices and why there is such a discrepancy from one monument provider to another. Prices have been increasing year over year and it leaves the customer wondering why. I thought I would help explain some of the reasons why this occurs. 

1. The death industry has been known to take advantage of those who are grieving, as people who are vulnerable can often be easily exploited. It's a sad truth of the industry, but that's the reality. This does not apply to all companies making an honest living in the industry, but far too many engage in high pressure sales tactics that focus more on improving the bottom line than providing a good customer experience. It's important that consumers explore options and hold the retailers accountable. Whether you're dealing with a funeral home or monument provider, make sure you feel your experience is educational, empathetic and transparent, without applying undue pressure by making you feel you have to spend beyond your means. 

2. The quality of granite and workmanship can impact pricing tremendously. With respect to black granite, make sure it's a consistent colour, free of scratches and cracks. There are varying colours of black that range from laser quality black (often referred to as supreme black) and black that has more grains or flecks in it, that is often priced lower. Ask questions about where the monuments are being engraved and if they are sandblasted to the appropriate depth? Ask if the designs are clearly defined and if you can view examples? When companies take shortcuts, they often engrave to a very shallow depth as it takes less time and they will often mask their pour workmanship by painting on extra white highlight to make the text and designs brighter. When the highlight fades over time the pour quality text and design will reveal itself and will make the monument engraving more difficult to see. There are memorial providers that do not have the infrastructure or equipment to engrave (sandblast) the monuments themselves, so the sandblasting is often outsourced or ordered pre-engraved. This can impact the quality of work and will limit quality control oversight and subsequent recourse when the engraving is not done properly. Ask your provider where the monuments are engraved and if you can see their operation. All Prairie Flat Memorials are engraved at our state of the art Edmonton Plant as shown in the photos. 

3. Supply chain can also play a role in price fluctuation. Prairie Flat Memorials orders all size offerings from it's suppliers in bulk to ensure the best prices are negotiated early in the procurement process and inventory is well stocked. When granite shortages occur, prices often go up. Additionally, fluctuations in sea freight can occur as most rich black granite (aka laser quality) comes from China and India, and is shipped on container vessels. North American suppliers and wholesalers who import granite from overseas are subject to increases in sea freight and tariffs, often influenced by the global economy and geopolitical scene. 

4. Customization can impact pricing as well. Quality monument providers will employ a design team that can work directly with the customer to iterate and revise until the monument design is perfected to the customer's satisfaction. This is an integral part of the customer experience for traditional monument retailers. Prairie Flat Memorials has incorporated this critical step by including all the designs and templates on the website, making it easy to compare one design to another and share with family members. The templates have been created by a design team with decades of industry experience to ensure every monument engraves beautifully and is scaled proportionately. It also allows for a more cost effective offering as the design work is already done.

If you have further questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Prairie Flat Memorials over email or by phone.

Sincerely,

Paul Crosty, Founder