Pricing Guide: How Much Do Headstones Cost?
Losing a loved one is never easy. In times of loss, there are a million thoughts and emotions that run through your mind as you try to reflect upon, remember and honor the life of someone you cared about deeply. When planning out how exactly to best honor your loved one’s legacy, you shouldn’t be burdened with any undue stress or worry. If you’re planning to memorialize your loved one with a traditional burial, you are probably wondering where to begin when it comes to selecting a headstone.
One of the most common questions we receive is: how much do headstones cost? The answer varies based on what you’re looking for in a memorial. On average, standard headstones can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, or as high as $10,000 depending on the materials, coloring, size, engraving and installation.
From pricing help to general guidance around how you should go about choosing a headstone, our team is here to provide some guidance that will help make the process as seamless as possible.
There are several main factors to take into consideration when looking at the cost of a headstone. Throughout this guide, we will bring you through each of these primary factors, and are happy to help answer any other questions you may have.
Material & Color
When it comes to the headstone’s material, granite remains the most popular choice. Not only is it a visually beautiful option, but it also comes at a more affordable price compared to other materials like marble; additionally, granite’s durability ensures that your loved one’s headstone will remain in great condition for years to come. Granite also comes in a number of different colors, which vary in price point, giving you some budget flexibility when choosing the hue of your stone. Choosing a colored granite allows you to further personalize your headstone and select a shade that you feel best represents the life and spirit of your loved one.
HeadstonehHub provides a variety of granite colors and hues to choose from. You can browse our selection of granite headstones for the perfect color that matches your vision. While various shades of grey are the most common choice for granite headstones, other granite color options to consider include rose, red granite, and blue granite. The pricing for these options varies, but blue granite tends to be on the more expensive side.
Size, Shape and Type
Once you’ve selected a material and color, the next pricing factor to consider is the size and shape of the headstone. Size is one of the main determining factors when it comes to the price of a headstone. When you visit HeadstoneHub, you will see that our transparent pricing offers you a good idea of how different sizes of headstones range in price. For a more exact price estimate, you can also contact us directly with your headstone specifics and we will be able to provide you with a quote.
On average, a single headstone falls into the range of $2,000 - $3,000. If you’re looking for a family headstone, the price will be greater due to the larger size.
Of the various headstone shapes, upright headstones are the most popular choice. Upright headstone prices can vary, but typically start out at around the $2,000 mark. Factors such as color, carving, design details and overall size will influence the price of your upright headstone as well.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, a slant headstone is a great design to consider. Slant headstones can range in cost, but they usually fall slightly below the cost of a single headstone by a few hundred dollars. Slant headstones are smaller in overall size, and sit slightly lower to the ground than upright headstones, but you still have the ability to customize them in great detail.
Carvings and Engravings
Another way to personalize a headstone so that it best captures the essence of your loved one is to add a carving or engraving. The price of engraving varies depending on how intricate the design is, as well as how much text you would like engraved into the headstone. For reference, engraving by HeadstoneHub costs $11.50 per letter.
Adding a custom engraving to a loved ones headstone is a beautiful way to personalize the stone. To start, most people will opt to engrave:
Name
Birth date
Date of passing
To further customize a headstone, you may consider having a meaningful design carved into it as well. Carvings can take any form that you’d like. Some of the more popular headstone carving designs that you’ll see include flowers, plants, crosses, stars, and hearts. The more elaborate the carving, the higher the price.
To learn more about the average cost of headstone engraving, please be sure to reach out to us with your design ideas. We would be happy to provide a quote for your vision, and help you land on a design that honors your loved one without stretching your budget.
Installation
After you’ve taken the time to thoughtfully design and select a headstone for your family member, the final pricing consideration is around cost of the headstone installation. There are a couple of common practices when it comes to headstone installation, and depending on which option you choose to pursue, you will incur a different set of costs.
If you are working with a funeral home to carry out the service and burial of your loved one, the funeral home will likely offer services that take care of installation and burial. While you can’t put a price on having a team of professionals ensure that your loved one’s headstone is properly installed, it usually does cost more to utilize the installation services provided by a funeral home. That said, it is certainly a great option and you can have the peace of mind that the headstone you chose will be installed with great care and expertise.
If you’re looking for alternative installation options, HeadstoneHub provides free installation for any headstone that you purchase through us. To learn more about the installation process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
As you navigate the process of purchasing a headstone, HeadstoneHub is here as a resource to help answer any and all questions that you have. Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible for you, and be a reliable resource.
For additional insight and information on how to get started with purchasing a headstone, feel free to check out other posts on our blog such as: “6 Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing a Headstone.”.