Our Process

To provide an accurate quote, it's necessary to first complete and submit a formal Request for Estimate so that we can send one of our experienced craftsmen to your memorial to examine the type, style, and amount of lettering involved. Because every monument is unique, we carefully measure the dimensions of your monument, measurement the existing lettering, and take several photos to ensure precision and accuracy for your project. From there, we create a tracing of your monument (called a rub) to further document the style, size, and proper layout of the lettering.

 

Due to the unique and time-consuming process involved in preparing an accurate estimate for your project, we require a non-refundable $99.95 Assessment Fee. However, upon acceptance of our estimate, this $99.95 Assessment Fee is applied to the total as a deposit. Our team will visit your memorial within a few short weeks after receiving your deposit. Ultimately, this critical first step ensures your project is flawless and designed to your expectations.

 

After completing an on-site assessment of your monument, we will mail you a photo to verify the information to be added, including the exact position of the engraving on the monument. We will also forward you any forms from the cemetery requiring additional information or a signature. Depending on the cemetery, there are occasions when your signature will need to be notarized.

 

It's important to note that our team won’t begin working on your monument until you have formally verified that all the information provided is accurate and correct. Once we receive your confirmation, we will proceed with acquiring the necessary work permits from the cemetery to begin your project.

 

 

Whether the letters are knife-cut, frosted outline, hand-tooled or hand-drawn, our skilled engravers can match any style. This is what distinguishes monumentlettering.com from other monument shops. While most cemetery engraving work is done using a sandblast technique, we are one of the few firms left on the east coast that has the capability to match classic hand-carved letters on site using the same painstaking craftsmanship that was used thousands of years ago.

 

Once the team is on site, we carefully review our work sheets, the contract, and the cemetery permit to thoroughly review all the information we have on your engraving request. We will then coat the area of the monument to be lettered with filler that seals any small pits in the granite or marble. *This is a contact type of filler that helps the vinyl stencil adhere to the stone.

 

Our carvers then mask the monument with the stencil and transfer the letters and numbers onto it before carefully cutting the lines with a sharp stencil knife. When the material from carving the letters is removed, these open areas are then sandblasted with silica sand until they are the same depth as the surrounding letters. If the work requires hand-carved lettering, the process is slightly different—we still protect your memorial and we still use a template, but the letters are cut using a hammer and a chisel.

 

Once finished, we will send you a formal acknowledgment of completion and photos of your newly engraved marker, or headstone via e-mail or USPS.

 

From our family to yours, we look forward to providing exemplary work that honors your loved ones. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to serve you and take pride in creating a memorial that will be cherished forever.