FAQs
Selecting A Memorial
For many people, buying a headstone is a new and unfamiliar experience. When the time comes to commemorate the life of someone very special many factors should be considered. It is a purchase that should be made with great care and consideration as it will last forever.
Is the owner a Certified Memorialist®?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask a memorial company as it will tell you the level of quality and peace of mind you can expect. A Certified Memorialist® designation is awarded for the highest level of knowledge of the principles and practices in the memorial profession. This recognition requires years of studying and training to be eligible to take the test required for the certification. The president of Classic Memorials, Val Konstantinovsky, has earned the Certified Memorialist® designation and is one of only 110 Certified Memorialists® in North America!
What makes a good memorial design?
Just as there are well written books and poorly plotted ones, properly designed paintings and poorly designed paintings — there are standards by which one can call one memorial design excellent, and another one, not so excellent.
I've never purchased a monument before and am not exactly sure what I'm looking for - can you help guide me through the process?
For many people selecting a monument is a new and unfamiliar experience. We have four generations of experience helping families choose the right monument for their loved one.
Are you able to work directly with my cemetery to ensure everything goes as planned?
Yes! We collaborate with cemeteries every day to ensure everything is perfect. We are a fourth generation company that has helped thousands of families memorialize their loved ones – you can be completely sure that everything will go seamlessly and as you expect. As a company with a President that is a Certified Memorialist®, we uniquely understand the importance of product and service quality, and peace-of-mind for our customers.
Are you able to work directly with my cemetery to ensure everything goes as planned?
Yes! We collaborate with cemeteries every day to ensure everything is perfect. We are a fourth generation company that has helped thousands of families memorialize their loved ones – you can be completely sure that everything will go seamlessly and as you expect. As a company with a President that is a Certified Memorialist®, we uniquely understand the importance of product and service quality, and peace-of-mind for our customers.
Are all of your Headstones made out of high quality granite?
Yes! All of our headstones are created with the highest quality of granite. Just as there is a big quality difference among diamonds, there is a big quality difference in headstone granite. Granite differentiates in water absorption rate, discoloration, inside cracks, etc. As usual, you will typically get what you pay for. If you feel you’re getting a very low price, there is most likely a quality deficiency which in future years will become apparent.
Do I receive a free to-scale memorial design prior to ordering?
We use a state-of-the-art design computer program to provide a scaled proof headstone designs – this gives customers additional confidence that the memorial will look exactly as you desired.
Are your headstones guaranteed?
All of our headstones are made of the highest quality of granite to help ensure they last for many years to come.
Do you have a full-time Certified Memorialist® artist on staff?
Yes! Leading memorial companies all have an experienced Certified Memorialist® artist on staff to ensure all headstones are high quality and beautifully designed. Outsourcing the headstone design to an independent contractor adds risk to the process. Our experienced artists have proven expertise with creating beautiful layouts and designs. Customers must make sure the memorial artist has many years of experience and truly understands their needs.
Do you make headstones in other languages?
Yes! We can do most foreign languages without additional cost. We also have extensive expertise with Jewish headstones and tombstones – for additional proper Jewish funeral and burial information, please visit: https://www.jewish-funeral-guide.com.
Do we need to wait for any length of time after a death before ordering a memorial?
Many families choose to purchase the memorial immediately after the death and others choose to wait until a later time. This is a very personal decision based on specific family situations.
How much do headstones and monuments typically cost?
Predicting the cost of the monument and headstone is difficult as there are many variables including quality, size, type/color of material, complexity of shape, and finishes. Please contact us with more information so we can provide you a meaningful estimate.
Are you licensed to work with all cemeteries?
Classic Memorials is an approved vendor of all cemeteries.
