Headstones & Plaques – Guideline and help to find the right memorial

.
If you never had to choose a monument or you are simply overwhelmed by the number of possibilities, the following table and questionnaire might help you to make the right decision that fits your wishes and budget.
.

Headstone Selection – Step 1 – Important Facts

.
One of the most important things about the selection process is that you understand in which way certain terms influence each other. Please note that there is no clear transition between a fully customised one off stone and a catalogue item.

Headstone Costing Your Effort
Catalogue Item
.
headstones wave
Price List .
A stone out of the catalogue requires less participation and decisions from your side. You need to be less informed about the material and the methods to work with it. The typical steps to get a memorial like this would be:
.
– Choose a stone from the catalogue – Order the stone
.
Slightly Modified Catalogue Item
.
Headstone Koru
Price list + Budget .
A slightly modified stone out of the catalogue requires some decisions and a little bit of participation from your side. You need to be informed about the material and the methods to work with it. The typical steps to get a memorial like this would be:
.
– Use the catalogue to choose a stone you like – Estimate how much you can afford for modifications on that design – If required we come up with a design of the changed detail – Order the stone
.
Please note that a lot of your effort can be compensated by giving us artistic freedom to work on the headstone. This is where you rely on our experience as monumental masons.
.
Individual One-off Item
.
Monument Eternity
Budget .
A one-off stone requires more decisions and participation from your side. You need to be well informed about the material and the methods to work with it. The typical steps to get a memorial like this would be:
.
– Inform yourself about stone and possibilities – Estimate your budget. We do not have a price list for our customised stones since they are very individual pieces to honour the specific personality of the person the headstone is for. On top of this (if you are looking into getting a stone from this country) New Zealand stone is not quarried in the same way as overseas so every stone has a different shape and character. To make sure that you get the best value for your budget it is essential to let us know how much you want to spend for the stone. Did you think about this already?- Try to think about the way you want to have the stone look like or consult with us to come up with ideas (use the catalogue as inspiration) – We come up with a design – Order the stone – If necessary participate in the process of making it
.
Please note that a lot of your effort can be compensated by giving us artistic freedom to work on the headstone. This is where you rely on our experience as monumental masons.
.
Important:
Important: Choosing individual items and not from the catalogue does not mean that your budget needs to be higher or that it takes more time for us to finish the stone. For instance a customised design in NZ stone only takes 4 weeks while a stone coming from overseas can take up to 3 months simply because of its availability.

.

Headstone Selection – Step 2 – Questionnaire

.
Please check which of the following statements apply to you the most:

I never had to select a headstone before and do not know how much they cost.
Please have a look in our gallery and price list here to get an idea of the stones available.

.

I do want the headstones to tell a story about the deceased.
In this case we recommend you to choose a slightly modified stone out of the catalogue or a customised one-off stone. Write us a story about your loved one and have a look at how much you want to spend for the stone and we are more than happy to provide you with a design that suits your requirements.

.

I would rather like to give you artistic freedom to finish a stone.
We strongly recommend our customers to go this way since artistic freedom cares for an uninterrupted flow of inspiration while the carver works on the stone. In this way we create the most stunning results and you do not have to put too much effort into getting what you are looking for.

.

I have my own idea of how I want to have the headstone look like.
This is possible too. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that you will get involved in the single steps of the work. This requires a high degree of commitment and availability when we need to call you for feedback.

.

I have a couple of elements or a rough idea what I would like to see in the headstone.
This is a good starting point. Send us the ideas that you have got and have a thought about how much you want to spend on the stone and we are more than happy to provide you with a design that suits your requirements.

.

The origin of the stone is important to me.
.
Why did we put this statement in? Not a lot of Kiwis know that 95% of all headstones sold in New Zealand are quarried and carved overseas. Most monumental masons in New Zealand do not have any carving, cutting or polishing gear. The stone is simply imported, engraved and then sold to the customer. Please have a look at our documentary on youtube if you like to get more background information about this topic.
.
The following table shows the advantages and disadvantages of stone from overseas compared to NZ stone:
.

NZ Stone
Advantages Disadvantages
.
The stone is made by carvers living and working in NZ who understand our culture.
.
Since the carving is done in NZ the fabrication process is much more transparent. You can basically come around and have a look at the progress.
.
Since stone is not quarried in big blocks every aggregate has a different character. Shapes other than polished and square are possible. Natural surfaces are possible.
.
Delivery times are usually shorter. Stone that is not on stock can be ordered within a couple of days.
.
For the spiritually minded: The stone comes from local quarries and rivers where the spirit and mana of this country resides.
.
.
NZ Stone is usually more expensive since the carving work is carried out in NZ where wages are higher than overseas
.
Some of the NZ stone is quarried with explosives. Resulting microfissures cam sometimes make the sculpting process more complicated
.
Stone from Overseas
Advantages Disadvantages
.
Mass fabricated designs always look like the picture in the brochure. You will exactly know the outcome before you receive the stone. The stone is cheaper.
.
Stone is cheaper
.
.
Fabrication process is not transparent (carving is done in a factory far away)
.
Outcome might be culturally inappropriate since the work is done by a carver who simply does not live in NZ
.
Stone can be copied and might reappear on the cemetery (mass fabrication). Since the carvers overseas start from a block and not a particular boulder (where every stone is having a completely different character) the stone will not show the same degree of individuality
.
Production is outsourced to another country. This is bad for our economy and crafts in this country
.
Delivery times are higher because the stone is shipped from overseas
.

Headstone Selection – Step 3 – How to proceed

We hope we could make the process a bit more transparent for you. Get in touch with us anytime if you have got more questions. For that you can either call us on 0800 55 2867, write us an email or talk to us using the contact form here.
.
We are more than happy to send you a design to show to your family. All of our quotations will include the price for the stone, sculpting, lettering, transport and the installation.
.

2018 ATOS Hawkes Bay – Hastings, Napier, Waipukurau