A good headstone should not cost you everything.
We manufacture monuments and markers for families across Kansas and Missouri, and we set the prices where an ordinary family can reach them. Come and see them, or call and we will talk it through.
We started making our own monuments so the price could come down.
Most monument companies buy finished stones in and mark them up. We began manufacturing instead, so that a family who cannot spend thousands still gets something they are proud to stand in front of.
Nothing about that changes the stone. It is the same granite, cut and lettered the same way, set on the same foundation. It just costs what it costs to make, rather than what the market will bear.
If you are at the beginning of this, you do not need to know anything yet. Bring the cemetery name if you have it. If you do not, we will find it.
Our starting prices, printed where you can see them.
Most monument companies will not put a number on a page. These are ours. What you finally pay depends on the size your cemetery allows, the granite you choose, and how much carving and etching you want on it.
Grassmarkers
Slants
Uprights
Larger uprights
Bevels and pet markers are part of the same fair and affordable range. Ask us for the current figure on any of them.
Grassmarkers
Flat, level with the grass. What most cemeteries require in their newer sections.
Bevels and slants
Raised at the back so the lettering faces you as you walk up to it.
Uprights
Single or companion, from a plain die to a shaped and carved stone.
Pet markers
The same granite and the same laser etching, at a size that suits a garden.
Every one of these is standing in a cemetery now.
Photographed by our crews on the day they were set. Nothing here is a catalogue picture.
Sandblast, laser, or both on the same stone.
Traditional engraving is sandblasted. The cutter blasts the stone away to leave the letters, and it works on granite of any colour. It is the oldest way of doing it and the one most people picture.
Laser etching is done on a modern laser machine, and it works best on black granite. It gives you photographs, logos, your own artwork, and smaller lettering if you need to fit more words on. It is more delicate than a blasted letter and may show wear in fifty to a hundred years.
Most families now choose both on the same stone. Blasted names and dates, laser etched scene or portrait. Ask to see the difference side by side before you decide.
How the stone actually gets into the ground.
This is the part nobody explains, and it is the part that decides whether the monument is still standing straight in twenty years.
We prepare the site
We inspect the ground at the cemetery and prepare the foundation area, so it is level, compact and able to carry the monument for decades.
We set the foundation
Where one is needed, a solid concrete foundation goes in first. That is what stops the stone tilting or sinking later.
We place the monument
Set with the right equipment, positioned to the layout you approved and to the cemetery's own guidelines.
We level and finish
Levelled and aligned, then cleaned and inspected before we call the job done.
We work directly with cemetery authorities so that the size, the material and the placement all meet their rules. You do not have to negotiate any of that yourself.
Stones from the 1800s, put back on their feet.
A leaning marble headstone is not beyond saving. We lift it, lay it flat, take it back to the shop, clean and repair it, then reset it square on its base in the cemetery.
What restoration covers
Repairing dislodged or fallen markers. Repairing broken or cracked stones and bases. Resetting a leaning or sunken headstone. Complete restoration of a family plot or a historic grave marker. Clearing lichen, moss, vines and debris. Re-etching worn text and lettering. Reattaching pictures, plaques and decorations. Light and deep cleaning.
One word of warning about cleaning it yourself. Most stones in older cemeteries are more fragile than they look, and a lot of the cleaning products sold for the job cause long term damage. Check the stone for cracking or flaking first, and if you are not sure, ask us before you put anything on it.
Adding a date to a stone that is already there.
When one name on a companion stone still has no closing date, we come to you. We photograph the stone at the cemetery to match the exact font, size and depth of the original lettering, and give you the full cost before anything is cut.
Then we cut the stencil back at the shop, return to the cemetery, and do the engraving and painting on site. Many families have the whole stone repainted at the same time so that every letter matches. That is an extra cost, and we will tell you what it is.
Please buy this ahead of time. Final date engraving can take three to six months to complete, so it is worth arranging before you need it.
We will match engraving on any stone, whether or not the memorial came from us.
Including the things people do not know to ask for.
Installation
Foundation, placement, levelling and finish, to the cemetery's rules.
Final dates
Cut on site, matched to the original font and depth.
Restoration
Broken, fallen or historic stones repaired and reset.
Cleaning
Light and deep cleaning of markers and headstones.
Re-levelling
For a monument that has begun to lean or sink.
New foundations
Poured properly, so the stone stays where you put it.
On-site engraving
Additional lettering added at the cemetery.
Civic memorials
Memorials for towns, veterans and organisations.
Mausoleums
Private mausoleums, columbariums and family structures.
Temporary markers
To stand at the grave until the monument is ready.
Rock yard signs
Carved natural boulders for homes, farms and businesses.
Clearance stock
Finished stones already in the yard, ready to letter.
We also make cremation memorials, urns, columbarium monuments, cremation benches and vaults, bronze monuments and plaques, angels, hearts, ledgers and special shapes, and we carry porcelain photos, stained glass, vases and cleaning supplies.
The things nobody tells you.
I have no idea where to start. What do I need?
The name of the cemetery, and the section or plot number if you have it. That decides what size and type of monument is allowed. If you cannot find it, tell us the cemetery and we will work it out with them.
Nothing else is needed on a first visit or a first phone call.
What decides the price?
Three things. The size the cemetery permits, the granite you choose, and how much carving, shaping and etching is on it. Our starting prices are published above, and we will give you a full figure for exactly what you want before you commit to anything.
Can you add a date to my mother's stone? You did not make it.
Yes. We can match up any engraving whether the memorial was purchased from us or not. We come to the cemetery, photograph the stone, and match the original text, font and depth.
Please arrange it well ahead of time. Final date engraving can take three to six months from start to finish.
The stone is leaning. Is it ruined?
Almost never. A leaning or sunken monument is usually a foundation problem rather than a problem with the stone. We lift it, deal with the foundation, and reset it level.
The same is true of a stone that has fallen or cracked. Bring us a photograph and we will tell you honestly what can be done.
Should I clean an old family headstone myself?
Be careful. Most memorial stones in older cemeteries are fragile, and many of the cleaning products and methods sold for the job cause long term damage.
Look the stone over first for cracking or flaking. If you are not certain it is sound, ask us before you apply anything to it.
Which lettering will last longer?
Sandblasted engraving is cut into the stone and is the more hard wearing of the two. Laser etching is finer and can carry photographs and detailed artwork, but it is more delicate and may show wear in fifty to a hundred years.
Combining the two is the most common choice now: blasted names and dates, laser etched scene.
Do you work with my cemetery?
We work with cemeteries across a four state area and we serve families throughout Kansas and Missouri. We deal with the cemetery's regulations and requirements on your behalf.
If you are not sure whether we cover you, call 816-833-5111 and ask.
Can I put something at the grave in the meantime?
Yes. A temporary marker holds the place and carries the name until the monument is finished and installed. Many families use one, and it costs very little.
Come and stand in front of the stones.
Choosing from a screen is hard. Choosing in a yard, with your hand on the granite, is much easier. Independence is open through the week. The others are by appointment, so call first and someone will meet you there.
Independence
2320 S. Crysler Avenue
Independence, MO 64052
816-833-5111
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5
Weekends by appointment
We also serve families from Clinton, at 727 East Ohio Street, and from Buckner, at Central and 24 Highway. For either of those, call Independence on 816-833-5111 and we will arrange it.
Call, and a person answers.
You can ask us anything, including what it will cost, before you commit to a single thing. There is no obligation and there is no hurry at this end.
Frisbie Monuments
2320 S. Crysler Avenue, Independence, MO 64052
816-833-5111
1-800-721-7932 toll free
kevin@frisbiemonuments.com
Monday to Friday, 9 to 5
Saturday and Sunday, call for an appointment
After hours: 816-210-3838