What is the cheapest material for a headstone?

According to the religious beliefs and personal preferences of the deceased, the headstone can be an incredible symbol of the deceased. As the last contact point with the dead, it can be a place of remembrance and peace, visited and cherished.

With this in mind, choosing a tombstone to commemorate the life of a loved one is an important process, and time and care should be invested. When planning a funeral, it's also easy to ignore the cost of considering a tombstone, so it's important to know roughly how much you want to spend in advance, so that when a disaster comes, you won't be short of money.

Although there are many different monuments, there are mainly three kinds of tombstones:

1. Upright tombstone, the most traditional design

2. Tombstones with hornstones. These full-length tombstones allow more freedom of expression, but at a higher cost

3. Flat or sloping tombstones, which are usually smaller than the other two options, can be horizontal with the ground or raised from the rear to the slope

All of these can be made of various materials. The first two tombstones usually have a concrete base, and the tombstone itself is made of granite, marble or limestone. Granite tombstone is the most durable and cheapest material, making it also the most popular choice.

In addition to the materials you choose, you also need to choose the specific completion you want to see on the tombstone of the deceased. The following options are available:

Polishing: smooth, shiny, often reflective, polished tombstones need regular cleaning and maintenance

Partial polishing: these tombstones are polished only around the place where the inscription is engraved, with emphasis on this part

Polishing: the surface of the eggshell is partially polished by removing dust, giving a smooth but non reflective beauty

Made with a hammer and chisel: this technique gives a rustic, old-fashioned effect, which is popular in ancient cemeteries

Saw: it is made of diamond saw or wire. This technology can get semi smooth surface, which looks especially handmade

Toughened or frosted: made of steel shot, which is a sand blasting treatment, smooth but not reflective

There are also other polishes, such as axes, blue or shell rocks, but these are far from common.

It is difficult to say exactly how much each tombstone costs, as it will largely depend on the size, shape, material, completion and carving involved, but the 2017 London Royal National funeral cost index report shows that Britons spend an average of £ 916 on tombstones or other memorials. This is in addition to all other funeral expenses, such as funeral organizers, cemeteries or cremation, flowers, venue rental, catering and other expenses.

Similarly, it is difficult to summarize the cost of specific materials, but the general rule of thumb is that flat or inclined tombstones are the cheapest. The average price of tombstone is about $1500, and the most expensive is about $2600.