FAQ

Choose a reputable company, one that has the professionalism and range of products to help you with your choice. A monument is an investment and should be chosen with thought and care. Visit our showrooms where we display memorials of various styles and colours and, here, you will see the quality workmanship that goes into each stone. Whether you are looking for a single marker, a double or a cremation monument, our qualified Memorial Counsellors will answer your questions. Please note that in some cases, cemetery restrictions will determine the sizes and styles of monument from which you may choose.

Pre-need memorials are ones purchased in advance. Many people choose this option as it protects against the rising costs of inflation and saves their family from future worry and uncertainty about selecting their memorial. At-need memorials are purchased for your needs now. Rose City Memorials requests a 25% deposit with payment in full upon completion. For more details, please contact one of our Memorial Counsellors.

Even though Rose City Memorials is a family owned business, we are still able to offer competitive pricing. Our granite suppliers are the same ones who supply our competitors. It is important to keep in mind, when obtaining estimates, that granite has different grades and that different colours can also determine price. Remember that the same size does not mean the same quality. Other variables include a stone’s finish, its polish, the type and style of base as well as any accessories also chosen.

We accept cheques, money orders and arrangements can be made for a payment plan to suit your budget. In this case, the monument would not be installed until the account is paid-in-full.

Your ideas may come from brochures, design books, other monuments or your personal photos. Your final design choices will be combined with the appropriate text and epitaph to create a personalized memorial. Designs are generated onto granite by one of, or a combination of, the following methods:

• Laser – computer enhanced designs; highly detailed; image “burned” via machine onto black granite only.
• Etching – artist’s rendering; created by hand with diamond-tipped tools and air brushing; black granite only.
• Impact Etching – computer enhanced designs; highly detailed; image transferred via machine’s diamond-tipped tools to black granite only.
• Sandblasting – the standard process; follows set patterns and designs; multi-granite colours.

Sandblasted designs and most lettering, including the family name on the back of the memorial, are covered in the price of the monument. Additional charges may apply for laser or etched designs.

We will need to have the correct spelling of the names and the correct birth and passing dates. It is often helpful to bring along the Memorial card from the funeral service. We will also need the plot location and the sides verified (i.e. who is to be on the right, who is to be on the left) if ordering a double monument. For porcelain photos, either bring the original photo with you or email it to us. Remember, the better the quality of the photo, the better the finished product will be.

Yes, we can order bronze markers for you through Ornamental Bronze Ltd. in Richmond, BC. The delivery time is approximately 12 – 14 weeks. Please note that design choices are limited and Ornamental Bronze Ltd. will charge for any changes requested.

Monuments are set on either a granite or concrete foundation at the head of the grave or on solid ground to distribute their weight. If granite bases are also required (i.e. for pillows and upright monuments), they will be included in the price of the monument. Granite bases come in a variety of styles, compliment the look of the monument and protect it from cemetery maintenance equipment.

No! Installation is seasonal – from early spring (approximately April 15) to November 30, weather permitting. It is too difficult and too dangerous to install in the winter and, in many cases, cemeteries become inaccessible for our vehicles once the snow falls.

Delivery is 6 – 8 weeks for in-stock items and 10 – 12 weeks for special ordered monuments.

We try to accommodate particular dates if we are given advance notice of the occasion.

Installation fees are based upon the size of the monument’s granite or concrete foundation. We do not charge by mileage or weight. Please note that we cannot control the fees, foundation charges or installation costs charged by city cemeteries. In particular situations, we will ship a monument to a location of your choice.

Rose City Memorials has a mobile sandblast unit and most added inscriptions will be done on site. In some cases, the monument may be removed from the cemetery and brought back to the plant. We match the lettering correctly, clean the monument, re-highlight it and then re-level it when we replace it on the grave. If any damages occur during this process, Rose City Memorials will replace the monument at our expense, providing it was not damaged prior to removal. We take “before” and “after” photos of all of our work.

It is Rose City Memorials’ responsibility to insure that your monument remains level. We will re-level any of our installed monuments free-of-charge.

Our memorials include a written guarantee on materials and workmanship. We will replace, without charge, any granite portion of your memorial should it crack or prove defective in any way.

Any window-cleaning solution (i.e. Windex) will clean the surface and bring up the natural luster of the stone. A once or twice yearly cleansing with a solution of dish-washing detergent and water will remove the accumulation of airborne pollution, the chemical residues from fertilizer and weed killers and any mineral deposits from water.
Dissolve 3 – 4 tablespoons of granular dish-washing detergent (i.e. Cascade, Electrosal or Sunlight) in one litre of water. Use a fibre-bristled brush, not plastic or metal, and wash the monument thoroughly afterwards. It is recommended that this cleaning be done when the monument is cool (i.e. early morning or late afternoon).