FAQs

When customers come to us to create a headstone, a grave marker, or a memorial for loved ones (including for a family pet), one of the first questions they ask is, “How much does a headstone cost?” Headstone prices are unfamiliar to most people. The exact cost of a memorial, also known as a headstone, gravestone, or tombstone, depends upon the quality of the material used (type and color), shape, size, design, lettering, personalization of the monument (finishes and custom artwork), the location/cemetery where it will be installed, among other factors. There are a lot of variations in cemetery monument prices; no two monuments are ever alike. Because there are so many factors which contribute to the prices of a custom-made headstone, we cannot post prices on our website. However, Goose Ridge Monuments guarantees we will create the finest memorial within your budget that will personalize those to be remembered. We deal directly with the public so you can be assured that you will get a competitive price without a middleman mark-up. We have a small selection of discounted headstones, as well as displays featuring examples of our craftsmanship at our shop in Bozeman, MT. So feel free to stop by, or contact us with your ideas and for pricing.

Usually, a family will try to purchase a monument within one year of the date of death. There are families who begin to start envisioning how a person wants to be remembered prior to death. Pre-planning, or pre-need planning, is the process of laying out plans for the funeral, memorial or headstone prior to someone’s passing. Pre-need planning not only allows the individual to take part in the planning process, it also allows ample space for family members to grieve without having to worry about the logistics around death.

Most people have never bought a monument before, and purchasing a monument is a once-in-a-lifetime event. We encourage you to get as much information as possible so that you and your family will have no regrets for generations to come. At Goose Ridge Monuments, one important factor we take into account is a personal connection between the monument builder and the individuals/families. The personal connection allows us to bring to life the story of the individual(s) our customers would like to commemorate.

Monuments are usually made of granite, marble, or bronze. Granite is the most common material. It is available in many colors and is the most durable of the choices. Marble monuments are usually white in color. The surface will wear away over time due to environmental factors. Bronze comes in different hues and is used most often for flat markers, columbarium doors, ornamental accents, and statues.
We offer a variety of granite sourced from within the USA and overseas. Not all granites are appropriate for memorials, and it is important for you to know which would be the most enduring within your budget. We would be happy to consult on your options and offer recommendations.

With today’s technology, a memorial artist can create a variety of monument styles, shapes, and sizes. Please refer to our gallery for examples of the styles we offer through Goose Ridge Monuments:

• Flush makers – these are placed flush with the ground.
• Bevel markers – these are not very high above the ground, with the back of the stone being a few inches higher than the front.
• Slant markers – these stand typically 16 inches or more above the ground, with the back of the stone straight vertical, and the front sloping at about a 45-degree angle.
• Traditional upright monument – these are typically a two-piece memorial consisting of a monument (tablet) and a base that it is attached to.
• Benches – these can be multiple-piece memorials, or simple pedestal and seat-style.

The average, in-stock (on display) memorial takes about 6-8 weeks to craft. Custom memorials will take longer. Bronze memorials take 8-12 weeks.

Our doors are always open to the public during business hours. However, in order to best serve you, we suggest calling ahead and making an appointment so that we can give you our undivided attention.

An increasing number of people are choosing a mausoleum today to remember their loved ones in a very special way. Mausoleums can be a building with stained glass windows and a bronze door (called a walk-in mausoleum). They can also be a smaller above-ground building that has no windows or doors (called a crypt) where the person is entombed. Columbariums are structures that store urns when someone is cremated. There are various options in terms of the size and the number of urns that can be stored.

Personalizing a monument enables you to tell the story of the loved one’s life, by creating scenes, symbols, and portraits right on the tablet. Did the person have a hobby, a favorite place or a poem? We at Goose Ridge Monuments specialize in customizing memorials; we work with the family at each stage of the process, to pay tribute to a loved one and to preserve the family heritage.

Many products can be added to the monument, including matching vases, votive lamps, portraits, bronze embellishments, hero medallions, and statues.

Determine the type of stone your monument is made of. Most marble will be white with dark veins running through it. Most granite will be gray, red, pink, or black.

Granite: Clean with 409 and any scrub brush that is deemed safe for Teflon pans. Rinse with water.
Marble: mix bleach 3 to 1 and apply evenly to the monument. Let it soak. Rinse completely with water.

For complete restorations, re-setting of leaning and/or broken monuments or touch up of monuments that can’t be read, please contact us for restoration.